Yes, really.
I like Victoria Beckham and what she’s done with herself. Not your usual celebrity makeover.
She wasn’t my fave Spice Girl (actually, I don’t have a favourite Spice Girl). But she seemed more in the background that Sporty, Scary or Baby Spice. So, the fact that she’s made something big of her fashion etc ‘empire’ is interesting.
(Per Pexels, a girl band)
In any case, she reshaped herself from pop bunny to something much more elegant. I like her dresses though I have never even considered forking out for one – even at a deep deep discount I think they would be way out of reach. Oh, how I miss the Barney’s Warehouse Sale (wiped the floor with Black Friday – feh). I still moon over that forest green velvet YSL Le Smoking jacket discounted to $100 that fit like a glove. One of my truly stupid retail missteps.
But back to VB and her fragrance release. I had high-ish hopes for this and wasn’t disappointed.
Posh teamed up with Jerome Epinette to develop these which are based on significant happenings in her life.
The initial release included three fragrances: Portofino ’97, Suite 302 and San Ysidro Drive. They have a colour scheme – aqua, white and an almost mustard yellow. The bottles look like fancy flasks for whiskey you (well, someone) pull out at a polo match, and they are offered in 50ml and 100ml bottles priced at £170 and £245. So, per my post last week, above my vague comfort zone for spending. I got the sample set which includes all three 2ml samples in a nice box with helpful cards about each perfume for £30 – a bit pricey for samples but there you go. The marketing guff is not bad at all.
Thankfully, while I think these are very well done and don’t at all feel like your usual celebrity offer I don’t adore any of them*. But, I definitely think they are well worth sampling.
Portofino ’97 (aqua). “A new infatuation. A secret escape. The seductive scent of desire.” Calabrian bergamot, black pepper, crisp white sheets suffused with incense and amber, patchouli and vetiver lingering on the skin of a significant other. This starts oddly but wonderfully of caramel spicy citrus. The caramel is a big surprise but makes the opening incredible. This does not last however and we’re into a very well done citrus modified by flowers and resins. The drydown is slightly acidic. My least favourite of the bunch bar that incredible start. If you love citrus, this is definitely worth a look.
Suite 302 (white). “An alluring rendezvous. An entrancing escapade. The intoxicating parfum of glamour.” Black cherry, red peppercorn, rose centifolia, violet, musk, papyrus, black leather and tobacco leaf. Weekends in Paris. Oh my goodness. This is the best cherry perfume I’ve ever encountered. I hadn’t yet sampled one that did good things on my skin but this is lovely. Proper luscious cherry plus some pepper in the opening. Never too sweet. Then, smooth cherry with musky flowers drying down to a nice cherry tobacco leather. Gorgeous. Clearly, my fave of the set.
San Ysidro Drive (mustard yellow). “A burst of energy. A new beginning. The healing power of perfume.” Passion fruit, pink peony, ocean air, rose, saffron flower, agarwood, black amber, vanilla and possibly incense. Reflects the wellness/ mindfulness vibe of southern California. Fruity soft floral opening, with an ozonic hit. Then, moving into a nice saffron rose vibe. Finally, on to a woody resinous thing with a good hit of vanilla. This seems the most straightforward.
So, well done, Posh. I would anticipate that these will be very popular with customers for VB’s clothes (her makeup line looks nice too). For the rest of us, if these were to pop up in decants, I might well buy one of Suite 302 just for that opening (I think I said this about something else recently – becoming a bit of a broken record).
So, were you into the Spice Girls? Love Wannabe? Are making retching noises? What about trying these?
Pics: Pexels and mine
*I lied. I am starting to really jones for Suite 302. Like, take me to a fancy suite in a fancy Paris hotel with someone fancy.
I’m not even trying these at that price point but hopefully they’ll be 1/2 price on the discounters one day
Portia xx
What I’ve tried of her makeup has been excellent. Sadly her clothes are out of my price range. Am now intrigued about the perfumes.
I really need to have a look at the makeup, particularly the pencils.
I know here from some of her fashion choices and never smiling in photos, and of course from the band. My godchild was in love with the Spice Girls when she was fice and I have been trapped in a car with a gaggle of little girls and the music. It’s infectious, and has a good message for them I guess, sooooo…
I look forward to trying the cherry one, but the rest? Not so sure. San Ysidro Drive is an intersting name- It’s kind of the back way into the Beverly Park subdivision in BHPO (Los Angeles, served by the Beverly Hills Post Office, but not real BH.) where they used to have a house. Beverly Park is home to he huge mansions that Sylvester Stallone, et al have. Theres a main entrance on Mulholland and the back entrance off of San Ysidro, which has (by comparison) little tract homes. Like the ones that Jackie (the mistress) had in “Shampoo.”
I was hoping you’d talk about San Isidro Drive. As to Wannabe and the Spice Girls I think quite a few young women felt really positive about them. Shampoo is a great film.
I know that her eyeliner pencils have a lot of fans. I’d be more interested in spending my money on those than her perfume samples. Your descriptions, and her marketing fluff, are great, but each one has a note or two that I dislike. Money saved!
See alityke’s comments on pencils below. I was very pleasantly surprised with regard to the perfumes. I do think the marketing material is a cut above the average.
WHOA. I reaaaaallllly want to try that Suite 302 … going to have to poke around and see if I can get a sample! Thanks, I think haha — not sure how difficult that’ll be out here, I guess that’s what the internet is for. I knew who the Spice Girls were, but that’s about it.
I was very pleasantly surprised. Watch the Wannabe video on YouTube. It’s fun. Just looked at StC which does not appear to have them.
Intriguing post.
At first I thought, “Heck, no!”
Then I remembered that VB is known for her pickiness.
Then I read your description of Suite 302.
Then I discovered that the nose behind these 3 scents is Jérome Épinette, the very same nose behind AC’s Café Tuberosa, which I love!
I did have a fave Spice Girl – Mel C (Sporty) – because I have no athletic skill whatsoever. Also, she wore comfortable clothing and could sing.
Yup, exactly that: Heck no, but totally a wrong reaction. The Spice Girls were fun. Wasn’t overwhelmed with their appearance in the London Olympics. In any case, yes, these are well worth sampling.
Did you read beyond “Heck, no”?
Yes, the Spice Girls were fun. I enjoyed them, especially Sporty, as written at the end of my post.
I may have ordered some of the VB Kajal pencils & this sample set was offered amongst the freebies with orders. Promptly ticked the box & I’m eagerly waiting their arrival.
May have? Ah, I see. Let me know what you think of them if they do arrive. And the fragrances too of course 🙂
They may have been purchased on Wednesday after mum’s celebratory meal ?
I already have some of the VB pencils. They are brilliant on my increasingly hooded eyes. Worth the money as there is no need for other eye products, just mascara