L'Interdit Eau de Parfum

L'Interdit is a white floral with backbone—the kind that wears black silk to breakfast and doesn't apologise for taking up space. Ropion, Flipo, and Bal have constructed something that feels both classically Parisian and defiantly modern: tuberose and jasmine sambac bloom against an unexpectedly earthy framework of patchouli and vetiver, creating a tension between prim white petals and darker, soil-under-the-fingernails rawness. The bergamot and pear opening is brief but effective, a citrus-fruit flourish that quickly gives way to the fragrance's true character. What makes this compelling is how the tuberose—typically either aggressively creamy or camphorously green—splits the difference, rendered substantial but not suffocating by that earthy base. The vanilla and ambroxan in the dry down don't sweeten so much as soften the edges, a gauzy amber haze that keeps the white florals from shrieking. There's powder here too, the kind that suggests face powder rather than laundry, adding a vintage sensibility without tipping into museum piece territory. This is for someone who understands that femininity needn't be dainty, who appreciates florals but gets bored by the prissy ones. It's evening-weighted but not exclusive to darkness—a woman wearing this to an afternoon gallery opening is making a statement. The sillage is assertive without being aggressive; people will notice, but you control the narrative. It lingers impressively, that earthy-sweet skin scent clinging well into the next day.