The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
Lolita Lempicka Au Masculin Eau de Parfum Intense arrived in 2015 as a deliberate deepening of the house's masculine line. Perfumer Annick Ménardo returned to sign this intensified interpretation. Oud and myrrh anchor what the opening sets in motion. The original Au Masculin established a distinctive character. This version pushes further into darker territory, with richer resinous heart notes and deeper woody base materials that create a more commanding presence while maintaining the house's signature contrast between aromatic intensity and powdery refinement.
The note structure here earns attention. Star anise and oud are not conventional bedfellows, one gives you that immediate black-licorice spice, the other brings resinous, dark wood. They shouldn't work, but they do. The iris-myrrh base is the quiet victory: powdery warmth that stops the anise from taking over, giving the composition a refinement that could have been lost in the intensity. That's the move Ménardo made. Not louder. More complete.
The evolution
The opening is bright and immediate. Bergamot and star anise arrive together, but the anise dominates, sharp, aromatic, almost medicinal in its clarity. It announces itself with presence and clarity. Then the hand-off. Oud and vetiver take over, bringing the woody depth that was always underneath. The oud reads resinous and slightly smoky, the vetiver grounding it with an earthy minerality that keeps the whole thing from going too heavy. The drydown is where this fragrance earns its keep. Myrrh and iris create a warm, powdery foundation that extends the wear for hours after the oud fades. By the final hours, what's left is intimate and close to the skin, just that iris-myrrh warmth that barely announces itself. The kind of drydown that makes you catch yourself sniffing your wrist.
Cultural impact
Au Masculin represents the house's more grounded masculine counterpoint. Perfumer Annick Ménardo returned to sign this intensified version, bringing her distinctive touch to a fragrance that leans into contrast: aromatic intensity meets powdery refinement. The result is a scent that balances boldness with subtlety, making it a unique proposition in the house's lineup.
The House
Lolita LempickaLolita Lempicka is a French fashion house that expanded into perfumery in 1997, founded by designer Josiane Maryse Pividal in Paris. The brand is named after Vladimir Nabokov's novel and Polish Art Deco painter Tamara de Lempicka, reflecting a romantic and literary sensibility that permeates both its fashion and fragrance collections. The house gained international recognition through its signature apple-shaped perfume bottle, introduced with the debut fragrance Lolita Lempicka. Known for whimsical, fairy-tale inspired aesthetics, the brand creates fragrances with a distinctive gourmand character, particularly anchored by notes of anise, licorice, and vanilla. The label has collaborated with multiple notable perfumers including Annick Menardo, Francis Kurkdjian, and Christine Nagel across its collection of over seventy perfumes.
The Creator
Annick MénardoDark, smoky, and beautifully resolved. Menardo has built her reputation on bold contrasts: leather against sweetness, wood against air, shadow against light.
