At the Barber's

At the Barber's, inspired by Maison Margiela Replica At the Barber's (c. 2014)

Bigarade, the bitter Seville orange, opens alongside a basil accord and black pepper, so the start is herbal and peppery rather than purely citrus. Lavender, geranium and rosemary then form a classic fougère heart, the combination most people recognise as shaving foam. Fougère, French for fern, is the family of lavender-and-moss scents behind many traditional barbershop colognes. The base pairs tonka bean with Evernyl, a modern molecule that recreates the smell of oakmoss, and white musks give a soapy, freshly washed finish.

About the original

At the Barber's belonged to the Replica eau de toilette collection, in which each bottle carries a memory label; this one read 'Madrid, 1992'. Its composition is credited to Louise Turner. In the United States it began as a Barneys exclusive and was already being written about in January 2015, although the exact launch year is unclear. Maison Margiela has since discontinued it: the brand's US site marks it as a discontinued product, and remaining retailer listings are old stock.

Our version

Ours is an independent eau de parfum made to evoke the same character. It is not Maison Margiela stock, not an official relaunch and not the original formula.

Who it suits

Clean, groomed and a little old-fashioned is the effect, which suits men who enjoy lavender and herbs more than sweet or woody scents. Tonka adds some roundness, but the overall feel stays fresh and soapy. Anyone hoping for a smoky or leathery barbershop scent will find this one much cleaner.

Related scents

• Maison Margiela Replica Jazz Club
• Caron Pour Un Homme

Notes of the original fragrance, as published by the brand.

Top notes: Bigarade (bitter Orange), Basil Accord, Black Pepper

Heart notes: Geranium, Lavender, Rosemary

Base notes: Tonka Bean, Evernyl (oakmoss Note), White Musks

Bitter orange and black pepper give a crisp start, with the basil accord making it green and herbal from the first spray.

In the heart, lavender, rosemary and geranium create the shaving-foam accord the name points to.

The drydown is tonka, the oakmoss-like Evernyl and white musks: clean, slightly mossy and faintly sweet.

Is Maison Margiela At the Barber's discontinued?

Yes. The brand's US website lists it as a discontinued product, and bottles still found at some retailers are remaining stock.

What does Evernyl smell like?

It is a synthetic molecule with a mossy, slightly earthy smell, used in place of natural oakmoss. In At the Barber's it gives the base its traditional fougère character.

Was At the Barber's made for men?

Yes. Maison Margiela marketed it for men.

Is Maison Margiela At the Barber's coming back?

So far, we have found no announcement from Maison Margiela that it will return. Our version is an eau de parfum in 50 ml or 100 ml.

Inside the EU, delivery is free on orders of €49 or more. Below that it is a flat €4.99. Outside the EU, delivery is a flat €4.99 on every order. We send every order in 1 to 2 working days. It arrives in 3 to 7 days across the EU and in 7 to 14 days outside the EU. You have 14 days to return an unopened bottle.

Maison Margiela and Replica At the Barber's are trademarks of their respective owners, and all rights remain with them. Parfumour is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, or connected to Maison Margiela in any way, and no business relationship of any kind is implied. Our product is an original interpretation created to evoke a similar scent profile, and the trademark names are used purely for honest, descriptive comparison, so that you can quickly identify the style and fragrance family you are looking for. We make no claim to sell the original product, and we do not use the same ingredients or formula. Any similarity lies in the overall impression of the scent as interpreted by our own perfumers, not in the source materials.