We are not usually inclined to talk about a bottle before the scent itself, but the chunky square ice cube that houses Narciso Rodriguez’s new fragrance is something to behold. Within it, a milky white lacquer contains the scent itself. “The stone-white colour of the bottle was matched to a stone I found on the shore in Cyprus on a visit to Aphrodite’s birthplace,” explains Rodriguez.
A dapper addition to any dressing table, the understated flaçon, together with the perfume inside it are both very New York – a place the designer holds close to his heart. (He allegedly takes the subway instead of being chaffeured from place to place, as he enjoys the people-watching aspect so much.) The scent Narciso is equally as understated – the olfactory equivalent of one of the designer’s tailored leather skirts or monochrome cashmere sweaters. Taking the traditional masculine note of vetiver and combining it with a soft musky heart with rich cedar, Narciso is an extremely sexy number you can sport to work without making your office smell like a bordello.
by Viola Levy
Narciso Rodriguez Narciso is available at £58 for 50ml at Selfridges