Martin Margiela “Untitled”

Can I just note here that it baffles me how anyone can go through the process of creating a perfume and then not name it.  Does that mean there’s no name worthy of bestowing upon the scent or that the creative team that  is in charge of marketing couldn’t agree?  I mean, if I was paying some cosmetic company genuises a healthy share of all sales to put this thing on the market, the least they can do is come up with some kind of  name.

Besides that, the scent is great. I’ve been cribbing from the same notes every0ne has put up. “Based on green floral notes, we can smell galbanum, boxwood, mastic, incense, bitter orange … as if they had been gathered after the rain. Additional notes include jasmine, cedar and musk.”  Not sure where they came from first, but sure, why not.  It’s a very green, woody, nutty scent. There’s some parts of it that remind me of the nutty aspects of Bois Farine, but I just went and resniffed Bois Farine, and it’s not yeasty and bready like that, so I don’t want to scare those of you that don’t like wearing bread off.  It’s like green nuts, a little incense.  I think maybe it’s the impact of the bitter orange on something that’s making me read it as nutty because I just don’t think it really is except in my head.

It’s a well done, warm, cuddly scent that feels a little like toasted chestnuts. The long drydown veers it off more in the direction or the orange and wood with a lovely green incensy underpinning.

Right now it is exclusively at Colette in Paris, who will ship internationally for a generous shipping price, but they say it will be available at other retailers in March?  I think it’s definitely one to sniff. I’ve loved wearing it, it’s snuggly and feels exactly right.

The winners of the samples of this scent are: Nina Z, Leslie and Musette because she wins the shopping sweepstakes with building a room to put her bags.

  • Sara K says:

    Sounds lovely – I really enjoy bitter orange…. I’ll have to remember to look for this in March (hmmm, how will I remember ‘Untitled’)

  • Joe says:

    I guess I don’t mind the ‘Untitled’ bit once in awhile because so many of the “titled” ones have names that are dafter than daft. Delicious Irresistible Sexy Heated Summer Cocktail Cupcake! (or the niche version: Acqua des Fruits del Mar Légère Intense).

    I can’t wait to try this MMM; I have a small decant coming. Nice to hear that it’s a bit of a comfort scent with green and orange peeking through.

    I’ve actually found ordering from Colette to not be so scary once I got over my initial nervousness. The price was only $5-$10 more than it eventually would have been from some US e-tailers, even with shipping, once Colette deduct the VAT from the price.

  • Mike says:

    having an unnamed fragrance is not exactly the best way to get started in that particular industry. Im sure it was considered a “clever” business idea, but that will eventually work against them considering it remains nameless.

  • NathanB says:

    “Untitled” is pretty much what the whole Martin Margiela brand is about — models with their features obscured so that you can’t recognize them, a former head designer who never appeared in public and didn’t give interviews, a tag system that identifies clothing ranges by number instead of name.

    For fans of the Margiela brand, the “Untitled” name amounts to a kind of inside joke. And they (“they” meaning Diesel, which now owns the Margiela brand) probably *did* think long and hard about a name before deciding that not applying a name was très Margiela.

  • Nina Z. says:

    Hey, thanks! I’m excited about “green” in anticipation of an early spring out here in Northern California (I’ve already spied daffodils). And I so often like what you like (became an OJ Woman convert due to you).

  • Shelley says:

    Congrats to the samples winners! Here, have a cuppa… ~o)

    Meanwhile, like Louise, I’m awaiting a decant portion of the MM. Thanks to your report, I’ve ratcheted up my anticipation a bit. 🙂 So, no need to enter me in this draw. But–also like Louise–I am really, really excited about the new PG. Something green from the Guillame? Vegetal homage to mousse de saxe? Oh, yes….

    No name. Pfffft.

  • janh says:

    “untitled” is such a cop-out. (if I may show my age.) My old writing teachers said if you could write something, you could darn well think of a title.

  • Leslie says:

    I can’t wait to try this; it sounds interesting and I can definitely use something interesting to play with! Thanks!

  • Musette says:

    :”>

    The new Lady room will, Floyd willin’ and the creek don’t rise, be done in the Spring. Murray ( my blue croc vintage Murray Kruger) got hurt in the Bag Room that is already built (’tis kinda small) so we are going to put in built-ins for the vintage bags and my Mulberrys and all the perfume samps etc because I LOVE Storage. Jeez. I need to quit. El O is happy to do it because he got a brand-new table saw for Christmas and is sick of my :(( about Murray and his kinfolk.

    once it’s done I will send you a photo!

    xo >-)

    and THANK YOU! Can’t wait to try this!

    • Musette says:

      UPDATE:

      I got it (thank you again!) and you’re right – chestnuts. I’m getting smoky green chestnuts and for some reason it’s bringing back memories of Coty Elan. For a hot minute I thought I was anosmic to the whole thing but it came roaring back.

      Kinda like the smoke on top of the green.

      xo >-)

  • Louise says:

    I’m awaiting a decant of this, with some excitement 😮

    But first on my “wishlist” is the new PG-I hope it’s completely what it promises…

    Off for more sledding now =d>

  • I’ve yet to smell this one because I loathe going to Colette — crowded, noisy, and you have to ask for each and every scent strip. But based on my main man Octavian’s report, while it’s pretty good, it’s nowhere near the originality of Maison Martin Margiela, which in itself is disappointing.
    Re: the “Untitled” name, that *is* probably the bid for originality. A lot of works of art are named Untitled. Usually perfume names come from the marketing dept. and not the companies where the scent is composed.

    • AnnieA says:

      Untitled artwork really irks me, as it seems both vastly unoriginal and pretentious (a lot like much of modern art, in fact). Such artists deserve to have their works dubbed “The one with those green blobby things”, etc. Harumph, only a little monkey head can cheer me up…:(|)

  • violetnoir says:

    Hmmm…not at my friends at luckyscent yet?

    I need to get them on it, Patty, because this sounds worth a twirl!

    Hugs and love!