The chypre is the oldest serious structure in perfumery and the one that has mostly disappeared, because the materials that built it are now restricted. Rhapsody is Louis Vuitton reconstructing it: bright bergamot at the top, dark patchouli and mossy depth at the bottom, and the tension between them running the length of the fragrance.
Why you will love this chypre extrait
A chypre is not a comfortable fragrance and it is not supposed to be. It is bitter at the top, earthy at the bottom, and elegant in a way that has nothing to do with being pretty. If you have only ever worn modern fragrances, this will smell like something from another category entirely, which is precisely the appeal.
- A genuine chypre structure, which is rare in fragrances made today
- Bergamot brightness over dark patchouli and mossy depth
- Sophisticated and slightly austere rather than easy or sweet
- Twelve hours and more on skin at extrait concentration
- At its best in autumn and winter and for evening wear
- Part of Les Extraits, the most concentrated Louis Vuitton collection
The scent
Bergamot opens it, bright and bitter, with a green sharpness underneath. Within the hour that brightness begins to fall away and the base comes up: patchouli, earth, a mossy dampness and a dry woodiness beneath it all. A rose runs through the middle and softens the join. It finishes dark, dry and quietly imposing.
Who it is for
People who know fragrance history and miss the classics, and anyone who wants to smell like an adult rather than a mood. It suits evening, winter, and formal occasions. Fully unisex, though it leans slightly masculine on most skin. Not a starter fragrance.
How to use it
One or two sprays on the skin at the throat and wrists. This is a fragrance that rewards patience, so give it a full hour before forming an opinion. The opening and the drydown are almost two different fragrances.
Key details
- Fragrance family: chypre, patchouli, woody
- Key notes: bergamot, patchouli, moss, rose
- Concentration: extrait de parfum
- Perfumer: Jacques Cavallier Belletrud
- Bottle: refillable
- Suitable for men and women
- Sourced and sold by Jmaloo as an independent retailer. Jmaloo is not an authorised Louis Vuitton stockist.
Size
100 ml
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