Ma Dame
Jean Paul Gaultier (2009)

First of all let's look at the bottle. This is a Gaultier feminine that doesn't use the body shape. Instead it's basically Terre d'Hermès with the Classique bottle form pressed into in the back. A straight-up-and-down rectangle, the flacon is abstract, de-sexed.

And the scent is a bitter, dusty, fruity-rose with a plastic lily, light-powdered with creamy musk. Even though it's not green there's a dark venomous quality to Ma Dame that makes it feel like a distant cousin of Envy.

A dry bitter floral, with the usual woman's body encased in a (glass) box - all sexiness constrained in straight lines - what's going on here?

Ma Dame could have been the ambience of a Gaultier runway; emaciated figures marching up and down shooting mean looks at the camera... It embraces the non-sexy, non-friendly feel of a fashion show.

But for a feminine scent - destined for the 'average' woman in the street - Ma Dame bends the codes in a drastic manner. It's daringly unsweet, not floral in the ordinary way; seething with discontent, the bitterness is more attuned to a bitchy teen than any 'Mrs' of the title.

So could it be a critique of the status quo?
It may be a coincidence, but when Ma Dame was released in 2009, the media were talking about Size Zero, the tiny clothes that women were told to wear in fashion shoots. This caused one model to become ill from crash dieting and so she teamed up with a Northern Irish politician to campaign against the practice, and to cut it all short, Size Zero has now been banned in many countries.
Could Ma Dame have been part of the critical mass that ended this practice?

Not only has Size Zero fallen by the wayside, Ma Dame has also disappeared. Which is no surprise really, but that's not to say it's been forgotten, prices on auction sites are about the same as for new perfume; there's still a healthy demand out there...

I had no idea what to expect from this one. I blind-bought it. Glad I did. On me, this goes from one note to the next. Orange gives way to rose, melts into grenadine, mellows into musk. The cedar in the base is just right. I find cedar can overwhelm or even destroy a base by its strength. Overall this Gaultier is sublime.

The bottle is damn cool.

Orange is at the core of the fresh opening, but overall this scent is dominated by a pleasant rose that is a touch synthetic on my skin, but quite nice.
Musk is the core of the base, with generic wood in the background.

I get moderate sillage, adequate projection and five hours of longevity. Pleasant in spring but nothing special. 2/5

EDP:I love my eyes when you look into them.i love my name when you say it,I love my heart when you love it and i love cuddle you when you wear MADAME EDP! It has a lovely scent that you want to take with you everywhere you go.more provocative,sensual and sexy than the MADAME EDT and makes you feel like a sensual woman. strong,floral,elegant, charming,modern and intriguing.

MADAME EDP is a beautifully intricate chypre-floral perfume for women that features orange,pink pepper, rose, patchouli and a hint of musk and virginia cedar that bring up the base with an air of warmth and sensuality to appeal to all sexes.It gives you feeling like when your lover touch you.fresh and seductively romantic, and yet sexy and womanly all at the same time.

The rose is prominent in this EDP.the packaging is super cute.it is for the young,sexy social women (25/35 years old) and definitely a bold character.It can be worn for evening wear as well as romantic occasion.a evening out with your lover who just love this scent.one of those fragrances that stop men in their tracks and have women asking you where you got it...I love cuddle you when you wear MADAME EDP!

ANISE. A whooping, acrid, intense anise. I am glad that many can enjoy this scent, but to avoid further casualties like me who read largely positive reviews and so bought blind..... this is the joint-worst scent I have ever smelt in my life (the other being Molinard's Un Air d'Habanita). I am sceptical of people who say this, but it really did make me feel nauseous, and my boyfriend and I had to open the windows of the car to gasp some fresh air. I am no fan of anise/licorice notes, but can tolerate them when softened and spiced or sweetened e.g. Vivienne Westwood's Let it Rock or Caron's Eau de Reglisse. But why is anice/licorice/tarragon not listed in the notes when it's what overwhelms the fragrance?! Any grenadine (which presumably inspired the gorgeous bottle colour) is throttled by the synthetic anise and a sort of noxious burnt plastic smell.

Of course a "Gaultier Masterpiece" which was expected since I already own the Ma Dame edp appropriate for winter. This is a spring/summer perfume, long lasting and fresh combining citrus/rose/sweetness and presenting a unique aroma which will be noticed by many. The woody notes stand in the background without making the perfume at all heavy and suffocating. Lovely choice with a very nice bottle. Extra happy with it!!! True gem!!!