A Different Shade of Noir

When Marc Jacobs releases a fragrance called Mod Noir ($70, 1oz EDP) in time with the warmer weather and boasts a black-and-white-striped flacon, you can’t help but wonder what it’s going to smell like. While the brand has a penchant for creating light and flirty scents, the dark name suggested something a little moodier. Without even reading the notes, the launch of Marc Jacobs’ first stand-alone fragrance since Dot in 2012 (because Honey, launched in 2013, really was a spinoff of Dot), we were expecting something perhaps a little darker to match the Mod Noir implication. Were we ever wrong.

Imagine an ultra-chic outfit comprised of a white blouse (crisp or flowy, depending on your taste, of course) matched with a pair of black cigarette pants and simple black ballet flats. What does this simply sophisticated ensemble smell like? Mod Noir. More floral and feminine than you’d expect upon first whiff, the mixture of greens, gardenia and creamy musks breathes a truly springy feel in an unexpected way.

Warm yet crisp, this spritz plays with balance (which should be no surprise, considering the opposites-attract black and white bottle) that has a clean feel with the brand’s signature sunny disposition worked into the scent. With a light and fresh finish, you can imagine this aroma of the sun hitting your less-is-more work ensemble you boast when it’s finally warm enough to go outside without a jacket—soft, almost beachy, but undeniably chic.

Inspired by Marc Jacob’s undeniable love of prints, Mod Noir has a hint of playful mystery, mostly because you really don’t know what you’re going to get until you really smell it.