Monday 13 March 2023

VILLA SORRENTO by La Perla

Bottle of Villa Sorrento perfume by La Perla
Perfume was once the stuff of extravagant opulence and unbridled beauty, but recent years have seen that change somewhat. The gloriously bespoke bottles that accompanied a new launch have all but been replaced by pedestrian square-sided flasks, and there is very little beauty in a clear glass container. Of course, the juice inside the bottle is what really matters, but making it visually appealing to the eye doesn’t hurt either. When La Perla decided to reimagine their fragrance offering in 2021 it also extended to the bottle, and the result is magical. So, with warmer days on the horizon, it’s time to discover the sparkling Vila Sorrento.

La Perla was founded in 1954 by Ada Masotti, who was to become a very successful lingerie designer. Based in Bologna in Italy, the company would always place the female form at the front of its many innovations, and this is why it became the number one lingerie brand throughout the world. From its legendary triangle bra through to the introduction of stretch laces and see-through sheers, this was a brand that truly empowered because it was created by women for women. However, we pick up the story in 1986, the year that the brand also first reached out to men.

In a similar way to other designers such as Halston, with his range of signature fragrances, La Perla decided that the time was right to also go after a piece of the perfume market. They launched with the self-titled La Perla, created by Pierre Wargnye, and it was described as a “voluptuous floral chypre”. Discontinued for many years, it’s currently available as a limited edition through the La Perla Website. The company would go on to launch a further 37 fragrances, including an EDT of the original, before they finally paused in 2015. However, this wasn’t the end for the La Perla perfumes.

The box for the bottle of Villa Sorrento perfume from La Perla
A revised collection of eight Haute Parfumerie fragrances was launched in 2021, alongside a new La Perla Signature scent. The latter was housed in a pearl-inspired bottle, but the former came in exquisitely coloured laboratory flacons with a pearl shaped cap. The perfumers for these fragrances came from all over the industry, but Villa Sorento was created by Givaudan’s Roxanne Kirkpatrick. She shared, “I love mornings, they’re when I feel my most creative and energised,” and that definitely shines through. Promising a “summer on the sun-kissed shores of the Amalfi coast,” it’s time to discover Villa Sorrento.

The fragrance opens with a deliciously tart citrus medley of green mandarin, grapefruit and lemon, and these together conjure perfectly the heavily laden fruit trees that you find all over Italy. However, Roxanne has cleverly included petitgrain to offer up those supporting branches along with a vibrant neroli. This latter ingredient, with its metallic edge, almost hints at the bright sunlight slicing into the villa’s garden. There’s a slight dusted flint quality in here as well, that references the area's old stone walls, but a final touch of watery tonka offers a whisper of morning pastries and a beckoning sea. Villa Sorrento is beautiful both inside and out, and this unisex fragrance is the perfect welcome to warmer weather.

Villa Sorrento is available from the La Perla website at beautybylaperla.com, as well as Harrods and Harvey Nichols, priced at £88 for 30ml and £254 for 120ml. You can also purchase a 100ml refill for £154. [Sample provided by Aspects Beauty]

2 comments:

  1. Ben Woodley - ABC15 March 2023 at 08:49

    Thanks Stephen. Great article. You've picked one of my favorites too.

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    Replies
    1. Hello Ben, Thank you for your comment. It's such a great fragrance and perfect as the weather starts to warm up. Best, Stephan

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