Top Notes 
Blackcurrant
Neroli
Iris
Heart Notes 
Carnation
Jasmine
Tuberose
Rose
Base Notes 
Musk
Oakmoss
Patchouli
Woody notes
Amber
Serenissima
1247 Reviews
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Serenissima
Helpful Review
7
from opulent to sleek and thus more suitable for everyday wear
I am known to love these opulent compositions of chypre fragrances from the last century.
How well-rounded and full of diversity and richness they surround us, how can we let ourselves fall into their embraces without fear of bruises.
The words “opulent” and “pompous” describe them quite well; "luxury" anyway!
But how to deal with it when one of the beloved fragrance creations appears on the market in a slimmed-down version, naturally driving curiosity to test it?
Ted Lapidus already performed this slimming treatment on Cristóbal Balenciaga's “Rumba” in 2009 and two years later (2011) on his own fragrance creation “Création”.
I have already commented on the “Rumba experiment”, the new “Création” still occupies my thoughts.
Now, I generally do not like comparisons, as in my opinion, one of the two always unfairly falls by the wayside.
“The winner takes it all!”, even though I won’t push the “second winner” into the corner.
This is a bit difficult for me!
Where has this opulence gone, this overflowing of fragrance notes, the tantalizing scratch of oak moss?
The reduction from 23 to 12 fragrance notes naturally leaves its mark.
The quirky personality with some edges and barbs has been slimmed down and polished so much that a creation emerged that fits the modern, pleasantly hand-held bottle.
Even the summer fruits I have always liked in the entrée (I love soft, ripe, and sweet peach notes there) have been replaced by enchanting neroli aroma, powdery iris, and tart black currant. But …
The light citrus note has also disappeared, and in the floral garden of the heart note, lily of the valley and the noble gardenia scents are missing; these two luxury fragrance notes have been removed without replacement: what a pity!
Further, the red pencil has been applied, reducing the variety of flowers.
What remains, instead of an opulent bouquet, is a much smaller bouquet of flowers (not quite in the style of Ikebana, but …), consisting of feathery, spicy garden cloves as well as sensually warm jasmine flowers and the also white magic of tuberoses.
Of course, roses must not be missing; how nice to find them here.
Vanilla with its warm radiance and allure is sought in this base in vain, the known earthy-spicy and woody and smoky-resinous fragrance notes form a finale without any erotic-animalistic touch. Where is the sandalwood?
The new “Création” is well wearable, finely soapy, and adapts without being boring.
Only the seductively baroque nature with the sensually warm embrace has become a sleek, very modern version of a woman:
Clear fragrance lines fit very well with the new bottle, everything is devoid of any excess (almost in Bauhaus style?), even if the “gathering” recalls the sensual original form.
Even the pine cone closure has been smoothed out.
“Création” has received a new garment, completely without frills: beautiful, smooth, and modern.
“Création” has clearly shed its skin, becoming tamer and more sociable, yes, perhaps really more serious, in any case more suitable for everyday wear.
Business look takes the place of a cocktail dress with its expectations (these were surely sewn into every model!) and leaves the feeling of being pleasantly accompanied through the day by a golden fragrance.
Beautiful, sleek, a bit streamlined, and of stylish elegance:
That is the new version of “Création”!
(But we “old ones” still carry the past and its fragrances within us.)
How well-rounded and full of diversity and richness they surround us, how can we let ourselves fall into their embraces without fear of bruises.
The words “opulent” and “pompous” describe them quite well; "luxury" anyway!
But how to deal with it when one of the beloved fragrance creations appears on the market in a slimmed-down version, naturally driving curiosity to test it?
Ted Lapidus already performed this slimming treatment on Cristóbal Balenciaga's “Rumba” in 2009 and two years later (2011) on his own fragrance creation “Création”.
I have already commented on the “Rumba experiment”, the new “Création” still occupies my thoughts.
Now, I generally do not like comparisons, as in my opinion, one of the two always unfairly falls by the wayside.
“The winner takes it all!”, even though I won’t push the “second winner” into the corner.
This is a bit difficult for me!
Where has this opulence gone, this overflowing of fragrance notes, the tantalizing scratch of oak moss?
The reduction from 23 to 12 fragrance notes naturally leaves its mark.
The quirky personality with some edges and barbs has been slimmed down and polished so much that a creation emerged that fits the modern, pleasantly hand-held bottle.
Even the summer fruits I have always liked in the entrée (I love soft, ripe, and sweet peach notes there) have been replaced by enchanting neroli aroma, powdery iris, and tart black currant. But …
The light citrus note has also disappeared, and in the floral garden of the heart note, lily of the valley and the noble gardenia scents are missing; these two luxury fragrance notes have been removed without replacement: what a pity!
Further, the red pencil has been applied, reducing the variety of flowers.
What remains, instead of an opulent bouquet, is a much smaller bouquet of flowers (not quite in the style of Ikebana, but …), consisting of feathery, spicy garden cloves as well as sensually warm jasmine flowers and the also white magic of tuberoses.
Of course, roses must not be missing; how nice to find them here.
Vanilla with its warm radiance and allure is sought in this base in vain, the known earthy-spicy and woody and smoky-resinous fragrance notes form a finale without any erotic-animalistic touch. Where is the sandalwood?
The new “Création” is well wearable, finely soapy, and adapts without being boring.
Only the seductively baroque nature with the sensually warm embrace has become a sleek, very modern version of a woman:
Clear fragrance lines fit very well with the new bottle, everything is devoid of any excess (almost in Bauhaus style?), even if the “gathering” recalls the sensual original form.
Even the pine cone closure has been smoothed out.
“Création” has received a new garment, completely without frills: beautiful, smooth, and modern.
“Création” has clearly shed its skin, becoming tamer and more sociable, yes, perhaps really more serious, in any case more suitable for everyday wear.
Business look takes the place of a cocktail dress with its expectations (these were surely sewn into every model!) and leaves the feeling of being pleasantly accompanied through the day by a golden fragrance.
Beautiful, sleek, a bit streamlined, and of stylish elegance:
That is the new version of “Création”!
(But we “old ones” still carry the past and its fragrances within us.)
Updated on 04/26/2025
5 Comments
Yatagan
SchatzSucher
Pollita
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Serenissima
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