Our take
What does Ma Dame smell like?
Francis Kurkdjian, who had already composed Le Mâle, created Ma Dame for Jean Paul Gaultier in 2008. It reuses the house's famous glass torso, this time in bright pink. It targets a younger crowd than Classique, and the whole package plays up that cheeky pop mood. The opening is sour: orange zest and a grenadine that recalls childhood syrup. Fizz dominates the first hour. The heart lays a velvet rose over powdery floral notes. Cedar and musk make up a creamy, soft base. Reviewers at the time called it synthetic, and it does smell more like candy than flowers. Compared with Classique, Ma Dame trades vanilla and amber for fruit. It still shares a family resemblance in its powdery softness. New bottles are hard to find today, and most now change hands between collectors.
When to wear it
A daytime spring scent, best on weekends. Two sprays are enough, and the musk lingers on clothes.
It belongs to the Floral, Fruity family. Ma Dame is one of 22 creations by Jean Paul Gaultier in our encyclopedia.
