Senses & scents
ACCADEMIA DEL PROFUMO. Following some candid thoughts on the cosmetic product par excellence, the finalist fragrances in the 28th edition of the Academy Awards (part of Cosmetica Italia) show off their aesthetic and communicative value. The winners will be announced on 3 May.
Some time ago a friend of mine said smells are “inescapable”. We can shut ourselves off to all other senses, but not smell.
We can close our eyes not to see, turn off music not to hear it, avoid certain people or foods... we are capable of almost anything if determined to heal, but we can’t stop breathing. And so, every time you think you’re safe from every emotion, all of a sudden arrives the smell through the window of the rain-soaked earth outside, evoking a cruelly vivid memory of a summer morning when love had a face and a name.
You’re left with two possible solutions: immediately close the window, or let it flow over you. And we usually do the latter, because with the sadness the sweetness of a moment is also reborn, so we open the window and breathe in deeply, eyes closed, that which was and which is no more, and which thanks to that awful aroma seems to be again.
Trending packaging & perfumes
Accademia del Profumo was founded in 1990 in order to valorize perfume as an essential element of wellbeing, promoting creativity in the field, expanding the culture and pushing its growth in Italy. In the following pages we dedicate ample space to the products that have made their way to the finals in this year’s competition, but first a few notes.
First note. The awards assigned each year by Accademia del Profumo recognize innovation and creativity in new fragrances launched on the Italian market. In order to make the evaluation of exclusive or limited edition perfumes more fair and consistent, two new categories have been introduced in 2017 to take into account the business features of the brands distributed: “best exclusive collection major brand perfume” (perfumes by manufacturers/distributors with business extending to other sectors and distributing at up to 300 POPs) and “best designer perfume” (fragrances by manufacturers/distributors dedicated solely to perfumes and distributing at up to 300 POPs).
Second note. The products undergo different levels of evaluation and are assessed by three panels of judges: one of consumers, one of sector experts, and one of VIPs, made up of personalities from worlds of show business, design and culture, including chefs and athletes.
These juries will decide the winners in seven categories: the finalist men’s and women’s perfumes will compete for the title of best perfume of the year, best olfactory creation, best Made in Italy perfume, best packaging, best exclusive collection major brand perfume (gender-free), best designer perfume (gender-free and selected by the Technical Jury) and best communication (selected by the VIP Jury).
Third note. A novelty at this edition in the category of best olfactory creation is that at all stages, panelists will be voting “blind”.
Fourth and final note. Some finalists are not mentioned here, not by our decision but due to lack of sufficient information. Enjoy the show.
«That is why the better part of our memories exist outside us, in a blatter of rain, in the smell of an unaired room or of the first crackling brushwood fire in a cold grate: wherever, in short, we happen upon
what our mind, having no use for it, had rejected, the last treasure that
the past has in store, the richest, that which, when all our flow of tears seems to have dried at the source, can make us weep again».
Marcel Proust, Within A Budding Grove
Peonia Nobile Acqua di Parma
Acqua di Parma’s “Le Nobili” collection is dedicated to the most precious flowers on Earth and takes its inspiration from the inimitable harmony of Italian aristocratic gardens, unique places where nature, beauty, art and elegance have been intermingling for centuries.
And so, after the compelling iris, magnolia, jasmine and rose fragrances, the Eau de Parfum line for women now meets the sumptuous and intoxicating peony*. Subtle, lively notes alternate and intermingle sweetness, sensuality and sophistication, unleashing sensations as multifaceted as the petals of a flower, revealing a radiant and refined femininity of deep intricacy.
The concept of “nobility” is the collection’s inspiration, and so the iconic elegance of the flacon created by Giovanni Gastel for Acqua di Parma asserts itself with lighthearted force in simple, sophisticated lines that seem to subtly allude to the corolla of a precious and voluptuous flower. In the transparency of the glass and rose-hued fluid, refracted light creates a chiaroscuro effect and plays on the color’s intensity.
* The sumptuous hills of upper Lazio, in the heart of central Italy, are home to Europe’s largest collection of peonies: a natural treasure that includes over 600 of the rarest and most sought-after varieties of this precious flower.
Distribution: LVMH Italia / Acqua di Parma
McQueen Parfum
Sarah Burton has led the team behind this new perfume, which embodies all the dark elegance of Alexander McQueen and audaciously combines modern and traditional elements. The ingredients of this olfactory creation are nocturnal flowers, whose fragrance becomes more intense after sundown to attract pollinating insects: Arabian jasmine, tuberose and ylang ylang. Essences of pepper, clove and vetiver, extracted using the most cutting-edge techniques, provide an opening counterpoint to the more traditional ingredients.
The flacon is a little masterpiece: a slightly flared compact oval in dark glass. The bottle’s neck is encircled by a vintage-looking crown of gold feathers typical of the concern’s aesthetic, reflected in the curved glossy gold metallic base. Every detail exudes the luxury and artisan quality of the brand: the black and gold label, the glossy milled and precision lacquered cap and the black container with gold edges and feathers in relief.
Distribution: Coty Italia
Bulgari Rose Goldea
Cleopatra has always been an inspiration for Bulgari: hypnotic, irresistible, confident, an archetype of feminine seduction. The legend goes that, in order to attract Mark Antony, she heaped rose petals around her bed. And so, in her honor, Rose Goldea submerges a regal heart of Damask rose and Egyptian jasmine in a sensual bath of white musk with hints of pomegranate. This delicate olfactory treasure chest then opens to release the refined seduction of white incense.
The packaging features scintillating pink hues that, from the satin effect paperboard of the box, give off precious silky reflections. Cleopatra can be recognized in the iconic Bulgari bottle, which features an anthropomorphic shape and jewel decoration, by the stylized coiling serpent tiara encircling the neck, idealized in sparse curving lines: at the center of a golden orbit, a transparent glass ampoule in the shape of a teardrop emanates powerful solar energy. The metallic ring is duplicated on the pink flat circular cap, adorned with shimmering glitter.
Distribution: Bulgari Italia
Chanel N°5 Eau
Chanel’s most iconic fragrance and the modern scent par excellence, Chanel No. 5 has never ceased to inspire its creators. For this new creation, an encomium to simplicity, Olivier Polge has reinvented the fragrance by emboldening the citrus top notes, which give way to a floral heart (rose, jasmine, ylang ylang), finishing with a surprising echo of vetiver, cedar and musk.
The entire packaging is an exercise in masterful converting. A candid box encloses an evanescent packaging. An outer protective layer is indicated in low relief of the imprint left by the flacon, playing on the light and shadow that reveals the bottle’s shape. On the box, which is white with black outlines and slides out, is engraved the classic “N°5”. Inside, another embossed paperboard layer outlines the shape of the bottle within, like a precious sheath. This motif is multiplied like a hall of mirrors, with at its heart the flacon, austere in crystal clear glass. This simplicity also marks the closure, whose purity is unpolluted by any mechanism. The supremely elegant minimalism of the ensemble leaves room for the imagination of the woman to wear this scent.
Distribution: Chanel
Chloé Fleur de Parfum
The sovereign flower that reflects the brand’s natural elegance and subtlety, the rose, is once again the main accord of this new Fleur de Parfum, which uniquely incorporates fruity raspberry and slightly acidic hints. These are freshened by verbena and softened by cherry blossom.
Faithful to the emblematic style of the Chloé Signature line, the ivory packaging in this case has been tinted pink, a standard ingredient in the perfumery’s dress code. This delicate tone serves as the ideal backdrop for the white logo on the paperboard box and is echoed on the hand-knotted ribbon on the neck. The transparent fluid of the perfume itself is also rose-tinted, visible through the glass. The flacon is a luxury object that maintains its classic look: the geometric shape, silver plaque, smooth oval cap and gently pleated glass perfectly reflect Chloé’s iconic elegance.
Distribution: Coty Italia
Poison Girl
An explosion of provocative notes, sweet and unsettling, and anything but innocuous. The fruity top notes of bitter orange stimulate the carnal beauty of the rose, the heart of this sensual fragrance, sinfully sweetened with vanilla, which gives way to exotic Sri Lankan sandalwood. «The inspiration for this fragrance - explains François Demachy, Parfumeur Créateur Dior - is a delicacy traditional to Grasse that I went crazy for as a child: candied rose petals». Based on the flavor of that crunchy flower treat, Demachy created this insolently seductive fragrance that confuses the senses.
Equally cheeky is the packaging: on the silver box, a wave pattern in perfect New York disco style. The name across the front is in sassy pop lettering, matched by uncompromisingly feminine colors: black, purple and fluorescent pink. The rounded, vaguely heart-shaped bottle takes up the bold colors of the box. Framed by a chrome ring, the glossy black cap is gently irregular, as are the striations that “claw” at the bottle from below, echoing its curves in relief. Anything but shy, the fluid lights up the glass with intense pink.
Distribution: LVMH Italia
Galop d’Hermès
The latest scent by Hermès is contained within a stirrup-shaped bottle, drawing on the luxury goods manufacturer’s equestrian past. The inspiration for the perfume, created by Christine Nagel, are Hermès leathers. A Doblis screw-on top reveals the femininity of leather, symbolizing a woman “at gallop”: powerful, free, intrepid, rebellious and her own master. The opposite notes attract: the leather activates the rose, but neither dominates.
The packaging is executed in a fresh, postmodern style. The box is decorated by a pattern reminiscent of a vintage riding accessories catalog, enlivened by yellow pastel polka dots. Inside, a sporty case with hints of the same yellow hue holds the chrome metal flacon that looks like a stylized stirrup. A whip-like orange leather strap symbolizes the bond between every woman and her scent, and her instinct. The stirrup dances and dangles from this strap, yields to motion, balances the trot...
Resulting from a process of deliberate selection, Galop d’Hermès is available exclusively at Hermès shops and select perfume retailers.
Distributore: Clarins Italia
Gucci Guilty for her
If freely exploring one’s desires is a crime, then the new Gucci line wants to be “Guilty”, and to be so guilt-free, the paradoxical provocation of the hashtag #GuiltyNotGuilty. In addition to its non-conformist spirit, the line of scents also celebrates the charm of the indefinite and sensuality freed of all rules and expectations. That’s how Gucci Guilty for Her breaks all the rules, presenting a scandalous accord of lilac, amberwood and geranium fougère, the latter traditionally used only for men’s fragrances. The packaging is simple and luxurious. The version pour femme is decked in gold, starting with the logo on the black paperboard box. The glossy finish of the box alternates with satin-effect sections on the sides. The flacon’s glass has two gold metallic plaques. The amber fluid is visible only from the sides and through the gap within the logo on the front and back of the bottle. The cap, completely coated in metal, completes the shape of the bottle, an elegant parallelepiped with muted edges.
Distributore: Coty Italia
Hugo Boss The Scent for her
There’s something incredibly seductive about a woman that dons a men’s suit. It draws out her femininity in full force. Based on this inspiration, The Scent for Her, the latest creation of Hugo Boss, combines the power and character of fragrances “for men” with feminine delicacy and sensitivity. In perpetual tension between these two elements, the scent runs through the phases of an affair. It begins with burning attraction in the top notes (freesia and caramelized peach), transforms into seduction in the middle notes (osmanthus) and ends in addiction, with bottom notes predominated by roasted cacao.
The man/woman dichotomy is reflected in the elegant, sophisticated shape of the flacon, characterized by vertical lines culminating in a jewel closure inspired by the iconic shape of BOSS cufflinks, a new feminine take on a classic accessory for men. The thick glass bottom conveys strength and heft to the object, which is softened by champagne rosé of the fluid within.
Distribution: Coty Italia
So Bella! So Chic!
The refined olfactory composition by Daphne Bugey for Mandarina Duck opens with fresh citrus top notes, followed by a light touch of violet leaves and finally the intense floral heart of freesia, magnolia and rose. The base notes are a unique blend of raspberry sorbet and hints of cashmere wood and white musk.
Elegant like the aroma it contains, the packaging combines two nuanced purples. The clear lilac coated paperboard of the box acts as a sophisticated backdrop: on the square front, a thin dark purple line with rounded corners frames the name of the perfume, which is relief printed in glossy gold. The same alternation of dark purple outline and gold appears in the stylized floral pattern on the sides of the container. The glass of the flacon is colored by the light purple fluid. Curving and straight lines alternate gracefully: the base and cap are rectangular, the shoulders round. The logo is also printed in glossy gold on the bottle, echoing the gold dispenser visible through the transparent cap, both vital and slight, decorated with a floral pattern.
Three Spanish suppliers were involved in the packaging’s creation: Plásticos Transformados J.Oller for the cap, Ramon Clemente for the bottle, Gràfiques
Distribution: ITF - Angelini Beauty
Michael Kors Wonderlust
As its name suggests, this fragrance awakens the infinite desire for travel, adventure, romance and discovery. Michael Kors’ olfactory creation is inspired by all that is unpredictable, unknown and exotic. Top notes of Italian bergamot, pink pepper and almond milk leads to a floral heart spiced with clove, with an intangible hint of vanilla sunflower. The base notes of Siamese benzoin, Sri Lankan sandalwood and cashmere round out the enveloping and intoxicating waft.
On the luminous bottle, with its heavy base and sensual curves, a vibrating tone fades from pink at the base until it is abruptly stopped by a gold band harmoniously encircling the bottle, echoing the cap. The whole ensemble evokes a vast horizon, indefinite and inviting. The same warm pink-gold fade confers to the box an eye-catching tension.
Distribution: Estée Lauder
Narciso Rodriguez Eau de Parfum Pudrée
The third installment in the NARCISO line of perfumes continues the exploration of the limits of seduction, in a moment suspended in time. Eau de Parfum Pudrée, with its mystery and irresistible magnetism, leaves in its wake a waft as light and soft as silk. A delicate and voluptuous heart of powdered musk intermingles with the velvety sweetness of white jasmine petals and Bulgarian rose. Woody notes of vetiver and black and white cedar bring heat and power.
The distinctive flacon embodies primitive beauty and purity. At the heart of a transparent glass cube, an internally lacquered silhouette with semi-oval contours fluctuates. This intense nudity bears the indelible signature of the perfume’s name. The same nuance,reflecting the same seduction and evoking the sensuality of the body and the skin, colors the square satin-effect plastic cap and the box. The paperboard produces a velvet effect that evokes softness embodied. Here, a section of tone on tone coating is the shock of light that frames the name of the fragrance.
Distribution: Shiseido Goup
Prada Candy Kiss
Created by Daniela Andrier under the creative direction of Miuccia Prada, Candy Kiss is an overwhelming olfactory accord that is rooted in an essence that is unmistakable and consistent from top to base: musk, which, evoking the delicate aroma of cotton, envelopes the senses in a sensual white cloud, shot through with vanilla and subtle hints of orange flower.
The packaging design is fresh, feminine and chic. The luminous cylinder, with gold and glossy white finish, features a bright pink lacquered convex bottom that refracts against the fluid. The colored curvature, visible through the transparent glass, is reflected in the bottom of the internal profile and is echoed by the round, glossy metallic cap. The box is decorated with the same tones as the bottle. The iconic pink lips printed flirtatiously on the packaging promises to thrill.
Distribution: Puig Italia
Prada La Femme
Like an olfactory chimera, La Femme is an invitation to follow emotion as it strays into unknown territory. Exotic and sunny floral notes intermingle with ylang-ylang, sweetened by beeswax, vanilla and tuberose. Distilled vetiver lends robustness to the scent.
The packaging design adheres to the classic symbolic language of Prada, with an almost architectural flavor evoking luxury interior design. The iconic texture of the Saffiano leather envelopes in white the back of the slightly rounded flacon, on which the logo is imprinted. The front of the box and bottle both feature the logo in gold relief. The unmistakable Prada colors (gold and white) identify the feminine fragrance and communicate its most sensual notes. Amber glass highlights its exotic aspects, while the mirror effect reflects light in different directions, representing the many identities of La Femme.
Distribution: Puig Italia
Signorina Misteriosa Salvatore Ferragamo
This fragrance has hints of fruit and a robust gourmand heart, revealing the secret side that every elegant girl keeps jealously hidden. A playful and surprising top note of wild blackberry, is unleashed by hot neroli, followed by a sensual breeze of orange flowers and tuberose. The base notes are black vanilla husk, milk mousse and patchouli, conferring a sophisticated touch.
The exclusive flacon is exquisitely feminine. The mystery of the glossy black surface is heated by the rose gold of the spherical top and the metallic plaque on the base with studded corners, resembling those of designer purses. The classic Vara ribbon, here in total black, is integrated with the cap, reinventing it as a delicious accessory. The case also has a glossy black finish, with gold and pink trim. An embossed grosgrain fabric ribbon envelopes the box as if sewn on.
Distribution: Ferragamo Parfums
Want Pink Ginger
A new chapter in the story in scents about the kaleidescope of feminine personality, the fragrance by Dsquared2 contemplates its more risqué and exuberant sides, thanks to the oriental flowering nature, fresh and unusual.
Like a modern sculpture, the design of Want Dsquared2 is an irresistible interplay of geometries, proportions and color. The pure transparency of the bottle - circular, ergonomic, made by Bormioli Luigi - highlights the intense yellow color of the perfume itself.
A gold zamak band, created by Cosmotec, encircles the bottle and bears the engraved pink logo. Candiani made the bold spherical cap, varnished in glossy bright pink: willfully oversized, it confers weight and uniqueness to the design, making the flacon an unmistakable object. The box, produced by Cartotecnica Goldprint, is rectilinear and is appealingly colored fluorescent pink all over and gold on the front.
Distribution: ITF
Yves Saint Laurent Mon Paris
Today’s girl in love is a free spirit that experiences emotions and sexuality untroubled by any convention. Yves Saint Laurent dedicates to her a fragrance inspired by the city of love that revolutionizes the traditional chypre structure, making it floral, fruity, stimulating and seductive.
The flacon design is a visual metaphor of a passionate embrace, as interpreted by designer Catherine Krunas, who was inspired by archived sketches of lavallières in the addition of a silk ribbon, complete with two rock leather straps held together by the classic YSL gold tab.
The flacon, with thick striated glass, is an homage to the dinner jacket, with right angles and a solidity that evokes its boldness, while the multifaceted shape creates a play of light that amplifies the pink incandescence within.
Distribution: L’Oréal Italia Luxe
Zadig e Voltaire This is Her!
A composition of noble ingredients, This is Her! by Zadig & Voltaire has a floral bouquet of Arabian jasmine spiced with pink peppercorns. The chestnut cream middle notes audaciously interact with intoxicating cashmere wood. The base note is velvety, pungent sandalwood.
The flacon embodies the modern style and casual chic of Zadig & Voltaire. The elongated contours of its silhouette make it appear as if hewn from rough quartz. The right side bears the markings of it having broken off from its masculine counterpart (an identical flacon with a matching fracture). The translucent glass is muted by a milky sheen. The simple cylindrical top is lacquered white (the version for men inverts the colors). On the low, elongated label, printed directly on the glass with a modern, rectilinear font, the logo and name of the scent are in a graphic pattern that crosses the front of the bottle. They appear in relief on the rough paperboard of the box. Every detail adheres to the minimalist concept, characterized by sparse lines and black and white, symbolizing the opposition and attraction of masculine and feminine.
Distribution: Shiseido Goup
Acqua di Parma Colonia Quercia
With woody, evergreen notes and a deep forest aroma, a robust harmony that is at the same time soft, rich with hints of wet earth and leaves: as unforgettable as a morning walk through an oak forest. A fragrance that captures the power of this noble tree that was held sacred in ancient times. From the moss growing on this tree’s bark is extracted one of most sought-after essences in luxury perfumes, oakmoss absolute, which forms the basis of this olfactory composition, combined with the solar citrus freshness typical of this line of colognes.
The packaging for Acqua di Parma’s creation consists in an art déco flacon in the characteristic colors of the collection: dark brown for the very limpid glass of the bottle and for the cap, bronze highlights for the label. Every detail, from the materials used to the process, conveys the excellence of Italian artisanry. The bottle is housed inside a case that has been hand-decorated with fine paper in sophisticated tobacco tones, with an austere design embellished by bronze-colored satin on the interior.
Distribution: LVMH Italia / Acqua di Parma
Armani Code Profumo
The rich, subtle opulence of this fragrance seduces with its personality, ardent but not without a lighthearted sweetness, in a sensual woody-amber accord.
The immediately recognizable packaging is inspired by the impeccability of an Armani dinner jacket, evoked in the fine weft of a wide black belt encircling the flacon like the waistband of an evening dress.
The flacon features a striking purity and harmony: worked from the inside, the thick, heavy glass confers an effect of greater depth, power and vigor, which is amplified by the faded black lacquer finish, which creates an intense interplay of dark shades that begin dense and black at the top and “heat up” before becoming amber-hued and luminous at the base. Imprinted on the cap in coated bronze is the GA designer’s monogram. The box itself is also impeccably elegant.
Distribution: Helena Rubinstein
Armani Eau de Nuit Oud
Strong, but not rigid, the structure of this fragrance for men is penetrating and intense, with rich middle and bottom notes. Like a tailor’s workshop, each material is brought out and applied to create an impeccably tailored article that makes the wearer confident and comfortable in his own skin. Eau de Nuit Oud unleashes light, fluid notes that delicately alight on the skin like an intangible fabric. Oud (aka agarwood) is absolutely Armani: deeply structured, it reveals itself in many facets the way the weight of a cloak shifts on the body.
And the flacon? Custom-designed for the evening like an Armani jacket, it features simple shoulders and the perfect decoration, like the other Eau de Nuit creations. But this time the glass is black as night, embellished by shimmering gold on the cap, base and logo, which stands out boldly and intensely.
The same elements are taken up on the box. A few essentials suffice to create perfect elegance.
Distribution: Helena Rubinstein
Bulgari Man Black Orient
This wild, ardent ode to the senses is the last edition in the Bulgari Man in Black trilogy. Virile but delicate, it features an oriental aroma that draws on ingredients full of character: lively notes of vintage rum, spiced by black cardamom and dissolving in refined notes of oud and the sensuality of Taif rose.
Inspired by the myth of Vulcan, who brought fire to humanity after stealing it from his father Jove, the imposing monolith flacons of Bulgari Man in Black seem to be cut from pure obsidian and dazzle with strong contrasts. The classical design plays on the antithesis of the intense opaque black of the flacon (recalling the rare and mysterious black diamond) and the rose gold that glitters from the logos and top, reminiscent of the precious wares forged by the blacksmith god. The same powerful contrast dominates the box, which is gently animated by shallow embossing.
Distribution: Bulgari Italia
L’Envol de Cartier
Inspired by one of the concern’s favorite legends, the aviator Santos-Dumont, the fragrance L’Envol de Cartier is a wake-up call, an invitation to flight. Virile and sweet at the same time, it has delicate top notes and a round, compelling heart. A honeyed and resinous waft of Guaiac wood fuses with vaporous musk, embellished by a note of patchouli.
The fragrance’s packaging is an appealing, surprising and original object – more than a simple flacon. The ampoule containing the fluid is encapsulated in a removable glass dome, making it appear as though the honey-colored elixir is floating in air. The screw mechanism holding the cap to the ampoule playfully alludes to the masculine, “mechanical” gesture of starting up an engine before take-off. The style is typically Cartier, with its refillable format (something which the brand pioneered) and the guilloché cap, which takes up the famous Cartier motif, which is also used to frame the logo on the smoke and bronze box.
Distribution: Richemont Italia
Chanel Allure Homme Sport Cologne
This fragrance is an authentic voyage in search of energy. An explosion of citrus, in which Sicily mandarin predominates, brings a tonic freshness, reinvigorated by spiced accords and heart notes of cedar and amberwood, sensualized by white musk.
Once again Chanel dazzles with the natural, refined elegance of its image. The thick glass flacon is rectangular and mostly transparent, slightly freshened by the lemon yellow hue of the fluid inside. The details are few but essential: the thin, linear characters of the logo printed in black and red, the black rubber ring with the Chanel logo engraved on it around the cap for easy opening.
The box in icy gray is coated on the front and glossy on the sides; the brand is printed in slight relief. Within, the protective corrugated paperboard box is bright red to give an informal - chic touch.
Distribution: Chanel
Collistar Vetiver Forte
The now iconic packaging of Collistar perfumes is colored bright blue to highlight this fragrance’s strength and virility, bringing out the essential, rectilinear shape of the flacon. The rigid geometry is made intriguing by the softly irregular silhouette of the hollow containing the fluid, which is just barely visible through the dark glass. The modest cylinder of the metallic cap in chrome blue is embellished by horizontal pleats. The classic box is also decorated with nocturnal hues. The name Vetiver Forte shines in silver on the box and bottle.
Distribution: Collistar
Gucci Guilty For Him
Just like the version for her, Gucci Guilty for Him ventures out in search of new sensual horizons. After top notes of lemon enhanced by lavender and patchouli, the sensuality of orange blossoms surprises with heedless abandon and disregard for the conventions governing the composition of classic men’s fragrances.
The bottle for Him repeats the dualism of glass and metal, but here in dark chrome. The logo makes a transparent heart through which the fluid is visible. The flacon, with its broad shoulders and small metallic cap luxuriantly recalls the shape of a small liqueur bottle. The elegant black box bears the GG logo in silver.
Distribution: Coty Italia
Jean Paul Gaultier Le Male
The masculine counterpart to the famous couple launched by Jean Paul Gaultier in the 1990s, Le Male, like the man that knows how to idle but never get bored, now presented in a renewed design and a new olfactory composition. The fragrance embraces the senses with an accord of citrus and spiced notes, which contrasts with the virile aroma of leather and a woody base.
In a bronze-tinted jar, the famous bust flacon is sculpted in a geometric design that in the transparency of the multifaceted glass produces a hypnotic effect of refracted blue light, deep like he that shows a different shade of himself for every occasion.
Distribution: Puig Italia
Prada L’Homme
A fragrance of combinations, doubles, juxtapositions and layers. The ingredients of the classic men’s fougère are present, with neroli, geranium and patchouli. But Prada’s olfactory codes are universal and migrate freely between men and women. And so in Prada’s L’Homme, the main ingredients of the fragrance for women, iris and amberwood, are made for Him in a light and sensual fragrance.
Positioning themselves as two parts of a whole, the flacons of the fragrance and the packaging of La Femme and L’Homme are complementary. The fine details of the feminine version are repeated in the black and silver tones of the masculine one, expressing a virile, colder and more decisive personality.
Distribution: Puig Italia
Roberto Cavalli Uomo
In a perfect harmony of Italian elegance and rock & roll, Roberto Cavalli’s new Uomo wears a fragrance created by Christophe Raynaud Firmenich: a gentle opening waft of black violet, mysterious and unpredictable, contrasts with a virile note of saffron that tickles the senses. An intense lavender-honey heart adds depth and volume before a hypnotic base note of cedar with oriental hints of patchouli and tonka bean.
The packaging is almost a manifesto in style, expressing all of Roberto Cavalli’s glam theatricality. The square flacon in imposing black glass, with the fashion house’s iconic monogram in relief, expresses virility and security. The crocodile scales adorning the sides of the flacon are a nod to the animal prints often used by the fashion house, a mark of its rock & roll soul, savage and free. The embossed crocodile skin motif is repeated on the box, as well as the monogram in black relief.
Distribution: Coty Italia
Salvatore Ferragamo Uomo
A quintessentially Italian perfume, the new masculine fragrance by Salvatore Ferragamo opens with fresh notes of bergamot, spiced black pepper and cardamom. The heart is a sinfully delicious accord: tiramisu and sweet but vigorous notes of orange blossom and ambroxan. Cashmere wood and sandalwood with a hint of Tonk beans round out the fragrance.
Classic and contemporary at the same time, the flacon in thick glass with a slightly concave front expresses warm masculine strength. In a refined contrast with the golden yellow fluid, the name of the fragrance is in stark black. Relief lettering in opaque lacquer run down the bulging sides of the easy to grip bottle. The dispenser is almost “disguised” by the flat, cylindrical cap. The black and silver box is dominated by the name of the fragrance printed with metallic relief effect in Venna font (a tribute to Futurist artist Lucio Venna, to whom Ferragamo entrusted his first advertising campaign in the 1930s, as well as the design of his first brand label).
Distribution: Ferragamo Parfums
