Pavel Rzhanov

Pavel Rzhanov

Feb. 16, 2026

5/5

5

Ten years ago, when the fragrance first appeared, an acquaintance gave me a bottle. He wasn't a perfume expert, and his enthusiasms usually boiled down to simple phrases: “Cool! Unique!” For him, what mattered more wasn't the scent itself, but its novelty and the desire to stand out from the crowd. Fragrance played a key role in his life. Naturally, as soon as “Portrait” appeared in stores, he immediately got it, and then so did I, because this person knows me and my passion for perfumery very well. At that time, I didn't have as much experience as I do now, but my collection already numbered about 300 bottles. I remember my first impressions of “Portrait.” It was both delight and fear at the same time. On one hand, the fragrance captivated with its play of roses and patchouli; on the other, it frightened with its darkness. The olfactory structure was so gothic that it evoked a thrill, like visiting old castles or ancient cathedrals with their sooty candles and long rows of pews. These were the images that came to my mind upon my first encounter with “Portrait of a Lady by Malle.” I didn't know how to wear this fragrance, and it took an honorable place in my perfume cabinet among those bottles I love but don't wear. Years later, finding myself in a perfume store, I stumbled upon Malle's stand again and decided to refresh my memories. And then it struck me: oh, miracle! The heaviness and darkness of the previous version had disappeared - the roses became fresh, the patchouli resonated, and the wooden pews of the cathedral seemed to have been renewed. I instantly sprayed it on myself, bought a small bottle, and headed to the cash register. Since then, Portrait Of A Lady has become part of my perfume wardrobe and taken its rightful place in it. I don't want to claim that one version is better than the other - it's