This is a review of Parfums MDCI Invasion Barbare. But first, let's talk for a moment about how men — clean, fresh men — smell.
Some men smell vaguely musty. You walk into their houses or sit next to them on the bus and you know what their laundry baskets smell like. (My theory, based on many years of membership at a food co-op, is that many of the musty men are vegans.) Some men smell intensely personal, like you're smelling their raw flesh. Smelling this kind of man makes me uncomfortable. It's too intimate. Other men have a natural tantalizing fragrance that is gently spicy and musky. A whiff of this scent is more intoxicating than a cocktail. To me, Parfums MDCI Invasion Barbare smells like that type of man after he's showered with lavender and bergamot soap.
You might see MDCI and try to translate it from Roman numerals. In fact, it stands for Marchal Design & Créations Indépendantes, after Claude Marchal, Parfums MDCI's founder. Marchal commissioned three stellar perfumers — the renowned Francis Kurkjdian and Pierre Bourdon, and the relatively unknown but marvelous Stéphanie Bakouche — to create a total of five fragrances, which it released in 2006. Originally each fragrance was named after its creator's initials plus a number showing whether it was the nose's first, second, or third creation for Parfums MDCI. Invasion Barbare, Bakouche's only fragrance for Parfums MDCI, was first named SB-1.
Parfums MDCI's website describes Invasion Barbare as an "oriental fern" and lists its top notes as grapefruit, bergamot, violet leaves, white thyme, cardamom, lavender, and ginger; and its heart as cedar, bourbon vanilla, and musk. Oriental fern is an apt description. Invasion Barbare balances the lavender, citrus, and herbs of a fougère that says "manly, yes" with the warm spices and sweet wood of an oriental fragrance that says "but I like it, too". Its lavender, cardamom, ginger, and cedar are easy to identify, and the rest of the fragrance melds into a skin scent that makes me need to dab my brow and steady my breathing.
Invasion Barbare comes on strong at first spray, although not as strong as its name suggests. (I hear Caron Yatagan saying, "You call that Barbare?") After a few minutes, its sillage subsides, although the fragrance remains rich. After an hour or so, Invasion Barbare mellows into a wood, flesh, and cardamom-ginger blend reminiscent of the far dry down of Amouage Lyric for Women, but without the incense.
This stuff is catnip, no kidding. I'm afraid if I met a man wearing Invasion Barbare I might have to beg him to run away with me. Then, every so often, I'd sneak a spray of it for myself.
Parfums MDCI Invasion Barbare is available in 60 ml Eau de Parfum, in the crystal bottle as shown above ($610) or in a glass refill ($235). For buying information, see the listing for Parfums MDCI under Perfume Houses.
Wow! What a wonderful review, Angela! It must be a beautiful fragrance, expensive but beautiful.
Damn. I'll have to go dig out my sample. Divine's L'Homme Sage has a similar effect on me, but I go weak in the knees instead of damp on the brow…
(Still loathe the MDCI bottles though. At that price, one can hardly delight in their camp value.)
I know, it's so darned expensive. If you get the chance to smell it, though, be sure to take full advantage of it!
I like L'Homme Sage a lot, too–I bet you'll love Invasion when you re-smell it. (BTW, funny enough, I actually did first write “weak in the knees”, but I wanted to avoid the cliche, so I did the damp brow bit instead.)
This was my favorite in the initial releases, what a mouthwateringly sexy scent. And I feel compelled to add in here that when we first ran across these back in the day (before they had names) and they were a gazillion dollars, and we were mocking them gently on the blog for their price, Claude Marchal emailed us the nicest, kindest email pointing out there was a cheaper bottle and sent us samples, and we ended up doing an interview. He is a lovely guy.
I remember that! Yes, it does make it all seem nicer when the creative director is an approachable guy rather than a giant, money-hungry PR firm.
I still haven't tried the rest of the MDCI, but I'm going to get myself some samples ASAP.
I think at that time (granted, 2 years ago?) they had 10ml samples of all five for 45 euros, which really isn't bad at all.
Has it already been two years? I'm late on everything, it seems. Except Beckham Signature for Her, that is.
I might just get a bunch of samples from luckyscent, they are just 4 dollars a sample. And 610 dollars for 60 ml of EdP in the regulrar bottle… Ouch. I thought my beloved SL Mandarine Mandarin was a lot.
The regular bottle is pretty darned expensive, but if you are willing to forgo the fancy bust on top, you can get a much better price by buying a refill. Let me know how you like the samples!
That's true, the refill sounds much better. Even though I absolutely adore these tops! I will definitely let You know how I like the samples!!!
Thanks for this review. I love this one, too. Wowza. I believe it is named after “Les Invasion Barbares”, the Oscar-winning “foreign” film by genius Quebecois director/writer Denys Arcand, creator of the equally startling “Jesus de Montreal”. Certainly, the MDCI scents are very, almost ludricously, expensive. But this one and Enlevement au Serail, in particular, are simply stunning. I would only ever consider buying the glass refill, but would regard either scent as a sound investment in profound pleasure. I wore Enlevement au Serail the first time to a fabulous baroque music concert and it was a moving experience.
“A sound investment in profound pleasure”–I understand that completely! I'm looking forward to trying Enlevement au Serail. If I like it nearly as much as Invasion Barbare, I'd better start saving up now.
And it was because of you that I even tried Invasion Barbare! Thanks.
Wow – I'm not sure what your review makes me want to do more: drop mega bucks on this scent or go around sniffing men in the hopes of finding one who naturally smells like that good. You certainly make it sound delicious.
Well, it's worth a sniff, in my opinion. If you can smell it on the right man, bonus!
Yes, he is truly charming and lovely. We got to meet him (and his gracious wife) in Paris last year, as well as the equally fabulous Stephanie. What was wild for us was that we had actually already met her the evening before while shopping at the Champs-Elysees Guerlain, because that summer she was working there as a SA (and may well still be, for all I know). She's a complete sweetheart and a wonderful perfumer, IMHO.
Darn calendar change. What I meant to say was we met them all in the summer of 2007, which is now no longer “last year” but the year before last. Sigh.
Oh, yeah! This stuff is amazing. It smells wonderful on my husband.
Hugs!
I know what you mean. I won't be properly adjusted to the new year until April, probably.
It sounds like you have the perfect set up! I'm jealous.
I could use some weak in the brow/ sweat in the knees from smelling the hub (ordered a samp from luckyscent)…
Excellent! I hope he/you like it.
If anyone gets the chance to smell MDCI's Rose de Siwa, it is one of the swooniest, deepest, most profoundly beautiful rose scents in the enitre universe!!! I'm a lover of dark, racy, sexy roses, and if I had only one rose scent to wear for the rest of my life, RdS would be IT. (Gosh, do you think I like it a little?)
You definitely like it! (And for good reason, I'm sure.)
Although I haven't smelled any of the MDCI scents, I was always of the opinion that Invasion Barbare was the best one. Nice to hear from you that you agree.
Still, the last thing I need to do is fall in love with another luxury priced oriental (sigh)
Oh and thanks for clearing up who the nose was – I assumed Kurkdjian was the nose for IB.
Oh, I know what you mean about falling in love with luxury scents. As much as I want to be anti-snob, “look at me I'm a regular gal”, and love drugstore scents, reality is that most of the time I like the more expensive one more.
Do try Invasion Barbare, though, if you get the chance.
Deservedly lovely review of IB, thanks! A dear friend has provided me with decants of Rose de Siwa which I think is a pretty rose and Enlevement au Serail (beautiful but I'm not a big fan of ylang ylang) but it is Invasion Barbare which gets my pulse racing. I agree, I would follow a man who wore this well to the ends of the earth but in the meantime I hoard the decant I purchased from Fishbone and wear it myself with a great amount of pleasure.
Well said! Maybe I'll wear it today, in fact.
Great review!
It is my favourite perfume for almost 3-4 years!
I love lavender-cardamom start and musk-moss sillage. Best cardamom ever…
Also I`d like to warm up your interest by some news.
Rumours are – MDCI will be launch new scent on tuberose theme – green, cassis, berries, musk and tuberose. Light and cheerful scent that will have a name Peche Cardinal (sorry, I have no accents on my English board, but it`s about Sin, not Peach).
I had a chance to smell it – and I like my wife to wear it.
It sounds lovely! I can't wait to smell it. A light and cheerful scent is just what the world needs these days. Thanks for the news.
Angela: Somehow I missed this review back when, but the MDCI sample set has taken prime position on my future purchases list. I noticed your comment on the Posse the other day that you ordered one. This and Enlèvement au Sérail sound pretty amazing, as well as the two new ones. I can't wait until I can expend my April fragrance budget.
You've really got to try the Invasion when you get the chance. It really is pretty great. Enlevement au Serail is the one I'm most eager to try, too–although the rest sound intriguing. I just hope I can make those samples last for a while!