Prada Prada 2005 Eau de Parfum Intense

Prada - a label that can evoke the "want" feeling in many people. Whether it's clothing, bags, accessories, or fragrances, each piece awakens desires. Thus, Prada undoubtedly plays in the league of Gucci, Chanel, and Louis Vuitton.

The driving force behind it all is the visionary Miuccia Prada; no season goes by without eye-catching new patterns, shapes, color combinations, and materials. Without her, Prada probably wouldn't have managed to stay in the top league for so long. And when even Anna Wintour (editor-in-chief of US Vogue and universally recognized and undisputed fashion authority) publicly admits that Prada is her favorite label, it speaks volumes and brings invaluable publicity and PR.

Prada only decided to launch perfumes relatively late. It goes without saying that this decision was the right one and is presumably profitable.

My "problem" with Prada fragrances has always been mainly that they were too light and fleeting for me (the Infusion series as well as Amber pour Homme).
However, I have come to appreciate "Infusion d'Iris" very much, and "Amber pour Homme Intense" is one of my personal favorites, as it truly is an "Intense" and not just carries the name addition.

Yet somehow, the scent that was missing was THE fragrance, a statement scent, unmistakable, radiant, and sophisticated. Characteristics that Prada likes to flaunt.

And then came "Prada Intense." Now somewhat aged, at the time, to my knowledge, not really noticed and nowadays only difficult to obtain.

Since "Prada Amber" and "Prada L'Eau Ambrée" did not really meet my expectations, my last attempt should be "Prada Intense."

OK, when the bottle arrived and I tested the scent for the first time, I was really skeptical. Because I expected, uncharacteristically for Prada, an extremely powerful, expansive, and overwhelming "women's fragrance."

Far from it.

Powerful? Yes!
Expansive? Yes!
Overwhelming? No!

The top notes are fresh, unsweetened, and unfruity, and are actually flattened on the spot by the heart notes (patchouli, Peru balsam, and rose), with the rose playing a rather subordinate role.
Patchouli and Peru balsam, on the other hand, are unmistakably dominant. Not whispering and sweet, but almost cool and harsh. A real surprise - at least for me.

And then the base comes into play. Initially very gentle, it increasingly asserts itself against the overpowering heart notes. After a relatively short struggle, it gains the upper hand - incredibly soft, powdery, and noble. And this lasts for hours. All base notes seem to merge with the skin, digging deep into every pore, only to be gradually released again.

"Prada Intense" is undoubtedly not a wallflower, but it comes across gracefully, mature, and sophisticated, so it never becomes clumsy, cheap, or vulgar. I would call it self-confident.

Since the scent (for me) never slips into the floral, it can also be worn by men. However, one must absolutely and unconditionally like patchouli, vanilla, and all the other "softeners."

The longevity is immense, the projection could lead to irritation in the environment (so restraint is advisable), and the bottle with the Prada typical balloon atomizer is absolute luxury.

For me, "Prada Intense" is a Haute Couture fragrance that I will wear (contrary to my usual habits) situationally, thoughtfully, and very selectively. In my opinion, this fragrance requires a certain setting, a festive occasion, cultural events, and the like. However, this certainly does not exclude the possibility that it might just catch me off guard one day ;-)