Love in Black

The Verdict

Love in Black occupies an interesting and now-complicated position in the Creed feminine catalog. Inspired by Jackie Kennedy and released in 2008 by Olivier and Erwin Creed, it was always the darker sister to Love in White — a violet-iris composition that traded brightness for depth, powder for a suede-leather impression, and floral cheerfulness for something more mysterious. With 1,601 votes and a 3.91 average, it has earned a loyal audience among Creed fans who wanted something less obvious than the house's more popular feminines.

The complication arrived in 2024 in the form of a reformulation that the community received as a significant change. The original Love in Black — with its creamy Parma violet character, its suede-violet-leather accord, and its iris that smelled of bread dough and gentle sweetness — was altered. The 2024 version introduced more explicit leather, modified the violet character, and added juniper and musk elements that shift the composition's overall impression. The community response has been strongly negative among original fans, making this a fragrance where vintage versus current availability matters considerably for buying decisions.

What It Smells Like

The original Love in Black (pre-2024) opened with what the community describes as "abrasive aldehydes" followed quickly by violet and night-blooming jasmine — creamy, powdery, and immediately distinctive. The cedar in the opening added a gentle woody structure. The effect in the first minutes was polarizing: some found it stunning, others found it sharp and chemical. Most agreed it settled into something beautiful.

The heart of the original was iris and cloves — the iris providing a bread-dough softness, the cloves adding subtle warmth. The combination created the suede-violet-leather quality that defined the fragrance's reputation: not actual leather, but the impression of soft suede worn by someone who also wears violet-powder perfume. Musk held everything together.

The base, anchored by blackcurrant and rose, provided a dark sweetness that rounded out the violet-suede accord without losing its sense of elegance. The overall effect in the original was of a sophisticated dark floral that rewarded slow attention and suited intimate occasions.

The 2024 reformulation changes the balance significantly: the leather is more explicit, the violet character is altered in ways the community describes as less creamy and less characteristic, and the added elements shift the overall impression toward something less distinctive. Whether the new version is objectively worse or simply different is a matter of debate, but for those who loved the original specifically, the change is real.

When to Wear It

Love in Black is cool and cold weather territory throughout its history. The violet-iris character needs ambient coolness to express itself cleanly — in heat, the powder becomes overwhelming and the aldehydic sharpness amplifies. Fall evenings and winter nights are the natural context.

Evening is strongly preferred. The fragrance has a dressed-up quality that sits awkwardly in casual daytime contexts, and the darker notes benefit from being worn after dark when their character can fully emerge without competing with daylight brightness.

Longevity & Projection

Longevity is one of the more variable aspects of Love in Black across both versions. The community reports a wide range from two to twelve-plus hours, suggesting significant skin-chemistry dependence. The iris-clove-violet combination behaves differently on different people, and some find it disappears relatively quickly while others have it lasting all evening.

Projection is typically moderate, appropriate for the intimate character of the fragrance. It announces itself quietly and stays at close range — suitable for occasions where you want someone near you to notice rather than an entire room.

The Community Says

The pre-reformulation community consensus was consistent: Love in Black was a beautiful, distinctive violet-iris fragrance that didn't get the attention it deserved. "It's all about the violets" appears frequently and accurately as a description of what made the original work. The suede-violet-leather accord was considered distinctive and well-executed, and the Jackie Kennedy inspiration felt genuine.

Post-reformulation, the community response has been less charitable. The change in bottle shape arrived alongside the formula change, and community members note that "the first huge disappointment was the newly shaped bottle" — meaning the packaging signal was the canary in the coal mine for the formula change. The comparison between old and new is unfavorable across most community accounts.

The aldehydic opening has always been the polarizing element, even in the original. Some community members describe it as "crushingly potent, chemical, woody violet" in the first minutes — a warning for those who find the opening off-putting.

Who Should Buy This

If you can find original pre-2024 stock at a reasonable price, Love in Black in its original form is a genuinely distinctive dark floral that deserves the affection the community holds for it. It's for violet and iris enthusiasts who want evening depth and a suede-leather quality rather than sweet brightness.

The current 2024 version is harder to recommend unconditionally, given the community's negative reception of the reformulation. If you're new to the fragrance and haven't experienced the original, approach with caution and if possible test before committing to a full bottle. The reformulation has not been well-received by those most familiar with what Love in Black was supposed to be.

Skip it if aldehydic openings bother you, if you prefer fresh or sweet fragrances, or if you're buying for warm weather.

The Bottom Line

Love in Black is a fragrance with two distinct identities now, divided by a reformulation that changed its essential character. The original was a lovely, distinctive dark violet-iris composition that earned its small but devoted following. The current version is a different proposition, and its reception reflects that honestly. For violet and dark floral enthusiasts, tracking down pre-2024 stock may be worth the effort; buying a current bottle is a more uncertain proposition until the community reaches a more settled view of the reformulation's full extent.