Frederic M
A unique visual signature based on accords, character, and seasonality
The first spray delivers a bracing slap of thyme and mint, almost medicinal in their intensity, before mandarin orange swoops in with sunny sweetness. The lavender hovers beneath, more aromatic-green than floral, whilst there's an intriguing salinity—that bilge note—adding an unexpected maritime edge that keeps you sniffing your wrist repeatedly.
As the herbs recede, coriander emerges with its peculiar soapy-spicy warmth, dancing alongside Brazilian rosewood's creamy woodiness. Alyssum brings an unexpected honeyed floralcy that shouldn't work with the composition's green-herbal character but somehow does, creating a textural richness that fills out the fragrance's middle register.
The base settles into classic fougère territory, but warmer and more resinous than expected—oakmoss and patchouli create that timeless earthy foundation whilst labdanum adds amber depth and a subtle leatheriness. Sandalwood provides creamy support, and what remains is soft, enveloping, and quietly tenacious, like sun-warmed skin after a day spent outdoors.
J'existe announces itself with an almost confrontational herbal intensity—this isn't the polite lavender of barbershop fougères, but something more Mediterranean and sun-scorched. Jacques Cavallier-Belletrud orchestrates a collision between aromatic thyme and cooling mint that feels like crushing herbs between your fingers on a hillside in Provence, while mandarin orange adds just enough citric brightness to keep the opening from becoming too severe. The coriander in the heart brings a curious soapy-spicy quality that plays beautifully against Brazilian rosewood's creamy, slightly peppery character, whilst alyssum contributes an unexpected honey-floral sweetness that softens the composition's more austere edges.
What makes J'existe compelling is how it straddles the line between fresh aromatic and resinous oriental—the patchouli and oakmoss in the base create that classic fougère foundation, but the labdanum adds a leathery, amber warmth that pulls the scent into more ambiguous territory. This is the oakmoss of pre-IFRA restrictions, earthy and substantial, mingling with sandalwood in a way that feels decidedly early-Eighties: unapologetic, generous, bold.
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3.6/5 (99)