Due to a generous reader I was able to experience the earliest days of Trussardi. From 1993-2004 the brand put out a series of perfumes which were taking advantage of the new freedom beginning to show up in modern perfumery. I suspect it was a little bit ahead of the curve as none of these perfumes were commercial successes. I think if they had been released a decade later, they would have been lauded instead of left behind. Over the years since, the brand went the other way producing more consumer-friendly fragrances which have seemingly had better sales. One of my readers asked if I had tried Trussardi Eau de Parfum (EDP). I would get it in an envelope of samples a few days later. The correspondent was right this was new ground for the brand.
Violaine Collas
What is frustrating with perspective is to realize the Trussardi of the 90’s was artistically sound and chronologically adrift. What I realized as soon as I tried Trussardi EDP was this was a perfume firmly anchored in the current modern trends. Perfumers Violaine Collas and Julie Masse create an opaque summertime floral which is constructed of gauzy layers which add up to something substantial.
Julie Masse
The first layer is a sharply delineated neroli. The perfumers soften it with mandarin giving the citrusy parts of the flower some volume. A smart use of tomato leaf picks up that characteristic green in neroli with a slight vegetal twist. This is a like a white scarf with a silk screen of oranges and tomato vines.
The heart uses jasmine as the keynote. It is surrounded by the powder of lavender and the intensity of dahlia. It forms a deeper hued accord of flowers. The top accord settles right into it. Violet comes along to stitch it all together. It ends on a base of suede and patchouli which is way lighter than it sounds. The soft leather accord comes across in whispers. The patchouli also has a similar lighter presence. The earthy and animalic find a pleasant harmony.
Trussardi EDP has 10-12 hour longevity and average sillage.
I have not explicitly followed the most recent efforts from Trussardi but the ones I have tried still seemed safe to me. Trussardi EDP works its magic inside the current contemporary state of perfumery with panache. It just might be the harbinger of waking up the echoes of those glory days of the 90’s.
Disclosure: this review is based on a sample I purchased.
–Mark Behnke
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