The story of Repetto
Rose Repetto sewed her first ballet slippers in 1947 for her son, the dancer and choreographer Roland Petit. Opera dancers soon took to them. In 1956 she made the Cendrillon ballet flat for Brigitte Bardot, who wore it in And God Created Woman. That was the moment the dance shoe moved from the studio to the street. After some lean years, Jean-Marc Gaucher took over the company in 1999 and pushed it into fashion. Perfume came later. In late 2011 Repetto signed a fragrance licence with Interparfums. The first scent arrived in 2013, an eau de toilette by Olivier Polge inspired by a ballerina in Carlotta pointe shoes. The eau de parfum followed in 2014, denser and warmer. Fragrance is a small part of the Repetto story next to the shoes. It still borrows their vocabulary: pink satin and dressing-room powder.
An olfactory signature
The eau de parfum opens on juicy plum with a candied edge. The heart pairs rose and orange blossom, softened by cherry blossom and an almond that smells like marzipan. The base is ambery, led by vanilla and patchouli, without the weight of a classic oriental. It suggests powdered skin after class more than the stage. Compared with the pear-led 2013 eau de toilette, it gains roundness and loses some transparency.
Which Repetto perfume to choose?
Our database features Repetto through its 2014 eau de parfum. You will like it if you enjoy powdery florals with a gourmand touch that stops short of outright sugar. Wear it in spring or autumn, two sprays on the nape of the neck. In high summer the almond and vanilla feel a little heavy. If it seems too polite, try Zadig & Voltaire This is Her, creamier and woodier. For something lighter, look for the 2013 eau de toilette and its pear.