La Petite Robe Noire Velours Guerlain for women

I'm not a fan of LPRN range, but this version caught my attention. The almond/violet/rose association made me give it a chance. And I was surprised to appreciate it, its name suits it very well, velours means velvet in French. It's a more elegant and soft fragrance than the original. It's a bit less fruity, and the black tea note is very interesting. If you love LPRN, there's no reason to not like this velvet version. It's discontinued, but I still have sealed bottles if some of you are interested.

Love how this transforms into a lovely cherry powder.

I'm trying to find the perfect cherry perfume, and I'm finding they are all too 'fruity' if that makes since, La Petite Robe Noire Velours included. On first spray, it's sharply sweet, like cherry or strawberry candy, then fades into woody, patchouli-almond extract. A little too similar to cherry cough syrup for my taste, it's strong and way too sweet. I haven't tried the original, so I can't compare, but the drydown is similar to Mugler's Aura.

Beautiful night time fragrance, I'll get back here and leave a more accurate review once I wear it more often

I’ve been on a cherry quest.

I hated La Petite Robe Noire way back in 2012. Hated it. I love and respect the house of Guerlain and have so many favorites from them. I decided to give this one a go because the almond is supposed to be prominent along with the cherries. I don’t know why I don’t trust my initial impressions because this one might be worse than the original. It is screechy sweet cough syrup. Doesn’t even smell like cherry. No almonds. Ugggh. I struggle to find this to have any Guerlain DNA. I wore it twice, fully letting it dry down and wanting to scrub the entire 6 hours.

I’m not a stranger to disliking top notes; knowing I need to ignore it and wait for the dry down. The idea of almonds & cherries on a guerlainade base is so appealing to me. It’s kind of a mystery why all these Petite Robe Noire’s don’t smell good or like Guerlain at all to me. Just ghastly.

This is the perfume equivalent of listening to We Built This City by Starship over and over.

This is my favorite flanker of LPRN (right now, lol) . It doesn't remind my in any way of Couture. Hippie Chick is slightly similar. This one has a much softer, velvety feel due to the violet. If you are an almond lover like me and always felt that the fruit and/or cherry took over, you'll love this one. In warmer weather, almond is about equal to the cherry and the patchouli has a very small presence, which is why I'm not understanding all the comparisons to Couture. Couture has really assertive raspberry ~ patchouli notes that dominate it, along with some Vetiver, I believe. This one is very well blended and as creamy as this line has gotten so far. By no means has the cherry disappeared, it's just toned down (still tart, but that's the beauty of Guerlain~juxtaposition~to keep your nose interested) to about equal with almond. The violet gives it a soft, sweet, slightly powdery vibe and the Tonka just smooths the lovely path. I really love this one. Hippie Chicks dry down reminded me a lot of Guerlains French Kiss, this one not so much. I've heard YouTube reviews that say this is "thin" ~ I don't think so, it's incredibly easy to wear and enjoy. If your'e new to LPRN and don't care for Anise, I'd start here. I received a sample of Nectar, the one that's only released in France so far, and I really like it too. Softer and juicier. Can't wait. Guerlain scents always smell better the older they get.

It is lovely. Quite unique in its cherry almond combination which, surprisingly, works. Good for springtime evenings. The liquorice present in the la Robe Noire comes through also. It is lovely, playful - in an adult playful way, delicieux. Its own fragrance. Its the little black dress you find in a second hand shop specialising in designer stuff, liquorice cherry almond soda hung on a back of a long freestanding mirror lined in silver, reflecting back the you that could have been. But alas does get a little boring in the long run. Old style Guerlains had a lot more layering.

While I don't like the original La Petite Robe Noire EdP being too strong for my taste, I enjoy its lighter flankers because of therir cherry/berry & almond compositions that are done well. Legere & Couture were my day & night favorites, but when Velours was announced with the violet note, it really grabbed my attention. It didn't come to regular shops, but after one year it was released, I could finally found a bottle on internet and blind bought it.

Velours starts with a lively combination of sourcherry and citrus. Citrus evaporates quickly and sourcherry note becomes more accented. This is the most realistic, fresh, cool sourcherry note that I have ever encountered. As it settles on the skin, cherries get warmer and some sweetness is added. But the sweetnes is like a dash of powder sugar, floavoured with violets, never turnes into cherry jam. It gains a little powdery texture with almond on the base and then quietly leave the scene.

Velours is the most balanced LPRN version in my opinion. It's softer but still hides the sparkle inside, like a high quality velvet, as the name suggests. Many reviewers find it similar with Couture, but only the freshness in the operning reminds me of Couture; shining chypre Couture and quiet fruity Velours are different enough from each other. Couture has a dramatic contrast in composition, it gets darker and sweeter compared to the bright opening; Velours evolves more seamless. Couture is more alluring and attractive, Velours is more reserved and elegant.

My Legere bottle has nearly came to the end. Velours has already replaced it as my daytime LPRN being lighter and less sweet. There is not a big difference in terms of performance among these three candies (Couture lasts better on fabric because of patchouli), but as Velours being the softest one, I wish it could last longer to enjoy it for a longer time.

Very beautiful and classy. It is pretty much a clone of the Couture version, though I've noticed that middle notes differ. After a couple of hours (3h) the Velour smells more solar, spacious, while the Couture retains its fruity character.
Very snuggly, worth a bottle. Fits many occasions, an all year scent. Sillage is just right during winter time. Does not offend but it's your personal pleasure cloud :)

In cold season, it was sour. But now, warm season, it is very soft and sweet, so I like this.

After a few tests on skin, I can say that I really enjoy this version of LPRN. Guerlain probably created Velours as a replacement (and perhaps an improvement?) of the Couture version, which is my favorite of the LPRN line, but sadly discontinued. They are similar, although Velours is more powdery, more complex, but lacks a bit in longevity, while Couture is very long lasting on my skin due to its strong dose of patchouli mixed with vetiver and moss.
Besides Velours's obvious resemblance to other LPRNs, the cherry-almond-violet combo in it is also (slightly) reminiscent of two other Guerlain masterpieces: L'Heure Bleue and Insolence. Thus, while being a modern creation, this perfume has an old-world charm about it, an effect that only Guerlain can accomplish to perfection.
I'm seriously considering buying Velours and I hope they won't discontinue this flanker too.

EDIT, 6 August 2021:
I finally purchased a bottle of Velours, and I just love its heavenly cherry-almond accord that blends so well with the powdery violet and rose. I get a warm creaminess while wearing it, so I think Velours is suited for cold weather as well, where Couture is so fresh to my nose that I can only wear it in summer.
As a side note, I just checked Guerlain's official website and could no longer find Velours there, so... I guess they must have discontinued this beauty too. Thanks, Guerlain, for launching fragrances that we love and then taking them away.😞

I sprayed this 15 minutes ago. I have never tried any LPRN before so I have no comparison. My journey:

First minute: Worried I made a mistake, something smells like a certain type of plastic. I quickly put down my wrist.
Fifth minute: The sharp plastic has gone away and now things are warming up a bit, but with some freshness. [Not really like any of my other fragrances, so at a bit of a loss for identifying what I smell]
10th minute: Now I am really beginning to enjoy this. The sharp smell is a perfectly balanced rose, violet, and orange, not too creamy and not too sharp. Almond is predominant over tonka. I can now pick out each note. The cherry is there, but not in a Tom Ford Lost Cherry sort of way, but more McDonald's cherry pie warm way. I don't smell the tea. Probably as it blends in as sweet tea right now.

15 minutes in: I do like it. I think I will be in love with it once I smell it in the open air. And give a later in the day update. Very nice addition for me.

Update: It fades after a couple of hours, but before that it is amazingly well blended and turns magical. I actually think the tea, which I can't smell separately makes it so aromatic, like sniffing an earl grey tea bag that has been dipped in an expensive perfume. Maybe that doesn't sound good but LPRN Velours smells much more expensive that its price. I really enjoy this and will be reaching for it as a summer semi-formal scent.

Summer Time Edit: It really warms quickly and the sharpness quickly dissipates. The violet is soooo smooth now. Warm summer evening must have.

Violet + Rose = Lipstick scent....

HERE I COME GUERLAIN !!!

Cold november air blows away the last dry leaves, there on the avenue. It disperses them in a frozen vortex. I stay here watching them safely, behind my window.
'Ma Robe Velours' gives me back calm and serene harmony that reigns on typical days of celebration, spreading to the rooms that special, delicious aroma of the sparkling paper of gift packages, new wax candles, or some cosmetics and new scented products for my body care, which I usually buy at that time, in festive mood, to give new color and identity to these days.
Surprisingly amazing, it is not overly cherry-ish, plus almond abandons bitterness completely here. Well balanced. I have in store few remaining drops of this sample to wear afterwards, maybe on a snowy day, while I think that a bottle of it is a good investment in serenity, and peace for my heart.

I keep trying the endless flankers of LPRN, thinking that I can't be so cynical as to not enjoy some frivolous lowbrow fun chez Guerlain. And it's a mistake every time. If you are remotely aware of or sensitive to synthetics, stay far, far away from this one. There is a stomach-churning aquatic hum to the base of this one that makes the whole thing smell like a migraine-inducing watermelon Jolly Rancher. Pardon the brevity, but I'm going to go and scrub this one off before I pass out.

Although I have previously found the names of the LPRN flankers to be amusingly nonsensical, this one is quite apt, given that it's the Juicy Couture track suit of perfumery.

I tried the previous little black dress edp and they were just too sweet for me to cope with. Yes, you immediately can tell it's a flanker of LBD with the almond and cherry thing going on. Thankfully the floral and powdery notes here don't get smothered with sweetness. I think the violet and tea notes stop this fragrance becoming heavy and cloying.
It is quite linear. The same notes from start to finish. Violets, roses and bergamot dancing around a Bakewell tart.
A very feminine, sweet yet not heavy floral.
I get moderate sillage and longevity.

I don't like any LPRN release but this thing is amazing. It's very well-blended and rounded and a little touch of powderness makes it very smooth. To me, Velours smells very optimistic and is perfect for spring, while the original is more fall-like and slightly depressing (to my feeling). Also, it smells classy but young.

The dry-down is very cool here. I guess patchouli does its job and I get light chypre-ness under this almond-cherry pie. It makes it even classier then.

LPRN Velours is a velvety, more loveable, more elegant, version of the original EDP. This smells very close to the mother scent, same juicy sour cherry, but with more floral touch. For me the rose and violet did not stand out but rather well combined (reminded me rather to Rosa Pop) taking away the tarty angle and making it more rounded. Huge plus is that it is less overwhelming, sweetness does not opresses the real beauty.

For those who considered EDP too cloying or too much I would recommend to try this one.

Longevity: 6-7 hours.

...and keep sniffing my wrist...

This new version is Yes,it's more floral and lighter but still similar like the original just less in face sweetness.
Not that dark and heavy more of a spring violet meadow with cherries.
When I compared the two this was a lot more powdery-floral with the cherry note which was very like candy-lollipop cherry note.
This version at first reminds me the Meteorites Le Parfum mixed with Insolence and a biiiig dose of La Petite Robe Noire EDP.
When You compare the two You can feel the difference but You know that this is LPRN too.
I recommend for those who want a little bit lighter EDP,but want still a dark touch from the original but without that much sweetness plus with a powdery sweet violets.

I tried it and wore it in winter,maybe in spring it's different and it will bloom on skin with more floral-powdery notes.
All in all,a lovely version,it will be lovely in spring and fall.
The longevity and sillage is absolutely amazing,it last all day and days after on skin and clothes.

It's a La Petite Robe Noire mixed with powdery candied violets with a big dose of dark smoky cherry and a pinch of fruity rose.