Armani Privé - Pivoine Suzhou Giorgio Armani 2014

The sweet intro of Pivoine Suzhou scared me a little at first...., but after a while, patchouli, peony and something raspberry are added. Certainly an absolute summer fragrance that sprays too much sweetness in winter. I bought the perfume, not because I liked the first spritz, but because I found the packaging simply irresistible. With my penchant for all things Far Eastern, I was immediately electrified when I saw this perfume on the shelf: the Chinese characters on the cream-colored box, the angular bottle inside, topped with this piano lacquer black cap reminiscent of a rare stone. Wow, what looks so wonderful on the outside must also smell wonderful, I thought...I just wanted to have this "thing", I wanted to get hold of it, own it, put it up, look at it, immerse myself in fantasies...and so I did. It took me a long time to get to grips with this fragrance. It's kind of difficult. I think because of the initial super-sweetness. With a little patience, however, it eventually develops something like a pleasant floral cloud. Very special and later even powdery and actually tangerine-like. I wouldn't associate it with China and certainly not with the Chinese Suzhou gardens, it has nothing fresh or green about it. Perhaps with a peony stand and a young girl standing in front of it with wide eyes, admiring this pink splendor.
Conclusion: Brilliant packaging, but a little overpriced for what it is.