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 The gloriously bespoke bottles that accompanied a new launch have all but been replaced by pedestrian square-sided flasks, and there is very little beauty in a clear glass container.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.
I think we can all agree that February is usually a month filled with thoughts of where we’ll be going on holiday during the summer or, if we’re lucky, locations for that quick escape over the Easter break. There are obviously still some pretty big hurdles to get over before there’s any chance of retreating to a sandy oasis of calm this year, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t close our eyes and indulge in a little bit of well deserved armchair travel. As we come out of the winter fragrance season there are plenty of sunny scents that can be reached for to simulate sunshine, and one of the finest is surely Acqua di Genova.
January is traditionally the month that we either hop on a plane to catch some post-winter sunshine or start planning the annual summer holiday. That’s why, with travel still heavily restricted, you could be forgiven for thinking that the only option is to put on another jumper and crank up the heating. Wouldn’t it be great if you could just close your eyes and feel yourself transported to a warmer climate? Well this is exactly what's on offer thanks to the new Discovery Pack from Terre del Garda, and in particular Tassoni 225. So, from resinous pines through to uplifting citrus, prepare to travel to the Italian shores.
There have been many attempts to create fragrances that embody a place or a building, but these are always a little hit and miss. It’s very difficult to sum up in scent a particular environment because everybody will have a slightly different recollection or impression. To do it successfully you need your audience to be able to draw on a more universal memory. One example of a company doing just that is Carthusia with their theatre inspired Prima fragrance. With theatres currently closed, the chance to relive the smell of the greasepaint and the roar of the crowd was one that I simply couldn’t resist.
There’s an often repeated theory that the younger you manage to tempt a person to start using a company’s fragrance the more likely they are to stay loyal to that brand. Now, whether this still holds true in the current arena of thousands rather than hundreds of perfume companies is open to debate. The vast choice and availability of fragrance has made loyalty a prized possession in the industry, and that is one of the reasons why Carthusia has launched Junior. The scent is aimed squarely at the children’s market but it has also proved irresistible to adults who love their powdery floral scents.
One of the wonders of fragrance is that it allows perfume companies to weave elaborate stories that aim to entice and enthral their customers. Over time it often becomes difficult to separate the fact from the fiction but, if you like the fragrance that you’re smelling, does it really matter if the language is a little flowery? Exaggeration and embellishment are all part of the scented storytelling and it helps to weave a web of desire that draws us all in. Carthusia is a perfume company that is based on the island of Capri and, alongside a wonderfully colourful history, they also produce the impressive 1681.
I don’t know who originally coined the expression “reinvention is the key to success” but it’s definitely one that could be applied to the company behind Colonia Club. With a history dating back over one hundred years you could be forgiven for thinking that Acqua di Parma could rest on its laurels, but times have not always been as secure as they are today for this famous brand. Taking inspiration from the company’s iconic burst of hesperidic freshness, Colonia Club is firmly anchored into the timeless tradition of colognes, but an overdose of aromatics makes this wonderfully engaging. So, it’s time to head to Italy.
