Fame

The Verdict

Rabanne's Fame (2022) arrived with considerable buzz and a polarizing bottle shaped like a feminine silhouette. With nearly 4,750 votes on Fragrantica and a 3.91 average rating, it has settled into its role as a love-it-or-hate-it designer release. Created by a powerhouse team of Fabrice Pellegrin, Alberto Morillas, Marie Salamagne, and Dora Baghriche, Fame is a tropical gourmand that has drawn comparisons to mango vanilla ice cream -- and whether that sounds appealing or excessive to you will largely determine where you land on this fragrance.

What It Smells Like

The opening is a wave of ripe, candy-sweet mango paired with bright bergamot, creating an immediately tropical and juicy impression. One community member captured it perfectly: "Fame smells like pure mango and vanilla ice cream. It captures youth and affluence." The jasmine in the heart is present but diffusive, adding a floral richness that keeps this from being a straightforward fruit bomb. Olibanum (frankincense) provides a resinous warmth that transitions the scent from playful opening to something more grounded.

The drydown is where Fame earns its depth. Creamy vanilla and smooth sandalwood create a warm, woody base that lingers on skin. The progression from bright mango syrup to creamy, incense-tinged warmth gives the fragrance more dimension than its sweet opening might suggest. That said, some reviewers find the transition jarring, noting the mango disappears quickly and the drydown turns "sharp and artificially musky." A smaller group detects a turpentine-like quality, likely from the frankincense.

When to Wear It

Despite its tropical top notes, this is not really a summer fragrance for most wearers. The vanilla-heavy base and strong projection make it better suited to fall, winter, and cool spring evenings. It shines at night -- clubs, dinners, events where you want to make an impression. The sillage is strong enough that you do not need to overspray; in fact, the community warns against it. This is one where restraint pays off.

Longevity & Projection

Performance is one of Fame's genuine strengths. Most wearers report 6-10 hours of wear time, with some getting even longer on clothing. Projection is moderate to strong in the opening, settling into a warm close-to-skin haze as the hours pass. "This is one you don't need to spray too much for a lot of payoff" is a common observation. One reviewer wore it from morning through evening and still caught waves of it at bedtime. Two to three sprays is the sweet spot -- go heavier and you risk overwhelming everyone around you.

The Community Says

Fans are passionate. "If you love fruity-floral perfumes with a warm, creamy finish, Rabanne Fame is a winner -- playful, glamorous, and sophisticated all at once," wrote one reviewer. Others praise its confidence-boosting quality and the compliments it generates. The refillable bottle, for all its aesthetic controversy, gets points for sustainability.

Critics are equally vocal. "I get a turpentine-like smell when I smell it," said one reviewer who scrubbed it off immediately. Others call it "a very typical designer perfume" that "smells cheap because of the alcohol persistent scent." The bottle design generates its own discourse, with some calling it tacky while others have warmed to it over time. A recurring complaint from the middle ground is that the mango note fades too fast, leaving a generic sweet vanilla that does not live up to the exciting opening.

Who Should Buy This

If you enjoy tropical gourmands and want a designer fragrance with genuine projection and longevity, Fame delivers solid value. It works well for women in their twenties and thirties who want something bold, sweet, and unapologetically sexy. The refillable bottle adds practical value for those who plan to commit. Skip it if you prefer understated, skin-scent fragrances, if heavy vanilla gives you a headache, or if you are looking for something unique -- this very much occupies the sweet fruity gourmand space that dozens of other designers compete in. Sample first, because the mango-frankincense combination reads very differently on different skin.

The Bottom Line

Rabanne Fame is a crowd-divider dressed as a crowd-pleaser. Its mango-vanilla opening is immediately appealing and its performance is genuinely impressive for a modern designer release. Where it falters is in originality -- this occupies well-trodden territory in the fruity gourmand space, and the drydown can feel generic once the mango fades. But for its target audience, none of that matters much. Fame does exactly what it set out to do: make you feel bold, sweet, and noticed. Just do not expect it to surprise anyone who has spent time in the fragrance community.