MAISON MARGIELA
BY THE FIREPLACE

2015

PERFUMER
Marie Salamagne

pink pepper
orange blossom absolute
clove

chestnut accord
guaiac wood
cade

vanilla accord
peru balsam
cashmeran

‘The enveloping sensation of a fireplace in the midst of winter. The fireplace crackles with the flames of a comforting fire. Maison Margiela’s By the Fireplace evokes cozy winter evenings indoors next to a enveloping fire. The snow gently falls on the frosty white landscape as you are lulled by the gracious dancing flames. Remember the reassurance of chestnuts grilling in the chimney and a crackling wood fire with Replica By the Fireplace perfume. This warm and cozy Eau de Toilette fuses the smoky scent of burning wood with notes of guaiac wood, cashmeran and clove oil. The scent of roasted chestnuts is recreated by a blend of chestnuts notes nd red berries oil. The sweet notes of vanilla reinforce the warm and cozy sensation brought by this perfume. Close your eyes, smell this woody fragrance and remember the enveloping sensation of a fireplace in the midst of Winter.’ – Maison Margiela

Does the undisputed king of the Margiela Replica line live up to the hype? I’ve tried this several times and for me Jazz Club surpasses it (although the performance leaves a lot to be desired).

Let me start by saying that, yes, this does live up to the hype. It’s easily one of the better designer releases and it’s different enough from anything else that I’ve tried. The opening can throw some people off, because of the ashtray-like smokiness. For a while you get quite a strong cigarette ash scent, with a roasted, burning edge.

That roasted vibe turns into the chestnut scent. I found this to be really well-balanced; the vanilla sweetness isn’t overpowering, and the spices aren’t sharp. It does get a bit sweeter after that initial blast of ash, but it’s semi-sweet at most. In the opening it’s almost boozy to me, but as it starts to drydown it becomes woodier, maybe a lacquered wood. Texture-wise it feels like a very dry fragrance to me.

The name is perfect; a fireplace in an (old) wooden cabin is definitely the type of scent I picture when I smell this. It’s not the most versatile scent, but perfect for cold weather. The performance isn’t amazing, but it is the best out of the Margiela line as far as I’ve tried. I think I still prefer Jazz Club, because it’s a bit more versatile, but By The Fireplace is better strictly for cold weather.