Perfume offerings from fashion houses are usually iconic and timeless fragrances with character. Which ones are worth having? How to recognize original perfumes and what to pay attention to when purchasing them? Do the familiar scents correspond with the character of the brand and the designer who creates them? We check and answer!
A properly selected perfume can make you feel like you are walking on the red carpet, even in a basic, casual outfit. Fragrances have power! They subtly change the mood to the desired one, improve well-being and emphasize your style.
Perfumes by Bottega Veneta, Gucci, Dior, Comme des Garcons... the choice is very wide. How to navigate and move among virtual shelves with flacons? How to recognize original perfumes and choose the right one for you? We have a few tips for you.
How to recognize original perfumes? 3 basic rules
Not only big brands such as Gucci specialize in perfecting their fragrances. This brand's perfumes (especially Gucci Bloom) have a large number of cheaper (and unfortunately increasingly better quality) "equivalents". How to recognize original perfumes and not get fooled? There are several "red flags" by which you should abandon the virtual basket. Here are the most important ones:
1. Quality of packaging
Perfumes by Dior, Chloe or Bottega Veneta often have flacons made of thick cut, precisely polished glass, which "weighs" in the hand. Additionally, the joints (seams) on the bottle are smooth, they do not protrude above the surface of the glass. Another sign that the perfume may be counterfeit is a poorly folded protective foil on the box - if it gives the impression of being crumpled and unevenly glued, think twice about the purchase.
Another characteristic feature of fakes is a thick, unattractive spray tube. In the case of fragrances launched after 2000, this is a rarity. Exclusive brands pay attention to such details and strive to make the liquid-conducting tube as transparent as possible.
2. Differences in the name, font and description of the perfume
If you've ever held a fake Gucci, the perfume may have a different name, a different font on the packaging or bottle, and a different capacity. The fake may also differ in the description of the perfume and its concentration (the counterfeit often develops on the skin differently, not at all or very briefly). Additionally, if the label on the bottle is glued crookedly, it's a sign that something is wrong.
3. The issue of price
It is unlikely that Gucci or Dior perfumes would cost (even in an online store) a fraction of their typical, most commonly seen online price. No seller who cares about their business will give their customers a 90% discount on sought-after, luxury brands, because it is simply not profitable for them. Another alarm sign should be a uniform price for all perfumes, e.g. Dior and DKNY perfumes (brands from two different segments - high fashion and premium) at the price of PLN 129.99, regardless of the perfume capacity.
PERMANENT COLLECTION
Gucci
‘Mémoire d'une Odeur’ eau de parfum
PERMANENT COLLECTION
Gucci
Set: 'BLOOM' eau de parfum & eau de parfum roll-on
PERMANENT COLLECTION
Bottega Veneta
Bottega Veneta 'KNOT' perfume
Bottega Veneta perfumes and others - nature and industry in a bottle
Now you know how to recognize original perfumes, it's time to choose a bottle for yourself. You can, but you don't have to limit yourself to one scent, although such loyalty, especially in the case of very recognizable scents, e.g. Bottega Veneta perfumes, has its advantages. In this way, you build a consistent image and associations among other people with you. Thanks to this they will know that you just entered the room.
How to describe the classic Bottega Veneta perfume? This is their first, already iconic scent characteristic for the brand. Bottega Veneta is famous for its leather goods. The perfume creator, also known as the "nose", Michel Almairac combined in this fragrance the chords of pink pepper with jasmine and notes of faithfully reproduced suede, which slightly softens and at the same time sharpens the scent, patchouli and oak moss in depth. The perfume is not entirely masculine. If you like dry scents and have a raw, pure or classic style with plenty of leather clothes and accessories, you must try this scent. It will go great with them.
Perfumers are also inspired by nature. It also hosts the scent portfolio of Comme des Garcons, contrasting with the industrialness and modernity typical for this brand. In search of reflecting well-known scents from everyday life (both from nature and "urban" life), it openly reaches for synthetic ingredients and chords that cannot be obtained in a natural way, e.g. notes of heated stones, tar, burnt bulb or gunpowder (Comme des Garcons, Amazingreen).
In other scents, ink also appears (Comme des Garcons 2), which is why the perfume associates with a freshly printed book. The brand also stands out with innovative combinations (a mix of rhubarb and vetiver in Comme des Garcons Clash Radish x Vetiver) and masterful use of incense notes in the series of famous perfumes inspired by various temples and religions around the world (e.g. Comme des Garcons Quarzazate, Kyoto, Avignon or Zagorsk). CDG perfumes are particularly liked by those who like to arouse interest, are looking for unique clothes and accessories, and at the same time do not want to smell and look like everyone else.
PERMANENT COLLECTION
Comme des Garçons
‘Series 10: Clash Radish x Vetiver’ eau de parfum
PERMANENT COLLECTION
Comme des Garçons
'AMAZINGREEN' eau de parfum
PERMANENT COLLECTION
Bottega Veneta
Bottega Veneta perfume
Fragrance – a carrier of sentiments and emotions
Another category of perfumes are those created under the influence of emotions and sentiment to certain places. If you want to remind yourself of a vacation in Italy or feel as if you were there, reach for Bottega Veneta perfumes from the Parco Palladiano series. The collection was inspired by the beautiful Palladian gardens in the Venetian Euganean in Italy. The villas and the gardens surrounding them, designed by the 16th-century Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio, form a coherent and harmonious connection with the surrounding landscape.
Each fragrance in the series is produced from the best plant raw materials grown in this region. Cipresso is a bottled theme of cypress with juniper, nutmeg and spruce needles - this is how the Venetian garden landscape smells when you open the window on a hot afternoon. Choose this scent if your style is characterized by nonchalance and a love for basics and high-quality casual clothes. A cloud of this aroma will elevate outfits with simple jeans, sandals or moccasins and shirts to a higher level.
Equally interesting proposal (for fashionistas whose bible is Vogue) is Comme des Garcons Grace perfume. This is a fragrance created in collaboration with Grace Coddington, long-time creative director of American Vogue, in her private life a great lover of cats. This explains the characteristic shape of the bottle. However, the fragrance does not smell like cat fur - it opens with fresh notes of mint, basil and bergamot to move to the fresh and spring heart: Moroccan rose, freesia and peach blossom.
The base contains enveloping cashmere wood, white musk and amber, which slightly warm up the scent. Such people want to cuddle - and apparently this is how Grace herself is in reality. If, like Coddington, you are a romantic and your style reflects it, reach for these perfumes.
PERMANENT COLLECTION
Comme des Garçons
'OUARZAZATE' eau de toilette
PERMANENT COLLECTION
Comme des Garçons
‘Grace’ eau de toilette
Bottega Veneta
‘Parco Palladiano II Cipresso’ eau de parfum
In the past, heavy oriental scents like Kenzo Jungle or Givenchy Organza were recommended to brunettes, while light, sparkling and floral ones (e.g. Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue) - to blondes. This division is very outdated, stereotypical and baseless. Do not be guided by superstitions. Nowadays, the best clue for choosing a fragrance is your own well-being and, possibly, the occasion or time of day.
Don't let yourself be told that oriental notes will blend well with you, and you feel exceptionally good in them only because you have dark hair. Much more important than hair color is the level of skin hydration, time of year or even the day of the cycle - some perfumes can smell completely different depending on these factors!
If you are not sure whether a given scent will be right for you, choose a brand sample first or (for the brave ones) the smallest capacity. Regardless of which bottle will eventually stand on your toilet, buy perfumes in a reputable online store with good reviews. This way you will avoid nasty surprises and unpleasant disappointments.
