Tribu

Tribu is truly underrated, in my humble opinion. It was released during a time period that many connoisseurs dismiss as a low point in perfumery, but on the contrary, I find the 90s to have some truly innovative explorations from perfumers. It was a time when we were finding the envelope pushed more so than ever before, experimenting with the "overdosing" of materials to create unprecedented effects. Here, Bernard Ellena (younger brother JCE), pushes ionones, particularly beta ionone, to their limit, and what results is something that reminds me almost of boronia, an Australian flower with deep maroon-brown petals, known for its distinct aroma, spicy, fruity, almost tobacco-like (beta ionone is most often used to build a boronia accord). I own some of the absolute, and it is one of my favorite botanical materials; it is unfortunately quite expensive and finds infrequent use in perfumery. Here, this boronia sensation is accompanied by the feel of both redcurrants and blackcurrants, a chamomile accord not dissimilar to that of Vicky Tiel's Ethere, lots of hedione and sheer florals, almost watery in its effect. I am also reminded of iced black tea, sweet violets, wet stones, even clay. I also think of that aroma of being under grapevines in the summertime, with the scent of fresh clusters and sun-warmed leaves above mingling with the fermented fallen fruit below. Then I also am reminded of opening a fresh box of cigars and what immediately wafts out. Furthermore, there is a light, quenching geranium in the periphery, muddled with blackberries. Surprisingly, over time there it diverts to a sweet-accented rosy-cedar woodiness and moss that is heavenly. This is unique and captivating to me.

I used to wear this fragrance back in the late 90's and honestly would wear it again today! I no longer have a bottle HOWEVER, I was able to purchase one (xmas gift) on fragrance.net for $49 bucks. Only mentioning the site and price because I know it was discontinued and super expensive on ebay. I'm assuming its a new reformulation but from seeing the below reviews, most say its pretty much the same. My memories of Tribu is of a strong almost tea like perfume, kind of spicy, and very 90's smelling. Its a strong perfume that I would not recommend to wear in the summer, as it can be headache inducing. If you have not tried it and find it, I think you should blind buy it because its a one of kind type of scent. The best comparison I have to it is a mix of Love Spell from Elizabeth Arden, with Green Tea also from EA and Escape from Calvin Klein. Its not a fresh scent but a heavy hitter, not sure if my review makes any sense just wanted to share the wealth of what a great perfume Tribu was and still is.

Simply delicious. I've been wearing Tribu today and I can't help to reminisce about my adolescense. It was 1993-94 when my sister discovered this fragrance, I loved it immediately. My friends would always comment on it. It is one of the very few fruity and floral frags I love. The blackcurrant-mandarin-violet leaf combo unfolds beautifully upon spraying for the first time...then it mellows during the dry down without losing its essence and other notes come forth; rose, ylang ylang, sandalwood, benzoin....hmmm you've got to try this. I bought it again 13 years ago... and I still have 1/3 of it. Keeping perfumes in their boxes, in a cool and dry place, away from direct light will preserve the juice for years. We all love the beautiful bottles right? having them covered seems like utter nonsense...but trust me... these beauties need to be protected :-) Tribu's longevity is awesome and sillage is great.

Tribu is truly a gem in perfumery...It is hard to find nowadays, but totally worth it. The opening is so original and creative, it starts out with a strong lipsticky accord that morphs into a dark fruity wine. I get strong benzoins in the opening and black currant, mandarin and ylang ylang following right after. When Tribu settles on my skin, the jasmine makes its entrance and blends beautifully with the rest of the notes. But the jasmine note is subtle and not dominant, it is the silky black currant that is the star of the show here... I get no rose and violet leaf notes. Tribu feels dark, earthy, sensual, warm, slightly woody, and even chocolatey at some point, but mostly boozy and like I said a bit waxy or lipsticky...it feels very high end to my nose, this one is daring and fearless... Sillage and longevity are outstanding!

I desperately want to find a perfume similar to this. It is so complex and unlike anything else I have ever smelled. Wore it in high school and college and well after. Recently bought two very expensive bottles that seemed legit, but since it has been discontinued for so long, they had both turned to alcohol. Does anyone have ANY recommendations of something similar? Even this site doesn’t seem to recommend anything that comes even close. Or maybe, if you loved this, have you ever found any other perfume that you loved just as much? It was such a unique scent that it’s hard to settle on another scent else that is just ok.

Tribu how I miss you ...! I remember when I smelled this lovely scent for the first time on another girl. I got a serious whiff of Black currant jam and I loved it. Super youthfull ripe and sweet blackcurrant, chamomille, orangey ylang-ylang on a creamy woody base. I miss this so much and I am seriously considering buying one at a wild price at eBay. Sweet, comforting and feminine ...just yummi. I had both this and the acqua fresca edition. Loved them both equally Edit : I got my hands on 2 bottles 100 ml at a reasonable price. I feel so Rich and I will enjoy them both untill last drop.

I used to wear Tribu in high-school and recently found it in a perfume shop in the mall. I was so excited! Double the price now since it's discontinued, but still worth it. Not only for the nostalgia, but because it smells so good. To me, it smells like sweet iced tea. Nothing has come close to that scent except for Oros Pure's Cloisonné. Definitely NOT a dupe, but similar "sweet iced tea" note on the dry down, but also has a hint of a "fresh cigar" in the background, which is why I said it's not a dupe. Tribu is definitely a scent to experience in my opinion. Happy Smelling!

my mom loved this perfume and when i found it online i was skeptical of the new makers... i read the reviews here before buying it and i must say... it is a hit or miss. My mom loved it and it reminded her of that period of her life. She was very happy and excited. Although she said it has some diff notes to it, the idea of a company making a perfume from the past was cool to her its tough to recommend to the youth as the scents today are not as complex... people want simple sweet or spicy these days and this scent has complexity to it

It's beyond me how anyone could ever decide to discontinue some sublime scents and Tribu is one of them. I've enjoyed it so much and repurchased it a few times and never in a million years have I thought that I'd wake up one day and find it no longer in production. It was plain gorgeous, performed outstandingly well on my skin and lingered for the longest time. A delight to the nose. To me it was in the same vein as Il Bacio by Marcella Borghese. Perfume glory of the nineties at its finest.

I find Tribu unique and i have never come across a perfume which smells like this. Smells clean creamy and fresh at the same time, and it's totally sexy! Makes you feel attractive. Men like this one and i get compliments everytime i wear Tribu. To me it is the most significant and intriguing fragrance that Benetton ever made. If you are into woody pleasant florals, which smell young and fresh at the same time, you should try Tribu. It's a bargain in Germany and it's precious. I love Tribu.

I knew this baby from my Mom and became my second signature scent for almost 5 years when I was in highschool and university. Hahahaha. It was good-old-day, until one of my bestfriend and my sister-in-law wear it as their signature scent too. This is a heavy and mature scent. Two sprays will last for 6 hours on my skin. Pricey for a student but it goes looooong way. Kind of sad to hear Benetton discontinued Tribu. Thanks for all good memories, Tribu!

the scent of "tribe" automatically takes me back to my childhood, this was my mother's favorite perfume in the early 2000`s. I got a bottle a few months ago and it was very nostalgic for me to feel its aroma again. Personally, I really like the notes, the smell is like no other, very unique. in terms of protection and longevity it is a 10/10, you would not want to use it in closed spaces, like the office, since it is very strong.

I got the small vial from fragrancenet and as I sprayed it on the paper of the vial it immediately transported me back in the 90's during my high school days! Wow! This perfume never lost it's captivating aroma that makes me wanna be high school again and experience all the fun and exciting moments with my friends and classmates in high school! This is oldie but goodie and pure gem! Will purchase full 100 ml bottle for sure!

i never wore perfume because my skin becomes very dry when i spray perfume. i even get an allergic reaction but this was the first that didn't do that to me. my husband had suggested me trying this but it was so hard to find because we didn't know it was discontinued. finally, we found it at a fragrance shop at the mall near us and it being the last one so we bargained and got it for cheap. overall, i LOVE this perfume!

Oh.. how i missed this fragrance. I wore it back on my college days. I remembered always carried around this unique catchy bottle in my bag. Even tough i didn’t need to re-apply, because Tribu has a monstrous longevity. Tribu was a cheapie with unique scent. A rebellion with warm heart. Nothing smells like this nowadays. I really wish they bring back this peculiar sweetheart.

On my opinion this is a UNIQUE scent. I love perfumes and i'm always looking for a new one, so i'v smelled lots of them, but nothing smells like this one. I LOVEEE it, its so sexy and original. I'll always use it. Is one of my favorite perfumes. The lasting power is very good on my skin. I'm a gourmand and this one isnt a gourmand at all, but its definatly a MUST HAVE.

I agree with smellysmellycat. I'm the person who doesn't like Floral scented perfumes, but I love Tribu! At first it smelled like beer and wine with flowers. But as it lasts long in my skin, it becomes seductive and sophisticated and so so beautiful. It lasts for hours. I love it! I had it when I as in High school and I still have 1 now, actually I am buying again.

The scent was mesmerizing and although not long lasting on clothes or skin the olfactory perception could be recalled just by imagining the bottle. It was absolutely magical. I loved it for years and had several bottles. Benetton could relaunch it as some limited edition one day! Would make many people happy especially mothers who were teens at its release time.

Another perfume which was sadly discontinued... Found it a couple of years ago in a Benetton store though but did not buy it straightaway. By the time I thought about and came back to buy it, they had stopped selling it. I am still very angry with myself for not buying it straightaway as I had been looking for it for so long.

This is such a beautiful fragrance. The black currant really shines through but plays nicely with the other notes to create something quite special; fruity yet not too sweet, a bit jammy, and delightfully woodsy. There’s a touch of something incense-like in there as well (unlit). I love it!

Strong and long lasting! Black currant, oakmoss, vetiver and woods all day long...12+ hours. I don't catch any of the floral heart notes, just strong top and base notes making it seem like more of a fruity chypre than a floral on me.

El perfume más maravilloso del mundo...el 1° y más amado de mi colección... lo uso solo el día de mi cumpleaños y lo destapo y huelo solo para recordar por qué es tan entrañable. Lo amo y ninguno se parece a esta maravilla.

I'm wearing this today for the first time in maybe 25years, more than 20 for sure. How is it even better than I remembered??! So glad I found a 100ml bottle and brought it back into my collection.

I used to wear it ten years ago, i bought it again. It smells very soft-woody, clean and makes you feel beautiful somehow. I find this fragrance quite attractive.

Guest Snoopy, it's been ages since I last heard of Tribú Aqua Fresca. Same bottle, but in colors white and blue, and yes, way lighter than regular Tribú, indeed.

I think this one is BY FAR the best one Benetton has ever released. Such a shame its been discontinued...

A great deal, a very very nice perfume for such a good price! Just excellent.

Oh God... its mezmerized me... so warm, nice feeling and good old times ...

Tribù is older than I am, and wasn't worn by anyone I know; therefore it holds no nostalgic value for me. I am intrigued by it however - not for its time capsule capabilities, but I have read that it is an unusual composition that belies its price. Benetton was a fixture of the European high street when I was a child, but while I had a few brightly-coloured basics, I don't remember their perfumes. Tribù is the first I've smelled. I have a vintage miniature - a scaled-down version of the distinctive bottle. Tribù is an unusual floral chypre made with a light touch. With a fruity opening and a herbal undertone, it is ultimately quite shampoo-like. It is also mossy and earthy with a lovely floral heart. It is fresh and pleasant overall, and pretty well-blended. Tribù opens with juicy blackcurrant and some fresh citrus. Light florals creep in, developing on a mossy, herbal background. Notes of green violet and chamomile, reminiscent of the tea, are most prominent, followed by soft white florals and powdery rose. The mossy, earthy accord that forms the chypre base is unusually light and airy, with a slightly bitter herbal undertone. It becomes increasingly green and slightly camphorous as it develops - reminiscent of Cacharel Eden, but much lighter, soapier and more pleasant. It fades to a soapy green skin scent with a hint of mossiness. Sillage and longevity are moderate. Fresh, pleasant and easy-to-wear, this green floral chypre is light and breezy while being utterly unique. A feminine-leaning freshie ideal for spring/summer, this is a great alternative to a citrus cologne. Creative yet wearable, Tribù is unassumingly excellent. 4/5.

I have used Tribu in my early twens. I did like it because it is a happy perfume for autumn and winter. I have not thought about it in years until in 2007 my husband bought me a bottle. I thought "what the heck is this?!" because I felt a little too old for the frag now but then I used up the 50ml bottle over several weeks without wearing anything else in between and I really liked it. The fragrance itself: Lasting power is incredible on my skin. One of only a few perfumes that I don't need to carry with me as I don't need to reapply every couple of hours. Tribu is a real flower bomb - geranium, jasmine and ylang-ylang are prominent on my skin for a whole day. I do not get any of the fruity top notes or the warm and woody base notes. If I take that into account, Tribu is rather linear on me. Heavy, complex but linear - which is not bad at all.

I like this fragrance a lot! It's very unique, warm and comforting with sadly less than average staying power. What makes it so special to me is its resin-like quality (from the benzoin) - I love that soft spicy-sweetness that's always there in the background. The top notes are pretty much lost on me except for a subtle hint of fruitiness that lingers below the heart notes for a while. I get geranium with a little chamomile and benzoin before they blend in perfectly with the other flowers. Vetiver sets in rather early to mingle with the middle notes before the scent settles into a warm soft slightly mossy dry-down. The geranium might be a little strong over a short period and Tribu lasts less than 4 hours on me. Apart from that it's a great scent.

I don't know what it is about Benetton fragrances, but I always seem to feel like I can taste them when I wear them. Regardless, I appreciate Tribu for its uniqueness. It is difficult to pinpoint many of the notes in it. Characterized by a swirl of floral, somewhat sweet-but-not-quite, balmy, mossiness, this fragrance brings up a little feeling of love/hate. I sometimes hesitate to spray it. But, after I apply Tribu, I'm always very happy I did. I think the black currant is a little bit challenging, and that is what I think of when I don't actually have the fragrance on my skin. Tribu and I are still in counseling...working on our relationship.

Nostalgic to me only because it's my mom's favorite perfume. She last had it in the early 2000s and would reminisce about it. She wished for it almost every time we brought up perfumes. She didn't know it was still around. Albeit pretty hard to find. It's a very creamy floral perfume, but not in a powdery type of way. It's somewhat jammy. Initial spray is pretty sharp, but it immediately tones down. I have no words other than I can understand why my mom is enamored. In the past few years, I tried finding a perfume that smelled like this and just couldn't. It is truly one of a kind.

This is a fun vintage find for me, since I never really got a chance to try it in the 90's. Personally, the mix of the camomile with the fragrant sweetness of jasmine and black current, projects an almost honey-like scent for me. Not regular honey, but a raw floral honey; very much a nectar vibe going. My second thought was that it smells very much like a strong herbally floral shampoo hair salons use. To me it's an equal balance of both floral and fruity, with a jammy sweetness. It's perfect for cool fall days, spending it outdoors admiring the turning colours of the leaves.

خانمم عاشق این عطر است و من هم از بوی آن لذت وافر میبرم. مشابه آلیس در سرزمین عجایب وقتی این عطر به مشامم میخورد احساس میکنم در یک محیط پر از گل و گیاه و سبزه قرار دارم در حالیکه در کنارم جوی آب زلال و خنکی در جریان می باشد. از حدود 10 سال پیش که اولین بار با این عطر آشنا شدیم همواره یه شیشه از آن را در منزل داشته ایم. همسرم وقتی این عطرش تمام می شود احساس خلاء میکند بطوریکه باید در اسرع وقت آن را تهیه نمائیم. ماندگاری زیادی دارد و پخش بویش هم عالیست. من از 10 نمره به آن 9.75 میدهم

Starts with a strong note of pastel crayons, together with red & black tea with the raisins cooked in the tea. In the middle I get he deepest sandalwood with a few figs, and dried fruits & tobacco, with sour rowanberry spiced up in liquor, so I guess rowanberry-liquor? This scent is **VERY AUTUMN**, the very scent of the year ending. Burning red, brown & yellow leaves, in the same color as the actual bottle! This is a very interesting "nichy"-smelling kind of perfume indeed!

interesting one. black currant is definitely present and takes you through the ylang-ylang, and chamomile straight into sandalwood.. that I sort of get this interesting mineral scent... think rain after a long dry spell.. the way wet stone smells or red clay and heat. I don't think this perfume suits me, but it does have a specific earthy beauty to it that if it sounds like you probably will be your deal.

Such a sweet and special fall nighttime smell! The black currant comes through so strongly without being too nauseatingly sweet like other fruity fragrances can be-- mild and almost herbal, noticeable but not obnoxious. Has a sort of tartness to it that reminds me of champagne or mimosas or something like that. Definitely a feminine scent but the bottle is too cool to resist.

This is a earthy perfume, kind of herbal and totally unisex. Its perfect for winter and fall. Its kind of cozy, exotic and very unique scent. This is discontinued, i think. Its a beast of perfume. If you likea earthy, mossy, herbal notes, this is for you. I wish they will have it back. Benetton dont make anymore this kind of unique perfumes again.

The tester smells completely different than on my skin. When it warms up it's like an herbally infused honey, lightly floral. A little sweeter than what I usually reach for but not offensive in the slightest. Definitely a spring/summer/early fall fragrance, I only wish it lasted a little longer.

That bottle and the snobbery you were entitled with when you had this back in my college days😏. Only tried it once, for a party. It can outlast a serious rave without going sour or rancid. That woody fruity scent was a crowd pleaser. Wish it wasn't phased out.

I cannot believe that Fragrantica reminded me of that! It’s my high school all over again!... I’m so emotional about finding it here, I couldn’t even remember the name of it... Oh, to being so young and so full of life like then..... Sniff, sniff :)

A friend of mine used to wear it when we were teenagers and I still remember it was unusual and fabulous! If the company decides to bring it back I will be the first to buy it. It remindas me of my adolescence.

Lovely herbal blackcurrant scent. If you can't find this, pop into Lush and try Junk, it's similar

Thank you @JC2109! It‘s wonderful to read something authentic that brings us back in time.

this perfume will always remind me of crazy high school days.

Yes, this is an overwhelming scent. I wore this years ago-it was my signature scent! Looking back on it, I'm a little surprised that I made this perfume my 'holy grail' for so long as it is probably one of the strangest perfumes I have ever tried. All I can say is that Tribu probably kicked off my love for loud scents. It's an unusual little perfume: It has an opening blast of something kind of dark and fruity and which must be the currant thrown in with something that smells like tea. Then, this kind of bitter geranium/rose smell steps up. When it's all said and done, it settles into a mossy almost woody scent. This one is too different and loud to be called a 'floral' in my opinion. Someone who is expecting something soft and garden-like pretty better look elsewhere!

The first time Tribu was introduced to me was in 2000. A woman where I work wore this fragrance. It was her favorite. To me it had a sweet and sour smell reminiscent of blackberry jelly or jam. Years later I bought it very cheap on overstock.com.. Well, I noticed that the heavy blackberry smell somehow seemed more subdued. Maybe the woman at work wore the eau de parfum while I may have had eau de toilette, not sure. I also could smell a jasmine note, cheap and plasticky. To me it smelled watery, and like bugspray! It is an odd smelling fragrance and I gave it away. Just was not a great scent on me.

I had a large sample bottle of this almost 20 years ago. Sadly I don't recall any specific notes of this scent, but I clearly recall how powerful and long lasting this was. It was more spicy than floral, strongly aldehydic, an unusual scent to be sure. I used to believe that the stronger a scent is, the better it is. But not with Tribu - it wore me, and it wore me out. After a horrific dental appointment during which I happened to wear this scent, I couldn't tolerate it anymore. Tribu is the only perfume I ever threw away. Once that negative association is made, nothing can undo it.

i just got this fragrance an hour ago. i bought this via internet without knowing how it smells and only relying my choice based on comments in fragrantica.com. at first, it smells like a clothing shop that i ever visited several years ago, a strong woody scent, which was making me sick right away. a minute after that, the smells get better, and the italian mandarin scent starts to come out. but minutes after that, the woody scent come out again but in softer way. hopefully i can like this scent soon, a very dramatic changes from Britney "curious" fragrance.