I really do fancy myself with a set of Louis Vuitton luggage trunks and fragrance in a leather holder setting out to discover Venice, the city this new fragrance range is based upon. Really, that is one beautiful leather perfume case for the travel version of Rosso I. The full size bottles have a Murano glass translucent mask inset that gives each fragrance a colour reference.
Everything about the presentation is exquisite in this first fragrance collection from Valmont which you may know better for its skin care. There’s a lot of romance and storytelling behind each fragrance, imagined by Valmont owners, Sophie and Didier Guillon, and the fragrances themselves are equally complex although a million miles from the easy wear of a high street buy. I have Rosso I, a floral oriental depicting the San Francesca Della Vigna area of Venice. Personally, that’s way too specific for me because while I might be able to place the Marais in Paris, I’d be really pushed to name any area of Venice – apart from Venetians, I’m not sure who can. It flags a question really about fragrance inspirations where the consumer might struggle to find the relevance. Mind you, the full size bottles are £348, so perhaps it really is for the rarified world of people who know Venice like the back of their hand.
So, Rosso I. It’s fruity, spicy and full of Damask rose with a base of oud that is rounded and opulent. My first thoughts were that the fruit and spices muddle the rose but it’s complex – for someone who adores a floriental, it’s probably rather exciting, but I found myself wanting to extract the rose and be rid of the busy-ness of other notes. I’d suggest these are fragrances for the connoisseur who will delight in the layers. In any case, you have til May to consider whether you’re up for being transported to the splendour of one of the world’s most intriguing cities. The travel size, which I have, is approx £120.
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