Bottle drawn in the shade of the fragrance
Portrait of a Lady
Eau de parfum · Dominique Ropion
Turkish rose in extravagant proportions, over a base of patchouli and incense.
- House
- Frédéric Malle
- Family
- Chypre
- Perfumer
- Dominique Ropion
- Year
- Not disclosed
Portrait of a Lady is one of Dominique Ropion's great fragrances for Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle: a Turkish rose used in unprecedented proportions, turning a familiar flower into a modern rose, opulent and dark. The house sees it as a bold piece of architecture, held together by a precise balance.
Rose dominates from the opening, immediately lifted by blackcurrant, raspberry and clove, which give it a fruity, spicy sparkle. Patchouli, sandalwood and incense then lay a deep, smoky base. A chypre rose, majestic and enveloping.
Olfactory pyramid
- TopThe first minutes
- HeartThe signature
- BaseThe trail
Notes as published by the house. official source (new tab)
Main accords
Volute’s reading: the intensity of each accord.
Seasons
- Autumn
- Winter
Moments
- Night
Portrait of a Lady in detail
Frédéric Malle conceived his house as a publisher: each fragrance bears the name of its perfumer, free of any constraint. Portrait of a Lady, signed by Dominique Ropion, makes Turkish rose the subject of a grand portrait, in extravagant proportions, set against a dark, woody background.
The official pyramid follows a clear progression. At the top, Damask rose takes over at once, rich and velvety. The heart surrounds it with fruit and spices: blackcurrant, raspberry and clove. The base brings together patchouli, sandalwood and incense, which give this rose an almost solemn depth and make it a chypre.
Portrait of a Lady is worn in the evening, in autumn and winter: a dinner, a concert, a formal evening.
Three chypres in our catalogue share its materials: Diaghilev by Roja Parfums brings together blackcurrant, clove, patchouli and sandalwood; Hermann à mes côtés me paraissait une ombre by Etat Libre d'Orange pairs blackcurrant, incense and patchouli; Memoir Woman by Amouage finds clove and incense again in a more leathery chypre.
In our guides
Text written with the help of AI, based on official information from the fragrance houses.