Florence Roberto Cavalli 2017

doch wenn die Erde nass ist und die Blätter sich verfärben und von den Bäumen fallen, dann ist dieser Duft genau richtig. Dann brauche ich diesen erdigen tiefen süßen Duft. Habe ihn vor Jahren mal im Müller gerochen und war direkt begeistert...aber ich kaufte ihn nicht. War mir damals zu teuer. Dann wurde er reduziert und ich wollte ihn mitnehmen doch mit Entsetzen stellte ich fest, dass er übel riecht. Und ich ließ es sein. Viele Jahre später stand er reduziert bei Rossmann und ich probierte ihn wieder. Und da strahlte er wieder in seiner vollsten Schönheit. Eben, der Duft zur falschen Zeit schreckt ab. Aber zur Richtigen Zeit ist er einfach nur purer Genuss

The last Cavallis didn’t really impress me, so I approached Florence with caution and without high expectations, even though the bottle is truly eye-catching.

And I look wide-eyed, as the scent immediately captivates me.

In my mind, I stroll again through elegant Florence in the shade of the orange trees.
I encounter chic, sassy Florentine women who smile at me as they pass by.
The gentlemen nod at me too, as I’ve picked up a little black dress with spaghetti straps from a boutique there.

I must appear local, as a lady kindly addresses me in Italian, which flatters me.
In a trattoria, I treat myself to a glass of grapefruit juice and a blackcurrant ice cream - and watch the busy Vespas whizzing by.

Strangely, the colorful hustle and bustle is not stressful at all.

This atmosphere of calm and liveliness is transported by the scent one-to-one.
Busyness and tranquility go hand in hand here.

A very Italian fragrance that promises sunshine - but also provides soothing shade.

I received Florence as a gift for Valentine's Day in 2018. I didn't know the scent beforehand, only the
bottle from advertising brochures.

It doesn't seem to be well-received here, but it's not that bad! And I wouldn't necessarily describe it as sweet-fruity; I perceive it more as herb-fruity with a slight herbal sweetness.

When I wear Florence, thoughts of fruit gingerbread spiced with honey come to mind. Gingerbread is a centuries-old specialty, primarily enjoyed during the Christmas season, but not exclusively. It also comes in many variations with spices and fruits.
Florence reminds me of one, I believe it's Oblaten gingerbread, with those little dried fruits inside and herbal honey.

Dark fruity blackcurrants emerge, followed by orange blossoms and grapefruit. Everything is well blended together. The scent is enveloped by a lot of patchouli, whose sweetness makes me think of herbal-sweet fir and spruce honey.
The scent is sweet, but not in a candy-sweet way like many other new fragrances.
It suits winter better for me and lasts longer than in summer. Normally, I find that scents last longer in summer. But this one is a winter fragrance for me. Of course, it should also be applied sparingly so that it doesn't come off as overpowering.
I would classify it as a gourmand scent. It might appeal to Angel and Wish wearers.

The bottle is truly beautiful and I will place it in the "for beautiful bottles" display once it's empty.

Why do musk, amber, and patchouli always smell the same in Coty Prestige fragrances? That's the topic of "base notes." They are completely interchangeable (similar to the other Cavallis).

On my sample it says: "A modern addictive chypre." I don't understand why this scent is supposed to be addictive. I imagine a modern chypre differently.
I really don't see what makes this EdP a chypre. The nasty, scratchy patchouli in the base? It shows up after about 30 minutes. Unfortunately.
Because before that, "Florence" isn't so bad at all. The top notes, crucial for purchasing the perfume in the hectic Christmas season (most stressed individuals don’t wait for the base), are berry-gourmand.
I do like cassis a lot, which is probably why I enjoy the start. Then come a few synthetic orange blossoms - and after that follows the familiar base.
What does this mix have to do with Florence?
No idea, but "Roma" has already been used by Biagiotti, Bvlgari had something this year with "Roman Nights," and "Teatro alla Scala" would be too much Krizia and too intellectual.
"Venezia" has also long been taken... "Pisa" sounds too much like school stress and a leaning tower (but they didn’t want a crooked bottle, as they really put effort into the design!) - so FLORENCE. Not "Firenze" either, that’s too difficult, the Italian original, so an internationally understandable form. Or is it just a melodious women's name?
Be that as it may, it seems to me that Coty Prestige invested more brainpower in naming and bottle design than in the scent itself. This has become common practice. What a shame.

Update 2019: Now heavily discounted, it found its way into my collection in August, but only because of the bottle. I still can't resist, but I'm working on it. The scent is even worse for me this year than in 2017. Unwearable.

For a long time, I kept a wide distance from Cavalli fragrances, put off by the provocative design that I found kitschy. I tested one scent and wasn't particularly impressed until I recently became aware of a few fragrances again. It all started with EdP Roberto Cavalli. What caught my attention was the interesting shape of the sillage, which is very noticeable but still "keeps it in check." My curiosity was piqued, and the bottle from Florence seduced me, I admit! When I discovered some of my favorite notes in it, I was hooked... Admittedly, it smells artificial, but it's a refined artificiality that doesn't annoy me because it's intelligent and serves its purpose. The natural scents that I generally prefer usually have a very subtle sillage. They are more suitable for relaxing at home than for the loud and sometimes hectic big city. I've been searching for suitable scents for a while that give me a good scent cloud without overwhelming me and the surroundings. And there are good fragrances with good sillage. However, they are like boxers who can only punch in one direction. Ultimately, they can overwhelm me if I don't dose them carefully. And when dosed carefully, they are too quiet to create that cloud around me. Cavalli can do that! I feel like I'm in a diffuse cocoon of scent, and I feel good about it, even with several sprays. There are often enough situations in the city where people get closer than one would like. Especially now during the pandemic, this has become particularly apparent. One wishes for a personal protective space. Cavalli didn't choose predator motifs in its design for nothing, even for the fragrances. They are scents that actually radiate something like: I won't do anything to you at first, but if you get too close, then watch out, you better get far away really quickly! The patterns are used for camouflage, but not standing out means being able to hunt better. These fragrances move smoothly like graceful predators or Aikido fighters. So just right for the urban jungle!!! I raise a toast with Cavalli to the little predator in the bunny! I know it doesn't match my profile picture. But sometimes, you have to let the claws out!

P.S.: The scent developed beautifully in the heat. Although the artificiality does sometimes bother me upon closer sniffing.