First Impressions
The name alone demands attention—eleven words of romantic melodrama that could soundtrack a French film or a particularly theatrical breakup text. But spray Yes I Was Madly In Love, But That Was Yesterday on your skin, and you'll discover that By Kilian's 2018 creation is less weepy ballad and more defiant strut in stilettos. The opening is an audacious clash: tart raspberry bursts forward with the kind of juicy sweetness that should feel innocent, yet there's something knowing in its delivery, a wink before the leather arrives to complicate everything.
This is not your grandmother's fruity floral. Within moments, that raspberry—so bright it nearly vibrates—begins its dance with deeper, more subversive elements. The impression is simultaneously feminine and fierce, like lipstick-stained cigarette butts in a designer handbag. It's the olfactory equivalent of saying "I'm completely over it" while wearing your best revenge dress.
The Scent Profile
The raspberry top note announces itself with unapologetic sweetness, but this isn't a simple berry confection. There's a jammy quality, slightly fermented, that hints at complexity beneath the fruit. It's the kind of opening that makes people lean in closer, trying to identify whether you're wearing perfume or have just been crushing fresh berries against your pulse points.
As the fragrance settles, the heart reveals its true intentions: white tobacco emerges with smooth, honeyed warmth. This isn't the acrid smoke of cigarettes but rather the sweet, almost creamy scent of cured tobacco leaves—imagine a velvet smoking jacket in scent form. The tobacco acts as a bridge, softening the raspberry's tartness while preparing the skin for the base notes' arrival. There's a whisper of white florals weaving through this stage, adding a subtle powdery elegance that keeps the composition from veering too masculine.
The base is where Yes I Was Madly In Love stakes its true claim: leather dominates completely, unsurprising given its 100% presence in the main accords. But this leather has been tenderized by everything that came before it. It's supple rather than harsh, warmed by residual tobacco sweetness and still ghosted by raspberry's fruity memory. The animalic facet (clocking in at 64% in the accord breakdown) adds depth and skin-like intimacy, while a gentle smokiness (30%) provides atmospheric mood lighting to the entire composition.
Character & Occasion
Here's where things get interesting. The data suggests this fragrance works across all seasons, and that versatility makes sense when you experience how the notes interact. The raspberry prevents it from becoming too heavy for warmer months, while the leather and tobacco provide enough substance for winter wear. It's a chameleon that adapts to temperature and skin chemistry.
The day/night data registers at 0% for both, which initially seems puzzling until you realize what this means: this is a fragrance that defies conventional timing. It's neither a bright office-appropriate daytime scent nor a traditionally bombastic evening perfume. Instead, it occupies an interesting liminal space—perfect for those in-between moments when you want something with personality but not performance anxiety.
Community feedback suggests it shines particularly as a bedtime fragrance, which tracks beautifully. That leather-tobacco-raspberry combination against warm sheets? Utterly seductive. It's also recommended for short-term wear occasions and layering experiments, speaking to its artistic rather than practical nature.
Community Verdict
The Reddit community delivers a mixed verdict with a 6.5/10 sentiment score, and the feedback reveals a fragrance of contradictions. On the positive side, users celebrate its unique and interesting scent profile—this is clearly not another generic fruity floral. When applied generously (think 10+ sprays rather than the typical 3-4), performance reportedly extends to a respectable 10+ hours.
However, the cons are significant and recurring. Longevity emerges as the primary complaint, with standard application yielding only 3-4 hours before noticeable fade. The light projection means you'll need to overspray to make an impact, which feels at odds with the niche positioning and price point. The scent profile itself proves polarizing; what charms one wearer completely misses the mark for another.
The overall rating of 3.83 out of 5 from 349 votes suggests solid approval rather than passionate devotion. This is a fragrance that inspires respect and intrigue more than unconditional love—perhaps fitting, given the "that was yesterday" disclaimer in its name.
How It Compares
By Kilian positions this fragrance alongside heavy hitters like Tom Ford's Tuscan Leather and Ombré Leather, both of which explore similar leather territory with more conventional executions. Where those fragrances commit fully to the leather narrative, Yes I Was Madly In Love maintains its fruity-feminine opening as a constant counterpoint, making it more approachable yet perhaps less focused.
Love Don't Be Shy, another By Kilian creation, shares the fruity sweetness but lacks the leather edge. Alien by Mugler and Sunshine Woman by Amouage round out the comparison set, suggesting this fragrance occupies space between gourmand accessibility and niche experimentation.
The Bottom Line
Yes I Was Madly In Love, But That Was Yesterday is a fragrance with an identity crisis that somehow works in its favor. It's too sweet for leather purists, too edgy for fruity floral devotees, and too fleeting for performance obsessives. Yet for those seeking something genuinely different—a scent that tells a story rather than simply smelling pleasant—it delivers.
The longevity issues are real and worth considering at this price point. You'll need to either embrace reapplication, overspray from the start, or accept this as a personal, close-to-skin experience. But what you get in exchange is a genuinely creative composition that smells like nothing else in your collection. It's a fragrance for those who appreciate narrative in their scents, who want their perfume to spark conversation rather than compliments.
Worth sampling? Absolutely. Worth blind buying? Only if you're comfortable with a fragrance that prioritizes artistry over endurance and prefer your love stories complicated.
AI-generated editorial review
