I call brands out for names which have nothing to do with the perfume. I should equally laud those who have names which absolutely describe what the fragrance smells like. The Maison Margiela Replica collection means what it says when it names its releases. The most recent, Maison Margiela Replica Autumn Vibes provides exactly what you might expect.
The first twinges of fall have arrived at Colognoisseur HQ. Now on my morning walks there are some fallen leaves beginning to accumulate on the side of the path. In another couple of weeks with a stiff wind or two and a storm those piles of leaves add a distinctive scent to the season. It isn’t as pleasant as pumpkin spice, but it is characteristic of this time of year. It is a dry slightly spicy odor. It also has that oddly sweet sense of the early stages of decay. Autumn Vibes captures all of that.
It begins with a light bit of berries to provide that surrogate for the decay. Cardamom is that slightly chilly breeze of the season. This is an engaging opening where it draws you deeper into the woods. What you find there is that dry woody scent of the piles of dead leaves. There seems to be a cocktail of woody ingredients formed into this pile of leaves accord. For much of the time this is on my skin it is held at this slightly piquant woody phase. Over time moss softens this into a hazier woodiness.
Autumn Vibes has 12-14 hour longevity and average sillage.
One of the things I appreciate about this was the choice not to add any woodsmoke-like piece. I found it made for a purer experience to focus on the dead leaves over the fireplace. Much like the poodles I walk with, I suspect Autumn Vibes is going to be a pleasant companion throughout the season.
Disclosure: This review is based on a sample supplied by Maison Margiela.
–Mark Behnke
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