Soie Rouge Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier for women

Sweet at first application. Reminded me of candy. Drydown is softer but still sweet. It's almost like carnation mixed with sweet tart candy. I don't find the carnation overly strong nor agressively spicy - it's front and center but balanced by the other notes too instead of just being ALL carnation. A good introduction scent to someone trying out carnation.

When I decided to try a few perfumes from Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier, I assumed that this must be an old house, along the lines of Guerlain, Caron, Creed, Floris, et al. After all, are there really perfumers today who also make gloves? Apparently so, as MPG has not been around for very long at all! (1988? really?)

Nonetheless, I am happy to be able to report that SOIE ROUGE has a substantial, old-school perfume feeling, at least insofar as strength and sillage are concerned, although it is essentially linear. This is all about velvety dark red carnations, from start to finish. No true development beyond the first minute or so. Instead, SOIE ROUGE offers a high-quality presentation of the carnation note, which turns out to be surprisingly spicy when effectively unadorned.

The two carnation frags most familiar to me, Caron BELLODGIA and Etro DIANTHUS (which I only recently tested) both also pack a hefty dose of clove, a note which has the effect of muting the intrinsic spiciness of dark carnations, which here is quite clear. SOIE ROUGE is more like an oriental floral than a floral, a simple yet very spicy little number which I can recommend for cold weather wear.