Hello Perfume Posse. Petit Fracas was never on my to smell radar until Joe Garces (ex marketing man for Piguet) came to Australia. Before that I was adamant that anything called Little Crash or Little Disturbance was probably not going to be for me. Joe made me sniff though and instantly I understood what they had done. Suddenly the 1940s heavenly bubble gum sweet, tuberose blaring fragrance was a 21st century girl.
After a couple of hours I also realised they fixed one of Fracas downfalls, Petit Fracas doesn’t scream for 20 minutes then soften to a lone siren call in the distance. Nope, here we have a full bodied beauty that lasts and lasts.
Petit Fracas by Aurelien Guichard for Robert Piguet 2012
Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Bergamot, mandarin, pear
Heart: Tuberose, jasmine, gardenia
Base: Cocoa, musk, sandalwood
Instead of that amazingly outrageous tuberose BLAST Petit Fracas now has an ultra modern fruity fizz at opening that morphs quickly into a white flower bouquet. Cleaner, sweeter and more subtle that her predecessor. A joyful and flirty lift where hefty Fracas could easily overwhelm and wear the wearer. Yes,. there is still the bubble gum undertow that makes the whole fragrance sing but it’s tempered, never quite so outlandish.
It’s the heart and dry down that will really win your heart with Petit Fracas though. Added in are a nougat and chocolate swirl that together with the white flowers, fruity remnants and creamy sandalwood create a whole new fragrant experience. It’s a killer combination and totally fun. Made for the youth market but I reckon anyone, male or female, with the gumption and free spirit waiting to explode will rock Petit Fracas every time.
An excellent choice for you northern hemisphere people as the weather cools and as a spring fun frag for us down under.
Further reading: Perfume Posse, Candy Perfume Boy and Non Blonde
Check the discounters, it’s currently a steal
Do you have a favourite Robert Piguet fragrance?
Portia xx
Portia also writes for Australian Perfume Junkies
When I was in my 20’s I was out shopping with my mom and spritzed Fracas on my arm…I had to put my arm out the car window on the drive home because it was so BIG hahaha. I’ll have to try this one out (alone).
Hi there KateE,
Fracas is huge for the first hour, enormous. Dry Cleans your curtains.
Portia xx
Never tried Petit Fracas, it sounds like fun. My favourite Piguet is Casbah, being a big incense fiend.
Hi there TaraC,
I can’t remember Casbah. Will seek it out.
Thanks,
Portia xxx
I love Calypso. Thankfully I bought a small decant before buying a bottle. It seems I must be allergic to something in the composition, it made me sneeze several times right after spraying it on. That does not happen often when I test new perfumes, I have had a skin reaction a few time, but mostly many years ago before the regulations came. Also liked Visa when trying it, but not enough to order a FB.
Hey Ingeborg,
That’s really interesting. You sneezed every time you wore it? How annoying.
Portia x
I really sneezed every time I tried to wear Calypso, so didn’t finish the decant. Other than DG Light Blue I think I have only had allergic reactions to heavier, oriental perfumes. I don’t really worry anout it, but don’t use candles and home fragrances a lot.
Interesting! I’ll have to try and find a sample to sniff! I’m an enormous fan of vintage Bandit, and pretty much anything Germaine Cellier did, so that includes Fracas. I still need to try Baghari and Visa. Thanks for the review!
Ahhhh BANDIT! How I love it too HeidiC. Have you tried the shower cream? Makes fabulous bubble baths.
Portia xx
Nooooo! There’s shower cream? Ahhh! I’ll have to track some down.
I’m not a huge Fracas fan. Surprised? You know I love me some BWFs. Thing is, Fracas has this enormous overdose of soapy, creamy orange blossom THAT NOBODY EVER MENTIONS, and the overall effect is to make it smell like tuberose-scented cold cream. (Does anybody even use cold cream anymore? My mom stopped using it sometime in the 70’s, and I don’t like the smell so I’ve never touched the stuff.)
I liked Petit Fracas, *except* for the drydown, mostly because it got all Cocoa Puffs on me. I wound up liking the very-similar Douglas Hannant variation on Fracas much more.
HA! All coco puffs! Hilarious Malsnano86,
Douglas Hannant is very nice, I only tried it inn passing though so on your recommendation I’ll give it a red hot go.
Portia xx
Thank you for another great review Portia. Now I’m curious to sample Petit Fracas; it sounds fun. I’m not a fan of Fracas because I have a difficult time with tuberose. I adore RP Baghari though, gorgeousness!
I’ll be really interested to read what you think of Petit Fracas Kathleen, It’s quite different to the tuberose you’ve come to expect.
Portia xx
Ooh. I must put this on my ‘scents to try’ list as I do like the original very much!
Hey JenniferS,
The two are related but not sisters. I hope you like the 21st century zing added.
Portia xx
Ha! So happy you discovered Petit! I actually like it better than regular Fracas (ducks head, don’t shoot!) it’s an easier wear, more accessable and yeah…without that top screech at the opening.
Xoxo Robert
No shooting here Robert,
I think you’ve captured the nub of the problem. Fracas can be screechy.
Portia xx