Invasion Barbare / SB (2006)
by MDCI

A fresh fragrance that opens with notes of non-citrusy grapefruit, violets and cardamom. As it dries down, a barbershop heart of powdery lavender emerges (similar to Le Male by Jean Paul Gaultier), supported by ginger and cedar over some clean vanilla-musk. Deep into the drydown is a Jicky-like leather (most likely castoreum and a touch of civet) that almost goes under the radar. The best way I can describe Invasion Barbare is that it's a fresh-oriental lavender fougere with a musky leather base.

Although this fragrance is anything but barbaric, I imagine the name is a double entendre, referencing both its clean barbershop (ie. "barbare" shop) lavender and animalic barbarian base of leather. Over all, it's a classy smell that emits positive vibes and makes me feel like an alpha male (cool, calm, collected and confident). If I hadn't found this in my quest for my holy grail, I might have lost hope somewhere along the way. This is one of the few fragrances out there that is good enough to be a Guerlain, and modern enough to not smell like grandpa.

A modern masterpiece.

10/10

It takes a good half hour but eventually this evolves into something that brings Grey Flannel and Fahrenheit into my mind. More fresh and less ‘damp rag’ than Grey Flannel, less noxious than Fahrenheit. I’d have to say that Invasion bears most resemblance to Fahrenheit. I understand that for anyone to imagine a soft Fahrenheit is a tough task but there you have it. Think of it like the petrochemical smell is removed with light vanilla added. In the end it’s that same vanilla which can still be detected the following day.

So why there is a resemblance between the three fragrances, when the pyramid notes point in slightly different directions. Although not mentioned in Fahrenheit’s pyramid there’s definitely violet there, then also all three contain fragrant woods.

Of the three, Invasion Barbare is the most ‘beautiful’ and wearable, though vastly more expensive. At €160/50ml it’s not worth the price tag, knock €100 off and I’d gladly wear this (nearly) as often as my Dunhill Editon or Bois du Portugal. A great everyday multi-occasion scent.

Invasion Barbare is my definite favorite from the MDCI stable. It pillages the only other masculine offering, Ambre Topkapi, and its feeble peasants into oblivion with ease.

IB is a mesmerizing deep aromatic blend of lavender, warm spices, a cool dash of well-mannered violets (not like NR PH), citrus to balance things out, and sweet cedar mixed with a light vanilla-musk base. Sounds boring doesn't it? Well, it isn't going to go anywhere near 'unique territory' and explore new horizons, but it's definitely not boring and 'run-of-the-mill' either.

Claude Marchal (MDCI) summarizes it as an "oriental fern," which I think is a very appropriate description for what it is. It's somewhere between the realm of the oriental and the fougere, while also being more at the same time. It's not syurpy and sticky, but instead -- devoid of amber and very sleek + contemporary in feel. (Makes 'New York' look ancient) Most reviews say that the scent itself is warming, but I find it to be pretty cool due to the violets with the spices creating a balancing warmth. (less so)

In the end, Invasion Barbare is very refined, well-mannered, elegant, with appeal through the roof. It's admittedly a scent that is very easy to fall in like or love with. Can be easily pulled off by women too IMO. It's easy and pleasing on the nose so it would be an excellent choice as a "versatile everyday all-purpose scent" for anyone that can be appreciated not only by the wearer, but also people lucky enough to be near by.

The cardamom note is the dominant player here, conquering everything else. Later the other notes melt into the cardamom and gives a very anise/licorice illusion where it's a spicy aromatic gourmand. Very interesting but nothing something I'd wear regularly.

Hmm, Basenotes lists this as a feminine. I'm not sure what I would make of a feminine called "Invasion Barbare." Would that be something to spritz on as your hamlet is about to be pillaged, or something that Amazons wear?

Fortunately, however, this is actually marketed as a masculine (although I consider it a completely unisex fragrance). Formerly known as SB1, it was composed by Stéphanie Bakouche as part of the inaugural lineup for Parfums MDCI. Bakouche is a student of Jean Kerléo and graduate of the French perfume school ISIPCA.

Turin & Sanchez's PERFUMES: THE GUIDE (and, presumably, Michael Edwards's FRAGRANCES OF THE WORLD) classifies this as a "spicy woody," but I have to confess I don't smell any wood at all. Perhaps I'm anosmic to the putatively woody aromachemical in the formulation.

What Invasion Barbare reminds me of more than anything is Francis Kurkdjian's Le Mâle--in other words, it smells like a powdery lavender. As it so happens, Kurkdjian also composed the three feminine fragrances in the Parfums MDCI line. I don't know whether this is merely a coincidence, or Bakouche was paying homage to her MDCI colleague, or what, but it is rather curious.

There are differences however; where Le Mâle smells wildly synthetic and has supernatural longevity to prove it, IB flaunts its cash from first moment to last. The ingredients are of an intoxicatingly high quality, with what seem to be a high proportion of naturals. And yes, it is spicy--at least, spicier than Le Mâle, although my nose can't pick out exactly what those spices might be. There's also a very subtle, musky undertow to the base notes that I can't quite identify--it drifts in and out of consciousness in a most seductive way, and is actually my favorite aspect of this fragrance.

In a nutshell, this is a better, subtler, more complex, and more expensive (!) Le Mâle. I own it and enjoy wearing it during evenings out (it's a bit too powdery to make it as an office scent). Although I like it well enough as it is, I just wish I could smell the wood that everybody talks about, since it would make an already intriguing composition that much more interesting. Oh well, maybe the people around me get to enjoy that aspect at least.

EDIT: The notes, according to the Parfums MDCI website:

"Here we have an 'oriental fern', spicy and aromatic, with a captivating blend of headnotes of grapefruit, bergamot, violet leaves, white thyme, cardamom, lavender and ginger.

A warm heart of cedarwood, bourbon vanilla and musc creates a precious and definitely masculine base which here too contribute to a well-balanced construction, true to the demands of the brand: elegant, precious, masculine and extremely sophisticated."