When it comes to the ultra-luxe perfume brands there is none which wears its history more patently than Creed. I would have said that history got a little bit in the way as we moved into the new century. The perfumes seemed to be too obviously looking to the past for inspiration. By the time 2010 rolled around I was wondering where the brand was headed. I received a preview sample of Aventus which immediately caught my attention. Olivier Creed had developed a masculine fruity floral using apple and pineapple in the opening. I consider the top accord of Aventus one of the most innovative choices made for a perfume meant for men. I remember wondering if this was going to do well with that desired demographic. Six years later Aventus is the best-selling perfume in the entire Creed line of perfumes. It has become a legendary perfume for guys who will tell you about its ability to charm women who smell it on them. I think it tells a woman this is a man who isn’t afraid to stand out because Aventus stands out among fragrances marketed to men.
Now Creed has decided it is time to give Aventus a feminine counterpart, Aventus for Her. The original fragrance was an homage to Napoleon Bonaparte. I expected Aventus for Her to be Josephine. In the press release it is meant to be more generic than that as it “is inspired by some of history’s most powerful women-royalty, artists, writers, and visionaries-whilst heralding the strong, modern woman of today.” It is that desire to encompass many instead of one which probably doesn’t provide an advantage for Aventus for Her . A strong primary focal point might have been a better choice. Because of this Aventus for Her is not as innovative as Aventus while still being quite charming.
Olivier Creed
M. Creed chooses to repeat the apple he used in Aventus for this distaff version. It is surrounded with the usual suspects of many fruity openings as pink pepper, cassis, lemon and red berries all form an accord that is familiar with only the apple adding something marginally different. It settles into a beautifully composed floral accord in the heart as rose leads the way supported by ylang-ylang, lilac, and violet. The last two tint the rose ever so slightly purple. The base is sandalwood as the core around which M. Creed adds patchouli, styrax, and musk. It makes for a sweetly woody finish.
Aventus for Her has 10-12 hour longevity and average sillage.
I am not sure Creed did this perfume any favors with its name. The similarities are not so apparent. It is also lacking in the special qualities which makes Aventus stand out. My first impression was full of comparisons which really weren’t fair. Aventus for Her is a Creed fruity floral which trends feminine which I think is as good as many of the recent releases. This does not feel like Creed is looking to the past it does feel forward looking for the brand. On the days I wore this I found myself enjoying it quite a bit. If you temper your expectations I think you might also find Aventus for Her to be worth your while.
Disclosure: This review was based on a sample provided by Creed.
–Mark Behnke
