Some fragrances have great top notes, others tempt with you a gorgeous drydown, but without a beautiful sillage, the pleasure of wearing them is nil. The French word sillage refers to the perfume trail you leave behind, a spell cast on others as well as you. Martin Margiela’s Lazy Sunday Morning is nice enough on paper, but to fully experience the sheer chypre, you need to try it on skin. If you’re lucky to have a friend who wears it, you can experience how well Lazy Sunday Morning diffuses and the soft, gauzy wake it leaves behind them.
Of course, this is true for many perfumes, which are composed of volatile essences, with unique rates of evaporation. This unromantically sounding idea, of molecules floating off your skin at different speeds, is what creates each scent’s aura, its melody and form. The intriguing aspect of Lazy Sunday Morning is that it’s part fresh cologne and part rosy chypre, oscillating between vivid aldehydes and dark moss, velvety rose and bitter patchouli. This interplay, well-modulated by musks, orange blossom, and green notes, is what gives this perfume its layered effect.
At first, Lazy Sunday Morning stays true to its name and offers you a glimpse of sheets laundered with orange blossom water and cold champagne—a decadent breakfast in bed, if you will. The aldehydes, starchy, metallic, but not overly sharp, make the lily of the valley and orange flowers sparkle. They also light the rose and iris, which would have been buttery and rich otherwise.
Before long, however, the composition takes you outdoors. The mossy woods are hidden under a soft focus aldehydic floral accord, and as the petals fall away, the dark, earthy notes come through clearly. A generous dose of musks takes off any roughness, and all you have left in the end is a tender blend of spring flowers and wet woods. Patchouli’s husky tone keeps things unconventional and androgynous. This breakfast in bed is clearly designed for him and for her.
The lasting power of this quirky floral cologne-cool chypre is terrific, which is where my early comment about sillage fits in. At a distance Lazy Sunday Morning smells elegant, with the chic edge that patchouli in moderate amounts conveys. Think of it as a rose accented cousin of Ann Gérard Perle de Mousse and Bottega Veneta Eau Légère, or a pared down version of L’Eau de Chloé and Christian Dior Gris Montaigne. Up close, it’s velvety without heft or sweetness, a perfume you can splash on before heading to the office, or indeed, before cozying up in the arm chair to while away your Sunday morning with a good book.
The only complaint: 100ml is much too much. I’d love to have a 50ml version at a lower price.
Maison Martin Margiela Lazy Sunday Morning Eau de Toilette includes notes of aldehydes, pear, lily of the valley, iris, rose absolute, orange flower, white musk, patchouli oil, ambrette seed absolute. 100ml, 3.4 oz/$125. Available at Sephora.
72 Comments
Gil: I haven’t tried much from the Martin Margiela Replica line after being let down by the one that’s meant to evoke a beach. The notes combo on this one sound awful, but the sillage idea is interesting. Wish Sephora carried the whole line in rollerballs, as the only one I’ve seen is the same beachy one. April 13, 2015 at 9:26am
Victoria: I didn’t like most of the collection, since a couple of other fragrances were too expensive for what they offered, but Lazy Sunday Morning stood out. If one is looking for a well-made, casual fragrance, it’s a good choice. It feels as comfortable as a cotton T-shirt, but it’s still interesting. April 13, 2015 at 10:39am
spe: Thank you for calling this scent to my attention. Is it a cross between Knowing and White Linen? I’m motivated to stop by Sephora today! April 13, 2015 at 9:27am
Victoria: Now that you mention it, yes, I can see that, although Lazy Sunday Morning is softer, mellower and gentler over all. Also, it’s less aldehydic or less heavy on patchouli than White Linen or Knowing. April 13, 2015 at 10:46am
Patricia: Great review, Victoria! I hope my local Sephora carries this, as I’d love to try it. Did you find the patchouli to be a dominant note? I’m a bit patchouli phobic. April 13, 2015 at 10:44am
Victoria: Yes, it’s quite prominent, especially in the drydown. It’s not too earthy and brash, but it’s there. April 13, 2015 at 10:58am
Trudh: The notes mentioned are just my thing…orange blossom, champagne, lily of the valley, a well done patchouli…they all draw me in. I find I have to go easy with rose and iris but it sounds like they are used with discretion in this fragrance. I like the idea of metallic but not sharp. I’m not familiar with Replica but I will be checking it out the next time I’m at Sephora. I agree that it would be nice if it was offered in a smaller bottle. Thank you for the lovely review. April 13, 2015 at 10:52am
Victoria: I would love a smaller bottle. The price is ok, but it’s still a bit high. On the other hand, perfumes that are comfortable and with character are few and far between.
Do give it a try! The only thing I should have mentioned is that the musks are the white type, which create the effect of clean laundry. It’s a great accent, but some people really dislike this kind of note. So, worth trying on skin and seeing how it behaves. April 13, 2015 at 11:04am
limegreen: What a restful review about a relaxing Sunday to read on a Monday morning!
The patchouli threatens to spoil the Sunday brunch, though… I would also like to know how much of a presence it is. 🙂 April 13, 2015 at 10:59am
Victoria: Subtle but obvious! 🙂 It’s more a dusky, woody impression than a full out earthy patchouli note. Without it, the composition would have been bland. April 13, 2015 at 11:07am
limegreen: btw, thanks to your Monday morning post from last week (what a cure for the Monday blahs!), I’m doing facial oil massages now. In the shower, I do a brisk massage with Dr. Bronner’s castille liquid soap (rose).
Work productivity and uplifting of morale can be traced to reading your blog, Victoria! 🙂 April 13, 2015 at 11:28am
Victoria: This makes me very happy, and thank you for letting me know. Aren’t those massages relaxing. I’m so addicted to them that I don’t skip the step even in my grandmother’s unheated bathroom. 🙂 April 13, 2015 at 3:13pm
Joy: I also find them relaxing and since I spend part of the year in Tucson, AZ, my skin gets very dry. It is already beginning to look better, so thank you very much for sharing your routine! April 13, 2015 at 4:09pm
Victoria: I’m very happy that you like it. It makes such a difference for my skin, and I love the process. April 14, 2015 at 10:24am
limegreen: I have some Weleda arnica massage oil on hand so I’ve been using that for the facial massages at night, and it’s really helped relax those tight temples and tight jaw areas.
(You’ve mentioned your grandmother’s unheated bathroom a few times — it must be really uncomfortable!)
Your review today makes me think of orange blossom/neroli. Can you review the new Malle, Cologne Indelebile? Pretty please? 🙂 April 13, 2015 at 4:52pm
Victoria: I’d love to, but I haven’t tried it yet. Soon, I hope.
It’s 45F in our bathroom, so yes, a bit uncomfortable. 🙂 April 14, 2015 at 10:31am
Joy: Thank you for mentioning the Dr. Bonner rose scented soap. I have used the peppermint for years, but did not realize there was a rose. I use Thayer’s Rose Petal Witch Hazel with aloe vera. April 13, 2015 at 4:07pm
limegreen: Joy — the rose is very nice, as is the almond. I find the peppermint too strong for my face. The liquid soap is so nice in the shower. There’s an unscented one, but I find it boring. 🙂 April 13, 2015 at 4:46pm
Joy: I also find unscented things boring. April 13, 2015 at 9:14pm
Victoria: Yes, why buy unscented if you can have roses. 🙂 April 14, 2015 at 10:27am
Karen: This sounds pretty good to me! Will have to give it a test when I’m at Sephora. I’m so drawn to more formal fragrances – sort of like a closet full of gowns, but nothing to run to the store in. April 13, 2015 at 11:06am
Victoria: On the other hand, the beauty of perfume is that you wear the most formal, intricate ball gown type of fragrances everywhere. I did laundry wearing one such perfume today, Neela Vermeire’s Mohur. April 13, 2015 at 11:10am
Annikky: I keep missing Mohur, my two samples are long gone:( April 13, 2015 at 2:25pm
Victoria: It’s one of those fragrances that slowly grow on you, but once they do, you’re hooked. April 13, 2015 at 3:17pm
AndreaR: It just so happens that I’ll be walking by a Sephora this morning. Guess I’ll have to go in for a spritz 🙂 It sounds like a perfect casual scent. April 13, 2015 at 11:13am
Victoria: Would love to hear what you think and how it works on your skin. April 13, 2015 at 3:11pm
AndreaR: I need to order a sample from because our Portland, Oregon Sephora doesn’t have it. In this case it’s only available on line. April 14, 2015 at 3:24pm
Victoria: Ah, I see! I didn’t realize it was limited to online. April 15, 2015 at 2:34pm
Austenfan: This sounds really gorgeous and I noticed that De Bijenkorf carries the line so it will be very easy to try it. Has spring arrived in Ukraine? It’s very sunny and spring like in Holland. I love it. April 13, 2015 at 2:16pm
Victoria: Some other fragrances in the collection are very nice (a bit overpriced), but this one is my favorite. It has such a great aura.
Yes, the spring is here. The past two days have been balmy, and I can almost see the lilac and apricot buds bursting. But practically speaking, it also means lots of farm work! I already had to do some major rose pruning. April 13, 2015 at 3:16pm
Austenfan: Has your grandmother now told you how to work the scissors? 🙂 April 13, 2015 at 3:35pm
Austenfan: I remember her careful instructions from last year with the spade! April 13, 2015 at 3:38pm
Victoria: She’d make a good manager of a large corporation. She can keep many tasks active simultaneously. Maybe, she’d drive her employees a bit nuts, but everything will work impeccably. April 13, 2015 at 3:58pm
Austenfan: I loved that picture of her hands on your facebook page! April 13, 2015 at 4:04pm
Victoria: Working hands! April 14, 2015 at 10:21am
Victoria: Just this morning she said, “you kids just can’t be left alone” to myself and my 30 smth cousin. Bless her heart! April 13, 2015 at 3:55pm
Austenfan: In her eyes you must still be that little girl. April 13, 2015 at 4:04pm
Victoria: Yes, all of us are! 🙂 April 14, 2015 at 10:21am
Annikky: I remember liking it when I tried it, but I was almost instantly distracted by Jazz Club, which is more of my thing. As you say, 50 ml bottles would be a good idea, I don’t really see myself getting 100ml of any scent in the series. The current bottles look good, though. April 13, 2015 at 2:24pm
Victoria: I don’t remember Jazz Club that well, so I need to make a note to try it again. Lazy Sunday Morning may not be an instant wow perfume, though. It’s one of those fragrances that show themselves in wear. April 13, 2015 at 3:18pm
Aurora: I love your review, Victoria, you make this perfume sound very good and interesting, and it’s refreshing to see aldehydes listed for a new fragrance, it doesn’t happen very often nowadays. I am especially tempted because you qualify it for casual wear and such perfumes are more difficult to nail than ‘big’ or formal ones imo.
I will try it as soon as I can.
PS It is so nice of you to keep posting while you’re in Ukraine! I would miss your blog so much otherwise April 13, 2015 at 3:36pm
Victoria: I agree with you. That group is underrepresented, mostly because the casual role is often filled by the bland, sterile florals or predictable colognes. This one is neither, and it’s such a quirky, charming perfume.
I’d miss all of you too! Chatting and sharing here is inspiring. Of course, I dial back a bit on the number of articles I post, since I would love to spend more time with my grandmother, but I nevertheless find lots of interesting things to write about. More upcoming! April 13, 2015 at 4:02pm
Hannah: I never tried any of the Replica fragrances. I’ve picked a bottles up to test them a few times, but something about the labels turned me off. I guess I don’t like being told exactly what I’m supposed to smell. I’ll try them next time I see them.
When I bought Untitled, I was pondering how I had been looking for a sexy fragrance and I never really found anything. To me Untitled is more like anti-sexy and it was what I wanted in the end. Then I made my friend smell it because he’s required to smell all of my perfumes. He proclaimed “that’s seductive!”, then he explained that it transported him to a very vivid and weirdly specific image, which is kind of X rated so I don’t think I should share it. I did not find Untitled to be that evocative, but now I wonder about this one. April 13, 2015 at 4:03pm
Victoria: Now I’m curious to hear what your friend thinks about this one! Untitled also didn’t strike me as all that sultry. April 14, 2015 at 10:21am
Hannah: I’m looking at the other ones and I think “Brooklyn, 2013” was what made me immediately put Jazz Club down. I don’t like rum or tobacco in perfume anymore, either. Can you even smoke indoors in NY these days?
But I’m seeing Tea Escape being compared to matcha lattes and mochi so I definitely need to try that one and Lazy Sunday Morning. April 14, 2015 at 3:24pm
Victoria: Smoking indoors is totally forbidden in NYC. So, any of the scents evoking a smoky jazz club atmosphere are pure fantasies. But frankly, I’d rather have a fantasy than smell like stale cigarette smoke. April 15, 2015 at 2:34pm
Joy: This sounds very interesting. I do love aldehydes. From my choices of perfumes, I have discovered that it is one of my favorite elements.
I too wish that perfume companies provided more size choices. I would buy more brands, if the the bottles were not so large. I keep thinking that so much could go to waste due to age. I do keep them in their boxes to prevent sun/light damage.
Joy April 13, 2015 at 4:16pm
Victoria: I do too. They such a thrilling, bright accent. Like a burst of champagne bubbles!
Many modern fragrances aren’t stable enough to withstand many years of storage (we can thank perfume regulations and shorter maceration times for this), so I also don’t like to buy big bottles. April 14, 2015 at 10:27am
lupo: Thanks for your review Victoria. I’m not very familiar with M Margiela’s perfumes, but I’m quite intrigued, and this one in particular sounds quite unisex.
How do you see it on a man?
Plus – I remember M Margiela came out a while ago with a “Jazz” something perfume. Did you – or anyone here 🙂 – try it?
Have a great day, greetings from West Africa 🙂 April 14, 2015 at 5:07am
Victoria: It would be like a soft chypre cologne on a man. I don’t think that it’s at all unusual as a masculine. Smells rather unisex to me. April 14, 2015 at 10:34am
solanace: This sounds outstanding.
I have a sillage-related question: A lady in my new neighbourhood walks her dog wearing Amarige. So fierce! I can get it 2 meters before she crosses me. Is it still called sillage when it arrives before the person? April 14, 2015 at 7:28am
Austenfan: avant-sillage perhaps? April 14, 2015 at 8:54am
Victoria: 🙂 April 14, 2015 at 10:35am
Victoria: In a perfumery jargon, yes, it would be diffusion, but yes, some people would call it sillage. I agree, Amarige is fierce! April 14, 2015 at 10:34am
The Scented Salon: A niche brand being carried at Sephora? I was very surprised. This line was on offer a while ago and since then, they have added other niche lines like L’Artisan.
It is good for what it is, a line of uncomplicated scents meant to evoke scented memories. Jazz Club and Sunday Morning were the best ones. Even so, a little too expensive for what you get but nowadays, pricing is not what it used to be. April 14, 2015 at 9:30am
Victoria: Sephora carries lots of interesting brands, including Lutens in Europe. But still, I was curious to hear such a range of brands.
Making another note to try Jazz Club again! April 14, 2015 at 10:36am
The Scented Salon: By the notes, I was expecting something deep, rich, and boozy. It was nice enough but I have a much better boozy, jazzy perfume already in my collection: Les Jeux Sont Faits! April 14, 2015 at 11:07am
Victoria: That name is great. I haven’t tried, but I’ll look for it too. I’m still disappointed by Frapin and its not quite living up to its boozy promises. April 14, 2015 at 2:04pm
The Scented Salon: I love the name too, and when you pair it with the scent, it is superb. I steal this perfume from my husband all the time.
I have liked a few Frapins and also had high boozy hopes but Caravelle Epicee doesn’t last and I got tired of Speakeasy really fast. Don’t want to risk any more in this line. April 14, 2015 at 3:29pm
Victoria: Caravelle Epicee had lots of promise, but it also didn’t live up to my expectations. Aziyade was also too thin on me. April 15, 2015 at 2:54pm
Floragal: I’m glad you reviewed this. To me it is mainly a rose scent as the rose is quite prominent throughout. Aldehydes and musk are quickly right behind the rose. I love the name and idea but this type of rose gives me a headache, sadly. April 14, 2015 at 6:11pm
Victoria: Yes, the rose is very strong. Aldehydes make it sharper, I suppose. April 15, 2015 at 2:58pm
Louise: I am so intrigued by these perfumes. I need a new scent, and I have noticed that I find men’s perfumes to smell the best on me, so I like the idea of these being quite unisex. I have looked at both jazz club and at the barber’s, but I didn’t have skin, so I just ended up smelling it straight from the bottle, and I have no idea of what they’re gonna be like on me. I’m pretty curious about your opinion on jazz club, as well as a few other readers seem to be.
On a totally unrelated note I have also found out that a couple of perfumes that you have given one star smell really nice on me (miss dior + poême by lancôme) but awfully cheap on my friends if they wear it. Other people have commented it too. Body chemistry and perfume never cease to amaze me!! April 16, 2015 at 6:11pm
Victoria: Isn’t it fascinating? I also found some perfumes behaving very different on different people. One always needs to try everything on skin, preferably several times.
I’ll have to try Jazz Club again, because it’s been a while, and I don’t recall it well. Several commenters above really liked it. April 17, 2015 at 3:34pm
Truehollywood: Thank you for reviewing this one. It smells so lovely and it lasts all day and morphs into everything I love. I never would have tried it without your testing. November 29, 2015 at 10:21am
Victoria: I’m very happy to hear that you’re enjoying this somewhat overlooked perfume. It’s easy to wear, but it’s still very interesting. November 30, 2015 at 10:08am
Kaitlin: I’m so glad to find your review of this fragrance! I loved my sample of this and bought the rollerball. Like you, I wish there was a smaller size, but something bigger than the rollerball.
As I’ve mentioned, I’m just starting out exploring fragrances. This is one scent that I love but have difficulty explaining what about it appeals to me so much. Seeing your break down the notes gives me some field notes for what to look for in it! I’m excited to try it again soon, knowing what to try to pick out. (I always keep the rollerball in my purse.) February 4, 2017 at 12:06pm
Victoria: It’s such a versatile fragrance, and yes, something larger would be nice, although that size is perfect for a purse. February 5, 2017 at 3:38pm
Nino Merran: I’ve smelled quite a few MMM Replica fragrances and found Lazy Sunday Morning to be most undefinable, and seductive and interesting at the same time. I am not sure why I chose to own Beach Walk – perhaps because I really missed being by the sea since I live in a dry climate in Colorado. In general I am more attracted to dark oriental aromas but there is something about Lazy Sunday Morning that keeps pulling me back. On my skin it’s soft and yet playful and seductive while calming and relaxing. I love the philosophy of having a lazy Sunday morning with sleeping in and doing absolutely nothing. This aroma helps me to re-experience that state during the busy work hours.
Dear Victoria, I have been reading your wonderful essays for quite some time. I am happy to know you through your writings. I am someone who grew up in the ex-soviet Georgia, and yes, I remember the smell of Krasnaya Moskva worn by my mother that used to be a soviet equivalent of Chanel No 5, I think.
With love and thanks for enlightening me about the amazing fantastic world of perfumes, Nino February 10, 2017 at 1:37am
Victoria: Thank you very much for such a nice comment, Nino! I’m happy to meet you. In fact, I was traveling in Georgia not too long ago, and I loved my experience so much, I want to go back. Do you ever return?
There is something tender and relaxing about this MMM perfume. It feels elegant but also cozy. February 12, 2017 at 2:58am
Nino Merran: Thank you so much, Victoria! It is so nice to hear that you loved your experience in Georgia. I was there about four months ago. I felt uplifted and inspired. There was a lot of creativity and artistic spirit in the atmosphere. I loved how the architecture has evolved in Tbilisi. It was always eclectic but now it’s almost overwhelmingly rich and unique. On some days I would sit in a cafe watch people go by. Some women were dressed with such an exquisite sense of style, I thought I was in Paris. I hope you enjoyed Georgian cuisine. I love the aromas of fresh herbs used in food. They just smell so much more potent. And the food tastes delicious and nourishing… I could go on and on… I really want to visit Georgia more frequently from now on. Maybe one day we could meet there, dear Victoria.
Also, thank you for your additional comment about this MMM perfume. You’ve summarized it so well. I admire your writing skills. You have such a gift of verbal expression. I almost see you as my writing teacher. See, even more reasons to thank you, 🙂 February 14, 2017 at 1:23am
Victoria: Gmadlobt, Nino! I’d love to return to Georgia, and it would be a pleasure to meet there. Everything was so inspiring–the food, art, architecture, but above all, people. I’d love to explore more, visit Svaneti and taste delicious Georgian bread once again. February 16, 2017 at 2:52pm