Illusione (Eau de Toilette) by Bottega Veneta

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Illusione Bottega Veneta 2019 Eau de Toilette

7.8 / 10 327 Ratings

A popular perfume by Bottega Veneta for men, released in 2019. The scent is citrusy-woody. It is being marketed by Coty.
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Main accords

Citrus

Woody

Fresh

Green

Spicy

Fragrance Pyramid

Top Notes

Lemon

Bitter orange

Heart Notes

White cedarwood

Fir balsam

Base Notes

Tonka bean Vetiver

Vetiver

Perfumer

Antoine Maisondieu

Videos

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Ratings

Scent

7.8327 Ratings

Longevity

6.6287 Ratings

Sillage

6.3289 Ratings

Bottle

7.9292 Ratings

Value for money

7.3143 Ratings

Submitted by Franfan20, last update on 08/13/2025.

Smells similar

What the fragrance is similar to

Vertigo 236

2 Wood

Fièvre Verte

Infusion d'Homme Eau de Toilette

Illusione Bois Nu

Artisan Pure

Reviews

16 in-depth fragrance descriptions

12/03/2023

8
Pricing 8
Bottle 7
Sillage 5
Longevity 10
Scent

Dzarsos
27 Reviews

Dzarsos

1

That... Shouldn't Taste Good

Illusione is an odd duck. It's not really gourmand-y at all, but somehow the adjective that first leaps to my mind when I smell it is "delicious". But of course, that makes no sense at all, as it is, in essence, a slightly tart riff on Dior Eau Sauvage Parfum. It's missing that almost effervescent heaviness that E.S.P. has, but if you remove that, and add a bunch of bitter orange, Illusione is more-or-less where you end up. It's incredibly nice, weirdly kind of mouth-watering, and, in short, "delicious."

Unfortunately, though, it does have a near-fatal flaw: the longevity here is shameful. On my skin, I get

maybe

two hours, and up to 4 total on my clothes - for the price, that's pretty much clown shoes. And yes, it does also have a pretty limited sillage, but it *is* a warm weather frag, so that's kind of to be expected. But the longevity? I am tempted to call it "pathetic".

So, it leaves me with a bit of a quandary. If they made this concentration a little stronger - or just tweaked it so it lasted a bit longer - this would be a top 5 warm weather/office fragrance for me. But as it stands, the amount one has to overspray to get any sort of longevity out of it will have my 100mL bottle gone by the end of next summer, if I try to put it in the rotation, and I can't really justify it - nor can I encourage that.

In the end, then, I guess we have this: (1) the fragrance itself is fantastic (2) it's also got some of the worst longevity in my entire 100+ bottle collection, and (3) she costs a fair bit. Granted, I got it for a better-than-retail price, but still - it was too much to pay for this level of performance. And yet... I really, really like it, for the time that it lasts. Sooo...

5/10 for longevity
10/10 for the fragrance itself

= 7.5/10 overall. Basically, if you see it for a good price (sub $65/100mL), the profile sounds intriguing, and you're willing to put up with the shite longevity, maybe grab it. If you get annoyed when a frag only lasts half the day? Don't.

08/04/2019

8
Bottle 6
Sillage 7
Longevity 8
Scent

Siebenkäs
35 Reviews

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Siebenkäs

Top Review 30

Strange are the ways of the heart.

A small twig broke off from the branch of the old cedar at the corner of Chester Gate and Albany Street, was caught by the wind, and soon fluttered down Robert Street, where it came to rest before the threshold of No. 21. Then it was still again.
Just then, Anselm unlocked the door. He picked up the twig, took it inside, and placed it on the mantelpiece.
Then he fell back into deep thought.
In less than an hour, he would meet Miss von Hallmackenreuther. What should he wear? And which perfume would be the right one?
He decided on the faded army chinos and the dark blue Comme Des Garcons blazer he had bought at the little second-hand shop at Portobello Market. And the old brown Edward Green monks. He felt safest in no other shoes.
And now for the scent. That would be much more difficult. But then he had an inspiration. Why not this new one from Bottega Veneta? It wasn’t too fashionable, but also not too old-fashioned. Somehow timeless. That’s how he wanted to come across, right? Maybe she would finally see him as he saw himself.
Sometimes he had the strange feeling that they had known each other for a hundred years. That some curious trick of fate kept bringing them together, yet never allowed them to truly connect.
He sniffed once more at the pretty little bottle. Yes, a wise decision. He liked this fragrance. First a bit lemony and fruity, but deeper than usual. Perhaps a third lower. And then so devilishly fairy-tale-like resinous, almost forest-magical, soft dark green in any case. Later also sweet, but still spicy. Undecided like himself. Somehow outdated and yet hip. He didn’t even like the word. And yet he secretly used it often. He felt so out of time again.
Anselm took a few sprays and set off.

Several blocks away at Fitzroy Square, a young woman with short curly hair stood in front of the wardrobe, meticulously surveying its contents.
Lina von Hallmackenreuther chose the polka-dotted light blue dress with the Peter Pan collar. If she had to meet him in a place like the Groucho, she wanted to make the most of it. There weren’t many places where she felt comfortable in this dress. As a counterpoint to the dress, she would wear a men’s fragrance. She knew immediately which one. Illusione.
It suited her because it didn’t commit to anything. Herbal, fruity, woody, and yet also sweet. And soft in the end. Would she be soft in the end too?
In any case, she wanted Anselm to… She wasn’t quite sure herself. He should find her unconventional. Not like the others. For that, this was the right perfume.

As the wind picked up again in the big city and the clouds drifted over the sea of chimneys like lost sheep, the two sat across from each other at a small table in the back of Café Groucho.
Anselm appeared particularly calm. He cautiously sniffed in her direction, for he was very eager to know what kind of scent she had chosen for him. After all, at least this was one thing that connected them - the love of perfume. One of the few things they both knew about each other.
He sniffed and sniffed - but… there was nothing. Only his own scent was detectable, the fine, soft-sweet aura of Illusione. How strange. What could that mean? Had she changed so much that she went out without a scent? Suddenly it dawned on him. She wanted to show herself to him without any embellishment, without games, without a backdrop. She wanted no distance, perhaps more closeness instead.
Anselm's heart began to race.

Lina was not really excited, but somehow… nervous. As if something unusual were in the air. She sniffed in his direction. Surely he was wearing Grey Vetiver again. But no, there was nothing of vetiver or anything similar, there was… she couldn’t define it. Then she almost jumped. She leaned a bit closer to him to take a lint off his collar. He was obviously not wearing any scent today. Only her own fragrance was present, only Illusione, nothing else. What could that mean? Was he trying to tell her something? That he wanted to become a different person? Nonsense.
Suddenly a thought came to her. Yes, that could be it. She was almost sure. He didn’t want to overshadow her, to show her that she was enough on her own with her aura, to make her feel, you alone should be the center…

The waiter came and brought the coffee. He looked a bit strange. He was wearing some kind of bathrobe. Quite hip territory, the area around Russell Square. He set down the cups and smiled at the two.
“You smell good,” he said. “Illusione… I like it too!”

04/02/2021

8
Bottle 5
Sillage 6
Longevity 8.5
Scent

Farneon
112 Reviews

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Farneon

Top Review 22

No illusion, but pleasantly fresh reality!

I got to know this fragrance at a tasting called workshop in a small perfumery in Cologne. I still remember exactly that we were at the fresh scents and the organizing lady spoke of basil. Only that there is no basil in it at all! ;-) In the end, this was by far the best fragrance for me out of maybe 15 in total (including brands like Comme de Garcons, Dolce & Gabbana and Diptyque). That's why I bought him also without further ado, even without basil!

If you look at the ones by Antoine Maisondieu - isn't that called House of God? ;-) - (I certainly don't like all of them), one notices that this perfumer has an urge for as few ingredients as possible, just as many Michelin-starred chefs may also propagate with their dishes. In fact, I'm currently testing Illusione against Louis Vuitton's Orage, which costs almost twice as much, and I'm noticing a certain kinship. Base, durability and sillage are almost identical, whereby Illusione comes along somewhat more citrusy and Orage somewhat woodier.

Maybe I'm alone with this opinion, but no matter. Illusione is for me in any case a fragrance, as I could not imagine him better in its spectrum. The lemon is only gently acidic and the cedar wood only discreetly woody. The vetiver and tonka bean cushion everything expertly and impart an earthy-sweet overtone at the end. With a little imagination, I can even smell pine needles on the forest floor, which is surrounded by a balsamic aura. An illusion possibly? ;-)

Long story short: Illusione succeeds in creating a nature-like aura with only a few ingredients, which comes across quite linear, fresh-woody and yet balsamic. It stings at the top note nothing in the nose and what remains is a sense of well-being, which reminds of a pine forest in the Mediterranean, but not with the axe to work.

If fresh harmony is required and synthetic bombs are outside, an unconditional recommendation!

09/15/2020

8
Bottle 7
Sillage 4
Longevity 9
Scent

MisterJ
2 Reviews

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MisterJ

Top Review 20

The illusion of a fragrance

Bottega Venetas Illusione was one of the biggest surprises for me this year. He met me without my meaning to. Few YouTubers even had it on the screen, and although there was a restrained campaign, it left me completely cold. In the end it was a free scent sample that enchanted me
My first impression at the rehearsal was quite negative. I smelled a bitter, almost aggressive orange and I said to myself directly: "No! That's not yours!" However, this scent then developed further, into a right that I had not expected. Warmth, balm, comfort, sauna, pine forest... Thoughts and memories shot through my head - I had to have it, yesterday already!
I work a lot in a smaller office with several people. Every day Aventus and I would have been quartered already. The fact that illusions become striking at the beginning, but then calm and reserved, suited me. And that the scent is only really perceptible for 2-4 hours does not bother me at all. I think that is even its strength. I don't want to be the scent tree in the car every day and be the focus of the noses present. Sometimes, yes sometimes I just want to be there without being smelled. Just like an illusion.

When is the best time to wear it? In fact, I bought it in the depths of winter, and I actually associate the fragrance more with the warming cosiness with fir balm in tow. It's not a fragrance that I would put on at 30 in the middle of summer. However, in my opinion, it can be worn flexibly in all seasons in many situations. Only not in the club, there it seems out of place like myself ;) I even think it is a fragrance I would recommend to the 30+ generation. It is neither cool, sexy, youthful nor sporty. It radiates calm, serenity and elegance. It matches the brand image of Bottega Veneta. (Doesn't mean that there aren't also elegant, relaxed and calm people under 30 ;)

For me, the bottle is unique, which is mainly due to the cap, which is not one at all. The marbled cap is open at the top and therefore does not protect the spray head 100% from oxygen and looks more like an artistic addition. The bottom is strongly curved inwards, which creates an illusion of rising water. Lacoste probably also found the idea exciting and the current fragrance "Match Point" looks similar at the bottom.

All in all a beautiful, citric fragrance that drifts into a warming, balsamic and serene cosiness. Very light, almost not there and therefore strong for some days.

06/23/2020

10
Bottle 7
Sillage 7
Longevity 9
Scent

Aglianico
28 Reviews

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Aglianico

Top Review 17

Unknown fragrance(s) Part 2: All Soul's Rest

To call the "Illusione" by Bottega Veneta an unknown fragrance or fragrances needs explanation, with 127 reviews and 54 owners about a year after its publication. Nevertheless: Somehow it seems to me, despite its potential, not to have been quite "hit" here, almost as if it is silently gliding along the edge of visibility.

The "Illusione" is similar to its somewhat better known predecessors in the BV men's segment (the pour Homme range and the - male - Essence Aromatique), AND yet is fundamentally different from them. This also needs to be explained.

There are similarities in the resinous components - to a certain extent the trademark of the BV men's fragrances, more so than a partial leatheriness (which is not present in "Illusione"). Such a resinousness is central to my nose in "Illusione", but without dominating unpleasantly. An abstracted (needle) woodiness. Furthermore, a beautifully integrated citric combines all the above mentioned scents, although in my opinion this is much more pronounced in the Essence Aromatique. In "Illusione" it hides behind fir needles and soft-warm woodiness. In any case, you should not expect a clearly recognizable, prominent lemon like in some classic colognes. And there's another unifying element: men's BV fragrances "match" incredibly well with the brand's design appearance. A visit to a store is recommended for this - where you can also test the wonderful Parco Palladiano range.

However, there are also differences. The "Illusione" has an "unvanilla", unobtrusive sweetness, which I personally like very much, and which I prefer to the pseudo leathery base of the pour Homme series. I really mean to smell the vetiver mentioned here as a very subtle, soft component that "grounds" the resinousness. And all this is surrounded by the soft woodiness mentioned above ... Not spectacular, not avant-garde, but very beautiful and very good to wear, especially from spring to autumn, at work, but also just like that. Somehow the average mark here is justified: The "illusion" doesn't stand out, it's not an aha-experience, it's just really well done "mainstream". And maybe that's exactly why this is the fragrance I wear most often by now.

But he is also ...
... more Arvo Pärt than Andrea Bocelli ...more tango in Finnish woods than Italian tarantella. But in summer under a blue sky.
... more suits than "casual".
... more less than more.

A walk, meditation, early morning dew, clarity, groundedness. Unpretentiousness, understatement, simplicity. Peace of mind. A "business fragrance" like Prada L'Homme and yet quite different
My respect for BV, not to cut into their own flesh by a release overkill like some other companies (although I am aware that this is now only a brand in a performance-oriented large corporation). Five men's fragrances in the "mainstream" sector in seven years - that is pleasantly manageable.

I admit that every sprayer stings me in the olfactory heart, because I know in advance that this beautiful fragrance will not last long unless I go on a close contact with myself. But hope dies last: maybe one day the "Illusione" will be available in a more intense, long-lasting version, just like the original pour Homme. In any case, the bottle is a real eye-catcher.

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