Our take
What does La Panthère Légère smell like?
Mathilde Laurent, Cartier’s in-house perfumer, created La Panthère in 2014. In spring 2015 she followed with a lighter version, La Panthère Eau de Parfum Légère. The bottle keeps the cat carved into the glass, now clear rather than frosted. The top is green, with a touch of dried fruit that recalls the original. The heart keeps the gardenia and musk accord that defines the line. What is new is tiare flower, and it is the whole point of this version. It brings a sunny, almost monoi feel that lifts the gardenia. The base stays chypre, with oakmoss, patchouli and a hint of leather under a softening musk. La Panthère is plusher and more feline. The Légère smells more like skin in the sun. It remains a chypre, which is rare for a summer flanker.
When to wear it
For warm days at the office or at lunch. Two sprays on the wrists, and the musk and moss hold well.
It belongs to the Floral, Chypre family. La Panthère Légère is one of 15 creations by Cartier in our encyclopedia.