French niche line Frédéric Malle has launched Sale Gosse, a new fragrance for children.
An ode to “enfants terribles” and all manner of monkey business: doodles on the blackboard, devious schemes and pranks galore. Petitgrain, neroli, bergamot and rosemary are infused with a cheeky smile of violet and strawberry for a taste of bubblegum, old-fashioned sweets and getting away with murder.
Sale Gosse was developed by perfumer Fanny Bal.
Frédéric Malle Sale Gosse is available now at Premiere Avenue in France, €180 for 100 ml Eau de Cologne.
(via shopping-premiereavenue, additional information via Milk Magazine)
Now a very nice name… Insulting in France, downright rude in French Canada.
*NOT*
Well, it wouldn’t be a nice thing to call a child here either, but in the context of a perfume name it seems obviously tongue in cheek?
Just looked up the difference in the word’s meaning in France and Quebec. Yes, probably not for children in Quebec!
The notes sound fun. I wish the name had been a little more fun, too. Maybe they thought it was? It’s just a little too negative for me, even tongue in cheek.
I have a sarcastic sense of humor, I guess — it isn’t bothering me. But obviously it is not universally popular!
I am curious about the target market for this. At that price I imagine grandparents or wealthy aunts and uncles who don’t know what to buy their nieces or nephews? But it is odd for an aunt or some such to buy an expensive, probably rarely to ever be used “beauty” gift for a child called Sale Gosse. So I must have it all wrong. Is it really targeting the usual perfume shoppers and just has a different type of back story–children consumers be damned? It hardly seems the dream of tweens exploring their first designer frags.
Thoughts>
I’m thinking wealthy parents buying it for their young children, children younger than tweens.
Sigh. I am all for teasing kids and teaching them to not take themselves so seriously, but. . . My dad bought me a “hip” t-shirt when I was about 10 that said SPOILED ROTTEN on it. I hated it and was embarrassed by it, but my father thought it was hilarious and wanted me to wear it frequently. This perfume costs more than he would ever have spent… perhaps “spoiled rotten” might be a more appropriate name, but just as bad. There is a photo of me as a girl, on a horse, clutching the reins and trying to pull my denim jacket closed to hide the t-shirt.
As a kid I also disliked the spoiled rotten t-shirt. Even today I prefer my tees plain.
Well, yes — it is also important to honor your child’s own sense of humor, right?
Have not yet seen any press on this scent to speak of, which is unusual for Frederic Malle. Would be interesting to hear why he gave it this name.
I want to know the why behind the name Sale Gosse too. Simply trying to be clever? looking to shock? Hope there will be more details at the FM site.
I think if I gave my younger relatives the choice between 180 Euros or a bottle of FM perfume they would take the money. The perfume notes are interesting. I could see a child’s perfume having hints of chocolate or vanilla or caramel but I guess that if the bottle is unused by the child in the family it will be worn by the adult…or maybe it’s something that the whole family can wear to bring them closer while attending fashion week?
Sale Gosse was instantly funny to me because I figured that a FM at €180 is not for the kids.
And Sale Gosse (wrongly I know) leads to the gentler “silly goose” rather than “dirty brat” in my franglish brain.
Chant Wagner at mimifroufrou says Sale Gosse is Editions de Parfum FM’s “first perfume for children.” Elena Vosnaki at fragrantica does not explicitly mention it is for children, though she describes Sale Gosse as part of a “resurgence of childhood themes” as in Dent de Lait.
When I first saw this I had to laugh. I hope it smells nice enough to get francophones past the name. The bubblegum might do the trick.
I love Petit Guerlain, but on me, not my children!
Why would anyone want to ruin the baby head smell? The yummy powdery yumminess when they are out of the tub and all squeaky clean
And, this is just my moral compass, I would never buy something that expensive for my little ones! It would end up broken on the floor…
This seems clearly intended to appeal more to the adult who buys it than the child who wears it. Gee, that approach always worked so well for me when I was a kid.
It’s a little curious to me to see the super-negative visceral reactions people are having to the name of this perfume. In Toulouse, where I lived, it was a pretty playful moniker. There was a restaurant near me called Les Sales Gosses that we enjoyed going to. Maybe people are just more chill down south.
Anyway, yeah, I also am not grasping the target market. It doesn’t really sound like a perfume I’d like to wear (or any adult?), so I’m not sure I buy into the it’s-for-the-parents thing. Or maybe it’s for the kinds of people who buy sweatpants reading JUICY across their butts?
Yes I think this is the tone and I don’t think the perfume is meant for kids. See below! I don’t have my source though so I could be wrong!
I see! Believing that you’re not wrong makes the world make more sense to me 🙂
Ah, excellent! Something to spray little Tarquin with so that he matches the olfactory profile that complements my lifestyle.
🙂
lol, Tarquin surely shares his fragrance collection with the well-dressed toddler named Quinoa, his best pal.
http://miwdtd.tumblr.com/
I know it’s probably a cultural thing, but I find the idea of spraying perfume on babies or young children kind of weird.
Not sure where I read what I read, but I think fragrantica is wrong that this is a perfume for children. My sense is that it’s for grown ups living into the ironic and playfully meant name. Maybe I’m wrong though.
I find the term endearing myself, tweaking a child’s nose while calling him/her a sllly goose.
It is infinitely better than the F-ing Tom Ford perfume.
I must admit, I chuckled when I saw the name, having spent part of my childhood attending French-speaking schools. I took it more as the endearment, in line with the “enfant terrible” theme. Of course, I am also the owner of a wall plaque that says “ATTENTION: Chien Mechant. Maitre Feroce.” (Sorry, I don’t know how to type an accent sign).
There’s nothing on the Malle website about this being for children, although it does specify it is only presently available in Italy and France. https://www.fredericmalle.com/eu/perfumes/sale-gosse