Sexy Graffiti Escada 2002

Sexy Graffiti is a fragrance that has truly delighted me for several years now. To begin with, I openly and honestly admit, whether I like it or not, that I belong to the mere 7.1% (as of April 25, 2020) of male owners of this clearly feminine perfume. How this came to be, I will describe in the following. If you are not a fan of lengthy stories, I simply ask you to skip to the last paragraph. For all those who are somewhat interested in my tale from the past, I would like to explain myself here:

It has now been more than 10 years - back then I was still a young teenager - when I spent 2 weeks in Africa with my parents. Sociable as one tends to be at 15, I met my vacation buddy Chris on the very first or second day, and it didn't take long for our vacation happiness to be perfect. We met two unbelievably pretty girls, and without wanting to get lost in details, this was also my first encounter with "Sexy Graffiti." Never before had I been so taken by the scent of a girl from the very first second! My heart still races when I think about it. The pronounced strawberry note is immediately noticeable upon the first sniff! The strawberry is truly unmistakable and flaunts its expressive strength. But more on that later.
To wrap up the vacation topic: This scent, this girl, all those memories - I had never found it so easy to spend 2 weeks away from my friends, which means quite a lot at that age :)
It must have been one of the last vacation days when I finally mustered the courage to ask about the scent. "Escada," she said, but no further details were provided. However, I was satisfied; at that time, I didn't even know that Escada was a brand and not a specific perfume name.

Upon returning to Germany, after about 2 weeks, I had the idea to search for that very scent. Suddenly, I desperately wanted to smell that fragrance again. Just once, if only for that one time.

After another 1-2 weeks of searching, I finally found it in a perfume shop. Sexy Graffiti, a strawberry scent that, according to the saleswoman, had only been available for about a year. She thought this was the scent I was looking for. And she even had a bottle somewhere, if I could just be patient. The search seemed to have come to an end. At that moment, I would have probably paid any (possible) price. But the craziest part was yet to come... I actually wore this scent for a short time afterward. Honestly, I don't know what got into me. In my defense, I must add that Escada Sexy Graffiti didn't necessarily smell like a women's perfume to me, but simply "neutral strawberry." Today, I see that a bit differently. My friends back then did too. I don't think I need to explain why that provided at least some fodder for jokes and quips, and accordingly, the scent quickly found its way into some drawer. Again, I can only say: All in all, those were wonderful times!! :)

It was only my ex-girlfriend, or rather her curiosity, that brought this scent back into past presents when she seemingly stumbled upon that pink bottle in one of my drawers.
It turned out that I was not the only one enchanted by this strawberry scent. My girlfriend helped herself without asking, and over time, the bottle emptied. I want to add here, - not that anyone thinks anything wrong of me - that the scent at that time no longer reminded me of the girl from the vacation - after all, I had even worn the scent myself in the meantime.

Well, as mentioned, the scent eventually ran out, and the bottle was thrown away. Aside from the fact that it was worth every penny, the topic of Sexy Graffiti was settled for me for the time being.

About 6 years later, this strawberry bomb crept back into my memory. Melancholic and joyful at the same time, I thought of this scent and everything I associate with it in some form. It was also the time when I started to really "collect" fragrances and stumbled upon the Parfumo community. I thought it would be a shame if I didn't offer this scent a place in my collection. After all, I associate only good memories with Escada, and it didn't take long before I found it on eBay. 50ml. New/unopened and from 2002(!) it had to be. That was important to me. (There is now a new edition of this scent, but I can't say anything about it). And so Escada found its way back to me. But not only my story with it is the reason why I never want to part with this scent again. Because even from today's perspective, I find its strawberry note unique, and I don't know of any other women's fragrance that is so consistent. What do I mean by consistent?

With the fragrance pyramid in mind, one can catch a hint of blueberry and a bit of peony when smelling it. But for me, what counts above all is the scent and the notes that someone perceives when they encounter a fragrance completely unprepared. And here, nothing is more present than the strawberry. Admittedly, it comes across as relatively synthetic. But I want to use the good old raspberry Maoams as an example/analogy. Anyone who still has that taste at least somewhat in their mind probably remembers just as well that artificial, almost exaggerated raspberry aroma, which was also super delicious at the same time. And one can imagine this scent in a similar way. The synthetic smell of the strawberry almost shoots into your nose, and despite this almost chemical experience, it is simultaneously one of the most delicious strawberry scents I have ever smelled. Probably even the best. I want to be completely honest: On some days when I haven't eaten anything yet and then smell this fragrance, it even stimulates my appetite a bit.
Regarding the scent development, I want to add that I find it very linear. I have rarely experienced a fragrance that remains so true to its top note.
In conclusion, I must admit that I liked this scent even more when I was a bit younger, and I think that is also the actual target audience. Moreover, I think that nowadays, one hardly "stumbles" upon this scent, but if at all, searches for it specifically (keyword release year 2002 & limited edition).
So if you have already come across this scent and are seriously considering a purchase :)

Well, that's enough for now about "another episode from my life."
I wish everyone a nice rest of the week and see you next time.