Vibrant Leather Mood Zara 2024

The fear of “different” is rooted deeply in human beings. Diversity represents an unknown that creates a gap between reality and ideal. However, the fact that our mental mechanisms lead us to fear diversity and avoid it should not be a justification for contempt for what we do not know. Being aware of this allows us to contain certain mechanisms and to have such flexibility, through which we can recognize situations in which diversity is not something harmful to be afraid of, but is instead a “new world” to be discovered, which we can approach with curiosity, comparison and interest. And it is precisely in this way that we should approach this creation of the master Jérôme Epinette, whose creations are often simple, yet elegant and original.

My batch of Vibrant Leather Mood announces itself as bizarre, rare and unique, which may or may not please, depending on your tastes and mood. Something sour, verdant, herbal, and cold spicy in the opening accord is scary. I detect an extreme similarity to the original Vibrant Leather (2018) Eau de Parfum, mainly sour pineapple and bergamot, soon followed by a tenacious aromatic and herbaceous lavender. It is a vivid, balsamic, sharp scent, similar to an all-purpose balm that cures many small ailments. I consider it the well-known combination of bergamot-lavender with citrus, fresh floral, and woody nuances. It is certainly different from the perfume I tried in the store. The sensations I feel now are far from those I remembered. This is not to say that the perfume is a poseur, on the contrary. What I smell I like, I am curious; I do not feel disappointed or discouraged. It seems that the name given to it is appropriate and that the perfume changes depending on the mood of the wearer, the place and the moment. Without going into too much detail about the causes, I believe it is a question of maceration and oxidation. The tester surely incorporated more air than the new bottle, and this may have modified and amplified some notes that are not as marked or evident in the untouched product.

In the heart, the perfume changes and I seem to catch the anisic edge of fennel, or that of star anise, which makes sense according to the spicy notes listed. An aroma that I am used to smelling of alcoholic drinks like ouzo, raki, anisette, and absinthe, among others. During this time, the perfume’s scent develops and becomes richer. Dry smooth leather and harsh pineapple edges emerge from the aromatic and balmy surface. The smell of the leather could be that of saffron, which is expertly dosed and never too invasive, raw, or animalic. The mentholated, camphoraceous, and balsamic background facets persist throughout the perfume. Sometimes, if smelled closely, it is very reminiscent of Vicks Vaporub, with its balsamic and mentholated scents.

In the base, I get an overdose of Iso E Super mixed with modern patchouli, cleaned up, not brash. There is a sweetish and powdery trail that resembles tonka, perhaps thanks to the coumarins. Finally, almost at its end, I begin to detect the smoky and waxy notes of incense, a note that I adore, which shows its resinous side more than the clerical one with that hint of church pews. Fresh olibanum and salty ambroxan are a suitable combination for modern fragrances in vogue in this decade. From the woods, I get a dry aroma, typical of cedar wood chips.

Honestly, I don’t understand the low ratings that were given. Maybe the judgment was too hasty. So next time you test a new perfume, give it some time to age—you’ll be rewarded with a beautifully matured and captivating scent. On my skin, the perfume is perfect for the cold and humid days of autumn and the crisp days of spring. Instead, I see it as unsuitable for the winter months, too weak to face General Winter. It is not invasive and, therefore safe for indoor environments, elegant for formal events during the day and evening. Good performance, I can smell it even after many hours of application. Although it is a spin-off of the original, do not expect a similarity with #Aventus, totally different.

I expressed my opinion based on a bottle I have owned since October 2024 (BC 42321, PD 2024-08-19)

-Elysium