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Purple Label by Ralph Lauren, 2003

Purple Label by Ralph Lauren, 2003 + add a photo
24 reviews
83% Positive Reviews
Rated #1939 in Fragrances
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Posted
By silentrich
Great bottle and presentation, but you pay for it. It's the upscale version of Ralph Lauren so I guess they decided to just stick with that and price it as if it were something of greater quality than the rest of their line. Welll, it does smell better than many of their fragrances, but just like all their other fragrances it doesn't last and has a mediocre dry down. Another problem is that since this is on the expensive side it has to compete with other expensive fragrances. Another major problem is that it's discontinued. Finally, the nail in the coffin is that it competes with a fragrance that's a little bit more expensive, smells very very similar, actually uses higher quality ingredients, and lasts about 10 times longer. That fragrance is Bleecker Street by Bond No.9 which is superior in every way to Purple Label and isn't discontinued. The price kills this one.
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By schwrtz5
I am a huge fan of the color purple. So, when I ran across this cologne, I was already predisposed to like it. After a long search- I live in a small city in TN, I finally was able to smell some. I purchased a small bottle. I have received several positive comments and look forwards to adding this to my top cologne list!
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By Grottola
Purple Label, the odd bird of the Ralph Lauren fragrances, perhaps? It is a refined fresh and green masculine fragrance with a distinctive leather/suede note in the base and some tobacco as well. Very masculine, and can work for formal occasions. sjohnjay says that Purple Label smells a bit watered down - yes, but I don't think that's too much of a bother. I find this to be unique, and a great smell with good sillage as well, despite the average longevity on me. It is hard to find and quite expensive, though.
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By The_Cologneist
Like others, I find this fragrance to be rather green. To me though, I get a big eucalyptus accord, almost identical to the one in Safari. In fact, this reminds me of Safari, but take out all the spices, cinnamon and whatever else makes Safari an oriental fragrance, and replace them with green notes, bamboo and eucalyptus accords, tobacco leaf, and a little woods.

The opening is what I enjoy most, to me it smells like slightly sweet snow pea pods with a little pepper. I get like a Hermes style opening really, very natural and uplifting. That fades withing 10/15 minutes though, where it becomes another boring Polo fragrance with little sillage and below average longevity. About 3-4 hours or so on my skin (on a good day), mostly close to the skin.

So, is Purple Label worth all the hype? Is it really much different from the others from this house? Well, yes it is. But, what's to like? After the nice opening fades, it basically stays this boring tobacco leaf/eucalyptus/green fragrance.. sits very close to the skin and doesn't last too long. Bland, boring, next!
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Posted
By BradW
It's hard to justify a purchase of this fragrance when it
seems to be so similar to their Romance Silver.
The tobacco flower seems to dominate both. I spent
close to $100 on this one, but I should have looked
elsewhere. Maybe a refined nose could detect the difference.
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Posted
By drummerboy20
This is very good.....Maybe somemore notes could be added, a little coconut, vanilla, yuzu, bergamot, cucumber, melon family(watermelon, honeydew, cantelope), green apple, pineapple, guava...ya know....

Good but it would probably smell better mixed with some Seasonal Fabreeze, spray on fabrics, in your car, on clothes, and maybe iron the scent into them, that'd be a good idea, since it's soooo light and fresh
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By EastonBMW
For the price you'd think it would last longer. I find that this is one of the scents that dissapears the quickest. It flies very low below the radar ... in fact, often I wear it and ask people how they like it and they mention that they didn't think I was wearing any cologne at all. This is one of those scents that could be sold by any designer. Based on the Purple Label's reputation, I expected a lot more of this cologne.

I think the fame of the Purple Label is what sells this cologne along with its hard to find nature. Believe it or not Designer Fragrance Company at the outlet mall is the best place to find this ... they sell all the Ralph Lauren scents because they are the company that make them. A large bottle was $50 at the outlet, which is about half off the regular price. I didn't buy it at that discounted rate because of how generic this cologne is and how short the scent is. For the price, there are many different 'British Style Gentleman's Classics' out there. I'd buy Aqua di Parma or Tom Ford Tobacco before I bought this, because subtle colognes that are bearly noticeable seem like a waste of money.

I would have liked to see a better cologne released by such an exclusive label. This smelled kind of like a watered down version of Cool Water with some more floral and fruity notes. Clearly, those who buy this are buying it for the name unless they have magic skin which really brings the scent out.
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Posted
By foetidus

My first sample of Purple Label was bad I should have known it because it was almost impossible for a legitimate fragrance to be as watery and insipid as that sample was. I have finally received another sample of it and now its a different story: I found some actual substance to the fragrance. The opening is green and fruity rather sweet, nothing special, very typical of its contemporary fragrances maybe a little more pleasant and more competently accomplished. The fragrance goes quite floral in the middle the pyramid reads tobacco blossom and jasmine with sage and thyme, but if the sage and thyme are meant to reduce the floral impact, it doesnt work. I dont get the herbs at all, which is strange because usually my skin destroys floral notes and emphasizes herb notes. The base is a little woody, a little suede, and a lot musky. This final accord, like the rest of the fragrance, is uninspired: Mahogany just doesnt have the substance to make it as a woodnote, and Ive never been impressed by soft musks as a somewhat solo drydown. All of the accords of the fragrance are natural smelling I dont determine any synthetic notes. The whole fragrance has very limited sillage and below average longevity.

OK. This second sample shows a much better fragrance than the first sample presented I can actually smell this one and it is pleasant. I am still not impressed with Purple Label because it is not original and it has a premium price when it is simply a competent, decent fragrance. (Edit of April 8, 2006 review. Changed from thumbs down.)
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Posted
By sjohnjay
This smells watered-down but decent enough. Bizarre, sweet opening that morphs into a more appealing dry/crisp, invigorating scent. Less conforming to mass-market standards than the other RL stuff, but not necessarily any more "sophisticated". I would never purchase this myself, as it lasts about 2 hrs and is relatively mundane. This is ill-suited to represent something called the "purple-label"; the word "green" should be in the title instead. RL purple-label's saving graces are: 1) it does smell quite good for the short time it lasts, and 2) it's VERY versatile (any occasion).
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Facts and Details

Purple Label by Ralph Lauren, 2003
By:
Description:

Targetting the luxury segment, this new RL scent is aimed at thirty year old men and will be available in a very limited number of US stores. (around 100, rather than the 2000+ that RL scents are normally available.)

Details:
DetailValue
Top NotesBlackberry, Green Coriander, Dewy Green Leaves, Crisp Mandarin
Middle NotesTobacco Flower, Fresh sage, Fluid Hedione, Garden Thyme
Base NotesMahogany wood, Suede, Warm Musk and Oakmoss
Launched Date2003
GenderMen
PerfumerFirmenich
AvailabilityIn Production
ByRalph Lauren
Bottle Designer
Models:
Model Name/TypeMPNEAN/UPC
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