Sometimes all I need to enjoy a new perfume in an overexposed style is just one twist. As I spend most of the summer releases smelling one fresh fougere after the other one, something different stands out. As I was wearing K by Dolce & Gabbana I was thinking this is the opposite of designing a summer flanker. Instead of shoehorning in summery ingredients K goes for something un-summery roughing up the staid fougere architecture.
Daphne Bugey
I am surprised perfumers Daphne Bugey and Nathalie Lorson could take that risk for a commercial release. They stay very true to the formula until they added one specific ingredient in enough concentration to make it noticeable. That ingredient is pimento. The way it is used here is like Buffalo sauce on chicken wings to provide a spicy kick to the bland.
Nathalie Lorson
K opens on a nice duet of blood orange and juniper berry. The tartness of the citrus and the bite of the juniper berry are a refreshing top accord. Then the pimento sizzles into view as lavender and clary sage give an herbal foundation for it. K really gets interesting as the patchouli enters the heart accord. The heat of the pimento and the earthiness of the patchouli are an ideal match. I liked this as the core of K because it had a little more heft then the typical summer fougere. A woody combo of cedar and vetiver make the foundation.
K has 8-10 hour longevity and average sillage.
K is another recent commercial release taking a risk by using a heretofore “niche” ingredient in a mass-market perfume. I’ve seen more of this lately and I’m wondering why the brands have decided to start striking out by using some of these less safe ingredients. I am happy to find them because the right twist can make me enjoy the commercial releases so much more.
Disclosure: this review is based on a sample provided by Dolce & Gabbana.
–Mark Behnke
