D&G Anthology La Lune 18

The Verdict

D&G Anthology La Lune 18, composed by Jean-Michel Duriez and released in 2009 as part of D&G's tarot-card-inspired collection, is a fragrance that inspires equal parts devotion and frustration. Inspired by The Moon card — the card of the dreamer — and fronted by Claudia Schiffer, it promised an ethereal white floral experience. For many wearers, it delivered exactly that. The problem is that it delivered it for about two hours before vanishing, and that fleeting nature, combined with its discontinuation, makes La Lune one of the more bittersweet entries in the designer fragrance world. At 3.79 from over 1,820 community votes, it sits in that complicated territory where the scent itself earns higher marks than the overall experience.

What It Smells Like

The opening brings a tart, crisp Red Apple note alongside Bergamot and soft Green Notes. The apple is one of La Lune's most praised elements — several community members call it "one of the best-rendered apple notes in the designer realm," natural and bright rather than synthetic or candied. The green notes add a freshness that keeps the opening from feeling too fruity.

The heart is where La Lune earns its fans. Tuberose, Rose, and Lily create a delicate white floral bouquet that one reviewer compared to "a lighter, not as complex version of Fracas." The tuberose is present but never overpowering, the lily adds a watery freshness, and the rose ties it together with classic femininity. It is sheer, elegant, and surprisingly airy for a composition centered on traditionally heady flowers.

The base is where things get interesting — and unpredictable. Musk, Sandalwood, Orris Root, and Leather are listed, and on paper they suggest a warm, powdery landing. In practice, skin chemistry determines which notes you actually get. On some wearers, the base remains soft and powdery, a gentle cushion beneath the florals. On others, the leather note emerges forcefully and transforms the entire character of the fragrance into something almost masculine.

When to Wear It

Spring and summer daytime is ideal. The community votes lean heavily toward daytime use, and the light, airy character of the white florals benefits from warm air. It is too delicate for formal evening events — partly because the scent itself is sheer, and partly because it may not survive the evening. Office wear, brunches, outdoor lunches, and casual weekend outings are where La Lune finds its purpose.

Longevity & Projection

There is no gentle way to say this: longevity is poor. The community consensus puts it at 2-3 hours on most skin types, with some generous reports of 4 hours. Projection is moderate for the first hour, then drops to a faint skin scent before disappearing entirely. Multiple reviewers across Fragrantica, Basenotes, and FragranceNet echo the same frustration — "a couple of hours and it is gone," "very weak after a few hours," "does not last long at all."

For a discontinued fragrance that now commands secondary-market premiums, this performance is hard to accept. The scent itself may be lovely, but two hours of loveliness is a tough sell.

The Community Says

Those who love La Lune tend to love it fiercely. Some call it their "signature, everyday go-to scent" and report frequent compliments from both men and women. The white floral heart is consistently praised as elegant and wearable, and the apple opening earns admiration for its naturalistic quality.

The most fascinating community discussion centers on skin chemistry. One reviewer explained the duality perfectly: if La Lune agrees with your chemistry, it is "a beautiful, feminine, powdery white floral with refreshing and watery lily notes." If it disagrees, the white florals vanish and you are left with "strong leather and musky notes" that read as purely masculine. This Jekyll-and-Hyde quality is one of the most skin-chemistry-dependent behaviors in any designer fragrance, and it makes blind-buying essentially impossible.

The discontinuation itself generates emotion. Fans describe being "gutted" and unable to fathom why La Lune never found a larger audience. Some blame the weak longevity; others point to the oversaturated designer market of the late 2000s. Either way, bottles now appear on Etsy and secondary markets labeled as "discontinued, rare."

Who Should Buy This

If you adore light, sheer white florals and you can find La Lune at a reasonable price, it can be a genuinely beautiful experience — for as long as it lasts. It is particularly appealing to anyone who found fragrances like Fracas or Carnal Flower too intense but loved the tuberose concept. The apple opening and the airy floral heart represent smart, elegant designer perfumery.

Do not buy it if longevity matters to you. Two to three hours is not enough for a fragrance you have to hunt down on the secondary market. Also avoid blind-buying — the skin-chemistry lottery with the leather base note is too significant a risk. If you can find a decant or sample, test it first. If your skin gets the powdery white floral version, you may have found something special. If you get the leather, you will understand why opinions are so divided.

The Bottom Line

La Lune 18 is the fragrance community's reminder that a beautiful scent is not enough on its own. Its white floral heart is genuinely lovely, its apple opening is among the best in designer perfumery, and its skin-chemistry-dependent personality makes it endlessly interesting to discuss. But two hours of wear time and a discontinued status make it a fragrance better appreciated as an experience than as a purchase. For the dreamers it was designed for, it captures something fleeting and beautiful — which, given its longevity, may be the most appropriate metaphor of all.