Valentino Valentina Assoluto (2012): "A Real Creation" {New Perfume}

Olivier Cresp, the perfumer who signed the latest Valentina Assoluto by Valentino, remarked to WWD that the new fragrance is "a real creation", not just a serviceable flanker to the original Valentina (see review), which was issued last year.

The Assoluto was styled to be more "nocturnal", more "seductive", we are told. More technically speaking, it has become a chypre variation on the first opus which is a floriental...

The perfume deliberately contains a number of ingredients meant to reflect the Italian landscape and its aromatic essences.

The Assoluto opens on top notes with Italian bergamot, white Alba truffle from Piedmont and Smeggia peach from Sicily, with a heart of Mediterranean jasmine, tuberose and delicate vanilla from Madagascar, and a drydown of silky cedar, oakmoss, patchouli and chypre.

Cresp said that, “The white flowers in question are hot and enveloping [...] It’s a strong perfume, one that brings a sense of mystery and noir. It’s also inspired by Valentino fashion,” Designers Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioliare are said to have brought their very intuitive approach to the making of the perfume.

Expect to see it from July 2012 at Harrods first then in Europe, Russia, the Middle East from August, Asia in October and the USA in April 2013.

More info at WWD