Description
Bandit is the most daring in the whole line of perfumes like Caron Tabac Blond and Chanel Cuir de Russie, perfumes for an emancipated woman on the turn of the last century; for a woman who dares to smoke in the public. Bandit was made for the avantgarde Robert Piguet‘s collection, inspired by romantic sea voyages and pirates. Bandit is a classic “chypre” with dark animal notes and aggressive leather accord. In 1999, after 25 years, production of Bandit started again. Eau de toilette has the greatest sharpness. In the perfume version, leather and smoke notes are followed by clear notes of white flowers and vetiver. Bandit was launched in 1944. The nose behind this fragrance is Germaine Cellier.
inandawlita – :
Blind buy of the contemporary EDP.
This fragrance managed to perform three miracles for me,
Firstly, it liberated me from the gourmand/fruitchouli hell I put myself in.
Secondly, it cured me of my civet phobia.
Thirdly, it’s the only fragrance of the countless I’ve come across I would classify as “Sexy.”
Plenty of vetiver, artemisia, peppery spicy/anti-floral carnation on me – AND LEATHER, holy cats! I was terrified that this was going to smell like those countless, one dimensional generic leathery aromatic fougere’s marketed to men. Not at all. This has depth, it is alive!
On a more personal/TMI note, this fragrance takes me right back to a memorable encounter I shared with my former roommate’s biker bud. This is a liquid aphrodisiac for me.
volkvvova – :
Bandit is like a great jazz album when musicians were still on the junk. It’s got deep soul.
DSBA – :
Bandit is a nice old school scent suitable for cool weather and it feels quite manly IMO.
Dominant notes are leather and oakmoss. This is pretty much what you’ll get from it with faint carnation, mild aldehydes, artemisia, mild galbanum. I don’t get civet. Bandit feels very close to Aramis Aramis so owning both is redundant. The main difference is that the Aramis feels simplier and slightly more aggresive. In the air I can’t distinguish them. I smell Aramis. Performance is slightly better in Aramis in terms of sillage & projection.
jbl012Bessinepome – :
I’m wearing a cardigan today that has week old Bandit on it.
This morning, I put on fresh Guerlain Vol de Nuit on my chest/shirt, but VdN is rather weak in it’s current EDT… but the combo of faint/old Bandit plus VdN is HEAVEN. I’m so happy right now.
(Super humid/warm Michigan weather, but I’m inside air conditioning)
podgornayadv – :
I like it, and throw stones at me, but I don’t see how this is different from any average old perfume.
The 40 years old cologne at my grandparents house smells pretty much like this, and it cost under $5. The only difference is that Bandit has sohpistication, but the scent is not unique at all.
Also I don`t find it animalic at all. It`s just a chypre, pretty green, sour actually and sharp. I get some powderiness. Again, I like it but I don`t get the hype about it. It`s just another vintage scent.
SChuk – :
As a fan of Cabochard, both new and vintage, I’ve been wanting to try this one, and now that I have I can defiantly smell the relationship. The initial blast is where the similarity is most obvious to me. I think this is a more crowd pleasing scent, but not for me, What I love about Cabochard is the confident and downright badass attitude it conveys. Bandit starts off that way, but on me, it quickly softens with the leather taking over politely in a somewhat powdery way. Cabochard’s tobacco dominates instead giving it a darker edge. Nice scent overall, but too ladylike (in comparison to Cabochard) for me.
Jony-Journal – :
Finally had the chance to try this one out. This is, like some of you said, Paloma’s quite close relative. A lot of civet and oakmoss to my nose, just somehow thicker and more balsamic (might be the amber). Almost as if someone wanted to do a plant marmalade. It is definitely a perfume for a strong and confident woman, but to my nose and personality it doesn’t necessarily come across as sexy. and if it were to be considered so, it would be quite a masculine, blunt kind of it. Definitely a night-time perfume.
indeliafady – :
So much delightful bitter green galbanum and rich black leather. I love this fragrance! A true classic. Daring yet elegant and sophisticated. The scent of a a total badass confident lady. Love it.
BepitekoS98 – :
The Murderess by Edvard Munch 1906
2012
tzg179JeomiWogkig – :
This is a review for the vintage Bandit.
When I was about 25 I once walked home from a party alone after midnight. I was wearing a black corset with skin tight black pants, I felt sexy, beautiful and happy. Some motor bikes came along, the leader pulled up beside me. Devastatingly handsome, the male lead in so many romantic novels throughout time, the mysterious, sexy, dangerous stranger who appears so rarely in ones life. Leather vest and pants, strong arms, broad shouldered, thick lush glossy dark hair, immaculate pencil moustache, humour and sensuality lit his eyes and mouth, and a throbbing black Triumph between his legs..OMG!
He tried to coax me into going to a party… I was sooo tempted! But with several other bikers waiting to see if his masculine charms worked..common sense and survival instincts kicked in, so my head won in a tight battle with my body and the magic of the night. I declined.
Now when my Bandit arrived in the mail today I was transported, reliving that moment in time but with a different conclusion. I can honestly say that if Bandit’s hypnotic intoxicating pheromones permeated my senses on that sultry summer’s night I would have straddled his bike in ecstasy, screaming into the darkness!
This perfume is amazing, others will describe the notes better than I ever can but I hope I have demonstrated just how magical Bandit is, it’s your wanton dream lover in a bottle and nothing is more delicious, sexy or thrilling than that!
Xendrikc44 – :
Yeni üretilenler gerçekten burada belirtilen notalar ile hiçbir ilgisi yok kesinlikle beğenmedim.
Kayaf – :
(1950s version)
When I first tried this, I hated it, because it came in with a box of fine ladies’ perfumes, and I was utterly unprepared for this handsome rogue. This is not a feminine perfume, so throw out the gender label. This is more masculine than most “men’s colognes” available today. The leather and moss are perfectly ballanced- and it’s not a “smelly old-leather” smell- this is new leather. I really can’t smell the fruity notes in my version – only green moss, with a hint of wood, spice, and mint. I’d like to smell this on a man, it’s very approachable.
boots456 – :
I wanted to love this perfume since it was so highly praised. At first spritz, superbly green. 15 minutes later and lasting the entire day, I felt like a walking joint. The “weedy” smell was just too overwhelming for me 🙁
Review Edit: Almost one year later I just purchased a vintage mini circa 1980. This is a huge difference from the current edp. While the weedy oakmoss is there no doubt, it doesn’t arrive until a good 2 hours in, whereas the current just blasts you with a stinky blunt. The vintage really is very soft and you can detect the gardenia and florals softening the blow. While this one is still too green for my taste, I paired it with Fracas and the combination is beautiful. I am glad I gave this one another chance with the vintage.
Alexa_fromAF – :
Yes, another review entry. Haha. But I find it helpful when reading reviews and blind buying to see what version goes with what review. Both of my Bandits are wonderful fragrances, but they are totally different to my nose.
Made in France newest bottle: Dirty, earthy, green, smoky. A bit of funk, but wet earth funk. Very dark and beyond gender because it doesn’t fit into any “box”. Somewhat linear. Also very green and soapy in the middle. Sharp soap.
Made in the US, 2000-2003 Errol bottle, sticker says “certified original formula” A vintage feminine scent. Aldehydes, citrus, animal, leather, powdery floral, some incense/smoke. Loud and funky at first, but I find it easy to wear actually. Good sillage and lasting power without being cloying IMO. This version on skin comes and goes… I won’t be able to smell it, but then BAM– there she is again. I almost find this version sweet too. This version reminds me of “everything but the kitchen sink” lol….. The moss/aldehydes of Miss Dior/Givenchy III…. the citrus and leather of Shalimar…. the aldehydes and floral of Chanel No. 5. It’s awesome.
100% a MAN can wear either version. The US-Errol is masculine enough, and the France bottle is so green-earthy it doesn’t have a gender. 🙂
And now I have an Elfin era Pure Parfum, and it’s perfect! It starts out like the US-Bandit and then morphs into something greener and dirtier like the France formulation. WIN!
diska4ka – :
My rave review was from a “Made in the US” bottle, and the full bottle I bought is Made in France. And they are not the same.
I could tell from the first squirt that the France bottle lacks that huge (Fabulous) punch of aldehydes, vintage funk, etc…. And while France Bandit is still nice… the potency wasn’t as strong and the opening was pretty much non-existent. France Bandit is still nice, and maybe I need to let my bottle sit after shipping (shaking), but for me– Made in the US Bandit is the one I want/love.
I also got a Bandit shower gel! YAY!– LOVE the shower gel! Great lather, silky soft skin, and $13 shipped from an ebay perfume outlet. The gel smells like the France-Bandit…. so it’s rather a generic Bandit… but I’m super happy with it. I used the gel this morning, and then wore Chanel No. 19 EDT to work. Love!
My US bottle is here! And it should be the same as my sample- thank you “z-beads” for my sample and information/knowledge! She helped me find her exact bottle from the sticker on the side. My sticker is 2000-2003 and the signature on my bottle is Errol G. W. Stafford.
krasov-wladimir12 – :
Whoa. What a funk! AND I LOVE IT!
Bandit is hard to describe, as others have said. It’s a feeling, an overall aroma- instead of note by notes. It’s pretty awesome, in a strange wonderful way.
At first it’s STRONG and vintage! I love it! The same vintage funk of old Givenchy III, old Chanel No 5, and old Miss Dior. Bandit is very ANIMAL and ALDEHYDES. Bigtime. And boy I love it. Exactly that vintage stank I love now. I can def pick out the galbanum in the first 20 minutes. (I love Galbanum from Vol de Nuit)
So after the animal and aldehydes comes leather, it’s also a bit citrus and woody. The leather is indeed like Cabochard, but I only have Cab in a recent EDT. Cabochard is only about 40% of Bandit’s magnificence.
Then as it dries down, it’s more powdery– still woody and earthy a bit– I def get some smoke, still some lingering aldehydes, but it’s actually very pretty IMO. A pretty, sophisticated vintage smell- unlike anything else in modern perfumery. But it’s also complex. I can’t really tell what I’m smelling other than generic feels like “powder” or “animal funk”.
The drydown was also a lovely smoky incense/floral a bit, which I’ve grown to enjoy bigtime.
Overall, Bandit is a real hit with me! I was scared at first, but I’m so glad I tried it!
I have a sample of a 2003 EDP bottle, and now my own is coming. I need this! I’ve also ordered Baghari because I’m an addict… lol…
I can see how this shocks people. There is a lot of animal civet, leather, incense, aldehydes, etc… but any vintage perfume lover needs this. I have only smelled the 2003 sample, and I’m very happy with it.
The modern Cabochard almost belongs in the garbage compared to this!
I don’t find it too masculine and it’s def not butch, but I do see how it fits Marlene Dietrich. It’s sophisticated, badass, yet proper and classy.
It is “everything but the kitchen sink” in a way, but that makes it unique, unpredictable, deep/layered and amazing! Haha!
I almost found some sweetness in this too.
Anyone else feel like Gemma Teller in Sons of Anarchy? Haha. Vroom vroom! <3
Natatka – :
:'( Yes, that was a little tear I shed on my first wear of Bandit. Where’s the leather? The femme fatale? The dominatrix? I wanted Bandit to be my superhero.
Instead, the most recent formulation of Bandit is polite and feminine. Green galbanum powder, well blended and well bred. Beautiful, not badass.
I had imagined she would be similar to Paloma Picasso with some shared notes, but with a pronounced smooth leather. But Paloma’s leathery oakmoss presents itself at gasoline levels compared to this formulation of Bandit. Paloma has a big energetic, artful personality. Bandit seems like a quieter well-behaved sister. However, both still maintain a level of elegance. Anyway, enough about Paloma.
Perhaps it’s the way it plays on my skin, but there is no civet or the hint of anything animalic here. The aldehydes are delicate. I do indeed get a nice brew of carnation, rose, jasmine and ylang ylang tempered with violets — lovely classic flowers marinating softly in green.
This may still have a place in my wardrobe as I’ll keep it in my current rotation and see whether she starts to grow on me or performs differently on different days. I’ll also try and get my hands on the vintage to see how it compares. She’s definitely likeable, perhaps even loveable with her sensual musky green allure.
molotkovav – :
And now comes my second review for this iconic antihero fragrance: bear in mind this is regarding the *classic* formulation, probably no later than the 60s or 70s vintage. I said before that it was like a dirty-sexy lover that you hate but are hopelessly addicted to. The more time goes on, the more true that has become. She preys on my mind, making me crave her gorgeous filth over and over again.
This fragrance is narcotic. And like a narcotic, it may make you seriously nauseous and terrified the first few times you try it. But then you’re hooked for life. Don’t regret it, though; you’ve been seduced by the best. It’s not subtle. The notes are animalistic and leathery. But they’re also masterfully blended with pungent herbs and mesmerizing florals. It smells like sex in a field on a hot summer day after a leather clad motorcycle ride.
Now, the reformulation… I tried it. Had to. The vintage is so expensive and so hard to find. And sweet bastard baby monkeys, what a stench! Seriously. I have NEVER… it was repulsive. A mockery. A travesty. A sin. An abomination. An affront to god and man!
Basically, it smelled like an unwashed-sunburned-communicably-diseased hippie who spent the night on a polluted beach then got sprayed by skunk. But if that’s what you’re into, then sure, absolutely go for it.
To prove it’s not my imagination, my esteemed husband, (talented in many things, but not in wine-tasting or perfume-nosing) smelled it and said, unprovoked, “Wow, that’s really starting to smell like BO.”
But look at it this way: if you want to achieve that “I stayed up all week on a cheap booze and cigarette bender then ate garlic pasta and hit the gym for 2 hours without deodorant” aroma, this reasonably priced fragrance will give it to you instantly, without all the hard work!
I will not be changing my my mind on this version, I can tell you. Not after falling in love with the original. They just got it all wrong. It’s a perversion, and not the sexy kind.
SaxolokT – :
I am a Robert Piguet Fan. I have Fracas and Madamoiselle Piguet and LOVE Them both.
But not this departure from prettiness; I got a decant of this from a friend and OH MY…… a freshly polish leather boot is what I get. With a side order of “that medicine cabinet smell”., The leather boot is not NEW soft lether, no– it’s old hardened leather This is polarizing and not for everyone.
This does smell VERY niche. And I imagine this is what Serge Lutens smells like?
ZARDOZ – :
Is it really for women, considering civet and leather notes here, or is it more unisex ?
Maksimb4 – :
This is a beautiful sharp leather scent with a very slight green herbal hint. It is tough as nails- wear with a biker jacket.
Reowntheoke – :
I rarely ”get” leather notes, or maybe I can’t interpret them as leather, but I do here. I do big way, and read Bandit as a woody leather that is very impresive in a slightly inhuman way but very quickly develops into the dirtiest scent this side of Secretions Magnifiques.
The animalic aspect of Bandit is pretty overwhelming – possibly TOO overwhelming – on my skin/for my nose.
So, I did mark this as ‘liked’ but it’s less of a mild love and more of awe mixed with repulsion. I am glad I didn’t buy a bottle blind, but now I am still not entirely sure if I want one having sampled this!
PhoriSoorktof – :
This is AWESOME! I was pretty scared after reading some of these reviews but I love leather chypres and I love animalics, so I went for the gold and got a small bottle – blind. I can easily see that if you were to spray this with abandon it could get overwhelming, but a dab of the pure parfum is amazing! It’s green, but it’s dry. There is a hint of lushness behind it all, as it dries down. Like vegetation drying after the rain. It’s so weird, I certainly wouldn’t consider this sexy in a conventional way, and I would actually be FINE wearing this to work, in a small dose. I need to wear it for more than a few days to see where exactly this fits in my life. It’s got power behind it, for sure.
It is NOT a comfort scent, I can tell you that right now. I won’t be reaching for this before bed or on a date like I do my other favorite leather chypre, Rochas Femme. The two are nothing alike. There are no fruits or fuzz in this. This is in line with some of those old 1950s power Dior perfumes, it it’s own way – I feel like I need gloves and a hat, like I’m wearing tweed in the rain. OR you can take this another direction and say that it very much smells like the inside of an S&M store, a swingers dungeon, or the inside of a closet filled with dominatrix leather and spiked heels, as well, and both statements would be right. I can see Warhol’s Factory stars wearing this in the 60s!
Very strange perfume, and now I can’t wait to try everything Germaine Cellier has ever done, because the woman was a genius and this was ahead of its time, and yet also strangely timeless. I feel like I finally understand leathers, now I need to conquer tuberose. Fracas, here I come!
irvin – :
I know this is suppose to be a classic, but personally I can’t abide it. It smells too animalic to my nose. I suppose that’s exactly the same reason so many other people love it. But to me, it’s harsh with an overwhelming aroma of leather, civet, and oakmoss.
5vlad2 – :
BANDIT
ROBERT PIGUET
Nose
Germaine Cellier
Year
1944
Bandit is my signature scent FOR LIFE
This is a dark chypre fragrance of solemn & somber tones. The black color/packaging matches up with the smell. In today’s context it would pass for a Goth fragrance for the brooding and cynical Heathcliff from Wuthering Height types.
But in World War 2 this was a common chypre floral musk fragrance for mature women; women who wore suits, held down jobs as corporate CEOs, lawyers, school headmistresses or perhaps even politician wives. This is a feminist fragrance and it’s very empowering. I am a civil rights lawyer and have worn this to court. This fragrance has become my identity and all that is me in fragrance form.
In the hidden language of women’s fragrances, or gender benders, this is a Sapphic fragrance for women who love women.
The animalic accords of civet and musk/castoreum, black leather not to mention the patchouli, galbanum and vetiver, are notes which are found in men’s colognes. So while this frag can be worn by men as a unisex cologne, on women it makes a statement and we all know what that statement is:
I am woman hear me roar!
This is a leather based fragrance of power.
Wear it and you can feel like you can take on the world. It has the same effect on me as Opium by Yves Saint Laurent. Just like Opium this fragrance has multiple notes and is deep and complex, transcendent. There is nothing I don’t like about this fragrance. It was love at first whiff. I first encountered Bandit at a perfume party when a girlfriend’s mother came in with a bottle and passed it around for us to sample.
When you put it on the aldehydes come through and it is perhaps the only fresh and feminine aspect of the fragrance. All the feminine touches appear in the top notes and the early stage of the performance. Fresh and soapy aldehydes, citrus, neroli, oranges and sharp lemon. The lemon note becomes like a barbershop scent of lemony aftershave.
Before long the green notes emerge and it’s a distinct galbanum. There is also Artemisia which can also smell of ivy, and a green carnation. Among the toned down florals are gardenia, jasmine and violet. On me the violet is very evident, and perhaps to others as well.
This is a big violet that can also smell like lavender. The flowers are not powdery, no sir. They are spicy florals. I would still call this fragrance a floral but it’s of an Oriental floral nature with smokier, darker hues. The galbanum keeps this from being too sweet.
As the florals fade, the patchouli and vetiver develop and continue the “green theme”. Quite aromatic. Finally the myrrh and moss come through and smell like incense or a Middle Eastern style cologne. This has less myrrh and frankincense than it does the civet and leather. The musk dominates the dry down. A musk based perfume, all of which thrill me. It’s fascinating how this whole thing starts off as a feminine aldehydic citrusy floral and turns into a musky masculine cologne.
Guys please do not be afraid to try a 1944 woman’s fragrance because this has so much of what men have worn for years in their colognes. This is an assertive smell, but it has a formality and seriousness too. People like to call this a bad girl perfume or a femme fatale scent but I see this as quite the opposite. She is a beautiful and intelligent but strong and takes-charge alpha female.
What I would give to go back in time to smell this on such women as Bette Davis, Katharine Hepburn, Joan Crawford, Marlene Dietrich & Greta Garbo
This is an old school “strong woman” scent, the kind of strong women that came out of World War 2. If you wear Femme by Rochas, for instance, that perfume is more a party girl perfume sweetened with fruits and light woods, but this one is the perfume of a woman of action and who did more for the sake of womanhood and women’s rights than some army nurse.
This fragrance also reminds me of my grandmother, my nana Eliza, whom I was named after. She was of Jewish and Polish descent and recalls the invasion of Poland by the Nazis.
A fragrance such as this comes only once in a life time. Bandit was reformulated in the late 90’s and I have worn the reformulation and I’m pleased with it. It’s lacking in some of the green floral old lady scent of the original and instead turns into a fresher and more modern musk scent, but not nearly as sweet as Musc Ravageur, but still unisex.
I recommend this fragrance to experienced perfumistas, with a sophisticated and mature nose. It’s also a perfume for us ladies who go after our dreams and goals and we don’t let anyone or anything get us down. We outnumber men, we are stronger together (sorry for the use of the Stronger Together Hilary Clinton campaign theme but it fits the mood of this perfume). This is a perfume of beautiful power. It has captivated me for years and will enchant you if you take away all the prejudices of perfumery. No this is more than a vintage classic, and more than an old lady perfume.
It is a way of life.
The Bandit has stolen only one thing from me:
My Heart
vechiy – :
The Bandit Attacks 1944- 1959
With such a name as Bandit (robber, outlaw, gangster) and with the black packaging, even for 1944, this must have struck women buyers as rather unusual. No one wants to smell like a criminal right? Wrong. Only the most acute, shrewd perfumista of the period would have understood what this fragrance is all about. My mother never cared for it, although she wore fragrances that one might say have a similar make-up such as My Sin by Lanvin, a perfume I would go on to wear myself. I greatly dislike comparing perfumes or putting labels on them, but to make a point sometimes one has to do just that. Another fragrance that comes to mind is Tabu by Dana. You know, a dark floral, a smoky, musky, leathery and bold statement perfume to wear on a night out, a powerful aroma that does not apologize for anything.
I first wore Bandit in 1958. It was one of my darker Oriental fragrances, and one thing I liked about it was that even with what was then an authentic civet note; and not the civetone chemical recreation, this was not as musky or animalic as I had imagined it to be. The opening notes include citruses, neroli and aldehydes, a very standard opening to most fragrances of the period. The aldehydes are quite strong, and the citrus is fresh and cold. Then to my nasal detection I sensed the presence of a galbanum. It’s green and aromatic, slightly camphorous and beautiful. I love galbanum in perfume. The greenery of this scent embraces Artemisia and a carnation that also smells like it’s color is green, like one of those Irish carnations. This fragrance evokes a masculine carnation pinned on a man’s suit. I pictured Oscar Wilde, whose favorite flower was the green carnation.
Once the aldehydes have settled down and the citric notes have dissipated, the florals make a brief appearance. This scent can hardly be called a floral. It has that amazing carnation I’d mentioned, but it’s also joined by a powdery rose, and never too powdery, a night blooming jasmine, and a violet. These flowers are not as heady or sweet as most typical floral fragrances. Rather they are sharp, a bit soapy but potent with a violet that can also pass for lavender. It’s not a bad floral but these notes are not the main attraction.
Once the floral notes fade away, the base notes are unleashed and the bandit attacks. The bandit is nothing more than a civet cat in a Zorro style mask who sneaks up on you and who trespasses on a garden. It’s a skunk that just happens to release a more pleasant scent and not a bad odor or stink. The civet here is wonderful, never mind the politically incorrect usage of civet. The leather note also immediately blends in with the civet. Leather is not my favorite note in a fragrance at all and for the 40’s and 50’s it was an innovation. It took some getting used to when I first wore it. I always thought it smelled like shoe leather but eventually I came to understand it’s meaning.
This does smell like leather, a black glossy leather or as some have already pointed out, a leather jacket or leather gloves. It’s wearable leather. One might also compare the note and it’s mood to a dominatrix and her leather get-up. This is a powerful woman in leather who takes charge, feminist, ambitious, charismatic, willful, and incredibly beautiful. She is a CEO, a Prime Minister, President, Queen, head of state. She is Xena Warrior Princess, Boudica, Kali the Goddess of Death, Athena the goddess of war and wisdom, she is Bette Davis and Katharine Hepburn. She is Margaret Thatcher, Indira Gandhi, Golda Meier, Hillary Clinton. This is truly a fragrance of feminism. Absolutely fantastic. Unforgettable.
When you wear her, you’re empowered and you feel as if nothing can go wrong. It’s confident and strong. The scent lasts a long long time. The dry down throws up the Oriental notes of patchouli, oak moss, vetiver, incense, myrrh, amber, and resins. This is a spicy Oriental, with musk thrown into the mix. The leather is the reigning accord but the mossy oak wood note and the incense is also quite noticeable. It has a nocturnal air about it, especially in the last stage. At times, this also reminds me of perfumes like Avon’s Occur which share some of the same notes including that coconut and civet, and perfumes like Passion by Elizabeth Taylor and not to mention Paco Rabane’s La Nuit. Those unisex/musky/woodsy/incense fragrances of the 80’s can be traced back to this fragrance. It was never a flop and it won the hearts of women everywhere. It was a very appealing perfume.
Bandit is a complex fragrance, an Oriental floral musk, leathery, seductive. She is a femme fatale, the antithesis of Piguet’s Fracas, who is a virginal bride in her white wedding gown. The Bandit Woman is in black leather, a mask, and she’s up to no good. She’s waiting for the Fracas Bride to come out of the Church in order to rob her! The best part of the fragrance is the instant when the fragrance’s citrus and floral notes appear to be trampled over by the civet and the darker almost Arabic oud and patchouli/myrrh notes.
For the longest time, and you didn’t hear it from me, Bandit was associated with lesbian women who wore it in the 60’s as a statement. Because this smells so much like a man’s cologne, the idea was you’re wearing a man’s cologne to an untrained nose who doesn’t know it was made for REAL WOMEN to wear.
I have not worn Bandit in a long long time. Today the air is chillier and it suits the weather. This is a warm autumn and winter perfume and that civet is cozy like a mink stole. This fragrance matches up with fur coats and I’m wearing one right now. Despite the “bad girl” connection, Bandit can also feel elegant and stylish, and quite fashionable like the real fur coats of yesteryear. This is far more full bodied and special to me when compared to the other frags I’ve mentioned as being some of my old signatures: My Sin and Tabu.
This is a fragrance worth your time and money. However do not wear this without having experienced Fracas first in order to see the differences and just how talented Germaine Cellier was. He has composed such beautiful timeless fragrances: Fracas Bandit Vent Vert, and each have their own personality, moods, imagery and attraction. Fracas is a white wedding (and my wedding perfume), Vent Vert is a green Irish landscape in the spring time and Bandit is a sexy criminal who, even if you put her in prison, she’ll find a clever way out of it.
tdusernamef9 – :
I LOVE THIS! When I first was hearing about this, it came across as a dirty little secret to wear when alone. *blink* I do detect my furry critter, which I love, but it is by no means meant to be kept a secret! Wear it with gusto! So delicious…..another that’s better in cool weather. It’s going to be such a treat!
SHABSANNOPY – :
I have the pure perfume from the 2000s and I like it a lot. But it doesn’t last more than an couple of hours on my skin then disappears completely. Would like to try a pre 80s vintage.
Юра 83 – :
Probably the biggest 180 I’ve ever done on a fragrance (Shalimar and Angel are the other two). I hated Bandit beyond words for years. I found it absolutely repulsive. I tried it 3 times and each time I thought who on earth would want to wear this!!
Then for some reason a few months back, I thought hmmm why do I think I might like that now? So, I dug around in the hoard and found it. And since then I have gone completely bonkers for it. It’s probably now in my top 5. I find it remarkable.
Bandit is also the most appropriately named fragrance I can think of. You almost know what it’s going to smell like just by the name. Dark, dirty, animalic, leather, oakmoss (McMoss now)…with green and floral facets, some fruit, aldehydes…it’s literally everything but the kitchen sink. Truly a work of art. Masterpiece in my opinion. Even the current version. 10/10.
FriendSierra – :
BANDIT
PIGUET
GROUP ALDEHYDIC CHYPRE MUSK
NOTES ALDEHYDES ORANGE ARTEMISIA GARDENIA TUBEROSE GALBANUM NEROLI YLANG YLANG BERGAMOT CARNATION ROSE JASMINE VIOLET LEATHER AMBER PATCHOULI MUSK COCONUT CIVET OAK MOSS VETIVER MYRRH
SILLAGE HEAVY RADIATES WITHIN 6 FEET
LONGEVITY VERY LONG LASTING 7 TO 12 HOURS
REMINDS ME OF: CHANEL NO. 5 BAL A VERSAILLES AVON OCCUR PASSION ELIZABETH TAYLOR SPECTACULAR JOAN COLLINS
This is Bette Davis, this is Katharine Hepburn, this is Margaret Thatcher, Hillary Clinton Wonder Woman (Lynda Carter version) Xena Warrior Princess and any strong woman you can think of. This is a powerful perfume for a powerful woman or man becaue it’s definitely unisex. This fragrance is not shy, nor sweet nor quiet. It’s an aromatic explosion of screaming notes each with a forceful scent of it’s own. This was created for the women of World War 2 who were engaged in their own battles and contributions to win the war –