I Tried Every Fragrance in Bottega Veneta's New Collection—These Are My Honest Thoughts
In what might be one of the chicest new fragrance launches of the year, Bottega Veneta has unveiled five new fragrances this year as part of The Venice collection, with each scent as beautiful and unique as the next. Trust us, these are unlike anything else you've smelled before.
Drawing inspiration from the brand's Venetian origins, the collection is a celebration of Venice's rich history as a trading port. Inside each of the scents, you'll spot location-centric ingredients from all over the world (think French angelica, Macedonia juniper oil, Morrocan orange blossom absolute) as a nod to the ingredients that pass through this global trading hub.
Much like the brand's signature intreccio method of weaving leather, the notes—all of which are from natural origins—are layered and harmonised to create complex and interesting scents that transform on your skin as you wear them. I find that these smell completely different on my skin as opposed to the initial experience from the bottle, so if you're looking to try them, I'd highly recommend applying them on your skin—much how you should with any other perfume you're considering—as these really come to life as they mingle with your own skin chemistry.
And speaking of the bottles—the rippled vessels they're housed in are inspired by centuries-old glass-blowing techniques and the glittering lagoons of Venice—you can actually spot the tiny air bubbles dotted throughout the glass, which makes each bottle feel even more unique and special. And can we take a moment for the beautiful verde Saint Denis marble base that accompanies the bottle? Its the very same deep green marble that you'll find in Bottega Veneta's stores.
Want to discover more about Bottega Veneta's perfumes? Scroll ahead for our review of the five scents.
Bottega Veneta Perfume Review
1. Déjà Minuit
Key notes: Winter lemon oil, cardamom oil, cinnamon oil, jasmine "cœur de saison" absolute, orange flower absolute, geranium oil, patchouli oil, vanilla bourbon extract, vetiver oil
Déjà Minuit captured my attention the most from the five scents. It's both fresh and a little spicy, zesty yet warm and understated. If you're usually one for spicy or aromatic fragrances, then you'll really like this. Déjà Minuit weaves geranium from Madagascar with the spice of Guatemalan cardamom for a warming, cosy vibe. While the initial scent is quite spicy, it dries down into a sweet and woody base that lasts all day and smells so smooth and addictive.
2. Colpo Di Sole
Key notes: Angelica root oil, bergamot oil, orange flower absolute, osmanthus absolute, ambrette seed oil, vanilla bourbon extract, vetiver oil, eco-musk
A close second favourite of the collection is Colpo Di Sole, which was inspired by the warmth of the Mediterranean sun, and it immediately transports me to the coastline with the smell of salty skin basking in the sun after a dip in the sea. It has a clean, musky quality to that makes you want to nuzzle your nose into it, and creamy ambrette that becomes one with you throughout the day. It has a smooth, suede-ness to it that makes it smell so luxurious too.
3. Acqua Sale
Key notes: Juniper berry oil, black pepper oil, mandarin oil, sea salt accord, orris butter, osmanthus absolute, galbanum oil, vetiver oil, labdanum absolute, eco-musk
If you like a masculine-leaning scent, this is one to try. It opens as an aromatic, bold and a scent that will certainly get you noticed. Both woody and fresh, earthy labdanum smoulders with a aromatic twist of juniper oil, which settles onto the skin with a delicate and fresh aquatic touch which is designed to mimic the the scent of saltwater on skin.
4. Alchemie
Key notes: Pink pepper extract, mandarin oil, nutmeg oil, myrrh oil, leather accord, labdanum absolute, vetiver oil, sandalwood oil
This is a beast-mode type of fragrance, with full-bodied leather and warm labdanum that lasts and lasts of the skin—apply this in the morning and it will still be noticeable come evening. It's sprinkled with a generous helping of pink pepper and smokey and slightly sweet myrrh for an opulent scent that will get noticed—it's sure not one for wallflowers.
5. Come With Me
Key notes: Artichoke symtrap, bergamot oil, carrot seed oil, orris butter, jasmine absolute, cabreuva wood oil, vetiver oil, vanilla bourbon extract, leather-like skin accord
Last but not least, we have Come With Me, a floral, woody musk that has a powdery flourish on the skin. It's not often that you seen artichoke listed as a perfume note, but it's the zesty bergamot the powdery violet orris that stands out to my nose and is elegant and the most understated fragrance compared to the other scents in the collection.
Discovery Set
Want to try them all before investing in a full sized bottle? This discovery set of 2.5ml vials allows you to try all of the scents to help you land on a favourite—they're also the perfect size for throwing in your bag too.
Eleanor Vousden is the beauty editor for Who What Wear UK. She was previously deputy editor at Hairdressers Journal, health writer at Woman & Home and junior beauty editor at beauty website Powder. She has also contributed to Wallpaper and Elle Collections with written and styling work.Working as a beauty journalist since 2015 after graduating in fashion journalism at the London College of Fashion, she has been highly commended at the BSME Talent Awards for her work on Powder and also contributed to the title winning Website of the Year at the PPA Awards.Eleanor’s journalistic focus is to provide readers with honest and helpful beauty content. Through words, video and live broadcast, she has interviewed several celebrity makeup artists, hairstylists and top dermatologists throughout her career, as well as celebrities such as Sarah Jessica Parker and Scarlett Johansson. She has a particular interest in finding solutions for acne and eczema, which she has experienced firsthand. She has also amassed a large collection of fragrances and can never say no to a new candle.When she’s not writing or testing the latest beauty product or treatments, she’s on the seafront in her hometown of Brighton and Hove, where she lives with her partner and her miniature dachshund.
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