Valentino Beauty taps into the poetry of memory, using spicy cardamom and Madagascar vanilla.
Summary
- The Notes: The Donna eau de parfum mixes a bright plum accord with a warm vanilla extract finish, while the Uomo eau de toilette disrupts a spicy cardamom top note with a creamy coco accord.
- The Vessel: The house updates its signature Rockstud bottle by wrapping the pyramidal glass in black leather to contrast against the new violet juice inside.
Valentino just dropped Born in Roma Purple Melancholia, a fragrance duo that rejects the idea of sadness as a drag and instead positions that moody headspace as a source of unbound creativity. Leaning into the viral “who is your purple” conversation, the launch focuses on those deep, authentic connections that shape who we are.
That focus on shaping identity plays out immediately in the Donna eau de parfum, which opens with a punchy plum accord. The fruit-heavy top notes give way to a luminous osmanthus heart, eventually settling into a sticky, addictive base of Madagascar vanilla extract that creates a powerful sillage.
While the vanilla brings the drama for her, the Uomo eau de toilette relies on a creamy coco accord to provide a modern twist. This unexpected note cuts through an amber aromatic woody structure, smoothing out the spicy freshness of cardamom and refined lavandin that hit the nose first.
Those contrasting elements of spice and cream are mirrored physically in the packaging, where the house pays tribute to its heritage. The iconic Rockstud design returns, but this time the pyramidal bottle is dressed in black leather to offset the striking “melancholia purple” liquid within.
This specific shade is the latest evolution in a chromatic lineup that started back in 2019. Following the releases of Coral Fantasy and Green Stravaganza, this new chapter aims to act as a sensorial emblem for the people who make our lives better simply by being there.
