Private Label Jovoy 2011

I have been after Private Label for a while. I always wanted to have a Cecile Zarokian piece of art. The first ever perfume I sampled from her creations was "Tango" from Masque Milano, and created an idea on her style of perfumery. Private Label, may be her best creation so far. It has class, it is refined, it is vintage & modern, and the name says it all. As a patchouli lover, who tends to love more the rough, cold, and boozy take on patchouli, this HAD to be in my collection. It is so unique, so unique, as it is hard to pair it with another patchouli-vetiver fragrance. It is definitely my second favorite scent after Monsieur. from FM. Is it polarizing? I don't think so. Does it require to love patchouli? YES!!! So guys, if you don't like the rough patchouli, the boozy one, smoky one, stay away from Private Label. It is the least sweet patchouli I own, and the leather accord along with sandalwood only try hard to calm down the smokiness of this fragrance. Definitely not summer fragrance, but if you wear it 20 min before going out on a summer night it will work. Smoky fragrances need fresh-air to explode and reveal their true olfactory identity. Don't doubt projection, sillage and its lingering power - it projects heavily, the trail is sexy, mysterious, intriguing, like you want to follow this dark mysterious person into the unknown.

I don't find any similarities with Hommage a L'Homme-Voyager which I own for 7 years now aside from sharing similar notes. I really cannot imagine a woman wearing Private Label unless she is in love with Janis Joplin!!! Since I love Monsieur. more than this, I do get it why some people compare it to Monsieur., and it must be due to the rough cold style of patchouli or because both are sophisticated masculine (slightly animalic) patchouli bombs. Worth it!!!!