Flower Ikebana Indigo by Kenzo Kenzo 2025

This opens with a clean yet also earthy “orris root”-type iris that reminded me a lot of L’Iris by Santa Maria Novella. After a few seconds, the vanilla comes in to add a sweet background note but the iris does stay front and center. I can detect the slightest hint of that mineral “ink” note that gives this fragrance a warm, ambery quality, but it doesn’t play a huge role in the overall composition. To my nose, this is mainly an iris and vanilla fragrance.

Too bad! At first spray you may think you're dealing with a more affordable and even a maybe better performing Infusion d'Iris (2015) Eau de Parfum and how lovely would that be: An Iris that actually performs?!
But unfortunately, soon the vanilla ruins everything, preventing the scent from getting as ethereal, summery and clean as Prada Infusion d'Iris.
Instead it gets a linear scent as many other modern designer fragrances.

(why does there have to be an overdose of vanilla in everything these days?)

Performance is not that good either in the end (which, in this case, I didn't mind).
Glad I got a tester instead of relying on that beautyful first spray...

Not a safe blind buy for Iris lovers.

This is my new signature scent for winter. It opens with a beautiful blue ink accord which is absolutely addictive, and I unfortunately wish it lasted longer, but it only hangs around the first few minutes or so. It then morphs gracefully into the calm, cool, minerally iris that is kept from getting too carrot-y or earthy by the gentle vanilla, which feels again calm and enveloping, not sweet and cloying. The fragrance doesn't go anywhere else after that, as it's quite a linear scent, but it doesn't have to. I cant stop smelling my arm! Wish they made this in an extrait or elixir as the longevity isn't the best, but I'm so in love, I will keep buying this.

What are the good things about this purple flower? The marketing. Love the Japanese flower arrangement and calligraphy references. But, that`s about it. Flower Ikebana Indigo by Kenzo is 90% vanilla, 5% iris, 5% ink. The concept is interesting, but the execution sucks. The ink-iris stage is so short lasting, it`s almost an excuse to justify the existence of that boring vanilla that dominates the rest of this fragrance.

I’ve been loving iris lately, all of the notes in this sounded appealing, and it’s relatively affordable on discount sites so I blind bought and I wasn’t disappointed. At first it’s a very straightforward dry, kind of powdery iris, not quite a “make-up” or “lipsticky” iris but also not an earthy iris. There’s also a cold quality to it, something with a slight edge and depth that I assume to be the ink note. Something about the opening also reminds me of pencils - wood and graphite - in the best way. As it settles it becomes more generically “perfumey”, a sweet inoffensive floral. (Parfumo also lists cedar and jasmine in the notes, which I’m inclined to believe.) The opening iris and ink sticks around enough for it to still be unique for me while still being an easy to wear scent that wouldn’t be “weird” or challenging for people who aren’t as far down the niche rabbit hole as some of us.
I also think it’s versatile. The cool iris and ink make it feel apt for cool and cloudy weather, but the sweet floral notes make it feel equally appropriate for a spring day. It could easily be an office fragrance but is pretty enough for a date night and soothing enough for a cozy day in.
I’ve been trying a ton of iris fragrances lately, including some more niche and very pricy ones, and this is one of my favorites (for reference some other loves are Molecule 01 + Iris , White Rice, Iris Malikhân, English Major Extrait de Parfum, Lipstick Fever, Gris Charnel Eau de Parfum).
If you’re into the notes and enjoy a designer fragrance, this might be a safe blind buy for you too.