L'Eau Cheap & Chic

L'Eau Cheap & Chic, inspired by Moschino L'Eau Cheap and Chic (2001)

Gooseberry gives the start a green, sour-fruit tang, and orange keeps it lively while star anise adds a faint liquorice coolness. The flowers gather soon after, pale and soapy rather than heady. Heliotrope, a flower whose scent recalls almond and face powder, then moves to the front. Vetiver and a light amber hold the base, so the finish stays airy instead of resinous.

About the original

Moschino released L'Eau Cheap and Chic in 2001 as a lighter companion to the original Cheap and Chic of 1995, and trade press at the time described it as the house's first fragrance launch since 1999. It kept the Cheap and Chic bottle designed by Pierre Dinand, whose shape was inspired by the cartoon character Olive Oyl. No perfumer has been confirmed by press sources. Neither Moschino's own shop nor its licensee Euroitalia lists it today, and the wider Cheap and Chic fragrance line appears to have left the brand's range as well.

Our version

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

Who it suits

Wearers who enjoy soap-and-flowers scents will find it easy company. The drydown is the divisive part: some find the musky heliotrope finish too insistent, so it helps to know in advance whether powder appeals to you.

Related scents

• Moschino Cheap and Chic
• Moschino Stars

Notes of the original fragrance, as listed in fragrance references.

Notes: Gooseberry, Orange, Star Anise, Rose, Lily, Freesia, Heliotrope, Vetiver, Amber

Tart gooseberry and orange open it, with star anise drawing a cool, faintly liquorice line through the fruit.

Rose, lily and freesia make up the floral middle. They read as fresh-cut and a little soapy, closer to clean linen than to a perfumed bouquet.

Heliotrope takes over as it dries, almond-tinged and powdery, with vetiver and a sheer amber underneath.

Is Moschino L'Eau Cheap and Chic discontinued?

It no longer appears on Moschino's own shop or on its licensee Euroitalia's brand page, and at least one large retailer lists every size as sold out. Moschino has not made a public statement.

How is L'Eau different from the original Cheap and Chic?

L'Eau (2001) was launched as the lighter companion to Cheap and Chic (1995) and shares its bottle shape. This page is L'Eau; the original Cheap and Chic has its own page in our shop.

Is it powdery?

Yes, towards the end. Heliotrope and musk give the drydown a powdery character that some people love and others find too much.

Is Moschino L'Eau Cheap & Chic coming back?

So far, we have found no announcement from Moschino 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.

Moschino and Cheap and Chic L'Eau are trademarks of their respective owners, and all rights remain with them. Parfumour is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, or connected to Moschino 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.