Valentino Donna

Oh, Valentino. Where to even begin articulating my way-more-than-borderline obsession with the iconic, innovative and inspiring Maison?! You know what, I might spare you that this time around. My tales of attending their Mirabilia Romae Haute Couture event in Rome over the summer contained more than enough proclamations of adoration. No, this particular post is all about the brand’s latest fragrance, Valentino Donna…

Wearing head to toe Valentino at Hotel Salomon de Rothschild

There is nothing I find more thrilling that being invited into the world of Valentino. Attending the shows, wearing the clothes and getting some semblance of an inside look into the workings of the label to then share with you guys has been an experience I’ve been lucky enough to enjoy a few times now, most recently during Paris Fashion Week SS16. To celebrate the unveiling of their new scent, Valentino Donna, the brand invited a few of us bloggers (influencers, content creators, whatever you want to call it) to discover the fragrance ahead of its launch, post a few teasers on our platforms and then attend a private event at the stunning Hotel Salomon de Rothschild – where Valentino had hosted an EPIC party the previous evening – to watch the Valentino Donna film and learn about its creation from the experts behind it.

The fragrance itself is, of course, delectable. Perfumers Sonia Constant and Antoine Maisondieu used traditional perfume ingredients including Rose Essence, Bergamot and Iris Pallida but surprising combinations such as warm, intense notes of leather blended more commonly found in men’s scents with patchouli and vanilla give Donna a very contemporary feel. As for the accompanying film, utterly captivating. Starring breathtaking French actress, Àstrid Bergès-Frisbey and directed by Louis Garrel, it’s essentially an anti-advert. In lieu of product placement the viewer is transported into Rome at night where an unseen male narrator watches and follows Àstrid through the streets as she makes her way home. Voyeuristic and mysterious and poetic, the film for me treads a fine line between romance and menace making it a captivating watch and a bold move as a fragrance campaign.

Discover more about Valentino Donna online here… My SS16 show review will be coming soon too!

Love Ella. X