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893704802 – :
I love this I love it even more than Vendetta and I feel if you own one you dont need to get the other. Also somewhat similar to vancleef. Powdery honeyed plum green and lush naturally sweet unadulterated fruit not saccharine sweet.
komrakov – :
A bouquet of almost every note mentioned above!
Carnations, honey, tuberose, plums, slight civet, aldehydes, cassis, ylang, amber, heliotrope, patchouli, and pineapple on a bed of sharp red roses.
It’s like a rose water with fruit punch. Amusing and very sharp 80s powerhouse kind of fragrance.
lightval – :
Clandestine means business. It packs a punch. Its an iron fist in a velvet glove. Today it would scare innocent noses who have no clue what the BIG 80s classics were.
I have winced when it comes to tuberose since Poison sent it “over the falls”. This is a little like Poison that is more wearable. There was so many other to compare it to, yet it hold its own. Its an angular, quirky lady of the night. Its not unisex by any means. As a man wearing it, I feel dominated by its power. It definitely “wears you”.
It has so many notes that its impossible to pick it apart. The civet is prominent like so many other 80s offerings. The fruits and honey would make you think of gourmand. Its anything but that. The fruit is bitter and the honey is almost rancid. She’s a femme fatale dripping in diamond and fur. Black fishnet veils the entire production.
Its big, decadent, expensive glamour that doesn’t exist anymore. I remember seeing the Guy Laroche boutique on the Rue St Honore in Paris in 1987 with this featured inside. I gazed in the window and thought one of these days I have to try it. I guess its better late than never. Time seems to fly…
dahik – :
To my nose I get tuberose, rose, carnation and resins. I get the “vibe” of plum as in a sticky sweet flesh with a sharp bitter skin. This is like a rich deep wine and seeing as this was a bottle of new old stock it’s like the wines been maturing in a vault somewhere. Longevity is amazing and although it’s a strong perfume the overall silage isn’t immense just creates a nice cloud around you. I have to be in the mood for this so I think my bottle will see me good for a while.
Trod – :
Love at fist sight! The bottle – dark lila monolith – is just adorable and the scent inside blows your mind. It starts with a blast but very soon relaxes into a superb powdery honey and tuberose plus plum scent. The base is a classy patchouli that will keep on lingering for days. The sillage is moderate, it does not take over. And I can’t stop sniffing myself, must be a laugh for all the travellers on the morning train with a geek sniffing herself with a broad smile on her face. I don’t care, I’m in love. Really, this has to be experienced. I am so happy I blind bought this pearl. The longevity is great, I sprayed it on in the morning and now, 10 hrs later it is still around, in its beautiful feminine and sexy base.
#edit july 2016
I just got my hands on a 200 ml bottle of Clandestine. I will _never_ have to be without it anymore!
t0pmegsc0m – :
Dang, this is good stuff. Clandestine EDT is like the less-rebellious, younger cousin of La Nuit by Paco Rabanne to my nose, but unlike La Nuit I can wear Clandestine and not feel like I’ve just been in a moonlit barnyard romp with a strapping, scruffy farmhand (which is a super-hot situation to project, but only for certain occasions). Clandestine is a fragrance for the person who “brings the party” – that sexy person that you can’t stop stealing glances at, who has cool quips and the best laugh; the person that everyone wants to flirt with, talk to, and be seen with. They are personable and outgoing, but you know there’s a dark, sensual side to them that you’d die to explore…
This fragrance smells like sticky dried plums and dates drizzled with honey. Sweet resins, feminine tuberose and jasmine, and seductive animalic notes add to the density of the fragrance. Clandestine is not as heavy as it sounds, though. Spicy carnation directs the other notes upward and everything seems to be encased in a delicate, luminous shell of beeswax. Clandestine EDT further lightens up as it dries down, and the plum has a “Benjamin Buttons” situation goin’ on – it seems to smell more fresh as time goes on.
Clandestine is just awesome. They don’t make ’em like this anymore…
Helstar – :
I found a 5ml EDT of this yesterday. Have tried it and can’t make out all the notes as there are so many.
It smells like a spicy, powder floral, very similar to those scents before the 1970’s early 80’s.
Think I regognise carnation and civet. Would love to know what plum smells like in a perfume.
I have dry skin and notice that a lot of scents dont last on me, this was the same but it was only a couple of dabs.
Would I like a full bottle: No, I wouldn’t wear it enough,but it is lovely.
DotGypesttusyst – :
This is the kind of perfume some people will hate you for loving (they will; I’ve been at the receiving end of that hostility). It was part of my collection until they shot it down (why is it that only the good ones die?). If I ever hit the jackpot I will go on a shopping spree for vintage/discontinued scents that will leave whirlwind in my wake. 🙂
shakur888 – :
I’m a plum addicted, so every fragrance that contains plum is a must for me. In this case, there is a magic combo between plum, tuberose and carnation. I fell in love immediately. The result is sweet, floral, fruity and spicy at the same time. Longlasting, elegant. Another personal note. The union between tuberose and plum is magic and ideal for whom has some problems with the strength of tuberose.
That’s a pity it’s discontinued. Very similar to Senso by Ungaro. Discontinued too.
meshet – :
Clandestine was the clincher that put Guy Laroche in my top five perfume houses once and for all, because, according to my personal taste of course, every fragrance that the house launched until Guy Laroche’s death in 1989 was a perfect ten, and has earned a more or less legendary or even cult status over time. I mean, think about it for a while. Fidji, Eau Folle, Drakkar, J’ai Ose, Drakkar Noir and finally Clandestine.
Of course it comes as no surprise that after Monsieur Laroche’s departure for perfume heaven, and with the brief flash of Horizon in 1993 (probably due to momentum), good ol’ L’Oreal thought it was a good time to start joking.
Drakkar Dynamik, Drakkar Essence, J’ai Ose Baby and J’ai Ose Aqua. I personally didn’t laugh at all. I just pray there’s not any Fidji Urban Chic or Clandestine So Cute in the making…
And now that the eulogy is over, let’s get to the point.
We all know that there’s always a good chance for something very interesting and possibly dangerous to be happening behind these huge metal waste containers that are usually found in dimly lit and occasionally wet dark alleys. I mean, come on, we’ve seen it in a thousand movies, so it’s got to be true.
Well the interesting and surely dangerous thing that is happening behind this particular one that stands before us, is Clandestine. With her trashy but flashy dress raised, her panties lowered, and happily peeing behind it. Moments after she has left one of these thunderous ’80s clubs, where she was dancing like crazy all night long.
What’s more interesting is that upon getting caught in the act, she doesn’t bother to cover herself. Not in the slightest. On the contrary, she looks at you at full defiance, utters “What?” and goes on with her business.
And she goes from Clandestine to in-your-face in an instant. And this instant is enough to make you fall desperately in love with her!
Because the smell of this stupendous and intoxicating aura engulfing her, is speaking of pure, unrestrained woomanhood and it will make you stagger and swoon every single time. For it’s not possible to escape this musty, dirty but in the same time sweet and guile attack unscathed. Because you stand the same chances as if you were under full frontal assault (pun intended) by a crazed battalion of civet cats, with Company A ferociously gnawing on (tube)roses and Company B looking to gnaw anything on you that resembles plums. Ferociously as well. With their CO smiling from the shadows of her hiding place…
But don’t worry about any connotations between her and the contents of her hiding place being more than concrete. Cause it may be that no matter how hard she tries to sell her lady self, the tramp within her will always show, but who doesn’t like this kind of tramps? And who wouldn’t be ready to die for her after seeing her audacious poise despite being that exposed? OK, maybe not die, but at least watch over her until she finishes relieving herself. And perhaps follow her obediently afterwards, drawn by the invisible leash that Clandestine has tighten around your neck. For it may be gallant and noble to defend a queen, but it’s always the plain rabble girls that will pay you back with everything they’ve got.
And this one has got it all…
587888 – :
Thats a legendary one for sure! Pure pleasure to wear. I feel myself sinking in deep suedy civet polished by wild honey and herbs, with dusty fruity smokiness at the beginning, its mystical, rich, thick well pronounced plum with dark rose, liqueur-ish aftertase, not much of tuberose on me – all to the better, a powerful, memorable, would be loved by amateurs of Krizia Teatro Alla Scala, Balahe Leonard and Gem Van Cleef.
Luxury and sensuality of gone epoch.
Good for those who can appreciate such beauty
Bot1x – :
Clandestine is an 80’s fragrance with all that comes with that: It’s bombastic, so cluttered with everything: plum, tuberose, carnation, jasmine, civet, pathouli and so on… Beautiful, powerful, sweet and very very animalic. In the end it dries down on so much civet that I can hardly smell anything else. I recommend Clandestine to anyone who loves deep and big floral-animalic 80’s fragrances. Five years ago I would have bought a bottle instantly, but now, thinking about how many fragrances I have I wonder when I’m going to wear it? It seems like I have moved on from most vintage fragrances today, some of them are a bit too animalic for my taste and I feel a little uncomfortable wearing them in public. But I will surely enjoy the large sample I have, on my own 😉 .
Mefzx599Bessinepome – :
Opposite pyramid.
Younger lolita of the 80s when drydown.
Like a miss universe 1986.
Femme fatale on the top.
Plenty middle age woman conscious of her sexuality, mathernity and cruelty all perfume long.
50s style honey classic sweet dirty formula almost animalic.
Multi face fragrance.
Lux luxurious perfume.
Honey dark plum essence
Divine divine divine.
A superficially understood perfume.
I figure Catherine Denevue into a silk or even leather tailleur in “The Hunger” wear this perfume.
Or a Grace Kelly dressed for the Opera into a hitchcock movie coming enveloped with clandestine.
Gold_lady – :
A delicious plum in the opening followed by a beautiful and well surrounded tuberose and a subtle sweetness in the drydown . I have the Edt version . I find it gorgeous , longlasting and … sexy !
nzs716elipseskism – :
VERY sexy, almost dangerous.
alevs62 – :
An oniric vision. A dark mysterious draped figure, under an acacia tree at noon. ripe fruits fallen at his feet.
A rich fused gold, spiced magma honey, with an hidden black soul. So woman in fur.
After have written this two sentences above I made a check at the reviews of that time: I had in my mind the reminiscence of 75 ingredients for Clandestine, but I’ve found that we talk about 95 (!) different flowers into the composition (I do not take any responsability to that declaration). I also read that the name “clandestine” is understood as: the other undercover woman inner to every woman. The one who makes bad things under an apparently trasparent person (I thought it was just a captivating name with a nice ring). That’s why the fragrance has been thought to be with lights and shadows. They reach the goal. And I confirm my sensations.
“Personals”: My uncle, her brother, gave it to my mother as christmas present in the 80s. Was a coffret with a pair of black gloves in lycra with a blue botton. Like an elegant french serial killer sponsorized by Guy Laroche. She hates strong perfumes Mata Hari style. I made the same mistake with Coco, but I was young and ingenuous. So she never weared it. the bottle is there. To me is the perfume of Christmas, well, it officially goes, cause the honey, dried fruits, date palm, gold everywhere, furs, heat need.
sultan.101 – :
Now that i have both EDT and big bottle of EDP versions i must admit that i like more EDP version of Clandestine since it is firstly more lasting and second it has more intensivity and is more sweeter than EDT. I guess this is because of the alcohol concentration, but the EDP bottle that i have i guess is quite old from those days when they used nautral musks and civet in perfumes, because it even feels little bit like oily (not like oil, but i guess you know what i mean).
The scent is fantastic and i am waering it now. I guess i have to buy couple more bottles of this wonderful fragrance.
Still looking for the pure parfum concentration that should be really marvellous!.
Kosepor – :
Malizia wrote: “What is the Edition Noir of Clandestine? It’s a different perfume or just the bottle is different?”
Yes, i also would like to know that!
unfixAnnext – :
Hi Action! It really reminds me in someway of Vendetta. You nailed it! I do not remember how Gio smelled like but Clandestine is a very good fragrance and so sad that this one has been discontinued. I do not understand why Guy Laroche has now only Fidji and Drakkar Noir left in selection.
lizalizova – :
Hi Passionata!
I love this perfume very much too!! I would say it goes into the fragrance family of C’Est La Vie, Vendetta and Gio original.
I love them all and have them all!
Good luck!
alexandrsd – :
I do not think this is a floral fragrance. This is musky and animalistic to me and i love it first when it´s applied and the drydown, but the in between is not so fascinating for me. Reminds me very much of something but i can´t remeber what it smells like. The plum and pineapple notes are delicious, i also love the combination of carnation and rose what makes this perfume not too sweet and not too bitter. Very well balanced. If you can get it, then definitly try it. I´ve heard that the pure parfum is/was much much more better than the EDT version, but it is nowhere to find anymore.
If someone has a hint where to get the pure parfum or EDP concentration please drop me a line. I´d love to have them.
taiciangito – :
I would really really love to have a large bottle of this…..sigh…
ZessReula – :
This was the first perfume my husband gave me as a present. I forgot the name but remembered the distinct bottle and the lovely scent – and I combed this site to find the name! I tried every possible search option – the color search is great but yielded no results.
Then I remembered when my husband gave it to me – on my birthday in 1988 – and then search was easy. I’m glad I found it and would love to buy it again.
This is a perfume for a sophisticated lady. I’m surprised to see it characterized as floral – for me, it resembles Samsara a bit, it has some oriental, warm base to it. It’s a winter perfume, a long lasting perfume, black cashmere keeps the scent for ages.
Ragnarek – :
This is absolutely rare parfum! Not easy to find anywhere, but if you find it you would have a natural pleasure to use every drop of it! Fresh and rich, deep and light at the same time. Never had one face, every time it change aroma. Try to catch … Sometime I thought this scent behaves as a capricious young teenage girl.Just like me 30 years ago! Lovely!
pseumdype – :
Was surprised to see that there is no gardenia note in this perfume,as on me gardenia is even more skanky than tuberose,and this is definitely skanky.Very close to the old Jungle Gardenia by Tuvache,but not quite as strong.I like it quite a bit,but it took a couple tries before I ‘got’ it.
sasha sasha – :
I would just like to come again to this beautiful perfume, I remember the plum that was magic and mysticism that makes this a particularly lovely fragrance. Clandestine was strong, I would compare with that strength of Lou Lou. Today would have been Elixir, so rich and complex.
Really strange that a lot of good perfume ended up in a museum!
NIKOS_87 – :
When I smelled it out of the bottle, I was too afraid to apply it on my skin – the scent was rich, intoxicating, musky.I thought it did not have anything attractive at all! Fortunately, later on I met a person, who`s favorite perfume – and she did not wear anything else – was Clandestine.It was so her. She was a tall, voluptious woman, with dark long hair and heavy look.On her – it was marvelous. Sweet and spicy, it also had some animal-like notes to it, like a collar of a mink coat.It was almost glowing around her!I never dared to try it on myself because I knew it will never “sound” the same way on me and I didn`t want to spoil this feeling of surprise and awe that Clandestine made me feel.