Alaïa Alaia Paris for women

I've just finished my bottle of this and I don't think it's one I'll repurchase. I think I loved the the idea of it more than the reality of it. I don't think it had great sillage and the fresh notes in the opening remind me of cucumber. I just wish it was a little bit more heavy on the violets. It's a shame Juliette Has a Gun have discontinued Citizen Queen because that was a similar but better fragrance to Alaia.

Musky, airy, fresh leather. Very unique. No sillage whatsoever, though.

Mystical. This is what the cloud of unknowing must smell like. Yes, it is intimate, but that's the point. The arid, mineral qualities of this fragrance is so unlike anything else. It's so perfectly blended you can't be bothered to decipher the composition. It's mysterious and meant to transport you that acoustic space of preliterate cultures. Spiritual comfort in a bottle. Contemplative like the cave of a saint. It's my signature for Lent.

Intimate 👥

A truly unique perfume, the only place where I can find it is in Alaia store in London. Very special and dark, perfect for cold days

Why does everyone seem to think it’s discontinued? All 3 are available on alaia website? Smh

This is fantastic layered with Narciso Rodriguez Pure Musc. Adds a fluffy, sensual dimension to the formal cool elegance of this scent.
Btw people saying that this scent has no longevity or projection must be anosmic to some of the notes. After spraying this on and leaving my room, I can smell it in the air when returning to my room hours later. I also sometimes wear it to bed, and I still smell it upon waking up.

Truly unique fragrance. Balance of contrast between mineralic and animalic. The leather here is suede-like, soft and smooth. On my skin, the fragrance is not linear. Burst of pink pepper and chilly airy notes at the top give way after a few hours to the warmth of leather and musk. It's such an elegant fragrance, perfect for work. It's inviting but doesn't scream for attention. It's quiet, boss-vibes confidence in a bottle. Lasts for hours on skin, days on clothes. So sad this is discontinued.

Very airy and fresh, the wet chalk effect is palpable. I barely pick up leather at all. There is a light non-sugaqry sweetness, it feels like there is some sort of fruit I can't identify. Maybe from the musk? It's a very clean musk. But this is mainly about the floral (rose is squarely in a supporting role) and airy mineral notes. It's not edgy in any way. In fact, it strikes me as kind of bland. I recognize that's on me though, because the mineral notes were very forward thinking in 2015. A safe daytime reach if you click with it more than I do. Leans very feminine and somewhat youthful. Seasonless

If you want unusual, dark, clove-y scent, this it.
I bet no one will smell like you.
I scent tons of cloves, violet, old leather (not bottega edp like leather) and yes, I get the mountain air. The musk on my skin is very subtle.
I scent some hints of rose during drydown.

Very intimate sillage, absurd lasting power.
Nothing like it on the market. VERY unusual scent.
I cant say that I love it, but I can say really like it. The scent evokes different notes through the day, it does not evolve into base notes, it comes and goes. Very nice!

Not safe for blind buy.

Alaia is not what I expected at all, honestly, and I'm slightly disappointed. Noses are so weird, aren't they? Based on reviews, I was expecting a sophisticated spiced leather to come forward at some point to add a bit of earthiness to contrast against the fresh ozonic quality of it, but I'm not getting earth at all. Pepper and musk with some kind of airiness listed in the top of the note pyramid as "mountain air." I don't know about mountain air, but it's certainly peppered ozone in the initial stage. I don't know if I like it or not yet. It's interesting, but I'm certainly not having an "ooohhhh, this is amazing!" reaction. Luca Turin's review is pretty spot-on, though, even if he likes Alaia much more than I do: it truly does develop backwards with a dry down that is fresher than the initial peppery spray. I found it more interesting upon first application; now it's starting to morph into a typical floral-musk, pretty and common. Very common. Still no leather for me.

Still sniffing my wrists and pondering. This is very different from my usual favorites, and I'm trying to give it a fair chance. It's just so damn *pretty*. And floral. And fresh. Those words just keep coming back over and over again. That's not what I gravitate toward, so maybe it's just a personal bias. With that said, it's also admittedly blended to perfection and, because of this, really nice to wear. There are no unpleasant shifts between stages and no notes that stick out oddly. Very well done; however, I hate to say it, but if it weren't so well-blended, this would be a drugstore young-adult fragrance to my nose, like something Britney Spears would peddle. I'm not saying they smell the same, and the quality of Alaia is obviously superior, but I swear I get the same scent memory of briefly wearing "Curious" back in the early 2000s but without the fruit. Maybe it's that aquatic-fresh-musk part of "Curious" - it's admittedly been decades since I've smelled Curious, so take my scent memory with a grain of salt.

Now 30 minutes later the pepper is completely gone and all I'm getting is a light, fresh-but-sweet aquatic-floral-clean-musk skin scent. It's lovely, for sure, and I like it so much better than many of the "clean" chemical aquatic-musk fragrances that smell like fabric softener dryer sheets. Alaia is so much better than those. There is nothing sharp-edged or astringent here, thank goodness because this is exactly the kind of fragrance that typically dries down into something unpleasant and disturbingly artificial on my skin. Alaia just melds with skin like it's meant to be there. It's like the less lived-in, better blended, watercolor-floral version of a Narciso Rodriguez musk perfume. I'm now reconsidering Alaia as something to keep in my collection: this would be perfect as a safe, clean, fresh musk fragrance for times when something more spiced, leathery, and/or animalic might offend or distract others, such as when I'm teaching smaller classes or presenting at conferences. It's just sophisticated enough without veering into unapproachable aloofness like many of my Chanels do. It's warmer and more inviting, totally approachable, and thankfully never reaches a headache-inducing state during any of its phases. While it's not really mind-blowing or anything for me, and I do sometimes wish it had a bit more animalic skank to it, I'm going to hold on to Alaia and revisit again in the future.

Two hours later: even sweeter-but-oddly-fresh abstract floral saltiness lingers on my skin. I just don't know. This might smell a little too young for me at this point. I swear, this stuff is so weird, beginning more mature and interesting yet ending so youthful and fresh. It's quite lovely and I do like it, but I don't think I want to smell like this for too long because it just doesn't feel like "me." Would make a fantastic laundry scent or candle, though! Wish I knew whether or not the extrait is deeper and richer because it'd be worth a sniff, but, based on this edp, I'm not going to blind-buy the extrait as I had originally planned.

Coming back to this, am sure I smell a strong note of cloves!

As with all versions aside from nude, I see too much violet.

A dry, floral, spiced, slightly aqueous, high quality violet scent.

LoL, I'm a man and i love wearing this. It fits my skin chemistry.

After 3 sprays, I would waiting 1 hour for the drydown. The combine of leather and floral is so great.

Ở note hương đầu, thật lạ vì tôi không hề thấy chút vị cay nào của tiêu, mà chỉ thấy sự mát mẻ của không khí trên núi,nó làm tôi nhớ đến sự mát mẻ trong trẻo của buổi tối trên Tam Đảo -Việt Nam
Sau đó là mùi hoa rất mạnh,dễ nhận thấy nhất là mùi hoa hồng và mẫu đơn.độ tỏa hương giảm dần theo thời gian,nhưng thoang thoảng xung quanh cơ thể,lúc có lúc không nhưng dai dẳng,và khi thành skin scent thì mang lại cho làn da cảm giác thơm tho sạch sẽ như khi vừa tắm xong,

Floral powdery musk, not much leather to my nose, maybe a touch on the drydown. Mountain air are you kidding me? Quite a bit of violet.

I bought this on a whim together with the Nude fragrance from the same line. It was affordable and I thought why not as I love black pepper and I haven’t had a leathery fragrance like this before.

On first impressions I thought oh this is a nice floral and then slowly it opens itself up to me revealing the leather scent that might be hit or miss with some people. My body chemistry loved it thankfully and as it’s on sale here in New Zealand at the moment, I’m thinking about buying another one before it runs out as I believe it’s no longer being made.

I’m usually a girl who enjoys gourmand, sometimes fruity, sometimes floral or oriental fragrances. This one I believe would be gorgeous sitting by a fire in the winter snuggling up on a Chesterfield chaise lounge with a good classic (book). It is Autumn (Fall) here now and I have only sprayed it twice on my body. It is all it needs as its pretty powerful juice is enough to last me all day and perhaps in all night.

Why this is discontinued is sad as I see it as a classic and the bottle itself is very attractive. I will have update this review as I get to know it more. It’s definitely unique one I never thought my body chemistry would suit.

Gorgeous!

Useless as a perfume. It is even useless as a body spray. My bottle is few years old, and I still can't get more than five minutes out of it. Leans masculine. I think this is my most regretted purchase ever!

Discontinued in NZ I brought a half bottle from Trademe Myyy goodness it's certainly different
Reminds me of Bvgari Jasmine Noir , read a few reviews Noone else mentions that.
Starting to think I must hva unique nose.
Unisex, spicy , masculine. I don't mind this is that.
& I do like it 👌

for me it is unique, but unfortunately I have a bottle with one fragrance, and I can’t judge the entire Alaya line. Clean, slightly cool sea air of the summer Mediterranean, wandering near the houses of the medina (the walls of the houses smell of lime) Absolutely not oriental and not gourmand .. but very respectable and noble. If I didn’t feel sorry, I would have used it a long time ago and bought a second ... a third ...

I managed to get some of the original on Ebay uk! And they are listing weekly. Worth checking and saving search.

This is also available on the Alaïa Paris website although it is about £100 for a 100ml bottle. However, I adore this perfume and had to get a bottle for old times sake.
I tried this when it first launched, it was summer and I got so many compliments on it. The description of “water poured over hot bricks” really does sum up this fragrance, it has an essence of heat about it. To me it also smells very classy and expensive. For me it works better in summer heat, in winter it smelt a bit screechy on me. It is a surprisingly fresh perfume given the notes, nothing in this feels too heavy.
The violet in this is prominent but doesn’t have a Parma violet vibe like Balenciaga Paris or Insolence do to my nose. It is well balanced with the rose and leather.
The body lotion of this is gorgeous, so sad it is discontinued as I often wore that on its own and it would project as much and last as long as the perfume.
Probably not a safe blind buy, especially given the price, but gorgeous nonetheless and worth a sniff if you are a perfumista! I think it actually smells niche quality so I am not surprised Creed have a similar fragrance in their line, it is a concept that has been executed to perfection by Salamagne for Alaïa. Can totally see when Turin was coming from when he said it smelt like the inside of a Concorde, perfume and leather.

John Lewis Exeter has the remaining stock of the original eau de parfum!

I have and love this - so much I struggle to review it. But I did smell Creed Love in Black recently to compare. LIB is a much stronger leather, whereas Alaia tends more soft suede. LIB is VIOLETS. Violets that reminded me of insolence. Alaia has detectable violets for sure, but overall balanced with the peony IMO.

If the violets and the leather are your favourite parts of Alaia, you might enjoy Love in Black.

I also find Alaia to be super fresh, I’m surprised by all the winter votes. I’m wearing it now in midsummer and it’s perfect. The review about it resembling a bouquet of peonies and violets tied up with a suede bow sold me, and is spot on. The ‘mountain air’ freshness makes it beautiful for summer, and the leather isn’t too heavy at all.

I asked Alaia customer service whether this was discontinued, and they said it was just out of stock. Hopefully it trickles down to stockists again soon.

Can someone please tell me where I can find to purchase this in the EU? I've been searching for almost two years now and it is always sold out or just not available in my country / region. Super sad because I wore this religiously and it is seriously one of my all time favourite perfumes. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you!

I have been using this quite a bit and I am starting to really love it. It is unlike anything I own. I especially love it in the heat, the violets really bloom and come alive on warm skin. I was sweating slightly today after my morning jog, it’s slightly breezy and the weather is perfect, suddenly the sillage intensifies and sweetens, it’s more feminine than I thought it was when I wrote my first review (I still think a man can pull it off though)…it smells amazing and very sensual. This is an extremely high quality scent that can work in literally any situation and any time of the year, it will make you smell good naturally. Not a safe blind buy though, you must atleast appreciate musky, non-sweet perfumes to enjoy it. It’s sad that it’s not easy to find. Full review below.

The smell of clean, towel-dried skin out of a warm bath, but intensified and deepened. Musk, violet soap, abit of leather, some pink pepper. It’s like warm air and soap lather, and warm bare skin. Despite its simplicity, it has presence and sillage. It’s barely there, yet it’s very much there, quite the paradox. Very unisex. I feel like this could be the masculine/unisex counterpart to Narciso Rodriguez Pure Musc. I can imagine a wealthy intellect who dresses ultra-minimalist, mostly in black ofcourse, wearing this…like Steve Jobs, or better yet, a female version of Steve Jobs (remember Elizabeth Holmes? Eventhough, yes, I know she turned out to be a criminal and a fraud, but this scent fits her look and aesthetic), and they’d wear this scent day to night, for all occasions, all year round. Bougie dark academia. I was expecting a female version of Dior’s Fahrenheit, but that’s not what I got (well maybe a teeny bit). So yeah, clean soapy musk, low-pitched and non-sweet fuzzy floral, a bit of smooth buttery leather and warm air/steam. It’s a musk-centric fragrance, the other notes are just embellishments for that clean warm musk. Very interesting. It’s something that I’d wear if I want to give off an impression of being aloof, no-nonsense, abit detached from the masses and hard to get, I’m sure we all have days like that. I don’t know what I feel about it yet, or if it’s full bottle worthy. I’ll have to wear it a few more times. Oh, and no, it doesn’t smell like Bottega Veneta to me, Alaia is much more aloof and minimalist, more musky, less leather.
Update: 3-4 hours later, it kind of smells like a clean naked body that is slightly perspiring, the same person who took a thorough shower with violet soap a few hours ago. At this stage, sillage in the air is like an apparition that plays peekaboo with you, I catch sudden musky-fresh whiffs just when I’ve started to forget that I have sprayed on perfume.

Quick note - like so many other quality perfumes, this one has only grown richer with time! I had traded my large bottle along with the two flankers and it was a good trade as I really wasn't reaching for them, and I could barely smell this one. As luck would have it, I came across the travel size bottle that came with the larger bottle as a set while looking through my cool weather fumes. I sprayed some on and it is just fantastic. Moving it to a love as I am finally getting all the things people say about it - the sophistication, the longevity, etc.

PS - I am now on a quest to get the extrait!!

PSS - I now own the extrait and it's wonderful, and significantly less expensive on eBay than the EDP - the price has skyrocketed since I first purchased it!

I'm a little surprised at those who disagree that this smells like Creed Love In Black. I own both (I'm a decanter) and I personally think this to be a direct clone of Love In Black. They're extremely similar!

Is it discontinued? I can not find it anymore
Any dupes for this?

Is it discontinued!?!?
EDIT: it is not! Is been put Back in production!! Thank God🤞🏼

I blind bought this perfume because the Perfume blogger Bois De Jasmin said to give it a try if you like Bottega Veneta or Cuir D’ange.

I find it really hard to describe this scent. The leather shows up a little bit like nail polish remover (in a really addictive, can’t stop sniffing it way). And even though the notes don’t have fruit, I get some fruit — maybe the jammy rose? But for me, it also sometimes feels like a grape candy.

My overall impression is that this is what I wanted Bottega Veneta Velours to smell like! This feels like a more fall version of Bottega Veneta with the musc and the jammy rose but without being too heavy / strong.

I can’t stop sniffing this…

For one, sadly I found no leather. So if you're looking for a leather scent you might be best to give this a miss.
I do however feel that this could complement a leather handbag, boots or biker jacket.

For me this is a violet dominant scent.
This is heady, breathy (indoles) and animalic violet based fragrance with a jammy rose and a tinge of an aquatic edge just to disbalance and add originality - prevent banality.
The base is sorta like fuzzy pollen. Lovely scent throughout.

I've not tried the extrait/parfum variant, but I do own this, Blanche and Nude.
Blanche, of the three, is my favorite. But this is somewhat alike in sharing that same violet and some of the powder, too.

The Alaia scents all have impressive longevity and they project nicely.

I agree with others that they smell expensive. They're very well blended, along with - say - the Bvlgari catalogue. Another favorite brand of perfume for me.

Similar scents that come to mind when wearing Alaia:
John Galliano & Dita Von Teese.
With hints of Woman by Donna Karan, present in the aquatic ("Jolly Rancher") element.

Smells like understated wealth. Think cashmere camel jumpers, perfectly tailored trousers, expensive cars, perfectly golden balyage with a hermes scarf. Violets, suede and money. Very special.
What's not quite so special, is me wearing this in my working from home 'pandemic chic' of leggings with holes in and slippers, rounded off with the same top I've been wearing for 3 days. Not quite what the perfumer had in mind I expect.

My father picked it up for me as a Christmas gift when it was launched. I think it is perfume of a high quality and respects the brand and its origin. Feminine, oriental, spicy and enormous longevity. Would I go and buy it by myself? Probably not. I am happy to have it, as when I need during autumn/winter months perfume to stick with me the whole day and night, develop throughout the day and give me a bit of a leather tough love, when I need to feel stronger, maybe slightly bit more masculine - then I choose this one.
I think for a commercial line of perfumes, this one is a gem. Not too shallow, yet likeable and of a high quality.

Alaia smells like a bottle of Tom Ford's Black Orchid that was flung into the ocean, where it bobbed and drifted for awhile, and eventually washed up on a desert island. The plush dark oriental richness is still evident, that sweet earthiness bordering on metallic blackened florals, but there is now also salty seaweed tangled around the bottle, sand in the sprayer, and a splash of seawater swirling throughout the scent.

There's almost something Mugler-esque about Alaia's personality in that it seamlessly marries the delicious and the disgusting, so that they become two sides of the same coin, each necessary in order for the other to shine. If you like scents like that, this might become an unexpected favorite. I'd disregard the note list here; it smells nothing like the pyramid would suggest.

If Cleopatra lived in today's world and have to pick one fragrance, it would probably be Alaia.

I thought I would love this given the pepper and leather notes but I don’t. It was a blind buy during lockdown. The opening is quite sharp with a bitter undertone it does get better in the dry down rose, musk and violet. It is a scent with a strong staying power easily lasts the whole day. Unfortunately not for me.

I can appreciate this scent for what it is, but I’m not a fan on my skin. I have a full 3.3 oz bottle. If anyone would like to trade feel free to message me :)

Loads of pepper and perhaps a bit of clove at first.
The pepper is lovely and enhanced by a berry/fruity undertone I hadn't expected, given berries aren't listed in the notes.
Mountain air as a note is an imaginative stretch. Every mountain I've climbed carries combinations of scents like leaf, crushed green, bark, wood, minerals, dust, moss, sweat and, depending on how high I climb, it's possible to breathe the atmosphere of the forest en masse carried up on the slipstream of air currents, or to inhale a mist containing the deeper, darker notes of wet earth and humus and mud.
I get none of that in this perfume.
There is an aquatic steam-in-the-air quality which brings to my mind calone infused with marzipan. It's that Davidoff Cool Water vibe, very faint but present throughout the perfume in all stages. I wish the marzipan were stronger, but it's just the faintest whiff and more like the scent of almond milk than a concentrated dessert.
Peony and rose surge in later, but they're background atmosphere.
What dominates after about 15 minutes is a pepper-infused violet with a hint of musk, with that steam-in-the-air atmosphere trailing behind everything, perhaps holding it all together.
I'm not getting any leather or suede. When I look for it I think I get the faintest hint of plush suede, but the harder I search the more likely what I'm getting is the power of suggestion and a flight of fantasy via the ghost of concordes past.
I don't love this, but I do like it.

Distillation:
peppered fruit and rose
carried in almond-milk steam
violet and musk hued

Reminds me of a leather-based Lolita Lempicka. Lots of violets. Starts out with the freesia and air accord, which smells like spicy wet hay to me. A little bit of peony and musk then onto the leather and violet mix. Very different from what I usually like and unfortunately, it's not for me.

Unlike @BMac99, I do NOT stay away from leather accords at all, and so I was a touch bummed when I was promised leather and instead got something very different. I wish I could give my sample a second wearing, but unfortunately it appears there was only one wearing in it to begin with (darn you, black sample vial that I can't see through!)

The opening is my favorite part-- mountain air, leather, and just a bit of pretty floral. As it dries down, the leather fades away (MUCH SAD), the mountain air dissipates, and I'm left with a photorealistic bouquet of peonies and violets tied together with a suede bow.

Peony can sometimes overpower / cloy out an otherwise promising fragrance, but I really like how well done the florals are in here. There's not a lot of musk to my nose, but what little I can detect is very simple/clean. I wanted MUH LEATHERZ, and all I got was a teeny tiny bit of suede--at least on my skin. I find that odd, because upon sniffing the spritzed sample vial, the leather is very prominent, but somehow it just does not translate to my skin very well, which is a hella bummer for this leather lover. :'(

It would appear that this isn't available anymore through my usual suspect retailers (Ulta/Sephora/Macy's), and I don't know if I like the opening alone enough to sift through the sometimes murky waters that is Ebay. Maybe when my stash is smaller, I'll revisit this, but for now, it was a nice sample and now it's gone. I bid you Adieu, Alaia Paris.

I am truly thankful I gave this another try. I can not believe how absolutely wrong I was about this gem. Originally, I thought this too powdery. I thought it presented as meek or timid. It’s not timid, it’s enticing, it’s warm and seductive. Picture the finest leather, the buttery feel of it-that’s the smell. The violet is muted but blends seamlessly with the leather. The dry down is where the magic happens. I normally stay far away from leather accords but I happened upon this and I am so glad I did. It’s soft, comforting, and signature worthy.

A hot fragrance. Musky suede and fresh violets. I wore this on a humid August afternoon playing hooky with my friend. The kind of summer heat you can't escape from and your clothes are drenched in sweat. This perfume made me smell amazing on that kind of day. It doesn't fight your sweat, it makes it smell like fairytale princess sweat. This is quite lovely.

I was initially drawn to this because of the violet and "mountain air". It's nice, but nothing extraordinary—just your run-of-the-mill musky-powdery floral perfume with a hint of suede that grounds it nicely. I don't get any pepper, and I'm still not sure what the "mountain air" is supposed to smell like; for me, the dominant notes are the violet, freesia, and neutral musks. Indeed, perhaps the only exceptional thing about Alaïa is how well it performs in spite of its overall breezy composition; I think the musk is what pulls everything together, and it's certainly what lasts longest and dominates the drydown. It's been sunny and blustery where I live lately, and this has been the perfect fragrance for going on an afternoon walk and running errands (I can also see this being a good gym scent, as you won't risk overwhelming anybody). It's refreshing, uplifting, and just powerful enough. I wish I could try the extrait, but it seems rather hard to find now. The bottle and cap are sturdy and intriguing, but don't match the luminosity of the contents. All in all, a simple, effective, very pleasant winner.

Smelling the mountain air! The leather is soft as an echo of suede, violets sent out the heartwarming you can't point out where, musk is a transparent light, feeling you don't belong to this world but here is a land out of the world you experience the spirits of solitude.

If Alaia had the perfume as early as 80's it might be a foreign place somewhere like phantasmagoric Hotel California, surprise it's as late as 2015. Long lasting it's brittle, kinda creamy thanks God! sweetie nowhere, a skin scent in modern crafts, it wisely captures Mr. Alaia's spirits in a bottle encourages everyone discovering a brave new world of their own.

Sadly, I'm not a fan of this one. I find it very sharp, musky, powdery, and a peony overload. I do get a bit of pink pepper or spice in the background of it. There is also something rather sour smelling about it. As it dries down the rose starts to come through and it becomes a bit more pleasant, but the opening is very sharp to my nose. If you are a peony lover I would recommend giving this one a try. Glad I had the opportunity to sample it.

This is a Unique Wonder!
I got it a couple of months ago, sniffed.. nothing special, put it away then tried it again a couple of days ago, it just bloomed full force, have been wearing it ever since and this is rare for me to wear a single perfume for more than a day.

Violet (wet concrete at first), Citrusy zing (mountain air), soft subtle Leather (not the stomach upsetting harsh kind), Rose and Musk round it off. Performance is excellent! I wear it before bed and wake up smelling it clearly.

I would say this is primarily a "Violet" perfume, but not masculine (as in Fahrenheit) and not too sweet (as in Insolence), it's cold but warm at the same time (maybe the pepper), I find it very feminine (there's a subtle sweetness lingering) but It would perfectly fit as unisex.
I know I sound contradicting, but I guess this is why Alaia really impressed me.
In my book, this is the find that rewards many wrong choices.
It is Excellent and Extremely Unique!

This is like a breath of fresh air, it does feel like you’re opening a window in the winter and all the cold air is bursting into the room, this is uplifting, it should be called ZEN. I love it!

Oh, I love this fragrance, the best of all fragrances I have. On my skin it smells flawless, sexy, beautiful, strong, independent. I don’t know how to describe it, but I just love it.
It’s a long lasting perfume, and pink pepper makes the fragrance more sexy and mysterious, but I would suggest it as a fall/winter perfume.

Gorgeous. The mountain air and freesia here are the finest examples of those notes I've yet experienced and totally lifting. The violet in Alaia equals that in Lutens' Bois de Violette and I didn't think that was possible. Gently infused -- as in tea -- with the peppercorn and rose. Gently grounded by the leather. Gently sweetened with the musk. Has a marine drydown that reminds me of the Pacific Northwest in winter -- cold and clear ocean bordering sweet clover on the nearshore, not warm and sandy. The whole perfume is smooth as water and so beautiful my spouse catches me smelling my arm all the time.

I've read very mixed reviews on this fragrance and honestly, I understand both end. I have to agree that it has some quality of the fragrance cloud one smells when entering a perfume shop or the fragrance depratment of a mall and I admit i love that smell, somehow it's never a mess but a beautiful mix of all kinds of fragrances from cool aquatics to heavy leathers, marketed for women to men. Yes, Alaia has all these qualities. But when smelling it up close I would say this is a special violet-fragrance from the best ones. Violet has a rather melancholic vibe in erfumes on my skin despite of I absolutely adore its sscent in nature but never really wear it as a perfume because it has this subtle depressing effect on me. Now in this scent with the cool and fresh and youthful aquatics, feminine flowers, frehsening spices and slightly powdery leather and musk the final composition is beautiful, multidimensional, somewhat mature but very modern take on violet and animalics. Interesting that so many seem to be anosmic to it, on me it's a sillage and longevity bomb with two little sprays that is still smelt after 12+ hours.

The smell of the queen !! The smell is unique, intense diffusion, and leaves the smell after the user walks out of the room. It makes me dizzy so I can't use it even though it smells very good.

Despite the composition bouquet, the prevailing note is the rose. Fresh, elegant, ethereal, classy, a perfume that embodies femininity not animalistic but bon ton. Non invasive but long lasting. It gives me that feeling of being in a garden in full bloom where the rose is the queen. Good perfume, enchanting and extremely elegant. On the false line of my beloved Bottega Veneta.

Sweet & woody with berry/plum undertones. Impressively opulent without being overbearing. I would deem this a gender-neutral fragrance. I would not put this one in the category of oriental; perhaps a semi-sweet, woody musk. Definitely linear with just a slight burst at the beginning. Projection: not far from where you originally sprayed. Pretty close to the skin after a few minutes. May last a bit longer if sprayed on clothing also. Would be nice if there were a lotion or cream to layer with.
Compared to the EDP Blanche version (which I gifted away). I prefer this one over Blanche as it was too overpowering and did not mix well with my chemistry.

Great reviews, very underwhelmed. Very very light right off the bat, nothing special about this fragrance, it's slightly sweet. whatever this is, it's been done before- over and over.

Returning this puppy.

Gorgeous, complex and addicting. This is one of the best fragrances on the market. A hidden gem!

I love anything and everything which comes in a black bottle! My mother received it today, on hear, surprise, surprise it's innocent flowers. Light, soft spring flowers. I tried it on my skin - found out that I make every fragrance darker, smokier, heavier. On me it's more leathery, there are flowers, the powdery violet, but my skin blooms more with the dry notes of musk and leather. Alaia on me is even animalic, I would say, which is a great thing for me, of course.
All in all, if I had to pick a fragrance, Alaia would not be at my top, I'd rather go for TF Black Orchid or Noir de Noir. Oh, had they infused Alaia with patchouli! I'd be in love.

Finally, FINALLY, I am able to actually smell this in all it's glory! I was almost completely anosmic to it. I don't know why, as at the time I bought it, I didn't have anything with heavy leather or suede in my collection. I think it owes a debt to Jolie Madame, but this isn't chypre by any stretch of the imagination. Perhaps my nose is now more attuned to the smell of leather in perfume. This is so soft, but not powdery soft. The violet is not candied or like makeup - it's very natural. And the pepper just adds the perfect note of sharpness. Now I understand why this is a masterpiece, and I am so happy about that!

This is in my top 5 best fragrances ever!

Luca Turin mentioned that this fragrance smells like interior of a Concorde. Leather and mixed perfume from past passengers. I never smelled a Concorde so I cannot attest to that.

How this smells to me is like no other fragrance I’ve ever smelled. It’s definitely floral but not in a way most floral perfumes smell.

It reminds me of the nights in Tunisia, with the warmth radiating from the stone pavements. Warm airiness and purple night blooming flowers. You can smell the leather but it’s just the right amount.
Imaginary flowers made of leather. Through the core of the fragrance runs a note of metallic air that continues until the dry down. Leather and metal with florals create a killer combination. It’s not sexy but sultry and mysterious. The designer describes the fragrance as water poured over hot bricks. I can definitely see why.

The fragrance is strong and haunting. It’s a night only affair. It’s bold and confident. It’s like a carnivorous flower that wants to attract it’s pray. It works well for formal settings and summer evenings out.

I got a few compliments on it although I don’t wear fragrances for compliments.

The bottle is as stunning as Alaia's couture creations.

Received free sample of this. Found it a shy, cool, elegant perfume. Yes to the pepper and violets and the animalic thread weaving through. Expected something more torrid so was surprised by the cool urban sophistication. I find it somewhat veiled and mysterious, in a reserved way rather than a sensuous one. But rather lovely neanmoins.

I don't know why but this perfume smell like a mix of leather and tobacco on my skin. It is strong and masculine. I cannot smell any of the floral notes. I keep thinking this will smell great on my husband though, just not on me.

Opens with a somehow boozy leather, later it turns into a very dry powder, with a cold airy note. To me, it’s too masculine, but it’s an interesting and unique perfume. Definitely not a crowd pleaser. It’s very difficult to sell it. The store where i work put it on sale, but no one wants to buy it. Most people are repelled at the first sniff. Men and women alike. Many find it too strong.
Final note: 8/10

This fragrence is amazing, rich and simply magical. I've got many complements when I was wearing it.

This reminds me of Chanel no 5. big time!! Does anyone else feel this way?!

This has a big violet presence, candied rather than gardeny, and the pink pepper isn't in your face but more subtle. As it dries down it reminds me of Anais Anais. I really like it, it's a nice floral on the sweet side with a vintage feel without being too stuffy. The peony is more prominent than rose.
I like the Alaia Paris brand so far. And nice comment beneath me.

Opening notes are a shot of booze spilled on a leather coat and violets and laaa, this stuff is crazy nice.
So smooth it slides all over the place, petals and pepper, dank then sweet, light then hard, feral metal musk heat-tempered in rosewater.

Modern magic, at an accessible price.
Lingers in personal space the whole day, sugar and leather on the skin, and fog and rain on the clothes.

This could be this generation's Lolita Lempicka, a new twist on violets, and powerfully femme.

I literally just smell leather lol

I blindly bought this perfume quite a while and when i first sprayed it on my wrist i didn't smell ANYTHING, and i was like: "What the heck happened here?" 🤣🤣, so, the following day i sprayed it again and there you go, i picked up pink pepper and in the dry down i got this leather scent but i could still smell the pink pepper. Longevity and projection are awesome 10/10. I really love this perfume. If you love STRONG aroma, then you will love ALAÏA.

Alaia was a blind buy for me, on the hopes that it might be the dynamic, unladylike violet fragrance I’ve been wishing for. I wasn’t disappointed. Violets are substantial in the top notes, though less recognizable in the drydown. It’s development is rocky, but for me the finish is worth it. I could see the balance of this fragrance varying significantly based on individual body chemistry, though.
At first spray I get a strong burst of violets with mild watery rose undertones. Loud, but not unpleasant. After a few minutes, the pink pepper starts to rise and, for me, it smells quite sharp and a little too cloying for my tastes, sort of like a dense white floral. It reminds me a lot of Miu Miu, which I think has nice notes (also a peppery floral) but is just too thick and humid for my tastes. It sort of feels like a blanket of fragrance, rather than a well-blended effusive scent that uniquely and subtly adjusts to one’s body chemistry.
After about an hour, Alaia is an entirely different scent. Perfumes tend to grow warmer and spicier with my body chemistry. Alaia did become warmer as the aquatic notes and musk developed and, thankfully, pushed the peppery sharpness into the background. A subtle powder note appeared that, to me, made to violet less distinguishable from the rose note, but also more personal. I don’t smell much leather in this, but that note often doesn’t develop well on my skin. For me, the final result of Alaia is something a bit more than a skin scent — personal, unique, and with many subtleties that I didn’t expect from first impressions. Yet still a fragrance with strong, intoxicating presence and personality of its own.

Magic. This perfume is absolutely stunning, utterly magical. When I first sprayed it on I was quite underwhelmed and a little sad because I thoroughly enjoy the Nude and Blanche flankers. All I got was a strong chemical whiff of watermelon Jolly Rancher, as many other reviewers have noted. So I’ve been sitting here browsing Fragrantica, of course, and suddenly I was hit with an icy yet comforting blast of fresh woods and animalic leather—that infamous mountain air note. Oh my goodness. Now I am in love. You truly have to be patient to experience the magic of this one.. the dry down is so, so beautiful!

On a somewhat related note, I just came back with my husband from our anniversary vacation. We went to Mammoth Lakes and spent a lot of time hiking and being outdoors in general. A 5ml sample of Alaia greeted me when we came home and now this fresh scent reminds me distinctly of the pine and wilderness of Mammoth. How perfect to have the essence of our trip in a tiny bottle :) I may well have to purchase a full bottle of this one!

A very generous friend of mine has sent me a bunch of samples and decants from her vast collection. She is a young woman, but she has a very kinky nose - her tastes in fragrances are as far from mainstream as one can imagine. Hence I’m not surprised that she would own something like Alaia.
On with the motley. Upon the first sniff of Alaia, I was like ‘wait a second, I’ve smelled this before’ - and then I remembered what it reminded me of: Zoologist Dragonfly! Honestly they’re about 80% identical: lots of peony, some powdery blue flowers, some watery-airy notes and loads of sweaty musk. The 20% difference is that Alaia also contains tons of leather. It’s not a soft suede note, but a proper stuffy leather, as in Gucci Guilty Absolute for men. If this description kind of suggests that Alaia is a mess - bingo, it is!

I just purchased this by mistake thinking it was Alaia Blanche which I love. I tried this one before and just didn’t like it. It’s such a strange scent to me. It reminds me of a generic masculine freshie with a bit of spice, leather and an aquatic vibe. I can’t remember which but I just don’t like that kind of scent. On the other hand, I tell myself this could be a perfect leather for our high temps here in AZ. So many leather scents turn cloying in heat. I imagine this one won’t. I’m going to hang on to this and see if I can learn to love it, it’s a strange animal but perhaps my patience and preserverance will pay off. UPDATE: Alaia also shares similarities with Kelly Caleche EDP (turned really sour on me) except more ozonic then sour.several hours later....the drydown is amazing well worth the initial ozonic weirdness lol I think this is starting to grow on me :)

Watermelon jolly rancher

Unique. Not like anything else you have tried before.
Bold leather+watermelon (I know there is none, but I do smell it). Unisex. Not a safe blind buy. Unusual enough to be tried. Go to the store for construction workers, find some leather goods, thick heavy duty yellow leather....

I just layered this with a bit of Insolence EDP with good results! Alaia tempers the sweetness of Insolence, and for some reason, Insolence seems to amplify the leather in Alaia. I am more of a purist when it comes to layering, but this works for me. Sacrilege? Perhaps. But worth the experiment, IMHO!

Hot dog, I love this! I wish I could pin it down, but I can't!
It's airy, woody, floral, musky, huge leather. It's potent but not cloying. It's unique and hard to describe.

For those who don't care for "perfumey" scents. In the same vein as the Narciso Her (tall rectangle bottles) or E & J French Grey. This is the smell of scented skin.

This is clean, but dirty. Floral, yet not. Try it. Sublime!

There’s one thing I really wanted to understand when I blind bought this, and that’s “what is mountain air”? I think I can describe it now. It’s 1/2 aquatic and 1/2 citric, with metallic/stone + bergamot peel vibes. The mountain air note gives this perfume a cold sharpish essence that reminds me of Cristalle by Chanel.
On first spray I’m a bit overwhelmed by the mountain air plus the leather. If you’ve ever smelled a Florentine leather bag this is it - it’s not suede, it’s still animal skin like. The dry down about an hour later is sophisticated, with the leather and mountain air toned down I can finally smell smoky violets and musk and just a hint of freesia.
Seems like something a fashionista would wear. Quite different and cool.
Edit: this smells a touch like cigarettes.. just a touch.

Tissue test- just rec'd in the mail. Will wear proper later.

The opening airy notes and pepper give off a very TEA-like scent (black tea or plain Lipton tea). Now it's drying down to a unisex clean yet dirty musk-powder and still smells distinctly of tea in a fresh floral way. Not overly feminine per se, and I can tell the leather is creeping in.

Very light so far. I dig this!

WOW! This does smell like crisp cold fresh air. Right now, Upper Michigan is still cold, but Spring is coming. I have sunshine, wind, and 40 degrees. I swore someone opened windows in my office because it smells like COLD FRESH AIR in here.... but I think it's my Alaia. I don't get a lot of sillage from my tissue test, but this smell is all over my office. Must be the ceiling fans!
(long professional office, with about 15 cubicles, and I'm in the front-middle.)

Some reviews find this masculine, and while I get where they come from, this is more clean/unisex/leather. It's not masculine at ALL, it's just not girlie girl.

The drydown on tissue is very vintage, which is exactly why I blind bought it. I love a vintage smelling musk/leather.

Just received this today and I'm still testing it out. At first the rose and pink pepper hits my nose. Close behind I'm also getting that freshness from the mountain air and violet notes. I definitely get a Balenciaga Paris vibe in the opening but then it changes.

I find the fresh smell of this fragrance comforting, like I've smelt it before. Like fresh linen or like fabric softener.

Soft powdery floral suede with an aquatic vibe is working it’s way through the background in the drydown

Sillage and projection felt moderate borderline strong. And longevity seems good.

I like this fragrance. I don't love it. The mountain air has an aquatic vibe in the dry-down, something kind of cheap smelling on my skin chemistry. But I like that I feel clean and fresh.

Not really a safe blind buy with this one.

EDIT: I’ve worn this one quite a lot recently. My partner loved it on me and I get compliments each time I wear it! It’s a fresh clean smell. I enjoy it a lot now. Looking forward to trying out Blanche I think that might be even better!

This has been on my want list for a while, and after finding it at TJ Maxx for $29 I figured it would be a safe enough blind buy. Based on the reviews and note pyramid, I expected this to be very leather-forward, but on me it's really not.

At first spray I definitely get the pink pepper and airy notes, which read to me as very crisp, almost vegetal (cucumber? celery?). This quickly fades away and the floral notes predominate, more so the freesia and peony than the rose. Every now and then the mountain air peeks back in and lightens it up even more.

Now that it has dried down, I'm getting soft, powdery violet. I don't typically gravitate toward anything powdery but I really enjoy this. It reads more like a clean/fresh type of powder rather than cosmetic powder. As for the leather, it's barely noticeable on me, more like a soft suede than a bold leather. Not what I expected but I certainly don't mind.

The scent leans rather feminine on me, but I find it to be well-balanced. Overall I'd say this was a fairly successful blind buy. Not to mention how gorgeous the bottle is. I'm curious to try out more from this house, especially Alaia Nude.

EDIT: Now that I've been wearing this for several hours thought I'd give an update. I'm getting a lot more of the leather now. It's elegant and sophisticated, like the inside of a nice leather handbag. Love!

I find it quite hard to know where I stand with this perfume. Personally it's not to my taste, but it does have good elements to it.

I'd say this is more of a unisex fragrance. The leather is very bold, and I think that's what makes it have a 'tougher' smell. It almost smells like cologne.
It's pretty powdery, but not like an old grandma smell. It's has a fresh and mysterious vibe to it. It's sharp yet soft. Sweet but tough.

But with all that aside, I feel like it's too boring. There's not a lot going on and the fragrance doesn't smell any different on the drydown.

It's not that great. Kinda meh.

I've had to try this a couple times to order my thoughts about it. The ocean note is very much like the bath and body works "sea cotton" note. It's good, but generic and sometimes strident. That said, this fragrance has a sweet leather and lightly spicy melange. The florals blend away into the leather pretty fast for me. But, the spicy leather remains sweet throughout. The musk doesn't turn on me, which is a rarity. I want to like it, it's a restrained spicy oriental. But, it reminds me too much of the bath & bodyworks scent at some points.

This is such a nice fragrance! Very particular and a bit confusing, but nice nevertheless. Great performer, long lasting with a good sillage (it has totally eaten up Hypnotic poison, which i am wearing on the other wrist), a so called cold weather perfume, but still incredibly crisp, fresh and energetic. I can imagine an active, outdoorsy woman smelling like this. At the same time, my skin amps up the flowers quite a lot, so funnily enough, it smells like a spring perfume also. And it’s ever so slightly reminiscent of L’eau d’Issey, of course less aquatic and citrusey, but similar in vibe.
Does anyone else get that or is it just me??
Anyway, it’s lovely and refreshing.

Perfume has the power to take me on a journey; sometimes to a faraway place, sometimes down memory lane. This perfume transported me to Istanbul, years ago, when I was newly pregnant and my sense of smell was heightened to the nth degree. We went to a Turkish bath house that had been built in the Roman style centuries ago, all worn stone and yellow sunlight. The stone slab was radiating heat and I laid a wet towel on it before reclining. A female masseuse came and dripped oil onto my arms and collarbone and began to massage it in, and this, the smell of the wet stone, and the masseuse, who had the hint of roses on her skin, and the warmth and the sunlight and the humming and singing of the attendants with the echoes off the domed ceiling and the joy of the just pregnant me...the past and the future meeting...this is where I was taken when I first tried Alaia. A soft and elegant and feminine feeling. So airy and sublime and well blended. My favorite right now by far.

I suppose I must be happy for my chemistry, as I think it is incredible gem among perfumes.
I smell what was meant to be smelled - sea/water and hot stones, sculptures and air, yet I smell strange "spice-incense"-like and East, musky cold violets...But its truly IS Heat among wetness and cold among heat. Balanced contradiction and so unusual and significant. Totally loving it and thankful for this present to dear friend of mine.

Fabulous find and blind buy. I came across this one at Marshall's for I believe $17 on clearance. I also saw it at TJ's. For $17 it was worth taking a risk as I pulled up Fragrantica on my phone while sifting through the clearance rack it looked like a find.

It's definitely a different scent. I've got close to 200 perfumes and nothing I have smells like this one. At first it went on slightly vintage smelling which concerned me. But after about 5 minutes what I get is that lovely pink pepper with the leather and what I feel is a hint of clove. Now I know it might sound like an awful combination but honestly it's very nice and well put together. I am shocked this has not received more recognition.

Beautiful leather and rose fragrance. Great performance and inoffensive. Very interesting depth. This fragrance has started my journey into niche and layering perfumes to find equally interesting, complex fragrances. Absolutely love it. most appropriate for fall and winter days. Can't wait to try the blanche and nude versions.

I spray this on and get a blast of pink pepper, of violet, and of musk. I absolutely get one rater saying it smells like being inside an old cloakroom. That violet is a flashback to old makeup bags, fur coats, woolen overcoats, slightly damp umbrellas drying while closed.
There's a lot of negative feedback about this perfume. I've had my eye on it for a while and after the holidays it went on sale so I snatched one up.
I like it. Not very long lasting. But it's different from any other fragrances I own. It is "airy" and very floral. I don't pick up leather.
A good "something completely different" blind buy for me.

EDIT:
I've been wearing this for a while now. I will add that this is one of the most melancholy fragrances I can think of. Violets do that to me. Going to put this on, go out to a cabaret, drink and listen to a chanteuse sing of broken hearts and old lost love.
I have grown to adore this perfume and the times I have worn it.

A successful blind buy! I love, love, love this! My first leather frag. It smells classy, sexy and strangely enough - clean and a little dirty at the same time. It’s sensual and warm and creamy and I feel like a sexy KGB spy when I wear it. So underrated and underpriced. What a gem!

Gosh, the reviews of Alaia are certainly a mixed bag! I do not find it to be a polarizing scent at all. It's almost indefinablely a different perfume. The leather is extremely subdued, as is the rose. Violet is a player, but not in that candied way violet is so often found. It is beautifully blended, on me is more of a skin scent which is just fine. Elegant, classy, feminine. No one note or accord is most prominent, just a very pleasing and sensual aura. I will buy again.

Resembles Feminité du Bois by Serge Lutens, but Alaia has slightly leathery base, where FdB is woody.

Alaia smells to me like satin soaked in clean thawing snow, a batch of Violet candy forming a cloud of mist of some typical light 90's (ck?) type of aura. I experience nothing THAT leathery or mountain fresh, and there's noting unisex about it either. It's floral-dewy. Only violets soaked in snow... and I can't stop thinking about it ... what to layer this with ... because I can't wear it like this - it just needs some kind of punch, something to reveal it fully, because it has too shy a vibe that deserves to be expressed better. I feel like here I just don't have enough nose skill to meet this objective successfully ... i just want to wear this and my wheels keep spinning to find a working way .... But that's just me. The sillage and longevity are great. I get ~6 hours from it, easily. And on clothes it's even better.
Also, the black bottle is very much my kind of design, but the color confuses me a bit. Dewy violets make me want this to be a transparent liquid with violet tint coming out of transparent iced glass with extra satin finish and heavy leather cap (guerlain original insolence bottle with lighter color of the juice would match my visual associations, as well as Feminité du Bois's bottle and juice color). But since this perfume is sexier I understand the current presentation.

I think I may be partially anosmic to some of the notes - likely the pepper. I really like this perfume, but to me, something is missing. It has no projection on me and seems like a skin scent from the first spray. Maybe my nose has been so assaulted by the ubiquitous uber sweet gourmands all around me. What I do smell is a lovely dusty violet. It reminds me of Mitsouko in the sense that the lack of sweetness is something I need to cultivate a love for because it is so different from the florals and orientals I tend to favor. Mitsouko is now a huge love for me, and I think that in time, Alaia Paris can be the same. At this point, I like it very much!

Note - just generously sprayed on my sleeves and it seems to be coming to life in a bolder way. Stay tuned. Closer to a love with each passing minute!

I'm not sure what's going on here, but I'm getting a very loud blast of strawberry, cedar and a strange metallic 90's era aquatic men's cologne note. Once in a while, there will be a waft of something vaguely floral, but no discernible peony or violet.

At the very bottom of all of this lies a gorgeously smoky, earthy patchouli; aged and of very high quality. It presents itself only when I shower! Oh, if that base note were a fragrance of its own, I'd be a fan.

I can't explain this, but please do not remove my comments as someone else might be experiencing this too, and think they are losing their mind (or nose).

A glamorous,unique and nostalgic parfum! It was a nice surprise for me, really very nice! I really like the contrasts in this special fragrance! *.:｡ ♡｡◕‿◕

Sillage: 8./10
Longevity: 9./10
Scent: 8.5/10

Overall: 8.5/10

First blast it's my mum's make up bag when I was little which held kohl pencil's that she had to sharpen. So pencil shavings there too.
Then it becomes "pefumey" if that is an appropriate description, freesia and peony, and then it gets fresher with iris and mountain air. At this stage it lightens up a lot, as if it lifted to become more weightless...
I don't get leather at all, but I do love leather and I am used to heavy leather scents. So it might be there for someone that is not so used to smelling it.
It is very interesting and different which in itself it's a huge bonus for me! I could seriously consider a full bottle.

It started out the "smell of a coat room at a winter party years gone by" but then it just blasted peonies and freesia that never let up. Way way too loud and cloying for me. I had to go scrub it off. No offense to those of you who raved, just my opinion, and it didn't work for me.

A short burst of pink pepper reveals the smell of the coat room at a winter party of years gone by - a pile of leather purses and fur coats with the cold air and a mixture of their owners various floral perfumes still clinging to them.

Not entirely sure if I want to smell like this, but it certainly is evocative.

This is a floral fragrance to my nose, mostly violets. Nothing with leather at all!

P.S. I've just read comments which compare this here rare precious stone with Tom Ford's Black Orchid. Apologies to Ford (and his prices) but Alaiia's Paris and The orchid do have nothing in common. I am pretty aware that our noses are "one of a kind", however let's call the spade a spade and put things straight : consider the ingredients, if you can't take into account designers' personalities, overall ideas, goals and approach. Paris to Orchid is just like the capital of France to the capital of North Korea. Not that I'm saying the latter is that awful (never been there to know). They are just different.

after so long time looking for Alaia in Indonesia after seen @harperandharley post on her instagram finally i got mine a month ago.

I was blind buy for this, and never try any leathery fragrance before so i lil curious and bit worry at the time when waiting the perfume arrive. But this fragrance surprise me, all i got is beautiful classic powdery which i love it. it is so beautiful, so intense and long lasting. I don't know how the leathery fragrance supposed to be, however Alaia is one of my success blind buy.

Had I not entered the shop seeking for a sample of another hot-stock designer fragrance, I had been told it's worth a sniff, I would have missed this marvel for good. Or at least for a very long time. The shop-assistant sprinkled a few drops of the perfume on my wrist and while I was waiting for it to calm down and develop on my skin, started looking around for anything unfamiliar and interesting. I asked the woman if she had something subtle and sophisticated yet possessing an edge. She smiled and pointed to Alaiia's shelf. I didn't even remember the name of the perfume. Hours later I could only recall the shape of the bottle and its colour. It was beige. And those very few hours later as I was sniffing my hand I discovered that I had actually discovered a new world without even noticing it. Mind you, I've been deeply into vintage and niche fragrances nowadays, so the common modern perfumery although luxury cannot easily attract my attention. Most of them sound the same, but that was totally different. Several days later (actually today), I got back to the shop and asked about the same perfume. It turned out to be Alaiia Nude (or Blanche) It doesn't matter because what really important is, I asked to try the Black bottle too. Within a few minutes I was already irreversibly and desperately in love with it.I fell for it like a teenage girl for a mature movie star. I love leather thread in perfumes, but when combined with a truly pure, genuine and fresh mountain air, modest violet and honest rose, I can't help but adoring it. So beautifully unexpected! Blanche and Nude are exquisite, but this one is a marvel. Planning to purchase a bottle. It's more than a worth. It is truly a story as some of the fragranticans noted. I can describe it as a troubadour's love story. 6 out of 5. Rest in peace, master Azzedine! So sad I didn't get to know you earlier. Yet I believe your perfumes are here to stay.

Alannah Myles black leather jacket drenched in her sweat and downdown girl perfume in a bottle. Very sexy. -end-

I purchased this fragrance during a Creed restock run. I totally forgot about it for about a month or so. When I finally did try it I couldn’t decide if I liked it or not. But after three or four encounters it seduced me. I like the leathery peppery sweet mix of notes and I always get questions - what are you wearing? - which of course I love!!

Classy and classic. I love this. Nice combination of forest, leather and musk. It's a very unique scent - there's nothing else like it. It's a great special occasion / going out fragrance. Perfect for romantic evenings! It makes me feel very sexy.

I often get sick of other fragrances after a while but this one keeps drawing me back. I never get tired of it.

The bottle is gorgeous. It goes perfectly with the scent.

Overall it's so special. It's one of my very favorites. I hope they keep making this one forever!

So beautiful. Peppery and leathery. It's such a nice surprise. From a designer, I was expecting another loud fruitchouly sweet perfume. Alaia is so etheral. It's more a niche style perfume than a mainstream one. In his latest guide Luca Turin gave Alaia a 5 star rating and class it among the top ten best leather and feminine. I can understand why. It's also a pleasure to realize that we still can find interesting perfumes in the mass market and at an affordable price. Niche brand are often too expensive and many designer have now a ''luxury '' line that is overprice. And as a designer lover, I can't resist to the chic bottle designed by Martin Szekely.

I was unimpressed at first wearing. Should know better. Try 3 times before dismissing a scent. I’m on wear #3 and ready to trade my samples for a full bottle. This is a zen fragrance, calming, centering.

I recognize a faint similarity to Gucci II for her (pink juice, lethal weapon glass bottle), but I enjoy this much more. Others may think the comparison ridiculous, but that’s what came to me at first spray. Something similar in the pink pepper and florals, but Alaia is more expansive in scope and feel. It’s fresher yet more animalic. More sheer than Gucci II, yet by no means light weight.

Image of cold water hitting hot rocks is spot on. I used to work at a spa where hot rock massage was a popular service. Will never forget scent of steam rising from the water as it ran over rocks. It’s amazing how the perfumers captured that moment, & the symbolism it contains, in a bottle. To me, that’s why perfume is art, not just craft. The rocks are grounding, dense, heavy, and smooth, like Alaia’s base. The rocks are placed on skin, steam rises, warm at first, then in the metamorphosis from liquid to air, the steam shifts from hot to cold in wonderful, refreshing way. Luca Turin mentions this scent does that rare alchemy of starting at the base notes and progressively elevating to top notes as it lingers on skin. It so does. Will stop the oversell by saying I think Alaia is an incredible value, delivering a scent experience that could easily be mistaken for niche. Love.

Human essence ★★★★★

A true olfactory masterpiece. An invisible story written in molecules, sweetly sailing through the air. Words fail me when I smell Alaïa – it surmounts me with the utmost beauty and sublime grace. It smells of past life, the caress of your loved ones, childlike naiveite and devastating emotional hardship. Like the perfume itself contains the life stories of its past wearers. I smell feelings and memories of things I never experienced yet I'm tricked to believe they're mine - a benevolent aura layers me with human affection. You can genuinely smell that Azzedine Alaïa himself was deeply involved with the creation of this eau de parfum. This is his personal story to us, an emotional gift that is profoundly nostalgic and longing but ultimately loving and joyous. Marie Salamagne was the perfect choice of a perfumer for this job, she truly understood Alaïa. If I look closely, there is a part of her story hidden in that bottle aswell.

After reading reviews from Luca Turin and Bois de Jasmin whilst wearing Alaïa alot, it dawned upon me what makes this so personal and familiar to me. It indeed smells like "olfactory crowd noise" as Turin put it - like you're at a social gathering and you get whiffs of various fragrances yet only vaguely and nothing dominates (no Poison at this party). Perhaps reminiscent of the general perfume counter smell aswell. Powdery, sweet-ish, some freshness, makeup. Why does it feel personal? Because this hard-to-pin-down expansive and hazy beige aroma was always present at dinners and other gathering when I was growing up, and I learned it as the universal scent of human beings when they're happy and enjoying their favorite people.

Soundtrack:
Pink Floyd - The Great Gig In The Sky

The vials I received finished so quickly that I am now dying for more, I need a full bottle. It’s so bewitchingly delicious. I underestimated the notes. Couldn’t believe the result can be so beautiful!

Oh, what a masterpiece! There is one word that perfectly describes what Alaïa is, and "masterpiece" is definitely it. I will write a lot, I guess, but for a good reason - this is definitely one of the best perfumes I have ever smelled, and many prestigious perfume houses have not, so far, made a perfume as unique and as smart as this one.

I must say that, like any perfume that is unique and artistic in a way (yes, because it is a true work of art), Alaïa is a perfume that stirs up "hate it or love it" reactions among those who have tried it - I am one of those who actually LOVES it, no wonder I bought myself a 100ml bottle.

And why the extreme reactions? I will tell you why - this is not a perfume for everyone. It is feminine, but it could definitely be unissex, thanks to the combination of floral and leathery notes. This combination, however, may not be appreciated by people who are not open-minded in terms of perfumes and fragrances... What I mean is, if you're someone who's merely beginning your journey into the world of fragrances, if you don't know many essential oils and if you don't like distinctive, exotic fragrances, stay away from this perfume, since Alaïa is a powerful juice that transports you to other eras, other places, other ways of thinking....

The opening notes - mountain air and pepper - are exactly it. It's amazing. The first seconds embrace you with lightness, something ethereal, that you can't quite describe or understand - I suppose this is the "airy" note of the fragrance. Then a few minutes later comes a beautiful, floral core, and the rose here is beautiful and elegant. I am not talking about a childish or girlish rose , I am talking about a serious, adult, elegant rose that only gives you the permission to acknowledge it's a rose when you really pay attention to it.

But it's the base notes, in my opinion, that really are the main stars of this show, and that really make this perfume the work of a master: how could a perfume have leathery notes in such a beautiful, seductive, feminine way, without smelling brute or masculine? Alaïa gives you the answer: the leathery notes - so typical in men's fragrances - are essential to make this feminine perfume powerful and fascinating. Leather and violet here are cleverly combined - a beautiful romance of base notes, a lovely union that gives you a contrasting, yet hypnotizing combination. What could be a normal, nice floral feminine perfume becomes an exotic trip to the deepness of femininity, to what being a woman truly means.

This is not a perfume for any woman. I imagine a clever, opinionated, powerful, successful yet seductive, mysterious, artistic and very feminine woman wearing it. This is not a perfume for bland girls who want to live in a princess's world. This is a perfume for audacious women who want to lead the world. This is not a perfume for a woman who wants to be pretty, flawless and perfect all the time - this a perfume for a woman who wants to be, above all, herself, no matter what people think of her.

The ambiguity and mysterious notes of this perfume make me think, in a way, that it defies the stereotypical view society has of a woman - that a woman should be sweet and nice all the time. This is not a "sweet and nice" perfume. This is not a boring floral or a predictable-full-of-vanilla "seductive" perfume. This a journey to a woman's inner self - floral yet bitter, sweet yet leathery, feminine yet masculine, tender yet harsh. A world of contrasts inside one bottle.

If I had to describe this smell to someone, I'd say it smells like a living room in a mountain cottage filled with flowers - you feel the mountain air, the woody and leathery smell, but at the same time you are embraced by the floral notes. I congratulate Azzedine Alaïa for giving the most perfect inspiration - its childhood in Tunisia - to create this perfume. He showed with his fashion that he truly admired women and understood the beauty of a woman body - and with this fragrance, he - together with Marie Salamagne - have shown that they truly understood the essence of a woman. The true woman isn't girlish, isn't sweet all the time, isn't perfect, isn't predictable. The true WOMAN is bold, unique, audacious, amazing, mesmerizing - just like Alaïa is. Alaïa is not merely a perfume, it is a journey to the real meaning of femininity.

I came on to review this and I can’t add one thing to the review below...exactly my thoughts. I wanted to love this but...no go.
EDIT... I gave this another try recently and have found I am growing to like it...stay tuned!

I SHOULD love this!
its got all my favorites; leather, violets, pink pepper...
So why does it smell like a musty old book that has been sitting covered in dust for years when i spray it on me?? maybe its just not for my chemistry. Ive tried it twice, a free sample that came with something else the first time and i was cooking dinner about an hour after i put it on and i just kept getti g whiffs and thinking "Ugh.. no!"; then a tried a friends bottle the second time and still.. nope, nothing but dusty old newspapers.

I can appreciate that its a finely made scent, it smells expensive and quirky in its own little way. But sadly it just doesnt meld well with me. Shame really.

Beautiful composition for a couple of minutes. (With a little drop of a natural ingredient everything could change). But in the end, all you get is an overload of ionona and isobutyl quinoline. :(

Superb.
To me this perfume is a masterpiece. It is peppery and leathery but undeniably feminine.
It does not overpower but impresses. Unique and sensual but not an assault on the senses.
This has all the elements of a true classic and I will come back to it over and over again.

Beautiful bottle as well - a great reminder of the creative genius of Azzedine Alaia.

Sweet leathery peppery scent, yet powdery!; classy, sophisticated, not for day-to-day “at least for me” I find the scent bold and Sharp”.
Nice one to own, it deserves 8/10.

Edit 1/5/2018:
I found this fragrance similar to VALEntino Donna noir absolu ;)

Beautiful leathery floral. Water flowers on a dense suede base, a little powdery, a little fresh, deeply intriguing. Agent Provocateur MAITRESSE smells exactly like Alaia but is five times cheaper.

This scent makes me feel like I'm drinking Cabernet while breathing in the cool & stoney mountain air.

It's dark,mysterious, strong, powdery and long lasting. To me, there is nothing else like it. I get the deep leather hyde from this.

I have used a few samples and finally got my full bottle. The bottle itself, and the packaging is beautiful.

To me, first of all, Alaia's first initial vibe was : omg, 80's ! And my mother. Why? because she was using Currara perfume, and it was her to go out scent. And it's got the same vibe as Alaia, or the other way.

I get the sweetness and almost no leather.
I don't get any violets.

I am sure it could be sickly and cloying for some. I am also sure that this is a sexy, date and erotic scent that can make your man to crave you more.

But, as with perfumes, it's all personal and depends on your nose. To me it's beautiful,but I feel nauseous now andI wonder if this is my PMS or I really can't wear it at all? We will see.
It's definitely long lasting, not that well projecting though.

4/10

Just got pulled off the shelves at at Saks. Maybe discontinued? That was the only retailer I knew who carried this...

The "imported air" Maria walks on in that Blondie song? I'm positive this is how it smells.

Achingly elegant and inscrutable, this sphynx-like scent defies straightforward description. Quiet and unobtrusive, but not the least bit boring or workaday. Like a cold gust of air in a (recently) abandoned palace.

Edit: Anyone else think that Amal Clooney would be the perfect face of this scent?

Oh my gosh! I wish I was getting some of the sweetness that people were talking about, but alas, all I get is leather on me. I' m definitely not a leather person. If it was just a little bit of leather with the sweetness that people mention, I can see how this would work.
I actually see this more as a man's scent than a woman scent. Or, at least equal.
This would be a man and woman scent if I was to go out on a limb. Definitely heavy on oriental. I would say the combination makes it more of a bitter wood. I would definitely not consider this a floral scent on me even though it shows four different florals in the notes. Definitely DO NOT BLIND BUY. Try it on first. It appears to be very very different on each person.
WHAT I DID DO, however, was that I sprayed it on a piece of wrapping paper that I put in a bag with a gift of wine for someone, and the person said that the presentation of my gift to them was quite classy. I think this scent can be considered classy. Just not for me to wear.

i can't stop buying it since it's on market. i adore it smells divine i am wearing it it's almost 3 yrs. sometimes i think i need to stop using it but I'm horribly worried when the bottle gets lighter . i do use another perfumes as well such as van cleef&arpel . or killian or armani prive but i keep buying the Alaia.the idea to stay without alaia is killing me . love love this scent

As a man, this is one of the sexiest scent i've ever smelled on a woman.

One of the most wonderful bottles. It has a Cleopatra style. Anyway, the opening is great, very leathery and spicy. When 5 minutes pass, on my skin , it becomes more generic. I would like this intense leather to last. I think it has a shampoo kind of smell after a while, with just a hint of pepper. It was a love at fist sniff but in short term.

When I first saw an image of Alaia's bottle, I was enchanted. It's really a beautiful thing to behold. In my hand, it exceeds the expectations I had of it. If you hold it to the light, you can easily see how much juice you have left, which I like a lot and didn't expect. Opaque bottles are gorgeous, but a bit of a pain in the butt.

I bought Alaia because of the bottle, which is why I wanted to talk about the aesthetic first. I didn't know if I'd like it, and honestly I thought I would but I knew there was a chance I wouldn't (given the tricky relationship I have with musk). I don't think Alaia is a good blind buy, but I got lucky because I absolutely love it.

My nose is not super developed, so call this a layperson's review. I have three spritz on different parts of my body so I can be more thorough and accurate with my thoughts.

The opening is sharp and citric, not in a cheapie, alcoholic way but in a purposeful one. (I'm guessing this is the pink pepper). It quickly goes a bit sweeter, but this fragrance is not very sweet, although that's subjective. I think this is when I get the leather note, and it's lovely.

About twenty minutes later, the sharpness fades and turns slightly softer, and the leather is the star from here on out. There's musk but it doesn't bother me.

Even later still, there's a creamier quality to the leather, I get a quality like amber in there, too. I don't get a lot of florals, and I can smell a hint of something "air-y" although I wouldn't have noticed that without looking at the listed notes.

Alaia lasts about average on me, although I don't really care about longevity in my fragrances since I can always reapply. I don't have a problem of not noticing it throughout its lifespan, it's consistently there for me. I've worn this in early February in 80 degree Florida heat and I plan to wear this in autumn, too.

Alaia is very unisex, although I think anyone can wear any fragrance.

Loved it on paper strip but not on my skin, it's horrible on me, such a disappointment :(

Do you know the feeling when you walk into a room and feel that you have just missed an important commotion or conversation? Perhaps a sense of tension in the air, or swirling dust motes that suggest recent movement, or people breathing a bit harder than they should? Alaia feels a bit like that - something exciting or important has happened but you're not sure what. It is not a loud perfume, or even a perfume-y perfume, but it creates significant ripples in the atmosphere around you.

In terms of notes, I find a juicy berry note, very abstract florals and a musky, leathery base, but the most interesting note is the mineral one - it really does smell like cold water on hot stone. It gives it an airy radiance and lift, which are a great contrast to the dark, shadowy base.

I own and love Bottega Veneta already, which is a sunnier take on leathery fragrance; I tested La Panthère a lot but couldn't get on with its shampoo fruitiness; I nearly re-purchased Narciso EDP for a smooth musk, but I am happy I have Alaia instead. My young son said it reminded him of Black Orchid but less sweet and fruity. This struck me for two reasons: 1) I reflected on the impact of my interest in perfumes that my child has such broad perfume references aged 10, 2) He is right - I would never have made the connection but this is dark like TF but much less sweet and thick.

There is something very clever about this. It is very abstract and hard to pull apart and it is definitely more than the sum of its parts. It smells like much more than the fragrance pyramid and conjures up a strong feeling of mood. Nahéma is the only other fragrance where I have resorted to random visual images or Proustian memories in order to convey my response. For Alaia it is: cold outdoor air, an old leather jacket, library books, waking up and smelling the skin of the person next to you.

The longevity is excellent - 10 hours on skin and days on clothing. Sillage is arm's length. People do smell this and compliment me. It is more radiant than it seems, as - for all its dark qualities - it feels weightless.

An edit: within a month I have finished my 30ml bottle. I wore it most days, although not all. It strikes me that I needed to spray too much too often for it to really stay and I'm not sure I can justify this rate of use.

Sexy and intense.

I like this fragrance, just not on myself as it is not quite the tone im going for. Smells like creamy leather with a hint of powder. I would say this is an unisex fragrance and recommend for someone looking to make a statement

This has a kind of sharp almost aldehydic opening that's kinda rough for me. Somewhat like the first blast of La Panthere but nowhere near as good. I also don't care for the pink pepper. As a scent ruiner for me, It's a common culprit. I don't get a lot of musky at this point, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed. The leather isn't as prominent as I'd like either. All in all, I'm not a huge fan.

Weird, i could almost tell this had a raspberry note in it and after looking it up, there's nothing juicy, however something gives it the juicy vibe...

It is leathery, but the leather disappears fast.

Not special enough to buy a full bottle, nor does it have a good staying power. But a nice scent otherwise.

This has the same musk drydown as Narciso in the square white bottle, and I'm sure the same musk of many others, the names of which I do not know. The Alaia adds a leathery/suede note and replaces the sharp, sweet gardenia of the Narciso with softer violet/freesia/peony. I'd say the Alaia is a smoother, more nuanced composition than the Narciso, but it's the same cloud of musk that surrounds the wearer after an hour or so. Those who find it fleeting are probably anosmic to the musk.

In the perverse way that modern perfumery affects me, I find it equally beguiling and sickening. I'd love to smell it wafting by me, but on my own skin the tenacity of the aromachemicals cause me to be annoyed by my own skin. It sticks in my nose and eyes, yet I kept spraying the sample vial on til it gave me a headache. It's addictive, but it has the unpleasant association of a caged animal repeatedly pressing a bar for an unhealthy treat.

EDIT 8/14/2017 ....ANNNNNNDDDD I bought it... *bites bars on cage*

Azzedine Alaïa has always been a guilty pleasure for me. Those shoes! The dresses! Those bags! (The bottle here emulates the stunning laser cut totes from the 2015 RTW line.) Alaïa is perfectly tailored sexiness.

This perfume is such a match to Alaïa designs - violets and leather - it should not work but it does.

It won't be everyone's cuppa tea, but I adore it.

Alaia is an extremely well-done fragrance. It's one of the nicest violet-leather combos on the market. If you like scents such as Bottega Veneta and Armani Prive Cuir Amethyste you'll probably enjoy this fragrance as well.

It's a soft, sensual leather fragrance, more feminine than masculine. The floral aspect tames the leather and wears both musky and powdery on the skin.

Violet and leather are the most dominant accords to my nose, followed by peony, pink pepper and white musk. You could potentially wear this fragrance during Spring, however I think it best suited to the cooler months. It's a very comforting, warm fragrance with a subtle hint of sensuality.

I am surprised by all the negative reviews this fragrance has received since its release. I understand that leather scents are not always everyone's cup of tea, however I find it to be a beautiful leathery composition. Each to their own I guess.

On another note the longevity is quite impressive on my skin, lasting a decent 6-7 hours. The sillage is moderate, neither too heavy nor too soft.

Alaia opens with pepper smell combined with airy notes. Fresh, sunny and light, thin as air on the mountain. Something bitter appears and disappears like a night light. I can’t tell what it is but it remains as much as the perfume somewhere in the back. The heart of the composition becomes sweeter, warm with a note of freesia. Peony also appears to bring light. At this moment it is a sweet warm floral mixture like a ray of sun on the high mountains. We didn’t get off the mountain because the air from there is always with us.
The bitterness from the beginning has become more sweet but has not disappeared completely. Heart of the combination is much warmer than the rest.
The dry-down is warm and musky with a pale leathery note. The airy note sets on the basis of the composition as if going to bed. The lasting power is very good.
The perfume is different from everything found in the mainstream zone so it deserves a try. Lighted, airy and leathery – this is Alaia.

Before i started collecting perfume i disliked this perfume and thought it smelt like a dirty animal.
But now it smells totally different to me. Its fresh, musky, cosmetic and leather smelling.
Its a bit like the smell of an expensive department store.
I sometimes get a hint of cigarette from this too, maybe from the pink pepper.
Overall i really enjoy it and think it smells fresh, classy and sexy.

No doubt this is a beautiful fragrance. I'm glad I got it at a discount though and probably won't repurchase and here are the reasons why:

I'll begin by describing the fragrance. Firstly, I'm not finding any similarity to Tom Ford's Black Orchid and I really don't get a lot of pepper at all. This starts off sweet with a little spice and musk. It isn't a heavy fragrance at all. It's what I like to think of as perfuming the skin. It is stronger than a body spray, but I don't think it's worth the full retail price. I sprayed this on at 2:45 PM today and it is now 7:00 and I barely smell it. It becomes a skin scent within the first thirty minutes of wear and fades soon thereafter. I was very disappointed in it's projection and longevity. I recommend purchasing a travel atomizer to use with this scent. It's sad because I love it. :(

When I first tested it I immediately related it to tom ford black orchid, which I don't like. Alaia was a blind buy, so I'm glad i bought the smallest bottle (30ml)

love it what can i say sillage is pretty bad but juice is bada** is amazing leather awesome!

this rock and roll, so lovely and edgy at the same time, i just can't i love it like i love bulldogs and red lipstick is just good!

I got the sample miniature version of this bottle. Upon the first spray, it struck me to be a very elegant scent. I love the opening musk and leather scent. I find it to be a very cool and calm perfume that seems to be perfect for winter. Very refreshing and I like how it is not fruity and not very floral, very one of a kind perfume. I haven't come across anything like it but it reminds me immediately of a cold windy winter day. Not overly feminine but elegant and unique. Love it :)

Eleito melhor do ano (ao lado do Luck, Avon) pela revista Cosmopolitan brasileira: que considerou a mistura de flores mais notas aeradas/aquáticas com o aroma característico do couro - luxuosa! Ponto para a Beauté Prestige International.

This perfume reminds me of...Aqua Fahrenheit by Christian Dior! When I tested it the other day it instantly reminded me of Alaïa and vice versa. Normally leather notes don't drive me nuts, but this one is one of the few exceptions. Alaïa smells soooo damn good in the cold weather! Very peculiar and unmistakable scent — impossible to mistake it for another perfume, except for Aqua Fahrenheit, maybe.

I had high hopes for Alaia, as I have been a big fan of the designer's work since Naomi Campbell was his muse. I was also intrigued by his Tunisian reference, as I have a good friend who is Tunisian, and have made many visits to his home country.

Unfortunately for me, the juice falls short. It opens on me extremely peppery - to the point where I feel as though I am grinding peppercorns right onto my skin. However, I waited it out to see if it would develop.

For a fleeting second, Alaia took on a Gucci Rush image, but then quickly skipped to dirty musk and stayed there. I was left with a scent reminiscent of sweat, which was quite unpleasant.

Sadly, this is a pass for me, but if you do like spicier, peppery scents, do give this a try. Perhaps it will work better for your chemistry.

I love wearing this scent in a windy cold day, when I put on my favorite leather jacket and let the perfume mixes with leather's smell. definitely my signature scent for winter

So I saw this today, had no clue what it was. But the bottle was beckoning me. And behold, a little scent-gasm. The first sniff was so appealing, it was like satisfying an intense craving. This is right up my alley. Starts off ozonic, (or thirst quenchingly watery), addictively sweet, and a little powdery/earthy. However as it develops it morphs into a slightly cloying and all too familiar aqueous white floral much like many others. Though most similar to Calvin Klein Escape. Would still like to try on my skin though, as this review is based on the notes developing on my little card.

Jury still out.

I love this fragrance. It is offensive to so many people but I love it. When I smell it I feel like I've been reunited with my soulmate, this fragrance was made for me. I feel I wear it well. It's earthy, private, reserved classy and not at all innocent smelling. It takes a certain persona/personality to appreciate this and pull it off. I will buy this eventually. I never see it going cheap if you know where it does message me.

This frag smells like the Blue lilies of the Nile in full bloom at the high altitude of the Blue Mountains. Narcotic aroma; intense and intoxicating with some vibe of detached airiness about it that reminds me of Serge Lutens' L'orpheline.

Sophisticated, modern scent, rather unisex. There are some aromatic and balsamic tones here as well as Oriental spiciness and also even a slight Chypre-ishness.
Interesting combination of freesia along with the leather, musk and pepper notes makes the whole composition a lot lighter and brighter than an aromatic Fougere.
Projection and longevity are more than decent, smashing!
Yesterday, I wore this perfume at work, my colleagues immediately noticed the change of my smell, though, the only compliment that I received was:" Oh, it's really strong!"Hmm..(with four spritzes only) that really means that this scent is not everyone's cup of tea.
Certainly, I won't wear it for my appointment with the dentist, and I always will be cautious of overdosing on it. Therefore, this sensuous, aesthetical scent predisposes you to be always polite to people but never familiar.
Style in the bottle! Tunisian interpretation of Parisian frivolity!
Very much to my liking! Oh, la la ALAIA !!!

I read up on these notes and reviews and decided this one might be for me....I love David Yurman and hate typical girly sugary florals. I was looking for something lighter, I tend to go heavy sweet floral orientals. At first spritz, whoo, its a bit strong chemically and powdery. Give it some time and it settles in to what it's intended to be....I am no expert, but a curious enjoyer...this whole composition is "up in the air". The warm spices are wonderful, but in no way do they add depth. It adds just enough to keep it from being linear...I could definately envision a pale pink or white packaging to fit the cool water on chalkbrick description. And as the water evaporates.....so does this amazing, unique, complex scent. It lasts 4~5 hours tops and I got a hint of it when I showered in the evening. I got 3 sample viles and we'll see how I enjoy it in the coming weeks...

This one was a surprise. Not in the sense of a gift from someone, but because I was introduced to this fragrance by the "usually avoided" department store employee armed with a bottle of fragrance and positioned to spray anyone within range. The reason I usually avoid these situations is due to allergies. I have to be careful as some scents (unfortunately I never know which ones) can trigger a headache and sometimes, a migraine. With lightning speed, this fragrance was sprayed on a card and placed into my hand. I quickly placed the card into a tissue inside my bag. I went about my day and every now and then I'd get a whiff of what to me, was the most wonderful scent, and no headache. Many hours had past and I realized that I really liked this fragrance. I finally removed the card from the tissue to see if the name was noted, thankfully, it was. I decided at that moment I would purchase a full bottle of Alaia immediately. I love this fragrance. It starts off a tad sharp and peppery but quickly matures into a gentle floral, alluring, feminine vibe on my skin. This fragrance always garners complements when I wear it. I am so glad it found me.

This perfume requires a certain amount of time, patience, attention and testing. It makes you think about it. I was very intrigued about it and I ordered it without testing (first I thought- what a stupid mistake, but now I must admit this turned out to be a source of surprises and discoveries). First spray -something fresh and sweet in the same time mixed with some leather notes, and this made me feel sick for the rest of the day, so very, very nauseating. A realistic physical feeling of something stuck in my throat, couldn't swallow it.
My second date with this perfume was the next day (yes, I'm a determined person), and no more nausea this time. The opening was again a bit unusual, but this time I could understand it and kind of appreciate - a fine leather note mixed with musk and some freshness (that magical mountain air I was laughing at maybe? :)). Then the leather note becomes deeper, more rounded and I get a wet, dewy, but still powdery violet and other flowers. Funny, but sometimes I get a red, velvety rose too. The base -all mentioned ingredients melted together in an adult, high quality way. The leather is still the dominant note, followed by a soft musk and framed by a flower bouquet. Sometimes reminds me Tom Ford's creations.
Now I enjoy wearing this perfume, especially when it rains or it's foggy.
This perfume is not a safe gift, not for everyone, not for any mood and not for every day wear. Rather a niche perfume with its story. It's rather for people who are patient and willing to discover and experience the development of its stages.

This is remarkable! I still haven't decided whether I like it or not, but it does have something different from the others. Dominant notes leather, pink pepper and violet - that's for sure ;) it's kinda sweet-floral-pepperish leather. I'll keep testing it and make up my mind.

This one is interesting. It’s definitely a skin scent with a mild projection, it doesn’t stray too far. But for a skin scent it’s fairly long lasting. It has a “make up” vibe that reminds me of old school face powder my mom used to use in the 70s. In spite of this, it almost strays into the unisex territory, maybe because the projection is so evasive. Its powdery soft without a harsh note in it and looking at the notes I’d say the leather, violet and musk notes stand out the most. If you like Bottega Veneta then you will like this, I actually prefer this. It’s subtle, quiet and refined and put against all the flankers, flower bombs and in your face perfumes out in today’s market, this is a welcome change of pace. Thumbs up.

I got a sample of this after trying it on when it just came out. First time spritzing it on myself in store, I got a blast of freshness (mountain air and musk?) and that's all, then after two hours perfume faded away!

Now 6 months later... I was wearing my sample for a day and I must say, it's very different now. Still starts off very fresh but then it revealed me its sweet floral heart plus a metallic vibe coming through the flowers. Can leather play this game with me?

Overall, it's a lovely floral to my nose, not too soapy or powdery. Although this metallic note makes the fragrance kind of naughty. Seems like it's whispering "Come...come closer and I'll show you something..."

It's quite good for me as am using it unisex

Got a sample of this and I'm not convinced at all. On me this is boring, weak and sweaty. If I want to smell like this I can just skip showers for a couple of days and then sniff my armpit for the "charming" odour of mild sweat mixed with the remains of a deodorant. :D
I'm sorry to gross you out, but to me this fragrance is pretty nasty and it's ridiculously expensive for what it is. Longevity and sillage are nothing to write home about, which is a good thing in this case. All in all, a big NO-NO.

Quite nice for a debut, although I miss some depth and originality. Perhaps something for those who regard "Pure Poison" too loud and "Jasmine Noir" too special. Still, you may find something similar at reduced price, or simply wait until this one is being cleared.

***

Appartiene alla stessa luminosa, briosa e scintillante famiglia di floreali speziati, come Nu Ysl, Shangai Lily Tom Ford, Parfum Sacre Caron.
Un profumo incantevole e seducente.
Peonie, viole e fresie, rese brillanti da pepe rosa e coriandolo, si posano su un letto di muschio e cuoio, non cupo, vellutato e sensuale.
La persistenza è notevole, soprattutto se sostenuto dal latte corpo e spruzzato sui capelli.
Mi comunica gioia di vivere, luce, armonia, energia.
Un profumo sorridente e bello.

In evoluzione sbocciano delicate viole dolcispeziate ricoperte di rugiada...

Leather. Elegant leather with slightly peppered violet and peonies after drying out. Couldn't find my favourite freesias nor much rose. Musk also is not disturbing, but the aftermath is - sensual, delicate perfume for strong personality, maybe good one for office as over some time on the skin it starts to radiate sort of unisex/masculine notes. But personally I would prefer it on days off as for me the drydown leaves relaxed feeling...

Musk, leather, violets and white flowers, well blended, elegant, slightly sweeter in an hour or so. It turns a bit masculine on my skin but still there after 6 hours.
Quite good and could turn out to work unisex.

i love this. Violets, violets, violets! Expensive, well crafted and fabulous. I am excited about this fragrance. It's spicy and floral. The bottle is beautiful. Distinctive and a little reminiscent of Volupte by Oscar De La Renta. But with more depth x

Please try this perfume yourself before reading the reviews on here. I absolutely love this fragrance I had to buy it immediately as soon as I tested it. The first spray is a strong explosion of white flowers but with something extra it transported me immediately back to a wonderful holiday I had in Tunisia where the night air was filled with the scent of flowers in abundance. The fragrance is sexy, deep and sensual a very grown up fragrance that would suit any woman who is comfortable wearing loud powerful perfumes it settles to a skin scent and lingers beautifully. This fragrance has been beautifully crafted with a well designed bottle and advertising campaign I am very very impressed and it is my new signature fragrance it was exactly what I was looking for it is so me and will make every woman wearing it feel unique. Try it you will love it.

It's pretty, clean n fresh inoffensive. Good for the office. Not heavy.

Its a powerful, intense, elegant fragrance. Its a bit like a delicate version of "Alien". But again, its just the powerful nature of it. The musk and "mountain air" is there, but its strange, like a sweater that's been balled in a corner for a month. But the fact that the almost suffocating musk smell doesn't choke you, that's the mountain air. Its that tiny bit of something that lets the fragrance breathe.

The woodsy notes pop up really delicately underneath from the mix of florals with the leather and pink pepper. But, its not like an Oud or Sandalwood, its a kinda woodsy-ness that creeps in because of the well mixed notes.

I love it! Its complex and mature, from ages 30-100. A classic/vintage scent with a modern update that doesn't sacrifice style. Bellissima!

i really want this one , but and there is a big but, i do get the spice at the beginning and then the leather and once it's settled it is glorious for like a good 5 minutes and then is gone this in less than an hour.

i don't know if it is my chemestry or what is it but this perfume just disappears on my skin in a flash

like it but unless i get to try the other version or they make something more meaty i won't buy, but is good i like it

I sprayed this one on me in the shop a few weeks ago. At first, it seemed ok. But after a while, I really could not stand this scent anymore. It turned into something horrendous on my skin. I went to wash it off my skin. Really something weird, this scent...

Mountain air? What???

Ok, let's break it down: Alaia starts off smelling quite similar to "Signorina" by Salvatore Ferragamo. Dry, rosy pepper and sweet florals. It's delicate, transparent and reserved. But then as it wears on, this 'mountain air' note -what I assume is calone- overpowers everything and the fragrance flips from sweet floral to fresh, salty aquatic in no time at all. At this point I find it chemical, abrasive and synthetic smelling.

Dislike.

When I first sprayed this I thought eew strong and cheap smelling, I started to repackage it to send back.......then within about 15 minutes the cheap musk smell evaporated and the most delicate leather/ violet combo shone through and I love it! After that initial heady stage this becomes a very unique scent and I'm glad I bought it, beautiful enough to become a classic!

I received half a sample of this is a swap and now I am smitten!

A lot of reviews online mention a light and fruity opening, but that is not my experience, and I have tested with a tiny spritz a few times. No. For me, this scent produces a gorgeous, warm veil right from the start. I read that Alaia wanted to make a seamless composition, no notes sticking out. He largely succeeded, although on my skin the musk and leather are prominent. No flowers, although it is clear there are some, or musk and leather on their own would be very dry and masculine.

This scent feels lived-in, it is absorbed by the skin, making you exude an aura as though that were your natural smell. A man could pull this off easily, I think.

All in all, I am very impressed with this perfume. I am getting it in a swap, and I cannot wait for the days to go by!

This one a hard one to pin down. Its familiar, but at the same time unusual. A deep warm musk blended with the lighter florals and peppercorn, but heady at the same time. Unusual and challenging. Not for everyone and you need to let it sit on your skin for a while to decide if you truly like it Not something to buy untested. Silage is massive my husband said he could smell it downwind on a windy day outside standing almost the length of the garden. Longevity is impressive as well 6 hours+ on me

Violets from Insolence, musk and roses from Lady Vengeance on a base of leather and pepper from Bottega Venetta. Some Mad Madame whisper in it, too. No mountain air.
Something sharp and piercing about it, completely doesn't go with my skin and bothers my nose.

It's not my type of a scent, probably great for those who like their scents big, heavy and rich. I think it would smell great on someone really well dressed, 30+, as a winter evening number to the opera or theatre.
Hopefully we won't be seated too close though.

This is extremely intriguing scent. I cannot compare it to anything I know.
It's a bit masculine, but very feminine at the same time. I don't detect any particular note, everything is blended together. The musk (which I don't really like) here is really pleasant and soft,the "mountain air "note reveals after approx. 3-4 hours.
Didn't really like it (or it didn't catch my attention) after first test, but now I tested it again and I love it. I'm getting a bottle for sure.

I have to say, I find Marie Salamagne an interesting freelancer.

No mountain air. It's incredibly heavy leathery & musky scent. Totally wrong on my skin. A scrubber.
An interesting bottle though.

Ce parfum est une agréable surprise! Surprenant, envoutant, moderne and très classe!
Une poésie contemporaine qui habille la femme de voile fleurie musquée.
C'est un parfum magnifique, non conventionnelle. Je le recommande aux personnes qui aime l'originalité, l'élégance et la classe! On aime ou on déteste, ce parfum ne vous laissera pas indifférent. Moi je l'adore! Une grande réussite BRAVO à BIP!

It smells like a violet from outer space with an addiction to earthly luxury cars with a handful well dressed beautiful women sitting inside (with different perfumes on them plus the one of the male driver). A bit messy, but interesting. The leather and cedar-mix in the drydown is also good. It's really something I like and wear. Although more suited for an evening out than breakfast.

This rather seductive and attractive slender black bottle was displayed in my local perfumery. I had seen it advertised somewhere in Toronto but didn't get a chance to sample it.
I was hesitant because I thought it would be another fruity, floral, sweet and cloying, mainstream fume, aimed at the madness of the masses before Christmas.
Kudos to the designer, this one took me by complete surprise! The first note that I can smell in the opening is violets, of the Parma violet kind, but not too sweet and certainly not sickly or overwhelming. The second note to kick in is the pink pepper which complements the florals and the musk tones it all down, to something which is beautifully seductive, quietly powerful and effortlessly charming.
Other reviewers have said that this is an androgynous fragrance and I tend to agree, although I feel it leans more to the feminine.
The leather is brief and not too pronounced and there is a lovely sweet rose note in the composition.
The drydown is simply stunning! It takes your breath away.
If any of you have smelled the vintage version of MoschinoMoschino, it smells like that.
There is a subtle sweet woodyness which clings to the skin and whispers to you all day long.
This is a hidden treasure in a sea of mediocrity as far as new fragrances are concerned.
It is a far cry from fruity florals, sickly sweet vanilla puddings and banal bottles of smelly water.
I am impressed, I applaud the designers both in the notes and the bottle and I have already put a FB on my wish list for Christmas. (I'll probably have this before Christmas if I'm totally honest).
This is a perfume lovers perfume!! Gorgeous!

I was around in the 80s when Alaia was huge so this really does seem a few decades late to me. The bottle is lovely but the juice is an odd one. It's reasonably complex and has depth and longevity but for some reason it just smells cheap. This is the first time I've ever thought that about a fragrance.

I love the bottle...I honestly don't believe in good quality of ingrediens. Beside smells like a very average perfume...even the ambition was not to be...maybe in Qatar they will like it...I don't see Americans to fall in love in it.

Interesting one. Intense, dark...reminds me of Eau de Soir 2008. A scent for a strong character with a statement.

I tried and got samples and I like it in the opening. Nothing wildly original. The opening is very much into the fresh&spicy trend of these latest 2 years. It gives zest and peppery edges, so that the first impression is uplifting. Then it evolves to more flowery tones but definetely not your typical soft floral. Quite modern with an eyeblink to the East, which is quite normal for a Tunisian designer. BTW Alaia is his last name, so little to mock about, it's not a fantasy name given to the perfume and I find very melodious. He makes beautiful feminine clothes since long time.
I think that this perfume is an attempt to make a fusion of feminity, modernity and eastern inspiration.
Unfortunately I also think that Azzedine Alaia or any other designer has tied hands concerning raws materials, costs and production. Perfumery is strictly kept in the hands of few powerful makers and they simply do what they want (or what costs less) and also affect the regulations.
This is a big limit for this perfume with a brilliant inspiration, forced to fall flat on typical new leather, like so many Others.
Anyway it's nice enough and not invasive at all. Longlasting on skin, I wish it didn't smell like a laundered Bottega Veneta in the end, because that's what stays on the skin for many hours. I'll pass.

Alaia is mostly leathery and musky. Very strong. Different from other fragrances in the market. I can't imagine myself wearing it, it's way too strong for me.
Not the nicest one. Seemed very interesting at first, but unfortunately unbearable.

Tried on paper due to a enthusiastic review from a friend.
Didn't have any wow effect, it reminded me impulse deodorants, that also in fact of longevity and prices are a lot better.
They put it in a price range that is a bit challenging as well.

What annoys me the most that people try to implement their stupid clichés on Alaia, wanting this fragrance to be a typical oriental bomb.

I'm happy that this designer fragrance might be nothing new for niche fans (leathery, salty, slightly metallic violet reminiscent of Stephen Jones), but it takes risks on the field where everyone wants sexy and heavy scents with sugar, vanilla and white flowers.

Alaia's bottle and most importantly the juice sends a gentle FU to Killian fans out there :)

At some point, when the saltiness of the fragrance started to bother me and made me think that it's absolutely out of place in this composition, I remembered the initial image the perfumer wanted to express - water poured on hot stones. That's it! And it's nice!

I don`t know, this perfume wants to smell expensive, but IMO it is rather cheap, at least on paper. I get lots of peony and sharp spice. Maybe on skin comes the soft side more out.

The black colour of the bottle and oriental motives don't suit the fragrance at all. Pink or transparent are more appropriate. In fact this is a sensual aquatic centered on rose with pepper and surrounded by mild musks and aqua or melony notes. It smells close to L'eau d'Issey, but sweeter and more sexy. Imagine a modern flanker of L'Eau d'Issey, and you will get the new Azaia. Not that bad for mainstream release, but, again, the scent is not connected with the whole concept.

I was really curious about this scent, and it was exactly what I expected; spicy, peppery, sharp the first minutes, and during the hours it turned to a warmer, leathery, 'ozon' scent, like the smell after rain on asfalt on a warm day.
I don't smell violet at all. Longetivity normal, sillage low.

I see the wet chalk reference; the violets seem to create that effect. They're powdery (chalky) and warm. The sillage is great - it really does fill the space. The bottle is beautiful; very architectural and modern - quite innovative for a perfume bottle. The perfume itself, however, is nothing new. It smells like a classic violet perfume from a house like Guerlain. Beautiful, but not anything you've never smelled before.

Alaïa is a changeling, it wants to be many things but what it is depends on the wearer. I can't decide which way it wants to go and I get impressions of a very very faint Magie Noire tendency.

Upon first spray it filled my nose with a musk note that trails a watery violet vibe and a very smooth leather note. The pepper is almost not noticeable unless I press my nose on my wrist. I smell water and get faint impressions of florals other than violet but after extensive wear I lean towards a Chanel No:19. vibe with musk replacing the oak moss note. It's confusing! But it lacks the quality of a Chanel.

This was a gift so I can't say if the price/quality ratio is worth it. But it's strangely pretty in a fleeting way.

Silage: is very impressive and easily fills a room with one spray.

Longevity: is very depending on body chemistry, I sprayed it on a friend and it was not noticeable on her anymore after about 2 hours, yet on me it stuck to my wrists for 4+ hours and became a very pretty skin scent.

Alaïa is not a scent one should buy untested! Its is also not a deep and dark oriental. To me it is reminiscent of Chanel No:19 with a musk vibe that is not everyones cup of tea.
I am still undecided if I would repurchase it once my bottle is empty. Try before you buy! Good luck.

This is mostly oily-leather and violets on me, with some barely detectable water and musk notes, and a sharp edge is added by the pink pepper. It is sort of in the same vein as Eau de Gaga, without the bergamot. I do not detect any influence from freesia or rose. I would say the peony is not specifically identifiable, but at the same time it influences the tone of the fragrance, and in my opinion, causes it to lean feminine. For those who want to try an atypical feminine leather scent, I would recommend testing it, but for my skin, it is much too acrid.

This fragrance is a flop for beaute prestige international comparing to what beautiful other fragrances they have. This fragrance is not long lasting at all, has no depth nothing unusual. It has similar characteristics to Narcisso Rodriguez for her EDP Peony Musky. I will stick to Narcisso for her EDP The name is a turn off ALAIA too. Beaute prestige international stick with the beautiful brands you have and create better fragrances.

I smell any wet chalk or brick at all. and i perceive it not dark or mysteroius at all - au contraire - on me it is very bright, dewy floral beauty, very versatile, and cheerful.
i smeel something friuty , like apricot, maybe mirabelle.
Soft and unusual, has potential to be a big hit.
Longevity decent, sillage low.

10.august 2015

I have tried this perfume several times already and this is something non-mainstream at all. Very unusual and reminds me of a wet red/terracota bricks indeed as i am back on tunisan vacations. I smell a lot of humid leather and violet combo. It´s grey and shadowy. Very unusual, dark and mysterious. I wish the lasting power would be bettter, i get only 4-5 hrs on my skin in this heat.
Does not develope much, quite linear and more of a skin scent or at least not very loud.

UPDATE (15.september 2015)
I read a lot of people are dissapointed, beacuse they thought that tis scent would be oriental, but why is that?? Alaia is tunisian, and anyone who ever been to there knows that typical smell of those places and i believe that his perfume has perfectly caught the atmosphere. The Advert is superb as well and does not gives any suggestion for a heavy oriental scent, no, it´s dark and lies in a shadow, the photo matches perfectly the scent: i believe this is a scent of leather gown of a woman, who is inside of a dark and humid tunisian building, i never ever dreamed of a (heavy) oriental Alaia, even before smelling that and only seeing the ad.

this one must become an oriental classic á la´Shalimar or Opium, strong,voluptuos and sensual,like a movie from the 30s with Marlene Dietrich in, dark and intense