Our take
What does La Petite Robe Noire Couture smell like?
March 2014. Two years after La Petite Robe Noire became a hit, Thierry Wasser signed a Couture version. The bottle keeps its dress shape, and the formula moves further. Raspberry opens with clean tartness, softened by bergamot. A single rose holds the heart. It has less cherry around it than the original and comes across more directly. The base explains the name. Patchouli, moss and vetiver set up a chypre frame, and tonka keeps it gourmand. La Petite Robe Noire Eau de Parfum is sweeter, with licorice and smoky tea. Couture feels more grown-up. It also sits near Coco Mademoiselle, another rose and patchouli, though fruitier and less dry. On skin the moss stays faintly bitter for hours, which is exactly what the original lacked. It also keeps its shape better than the eau de toilette of the line.
When to wear it
For the office in spring or autumn, or for dinner. Two sprays on the nape, and the moss lasts all day.
It belongs to the Chypre, Fruity family. La Petite Robe Noire Couture is one of 89 creations by Guerlain in our encyclopedia.
