Maison Margiela Replica By the Fireplace Review
Illustration, not a product photo.
Maison Margiela Replica By the Fireplace is a gourmand fragrance (vanilla, tonka, coffee, caramel and edible notes) from Maison Margiela, marketed as unisex. Maison Margiela is a designer house.
Price varies (no price snapshot observed)
Based on 44 Reddit owner comments (28 with a clear rating) · Top 44% of tracked fragrances by overall score
Is Maison Margiela Replica By the Fireplace worth it?
Owners are split: 3.4/5 overall from 28 rated owner comments, with an average owner rating of 3.8★. Owners talk most about sweetness (7 mentions).
Who it suits
- You want sweetness: 4 owner comments praise it.
- You want unique: 2 owner comments praise it.
- You want value: 2 owner comments praise it.
- Fall wear: the season owners mention most (5 comments).
- Night out: the occasion owners mention most (3 comments).
Who should skip it
- Projection matters to you: 2 owner comments raise it as a downside.
- Synthetic / harsh matters to you: 1 owner comment raise it as a downside.
- Value matters to you: 1 owner comment raise it as a downside.
Longevity, projection and compliments
| What owners report | Positive | Negative | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Longevityi | 1 say it lasts well | 0 say it fades fast | 3.7 |
| Projectioni | 0 say it projects well | 2 call it weak or a skin scent | 2.5 |
| Complimentsi | 0 report compliments | 0 report none | Not rated |
Counts of owner comments that describe this fragrance's performance on their own skin. "Not rated" means no owner described it.
When owners wear it
Seasons
Occasions
Number of owner comments mentioning each season or occasion alongside this fragrance (positive or negative).
What Reddit owners say
1/5“I hate By the Fireplace by Replica because it smells like what the air smelled like in New York after 9-11. I have negative associations and I can't imagine anyone enjoying that smell. Every time I smelled that fragrance it took me to that tragic day and it maked me feel horrible.”
5/5“Not even supposed to be bizarre, but Maison Margiela's “By the Fireplace” smells ATROCIOUS on me! On paper I should love it, but on me it smells like kerosene and ash in a very bad way. Whispers in the Library was similarly bad on me — something about woody notes just don't mix well with my body chemistry.”
4/5 LongevityProjection“Very by the fireplace meets gentlemen reserve prive.”
1/5“When my coworker complained about my signature (by the fireplace) I actually rotated to another fav (MMMM... ) which she also hated, and then I started trying desperately to find one I liked that she could tolerate too and discovered that we actually have zero crossover. It's become a game of ours. I like her perfumes but not for me, and she hates mine and thinks they shouldn't be worn by people.”
5/5 Winter“Usually I wear By the Fireplace or Tobacco Vanille during the winter. Basic but I love them to death”
+39 more owner comments
4/5“I came here to mention by the fireplace as well, I was expecting something cozy and smoky vanilla, well I got the smoky part right but it was just pure bush smoke to my nose”
4/5“I remember the first time I smelled Gris Charnel, I was like "You know what, the hype FOR ONCE is real." It's really so good For me...probably By the Fireplace. Mostly bc I have a giant refill bottle I'm trying to wear my way through lol. That and Cafe Cabanel is really nice.”
5/5 Sweetness“- marshmallow but not too sweet (tried but it's not it oriana, love don't be shy, by the fireplace, sucre noir, I have commodity milk and milk+ vials coming but I'd love recs for this too)”
3/5“I used to love Replica's By the Fireplace. I suspect some People dislike it though”
5/5 SweetnessFall“Like reading old books by the fireplace.”
5/5 UniqueValue“I have 3 im mostly focusing on out the 7 now, and today, im going to compare prices, see which one is the most expensive out of the 3, and ill probably go with that one, and get the other two in travel sizes, I honestly love travel sizes, i”
4/5“I used to like woody ambery smokey perfumes, including Liis Bo, MM By the Fireplace, Jo Malone Scarlet Poppy, etc and now I can't wear them anymore.”
4/5“Thanks! Is it pretty smokey? Sometimes I layer electric cherry with either By The Fireplace or Midnight Toker for a nice smokey touch, other times I layer with Under The Lemon Tree's for a delicioius candied cherry lemon smell, its delectable”
4/5 UniqueWinter“i bought by the fireplace and amora cafe seeing this post by the fireplace - man like you said it felt like bottled "campfire on a winter night" it was unique”
5/5“I want it so bad! I blind bought by the fireplace a few months ago and love it but think another MM blind is risky and not sure how many woody scents I “need.””
1/5“I was always soo curious about By the Fireplace and when I finally got to test spray it in store it was one of the absolute worst fragrances I have ever smelt. I could just stand next to a bonfire all night and my clothes would smell the same”
5/5“My partner absolutely HATES Milk. I love it and introduced a friend to it. Waiting for her bday to give her the 30 ml I bought for her. I don't think any of them smell like milk. The Milk + is way too smoky and reminds me of By The Fireplace by MM. font like that one, either. The Milk - can't really smell anything.”
2/5 ProjectionSweetness“Capricorn is inspired by By the Fireplace, but the vibe is different. This is not just a sweet marshmallow campfire. By the Fireplace has that nice marshmallow opening with a little smoke, but it was ridiculously weak on my skin. After 30 minutes it was basically a skin scent, and even on clothes it did not perform much better.”
2/5 Night out“I like Jazz Club and By the Fireplace. They don't have the best performance on me.”
5/5 SweetnessValue“My recommendations include the oils inspired by ‘By the Fireplace' & their new oil concentrate that matches Kayali's Vanilla Candy Rock Sugar, also the original ‘La Belle' (Maison Alhambra makes a similar scent called ‘Glacier' … I own the OG Kayali but really don't wear I often since i prefer the $20 alternative from Paris Corner- ‘Confection'… she is hosted by a beautiful Flacon, she becomes MUCH stronger than the OG & there is a smaller (otherwise identical) bottle that contains the matching ‘Confection Concentrated Oil' very pretty when presented together.”
4/5“By the Fireplace and its imitators. If a fragrance has gaiac wood and juniper, it smells like burnt rot up close on my skin. The somewhat pleasant whiffs from the sillage aren't worth it.”
5/5“I layer Kayali Vanille Royal sugared patchouli (patchouli+crème brûlée+patchouli+white florals) with by the fireplace. It has an intoxicating white floral boozy chestnut opening with the most divine roasted brown sugar dry down”
3/5“I've tried and didn't like: pdm oriana, killian love don't be shy, yum bougie marshmallow, MM by the fireplace”
5/5“I could bathe in By the Fireplace, but cause I live in Texas it's pretty out of place minus a few weeks out of the year. I have a friend who LOVES Bubble Bath and whenever I smell it I think of her :)”
2/5 Synthetic / harshValue“I agree terms like "synthetic" and "cheap" being used to describe a fragrance is pointless. What does "cheap" smell like exactly? It's funny "cheap" is only used to describe fragrances that are actually cheap. I've never heard of an expensive one being described that way, which seems unlikely if "cheap" is actually a quality you can smell. Though there is one fragrance I tried that immediately washed off. That was the By the Fireplace, Maison Martin Margiela. It smelled so smokey to me it was unpleasant.”
4/5“I have not, I've had By the Fireplace, not sure if it's similar. I do like more masculine scents but also sweetness to it. Which would you recommend?”
5/5 Fall“Hmmmm I would say Chateau Les Parfum. I've recently discovered them but I love it so much I have their entire collection of fragrances. Not a single disappointment from any of them. Genesis amd Royal Oud are my favorites otherwise Les Revere. But if not from the Chateau line, I really enjoy Spicebomb Nightvision. The spices in it smell so good. I love wear8ng it in the fall. Another fall one I really enjoy is by Replica by the fireplace. I love how the scent changes through out each stage. But yeah those are my tops. Chateau is either not well known yet otherwise just totally underrated.”
4/5“I used to spray By the Fireplace on my bed around 2-3 hours before I slept in it. Smelled so cozy”
Not rated (no clear sentiment)“If he is really into the whole campfire smell, get him By The Fireplace by Maison Margiela Replica. I haven't had it, but I've heard it can be pretty strong.”
Not rated (no clear sentiment) Sweetness“I always wished By The Fireplace smelled more smokey on me, it goes so sugary on my skin, even in the cold.”
Not rated (no clear sentiment)“my husband says I smell like cigarettes everytime I wear REPLICA By the Fireplace - Maison Margiela”
Not rated (no clear sentiment) UniqueWinter“I also have minis of by the fireplace and beach walk as well as sol de janeiro 59 that I wear a lot. My warm weather loves are vastly different from my cold weather loves, but I thoroughly enjoy both.”
Not rated (no clear sentiment)“By the fireplace is alot more dark and smokey masculine I would say. My friend rocked it but I never bought it.”
Not rated (no clear sentiment) ValueFall“I blind bought a travel trio with Jazz club, by the fireplace, and autumn vibes at Rack for $49 and zero regrets.”
Not rated (no clear sentiment) Fall“Right now it's Oud Vanilla from BBW. I have never gone through something from BBW so fast. Then it will be Bonfire Bash, Replica by the fireplace and Autumn leaves”
Not rated (no clear sentiment) Unique“A similar thing happened to me with a different perfume. I used to wear By the Fireplace…until one day a friend came into the room I was in and asked if there was burning wax somewhere.”
Not rated (no clear sentiment)“Big fan of By the Fireplace, it wasn't my cup of tea at first but something about it drew me back in until I got it.”
Not rated (no clear sentiment) Night out“I bought Burberry London and I will layer it with D&G The One, Lataffa Asad Bourbon, MM BTF and Jazz Club, Liquid Brun, Joseph Abboud Mountain, Maison Alahambra Smoked Oud and Vanilla, Armani Stronger with You Intensely, Blue de Chanel which is always a favorite and Rayhaan Wolf.”
Not rated (no clear sentiment) Fall“The only thing I've ever used that lasts longer than Alien was By The Fireplace, gor some of that on a fall coat I used occasionally and it still smelled of it the next year when it was time to wear it again”
Not rated (no clear sentiment)“a dabber is just a type of bottle.. i have a 10 mL spray bottle of by the fireplace and it smells the same as the tester from the store. the color is now somewhere between your first and second picture, but was like the first picture when i purchased it. like the others commented, a lot of perfumes (i think especially ones containing vanilla notes) change color over time. no difference in smell”
Dupes and similar fragrances
No dupe pairing for this fragrance reached our evidence bar (2+ comments naming both with a "dupe/clone/smells like" phrase).
Clone houses named next to Maison Margiela Replica By the Fireplace in "dupe/clone" comments: Dossier (2), Lattafa (2), French Avenue / Fragrance World (2), Zara (1).
Alternatives in the same family
- Lancôme La Vie Est Belle — 3.4 from 60 owner comments
- Mugler A*Men — 3.3 from 7 owner comments
- Tom Ford Lost Cherry — 3.4 from 30 owner comments
FAQ
How long does Maison Margiela Replica By the Fireplace last?
In the Reddit owner comments we analysed, 1 owner said it lasts well and 0 said it fades quickly. Longevity varies with skin, climate and concentration.
What season is Maison Margiela Replica By the Fireplace best for?
Owners mention fall most often (5 comments), followed by winter (3).
Does Maison Margiela Replica By the Fireplace get compliments?
No owner in our sample reported compliments for it.
Can I buy Maison Margiela Replica By the Fireplace on Amazon safely?
We did not find it sold by Amazon.com or by the brand's own Amazon store, so we do not link to it. Third-party fragrance listings carry a counterfeit and grey-market risk.
Keep deciding
- Maison Margiela fragrances ranked
- Best gourmand fragrances
- Best summer fragrances
- Best winter fragrances
- Best Unisex Fragrances
- Best Designer Fragrances
- Buying guide shortlists · Methodology
Details
| Brand | Maison Margiela (Designer) |
| Fragrance family | Gourmand |
| Marketed for | unisex |
| Amazon listing | No listing sold by Amazon.com or the brand store found |
| Reddit evidence | 44 owner comments, 236 mentions in total across r/fragrance, r/FemFragLab and related subreddits |
| Last updated | 2026-11-03 |
Family and "marketed for" follow the brand's positioning and common fragrance references; flankers (Intense, Elixir, Parfum editions) are tracked separately or excluded.