Whispers in the Library is a recent addition to the Maison Martin Margiela Replica fragrance collection; it "evokes the memory of a mysterious library made of antique woodwork perfectly waxed. The slowing down of time between books and the whispers of turning pages." Its remembered or imagined setting is "Oxford 1997" and it's categorized as an "oriental woody" scent for men or women.
I've spent a significant portion of my adult life in libraries — in graduate school, during dissertation research, and in various jobs — and I love the idea of a perfume inspired by libraries and old books. However, it's already been done. In 2012 Kevin reviewed two perfumes for book-lovers, Wallpaper/Steidl Paper Passion and CB I Hate Perfume's In the Library. (I'm very fond of the latter, dating back to 2000, "a warm blend of English Novel, Russian and Moroccan leather bindings, worn cloth and a hint of wood polish.") At the high-priced niche end of the spectrum, we also have Byredo Bibliothèque; at the affordable end, Demeter Paperback; somewhere in the middle, Commodity Book.
So, what does Whispers in the Library bring to the (book-stacked) table? Its listed notes are black pepper, cedar and vanilla. It starts off slightly boozy and androgynous. The pepper gives the smooth cedar an edge. The vanilla accord is mild, initially, and it later becomes more prominent and takes on a maltier quality. Whispers in the Library begins as a piquant woody blend and ends up as a quiet gourmand, more conventionally feminine than it was in its opening stages. The vanilla is there for a thematic reasons, I'm guessing: in 2011 the International League of Antiquarian Booksellers shared the results of a 2009 scientific study about the smell of old books, revealing that the organic polymer lignin, "which is present in all wood-based paper, is closely related to vanillin. As it breaks down, the lignin grants old books that faint vanilla scent.” (Or maybe someone just thought that this fragrance would sell better if it had a vanilla note somewhere in the mix?)
Whispers in the Library has low sillage and average longevity on my skin. It feels a bit "front-loaded," starting off competently enough and then losing my interest. It would be suitable for the office or, yes, even the library; but why bother, when there are already earlier and stronger variations on this theme? For me, there isn't anything particularly wrong about the Replica fragrances. But why bother with Lipstick On when you could have Lipstick Rose, or spend time on Funfair Evening when you could enjoy 4160Tuesdays What I Did on My Holidays, etc., etc.? Perhaps I'm not the target audience — but as someone who loves perfume and libraries, I can't help having an opinion on this one.
Maison Martin Margiela Whispers in the Library is available as 100 ml ($126) or 10 ml ($28) Eau de Toilette.
It feels, these days, like we’ve gone from variations on a theme to variations on variations on a theme!
Hah, yes! You’d think there was nothing new under the sun…
Thank you for the review–I agree with you, none of the Replica series have tugged at my wallet, but I give them a sniff when I run across them because of the promise of the names and themes.
One of my favorite library scents is l”Artisan Dzing!, though it may be better thought of as a used bookstore scent with its leather, a bit of vanilla sweetness from the benzoin, woody cedar, a hint of fur from the shop cat or dog and the musk of a too rarely washed overcoat hung near the door.
Dzing! is so wonderfully odd.
I’ve sniffed many of the Replicas by now, and some of them are nice to wear for a day or two, but then I just keep thinking of something that I like *more.* It’s sort of like seeing a just-alright film adaptation of a book you love…you want to go experience the “original” again.
Thank you for your review; you are unfailingly kind, regardless of your opinion on a scent. You are right: the Replica series is a nice-but-why-bother line. I have not smelled Mutiny, but I do enjoy the sharp snap of Untitled l’Eau. Re Dzing!, I had it inside one elbow and Timbuktu inside the other while watching the first night of the debates. It was a close race, but Timbuktu won.
I’m more fond of Untitled, too! I thought it was discontinued, but apparently not.
I like the pencil-shaving note in Timbuktu. I still have a few favorites from L’Artisan…
Yeah, maybe this line is a gateway for people who don’t know about niche and independent fragrance yet, but the overall concept *and* most of the scents are derivative…
I like By the Fireplace and have recently bought a decant of it. If there is a similar scent but better, I do not know it.
I tried Lipstick on a few months ago, and though I can’t say I loved it, I quite enjoyed it and did not think of it as Lipstick Rose clone. Will need to try it again before the final verdict though. I admit that I am going through a ‘lipstick scent junkie’ phase, so I kind of collect the samples of this genre at the moment.
Lipstick On also reminded me a little of the Chloe fragrance with the rice-powder note… It’s ok but it didn’t last long on me!
None of the Replica fragrances last on me. They do copy other fragrances (thus the name Replica?).
That name makes me laugh, too. Supposedly they’re “bottling” memories and thus “replicating” them, but…
The term replica is frequently used across their fashion line. Its part of their brand. I’m not sure what it means exactly though. I know the famous Margiela sneakers are a replica of the old style german sneakers…not sure if its an exact replica or a reinterpretation or something else.
Have you tried Mad et Len Perit Papiers?
No!! I’ll keep an eye out for it!
I love that perfume. Don’t own it, but kept my sample dauber bottle to remind me that it is a goody.
This line has always left me cold, and you have pinpointed why. Also. the labels are dull…
Other brands have been doing the “typed” label look for a while…CBIHP, Le Labo…