Hello Perfume Posse, Portia from Australian Perfume Junkies here and today we look at Serge Lutens newest select distribution baby La Fille de Berlin. I know, everyone else got there ahead of me but I just found a hefty decant in a bag that I was about throw away because I thought I had used all the decants and that it was empty. Ha Ha ha! It’s so fabulous I couldn’t resist writing about it.
La Fille de Berlin by Serge Lutens 2013
Photo Stolen Fragrantica
Fragrantica gives these featured accord in one line:
Rose, Pepper
WHOOOSHHHH! The opening burst of fizzy, fruity roses is amazing, bubbling up my nose and tickling my brain. Aaaagh! Like a sweet, luscious, juicy framboise it is syrupy rich on my skin like a huge old amazing damask rose dipped in the most expensive full fruit jam. Other reviewers get a cooling into violet but on me we stay firmly in sweet, spicy rose territory and falls away to whisper quality at about the one hour mark on me.
It becomes a sweet, wet, peppery rose that has a very human musky base. I LOVE La Fille de Berlin and want to go back immediately and live the initial spritz again.
La Fille de Berlin stays at the soft level for hours, I get surprising little whiffs all evening and can still smell a very quiet sweetness next morning.
Photo Stolen MorgueFile
Further reading: Bois de Jasmin and Now Smell This
You can buy La Fille de Berlin at LuckyScent $120/50ml or Serge Lutens
Surrender To Chance starts at $4/.5ml
Did you all try it yet? Was it anything like I experienced? It seems to live differently on my skin than most reviewers, or maybe I am completely smell broken?
If you liked this you’ll LOVE Australian Perfume Junkies so trot over and say howdy.
Portia xx
I was very excited to to try this, but sadly, not one for me. I smelled something metallic in the first minutes of spraying, which I don’t mind. But this beauty turned later powdery on me 🙁
AH you get the full story Belle, while clearly you don’t like the powder, yet I who would adore it get spicy jam rose to the end.
Oh Well, thank goodness there is so much else to wear, thanks for commenting and adding a new side to the conversation, Did anyone else get powder?
Portia xx
OMG! that is so strange. Seriously? I just found a little decant in a little shopping bag full of ………flotsam and jetsam is the only way to describe it. I was just going to chuck it, then on a whim decided to dump it out and make sure…and vi-ola! I’m going to wear it this pm, see what’s what!
xoxoA
We are SERIOUSLY linked Musette, but no prizes for realising that. I hope life is on the up for you.
Portia xx
it is, ma belle. It is. And I am so freakin’ GRATEFUL! Coming out of that long, dark tunnel…will talk about that in a few weeks, when I really can communicate it (still a little wobbly). In the meantime, thank you so very much for caring!
xoxoA
Thanks for the review, Portia — I’m still itching to try this one…
Hi there fearsMice,
It’s definitely worth a good sniff.
Portia x
Howdy, Portia! Like March above, I am not big on roses. However, this one sounded intriguing and I ordered a sample a while back. Now to find it … arghhh… Thanks for a lovely review though.
Ann!
Are you well? Did you find your sample and have a go? Was it jammy enough that you could suffer the rose? Did the pepper keep it different?
I’m super glad you enjoyed the post.
Portia xx
loooove this..
And I love YOU Tom.
Portia xx
This one is on my sample list, especially since it has rose AND violet. I have Montale Black Aoud for my dark, sexy rose and Heeley Hippie Rose for my fun rose. I am a bit worried that La Fille de Berlin might be too sweet.
Portia, I doubt you’re “smell broken”! I think that perfumes smell differently on peoples’ skin because we all have a unique hormonal makeup that affects our skin and our own natural scent.
Hi there Fatima,
I can’t lie to you, LFdB is a sweet, gourmand rose. I don’t find it too sweet like Pink Sugar or some of the celebuscents because it has the back up of the pepper, and I’m sure a dozen other things that we’ll never know.
If you try it please come back and tell me how you went.
Portia xx
I’m dying to get my hands on this, but am trying to be better about buying so many samples. I am longing for a Lutens to love and have all but given up, though I do like de Profundis, and need to try La Myrrh.
I like Uncle Serge’s other roses, but they aren’t especially different from the other rose fragrances I have. Is this one appreciably different than Majeste and Nuit?
Heya Tammy,
LFdB is not Serge Lutens as we expect him. Not a dark fragrance but sweet and fun and filled with light, though there are things about it that are definitely Lutensian like its excellent projection and scent bubble, how syrup-ish the whole concoction is and the initial zwooosh of opening notes. Are they different? Yes. Different enough? Only you can answer that. Come back and tell me if you try it please
Portia xx
My two favorite roses are Perles de Lalique (rose, pepper, Iso E Super), and Olympic Orchids Ballets Rouges. How would La Fille de Berlin compare to those 2? (or ELd’O Rossy de Palma, for that matter, another gorgeous, dark rose….)
I am unfamiliar with the Lalique masha7 and I can’t put my head on exactly what the ELdO one was like but in comparison to Ballets Rouges not as dark and green, much lighter, jammier and a little less depth. La Fille de Berlin is a rose but a joyous, sweet, modern effect, while still harking back to days bygone.
Portia xx
If I didn’t already own a decant- your review might have made me get one! I was a leetle tiny bit disappointed in this as I expected just a little more depth or weirdness. This was quite a pretty scent on my sweet-amping skin. It reminded me a bit of Rooh-afza, the rose flavored syrup that is stirred into cold milk and drunk..I was never a big fan of that syrup but my husband was, so ofcourse he liked the perfume more than I did..[I did like the perfume just didn’t head over heels love it)
I think I need to wear it today..
ok- I just re-tried it , and I have to admit , it *is* nice- after the initial metallic buzz it reminds me of Potrait of a Lady (though less intense)- I remember that was my first reaction when I smelled it.
Interesting that you get a hefty metal opening, I completely missed it. Even today I tried LFdB again at lunch with a friend and it’s (something)berry jam and spice rose on me. Where did it go after the metal on you Lavanya?
Portia xx
Yummy! your review makes me want to drink it over ice-if i could afford it. I think i will order a sample. Thanks for the review.
It would be GORGEOUS as an iced drink, I’m sure a bit of rose water, gin, strawberries, curacao and some pepper for sizzle, blend with ice, serve with peppery mint leaves./ MMMMMMMM
Hey, babydoll – do you know this line? http://www.alchemycordial.com.au/buy/750ml-cordial-love/ALCC750LOVE
I have no idea where I got this bottle (yonks ago) but just opened it for Saturdays Francine. Over club soda, with a wedge of lime and a sprig of mint….heavenly!
xoxoA
Don’t know it but it is only a drink, YOU are divine.
Portia xx
Huh, I am not a huge fan of rose, not even Lutens rose…. and you really have me wanting to sample this one! So, thanks for that…
Sorry March, if you don’t like rose then this will probably have you heading for the showers. it’s ROSE!! One of the most fun and delightful roses I’ve yet tried but ROSE, ROSE, ROSE.
Portia xx
She’s right, hon. This is Not For You. It’s everything Portia said (I’m wearing it as I type this) – which makes it SOOO Not For You!
xoxoA
For my birthday last month I treated myself to a junket over to Seattle and a wonderful little store that, as far as I know by checking the Lutens site, is the only place in the Northwest that sells his perfumes. Not only that but the SA gave me a tutorial of their wares – many perfumes from many sources. I instantly fell in love with this latest Lutens – exactly the scent of full-on deep red roses that best release their wondrous fragrance on hot sunny days. While I went ahead and purchased his Un Bois Vanille (another love I just had to have), I wasted no time ordering a generous sample of La Fille de Berlin from Surrender to Chance. Ah. Life is good!
Hey Barbara,
Un Bois vanille is lovely isn’t it? Happy Birthday for last month, what an excellent way to celebrate. I’m trying to think how I will celebrate mine this year… definitely something perfumed.
Portia xx