Hardly any recent release has divided the fragrance world as much as Paradigme Eau de Parfum. Opinions could not be further apart; depending on whom you ask, this is either the worst fragrance of all time or the best new release since L'Homme. My opinion of the original was quite positive; a fresh, youthful DNA that vaguely resembles the more than 6x as expensive Valero. Nevertheless, it lacked that certain something to ultimately justify a purchase.
Sales can't have been that bad, because contrary to expectations, L'Oreal launched the first flanker, Paradigme Le Parfum, in April of this year. My first impression of this offshoot was rather reserved; somewhat sweeter, more vanilla-like, more pleasant, but not a must-have. But as luck would have it, I stumbled across a temptingly cheap offer and simply couldn't resist...
The fragrance opens similarly to the original: A synthetic, shower-gel-like cloud of floral and citrus accords. However, this quickly fades away, making room for the actual core of the fragrance: an amber-vanillic woodiness that runs throughout the entire progression. We are dealing with a similar configuration here as in Layton , although I still would not place the two in the same DNA; they are distantly related and follow the same principle, but interpret the warm, wintry aspect in different ways.
In the final quarter, all the remaining floral and citrus notes gradually withdraw, leaving only an amber-woody base that envelops you in a cozy, warm coat. Unlike the original, the flanker is therefore, imo, the perfect winter fragrance!
Longevity and sillage are appropriate for the price and fragrance profile, but tend to be below average. Gourmand bombs such as Althaïr or Delphinus last considerably longer and project noticeably farther as well. Nevertheless, Paradigme Le Parfum offers a balanced progression and at least does not need to hide from the competition in the designer segment.
Conclusion: You never know what may happen - in my case, the marketing machine of a well-known online perfume retailer achieved its full effect on me. Paradigme Le Parfum is certainly no beastmode banger that will scent an entire classroom. It is quieter and more restrained than many a sweet gourmand, but beautifully composed and genuinely high-quality for a designer fragrance. The RRP is far too high, but it is definitely worth taking advantage of special offers. A cautious recommendation to buy - if you know how. ;-)
