Rabanne’s robots catch feelings: Fame in Love and Phantom in Red

If you roll your eyes at another flanker, I get it. I did too, until I saw Paco Rabanne quietly slide in two new entries that feel like a temperature check on where mainstream scent is heading: Fame in Love and Phantom in Red.

Quick refresher. Fame (2022) made a splash with that cheeky fembot-in-sunglasses bottle and a tropical-jasmine glow that felt party-ready without turning into a cupcake. Phantom (2021) went the other way - chrome robot, NFC gimmick, and a creamy aromatic vibe that smelled like a late night in a neon bar. Both became street fixtures and cabinet trophies, whether or not you admitted it.

Now we get the moodier siblings. Fame in Love sounds like the moment the party shifts to the after-hours playlist. Expect the same glossy DNA, but with a flirt turned up. The name hints at a softer swoon, maybe a textural twist rather than sugar overload. If you’ve loved wearing Fame (2022) with leather and lipstick, this could be your winter crush.

Phantom in Red reads like a signal flare. Red in designer-land usually means heat, spice, or a darker fruit sheen - not necessarily louder, but more direct. Given how Phantom (2021) built that clean-sensual bridge for guys who secretly love vanilla, Red could be the confidence coat. The robot in crimson is also a smart shelf play. You can spot it from across a crowded Sephora, which is half the battle in December.

Do we need more flankers? Only when they say something. Naming one “in Love” and the other “in Red” isn’t random. It pairs emotion with color, softness with heat - exactly how a lot of us actually choose fragrance. Not by pyramid, by feeling. I reach for Fame when I want to grin at traffic lights. I borrow Phantom when I want my hoodie to smell like trouble without consequences.

Shelf takeaway: If the originals spoke to you, test these. If you bounced off the first wave, the tonal shift might win you back. Either way, Fame in Love and Phantom in Red look like the rare mainstream flankers designed for mood, not just for marketing. And yes, the robots still photograph ridiculously well.