All great love stories start with a first date, but, let’s be honest with ourselves, not all first dates are created equally. If you’ve ever been single, if you’ve ever spent a dreary Sunday afternoon listlessly scrolling through the worst the dating apps algorithm has to offer, if you’ve ever spent three hours in a packed cocktail bar listening to someone recount their A Levels and food allergies and entire family tree without asking you a single question, you know this to be true. But for every bad first date, we all have memories of the good ones. Of the instant connections, the sights, scents and emotions that come with the first flush of falling in love. It’s those memories (dig deep, find them!) that Maison Margiela REPLICA want to evoke and celebrate with their newest fragrance, On A Date.
The fragrance is inspired by memories of a perfect rendezvous, a summer evening spent in Provence in the year 2014. Specific! We like it. And as we all know, the more specific a memory, the more powerful. So it makes sense that the brand has dug deep into their mind palace for this fragrance, which is meant to reflect the positive feelings and the excitement of an excellent date.
To really get the picture, you have to imagine yourself On A Date as Maison Margiela intended. Imagine a late summer’s evening, the kind of golden hour moment that would make a perfect Instagram post (grid and story). You’re next to someone you might love, you’re not sure yet, but you think you might, and you’re sharing a bottle of wine as the sun sets on the horizon. To get us to that imaginary paradise, so far away from the grey reality we’re currently in, the fragrance is inspired by the sparkling and addictive fruitiness of ripe grapes, wild roses and warm sunshine, with notes of blackcurrant liquor, sensual and woody patchouli, rose and bergamot.
It makes sense that the fragrance itself was a labour of love too. It came together as the product of a love affair in the worlds of perfume and wine, but also from a collaboration between master perfumer, Carlos Benaim, and master sommelier, Manuel Peyrondet. Carlos and Manuel joined forces, inspired by the former’s memories of Provence and Mediterranean sunshine, leaning on Manuel’s expertise in the wine industry to instil those memories to fragrance. “First, I sought the best way to express the aromas of red wine,” says Carlos.
“I translated its finesse and freshness by using Crème de Cassis, Davana and then I also explored the aromas of rosé wine by expressing its energy and roundness. I translated the sensations of these two wines into a totally new accord to liberate one intense emotion. One of my other wishes was to integrate the rose which is the flower of love par excellence. It offers delicate and fresh floral notes with fruity inflections that recreate the sweet feelings brought by seduction”. “For me, perfumes are all about making you feel good,” agrees Manuel. “‘On A Date’ has a strong personality. It was inspired by the exceptional terroir of Provence, which offers a contrast of unique aromas”.
And what is at the heart of a perfect date, after all, if not a good personality? So delete the dating apps, book the flight another day and take yourself to Provence and to a great date without leaving the comfort of your bedroom. Or take yourself on a date instead. You’re great company after all.
‘On A Date’ will be available in 100ml, 30ml, and candle formats.