How we ranked YSL's perfumes
Four criteria shaped this list. Influence came first. Opium made the loud spiced oriental fashionable in 1977, and Paris made powdery rose one of the defining smells of the 1980s. Composition came next, judged on how well the main accord holds together. Versatility mattered a lot. Libre works at the office, at dinner and on a date from autumn through spring, which puts it ahead of Black Opium. Performance is not a problem for anything here. Nearly all of them score 4 out of 5 for intensity, and Opium hits 5. With YSL the real risk is too much sugar or spice, never too little presence. We also included Tuxedo, officially unisex, because it gives a dry alternative to women who have had enough of the house gourmands.
Three pairs and a tuxedo
What stands out in this selection is that it works in pairs. Opium (1977) led to Black Opium in 2014. The first smells of clove and candied plum, the second of sweetened espresso and vanilla. Paris (1983) lent its name to Mon Paris in 2016, and the violet-dusted rose turned into strawberry over patchouli. Libre (2019) became Libre Intense a year later, with more vanilla and tonka. Each time, the newer version is sweeter and easier to like in the first minute. Each time, we still prefer the original. Tuxedo stands apart. Launched in 2015, it translates the house's famous tuxedo into patchouli, black violet and juniper. It is the only scent on the list that does not try to please you straight away.
