Sicily

10. february 2015 I have had this fragrance in my collection for several years and i never actually understood it. At some point i even wanted to get rid of my 50ml EDP, since i found it very weird. It must have been a change of seasons and at some point i finally got captivated and carried away with a creamy smoothy banana note after trying it again. What at first didn ́t impress me, later got me swoon for it. I mean, how weird is it: Sicily and bananas????!! And who wants to smell like bananas anyway? Well i don ́t mind now and i see a lot of people do as well. Sicily has a perfect balance within the notes and i believe that thanks to nutmeg creamness and intense heliotrope it becomes so incredibly buttery and smooth that i am in love. I still don ́t get any associations with Sicily (been there and i believe the perfume does not refect the real Sicily at all). Lucky for me i don ́t get any soapiness at all (nothing reminds me of Chanel nr.5 even distantly, nor i smell any aldehydes!!), just a pure enjoyable fruit-floral combination. I simply enjoy it during colder time of the year, that ́s when it shows it ́s fll potential and creamness, during hotter period of the year it indeed becomes more soapy and less enjoyable for me, so IMO this is a autumn/winter time perfume. I am lucky enough to get a new 30ml boxed bottle for a steal and will can now enjoy my other bottle more often. Sillage is incredible and lasting power is great as well, you get at least 12 full hours from 1 spray and it is more than very detectable. A big plus! My review is for Euroitalia version, not the reformulated P&G prestige version! NB! There is one thing i would like to stress: there are 2 diferent versions of this fragrance: The original, made by Euroitalia SRL and reformulated, made by Procter&Gamble Prestige. Sicily is still featured on the official DG web site (just checked it today again) and the notes seem to be different, than for the original version: The main ingredients are missing! No banana, no nutmeg, no neroli, no niacynth! I read a lot that it does not smell the same and smell more soapy thatn before and no banana smell left. It is because it does not have it anymore! So please be aware of that, when purchasing this fragrance. You might end up with something different than expected!

I think Sicily got discontinued because it was half retro, half ahead of its time. It opens with a strong blast of soap-bubbly aldehydes, so it feels clean and classic at first. But the banana note gives it a big twist. It's neither a subtle green banana leaf-ish hint, nor an artificial sweet banana candy - it's just the scent of a banana ready to eat, one that is just ripe enough and doesn't have a single brown spot. I also smell another fruity note here that reminds me of apricots. Combining old-school aldehydes with fruits is not common in perfumery, and I love it. The honeysuckle is also done beautifully, it smells realistic and not sharp like in some other perfumes. It's definitely the outstanding floral in Sicily, but it's incorporated to a bouquet of other bright florals . Sandalwood warms up the base, but the fragrance still feels fresh and clean through all its life. Heliotrope adds a very light breeze of vanillic sweetness in the final drydown. Even though they're not really similar, I think this has a few things things in common with D&G EDT ("red cap"). Mainly the aldehydes and sandalwood, and of course the house. I think of Sicily as Red Cap's lighter, floral, summery counterpart. If that one is a fluffy towel, this is a freshly washed bed sheet. Imagine waking up in those fresh linens after you slept under a window next to a honeysuckle plant, and you've got the feeling Sicily conveys. It develops perfectly fine in winter, but I think like this would be at its best on sunny days. It just feels like sunshine, blue sky and fluffy white clouds. It's sad that this has gotten so rare. I won't put it on my wishlist for that reason, but I dream about finding a good deal on an intact used bottle. I had two samples of this and one was already a little off in the top notes, so I think you got to be extra careful not to get a turned one. It would be interesting to try the reissued version, Velvet Sicily, but the price of almost 300€ for 50 ml for a reformulation of an old mainstream perfume does not sit right with me.

Now this is one serious olfactory design. Released in the "era" when the quality mattered. Yes, it comes in a dull bottle, simple black box and cap, thin letter font... Nothing about it visually screams: "Take me!" (though you would regret missing the chance). But the substance is a treasure in liquid state of matter. I can see it being compared to a whole lotta stuff here... That's fine, cause I've got my own: this one is what all those Chanel fragrances are trying to be. Well, let me put it this way: I like Chanel olfactive philosophy. I like that classy, stand-offish, clean vibe they give off. Sicily is the epitome of such concept, but in a more fun way, than any of them! Yes, it does start soapy, aldehydic, almost retro, but soon enough (oh, give it a few seconds) it comes out with the most creamy "personality" I've ever encountered from a sprayer! Then it comes with that sweet "temper" - not the sugary tiring girly sweet; not even fruity, which usually tends to be irritating in a teeny way. Banana is fruit, I know that much, but it's exactly what gives Sicily that sweet, creamy nature, along with that irresistible honeysuckle blossom and soft sandalwood. I can see Sicily being voted as an all-year-round fragrance. It's actually my go-to summertime office-friendly scent. It literally blooms in cooled air-conditioned places (and trust me: I gave it a trial in every possible occasion). It does have that Chanelesque decency, so that's what makes it perfect for the business environment, but that crazy banana makes it summery enough like, say Terracotta, only reminding you of the approaching vacation season, just keeping it from being too serious in a tedious way. It balances between soapy-clean and lotion-soft cosmetics "structure", but if you prefer it creamier, here's a tip for you: use it lavishly! The more, the prettier - you just can't go wrong to the too-much side with Sicily! Give it a few extra sprays and enjoy all its goodness for the rest of the day!

Banana, seriously? Yes, banana *nods head* and boy am I glad someone was thinking outside of the typical fragrance fruit basket with this one. I understand that not everyone smells what's meant to be banana on their skin, but I most definitely do and more importantly, I enjoy it!! I don't think there's any other fragrance where it works. I'm not sure I want to even attempt another fragrance trying to express the fruit. It surely has the potential to go sideways. Nathalie Lorson got it right the first time. Yet another reason she's one of my favorite perfumers. I've had this fragrance for years and recently can't stop wearing it. Where it was in a slow rotation before, it has now edged it's way to the front of my vanity tray. As a result, I HAVE to try to explain why it's special. After the banana, I find it primarily honeysuckle. It's is favorite of mine, but not one I find often on display in perfumery. The honeysuckle true to form here. It's sweet, delicate and a little wispy. It actually last on my skin deep into the heart of the fragrance. I find the surprisingly long lived honeysuckle almost fruity in Sicily and maybe vanilla like, though admittedly that could be the banana creaminess? In any case, it also works. Sandalwood holds the base together for me with a mellow musk and a late blooming and understated heliotrope. Together the surprising combination of notes exudes a subtle sensual feel when I least expect it given the lightness of the fragrance. Missing Notes? aldehydes on my skin Noteworthy Notes? unusual more FLORAL/fruity (banana) than floral/aldehyde to my nose feminine, subtly sensual a bit retro, thank goodness the endlessly talented perfumer with this type of fragrance It's not for everyone, but it is definitely meant for me.

A series of unfortunate events led me to this one. Basically I'm desperate for a good summer scent, since god knows I have too much of a fixation on fall scents lately (yes I know, my name is Autumn, teheehee). So after seeking it out exhaustively and finding a good perfume stall, my first impression was that it smelled like nothing other than bug repellent with a weird, citrusy tang. So I dismissed it and never thought of it again. Unfortunately I'd ordered a small sample which I assumed had been cancelled but showed up anyway. So I tried it on and asked for a second opinion, and subsequently thought my grandmother was on crack because she described it as "light", then I smelled it on me, and the lingering affect was actually pleasant...and being a wordy person, when I say pleasant I mean pleasant. As in, " I feel like I'm lounging on a beach chair in the middle of a balmy day surrounded by cypresses,( dunno why cypresses, I just go with it) while the sun smiles down on me and I smile up at it", kind of pleasant if you get my drift. The odd, repellent smell mellowed out into a laid-back Banana smell which was nicely counterbalanced by the mature Sandalwood and the spicier Nutmeg. Basically I feel like what I am when I decide to wear it. A young girl strutting down the street of a small town looking for some fun diversion, which all seems mostly innocent at first, until you realize my idea of fun is giggling while watching men gape from behind a steering wheel. To me, this scent basically defines a languid summer's day, with a hint of a excitement in the air.

This has to be the most original scent I have ever smelled. It's discontinued but I managed to find a 25 ml. bottle and boy, I don't regret it! The opening is absolutely terrible though. It smells really bitter and strong and it feels like it doesn't smell of anything specific for a few minutes. But then it starts to develop and that's where the magic begins. The most prominent note here is banana, YES, BANANA! But if you're expecting your typical celebrity fruity fragance you're absolutely wrong. This is a fragance for real women, really strong, sexy and elegant: a very Dolce & Gabbana type of woman. It also smells really expensive. The banana is combined with the honeysuckle, so there's something honeyish about this, but not in a really sweet way, because it is combined with a floral element, which I think is the heliotrope. There's also a touch of spicy nutmeg, but this is not a spicy scent at all, I think the nutmeg just gives it a warm feeling. I also get some of the orange blossom and the jasmine, but again, it's all blended with a strange tropical vibe from the banana. This is a MONSTER fragance and I really have no idea as to why D&G discontinued this, but this lasts on my skin for more than a day and much more than that on my clothes. It also has an amazing sillage, so go easy on this one, because it's like being sorrounded by a tropical honeyed floral cloud. There's NOTHING like the experience of wearing this perfume. If you like strong and sexy original fragances try this one. It's a winner in my book!

As this has been my signature perfume for past 13 years, it took me a good while to decide what to write in my review. Think about the scene from the movie "Malena". Think how Monica Bellucci walks down the street, dressed in a black dress and black tights. She is not overmade. She is natural. She is on her own. But as soon as she gets noticed, there is a reaction: men melt in front of her. Women look at hear in jealousy and hatred, spelling curses over her. Malena has naturally something unique, that simultaneously attracts and causes hatred. As soon as she sits down and puts her cigarette in the lips, men gather around her offering the fire. I can drag the parallels with D&G "Sicily". For the past 13 years I've been using it, I've received mixed feedbacks from people: there were the ones who melted, and there were the ones who could not tolerate it. Whatever was the reaction, it by no means left people disinterested. After all, it was the "clothing" I felt most comfortable wearing. It made a sweet, feminine and sensual powdery cloud, yet not overwhelming. And the cigarette-smoke-like base notes grounded it to the skin, which made it last veeery very long, and the longer it last, the better it opened. I am deeply saddened that it is discontinued. I have heard it's restocked in uber-expensive price, however so far I have not found it by me... I think the best alternative for it is Chanel No. 5, however this is a bit too chomogenous, in comparison with "Sicily".

I spent a few weeks at my parents' house over the summer with my own little family, and found a bottle of Sicily hidden in the dephts of my childhood room. I used to review perfumes back in the day on Makeupalley (wonder if anyone remembers that website), and had a vague memory of writing about Sicily there. Today I found it! It was written 15 years ago, and reads like this: "Me and my friends spend a week in France every winter, there are amazing ski resorts. This year we travelled in a bigger group and I met a boy... A few days later we were sitting in the snow on the mountain treated by the winter sun. "Being with you is like being on a summer vacation with hot sand, palm trees, coctails and the ocean." - he said. "Am I so relaxing?" - I asked. "No. You smell like that." - was the answer. Lol. He is a keeper, so is Sicily!" Well, turns out he wasn't a keeper, we broke up a few months after this review had been written, but Sicily is! I have been wearing the same bottle from 15 years ago since I found it, and it's still a stunner. It definitely evokes summer, a summer from decades ago, a movie star tanning on their private holiday resort. Sophia Loren in oversized white D&G sunglasses, the summer breeze playing with her perfect curls.

I have an old sample vial of this and it's lovely. Very clean and bright, but not in a squeaky clean way. It brings to mind vacations along the Mediterranean coast and for some reason I always imagine the wearer sporting a bronzed tan and a beautiful, sunkissed glow. This is the elusive "effortless" glamour that the beauty industry seems obsessed with selling to consumers--how to spend time looking like we didn't spend any time on our hair/makeup/etc, how to look unkempt yet glamorous at the same time. A previous reviewer compared this to Chanel No. 5. Both are glamorous aldehydes. Chanel No. 5 is, at its core, a scent that demands respect. It is sophisticated and high maintenance. If No. 5 is the affluent young woman with the pearl earrings and the neatly coiffed hair who married a banking executive, Sicily is the younger sister who went to a liberal arts college and lives a bohemian lifestyle, vacationing in Europe and enjoying her worry free, luxurious lifestyle to its fullest. I love how Sicily blends to the skin. It's a perfect balance of everything--fresh, but not too sharp, distinctive, but not overly so, and sophisticated, but not too much that it's intimidating. It's really a shame that they discontinued it.

It was the year 2003, and I was in my last university year. I remember watching an ad on the tv featuring no other than Monica Belucci, about a new Dolce and Gabbana perfume called Sicily. From the ad alone I knew this perfume was the one for me, I had to buy it as soon as it was available in stores in my -then- town. I was determined to live on toast for a few weeks but I was going to buy it. I remember riding the bus to the mall, walking to the perfume counter and trying it for the first time. It was exactly what I thought it would have been from that sexy, Italian ad. It was the first time a perfume was so modern (for its time) and unique to me(I hadn’t smelled anything like that ever). I could only afford the 25 ml bottle. I remember paying 49 euros for it, and catching the bus straight back home. For the next few months I felt a tiny little bit like Monica Belucci when I was wearing Sicily (the audacity of youth!) I don’t smell banana peel here, but lots of honeysuckle, honeyed pollen and some fizzy aldehydes, but overall it’s very difficult to describe Sicily as a whole. It’s just the kind of alluring fragrance that might make someone smell your clothes after you’ve worn Sicily. Just like in the ad!

So, this is essentially the sexiest skin scent ever. It leaves me feeling refreshed and luxurious, like skin warmed underneath the Mediterranean sun. And although this scent does has presence and is a bit strong, it is never overwhelmingly so. I love it. The perfume opens with the unusual banana note, which doesn't smell fruity or like bananas to me at all; it just gives a soft and unusual sort of creaminess. The white florals are very well-blended, soapy-smelling, peppered with the spicy nutmeg and blanketed by the sparkling aldehydes, which also lend the scent a classical appeal. My skin then radiates some clean-smelling florals and a sensual, creamy sort of warmth, most likely sandalwood, during the dry-down. The smell is very distinct and difficult to describe. I've never smelt anything similar before. I can't wait to smell the evolution of this scent over time, especially in the summer months. The warmth may encourage some different notes to bloom. I think it would be best then, as I think some of the notes need some sunshine to round out their edges and I really feel like it would make a superb summer perfume. Soft to moderate sillage on me; longevity is for about 6-7 hours.

Sicily, to me, is a bizzarre fragrance that seems both overhyped and overhyped for a reason. At the start there's elements of candied banana, sweet and joyful. As it dries down it enters the land of Chanel N° 5, with fat aldehydes and musks accompanied by jasmine. I don't say this simply due to the notes being there, it quite honestly smells of a well aged N° 5 EDT which baffles me. Having never been to Sicily, I can't compare it to the land of Italian traditionality and picturesque sights. To me, this smells of French elegance with some very non-traditional twists and turns. The banana is quite tropical, but blended with the other notes it comes back to aldehydic complexity. It's a straight up tale of a woman in her 30s, wondering the city streets with a beautiful business suit & a Chanel brooch with some YSL heels accompanied by Dior lipstick. She's got money, and she's not afraid to show it off. She wears mismatched colours and, while she comes across as a bit rigid, at home she's like your traditional TV mother I think D&G hit the nail strongly with this one - it's something you know, and something you don't. Bizarre. Reminds me a great deal of Linda Evangelista

Oh yum this is gorgeous! I am wearing this in winter and it is a lovely creamy soapy lemony floral delight. I wasn’t sure about it at first but the dry down on this is where it’s at! I think it will smell best in spring and summer though, like D&G Red Cap, I think these perfumes were designed to bloom on skin in the heat, it reminds me slightly of an expensive sunscreen which for me is a good thing. I like the use of aldehydes in this, although they are not the punchy fresh aldehydes you get in No.5. The packaging for this is gorgeous, so sleek and classic, very Italian. I think the relaunched Velvet Sicily is a close match for it but slightly less sunny and more sweet and creamy. I cannot smell the banana in Velvet Sicily. I do see some similarities with Armani Lei although that smells more masculine to my nose. I also think it is similar to Cashmere Mist by DKNY. I think this is my skin and nose really picking up the musk and heliotrope in Lei and Sicily. This is good as given the rarity of Sicily I don’t want to get through my bottle too quickly, so I can use Armani Lei or Cashmere Mist to get a similar scent as well.

Lately whenever i write a review my Google account signs me out and lists my review as written by a guest. So just to be safe, Perfumeaddict777 is writing this, lol;) Ive been in love with and desiring a bottle of sicily since the first time I've ever tried it, a year ago. Im late to this party! I just got a bottle in a swap (thank you Marissaluvsscents xoxoxoxo). It's georgeous! At first spray i get alot of bubbly soapy orange flower and honey suckle! It's clean and reminds me of being on a boat with the sun shining. Hyacinth comes out soon after the first spray creating a deep intense green smell to the composition. The banana is not sweet candy like but it is unrippened green bananas . The green banana shows up 30 minutes after applying paired with nutmeg making this creamy and soapy! It gets creamier as it wears. It's so unique. Creamy and clean, warm and cold. Very special perfume. Longevity is all day! At least 12 hours. Sillage is strong the first hour and even when i think it's close to the skin, i get whiffs of sicily! I really adore it and think it's a perfect summer scent!

Can't believe I never reviewed this - I have 2 bottles of this as back ups so I currently have 3 bottles. There is no other perfume that I have that much in back up... This one is so unique. I'm an obsessive collector of "soapy" scents - especially old-fashioned floral soaps with a mossy or musky (but not white musk) base. No shampoo, dryer sheets, fabric softeners, or fruity-florals, please! If you're also as obsessive about "real" soap scents as I am, you know what I'm talking about! Sicily is one of those rare scents. It's so incredibly clean and seductive. The ad with Monica Bellucci totally makes sense and give you what kind of scent it is. She even takes a hot bath in the ad - yep, all hot skin and her soap smells like Sicily! The banana note is totally there but I think it's an aspect of ylang ylang so not sure it should be a separate note in the note hierarchy as shown here. It is definitely an aspect of ylang ylang that I LOVE and not as prominent in other perfumes, which is another reason I just adore and cherish this perfume. It's amazing.

Can't believe I never reviewed this - I have 2 bottles of this as back ups so I currently have 3 bottles. There is no other perfume that I have that much in back up... This one is so unique. I'm an obsessive collector of "soapy" scents - especially old-fashioned floral soaps with a mossy or musky (but not white musk) base. No shampoo, dryer sheets, fabric softeners, or fruity-florals, please! If you're also as obsessive about "real" soap scents as I am, you know what I'm talking about! Sicily is one of those rare scents. It's so incredibly clean and seductive. The ad with Monica Bellucci totally makes sense and give you what kind of scent it is. She even takes a hot bath in the ad - yep, all hot skin and her soap smells like Sicily! The banana note is totally there but I think it's an aspect of ylang ylang so not sure it should be a separate note in the note hierarchy as shown here. It is definitely an aspect of ylang ylang that I LOVE and not as prominent in other perfumes, which is another reason I just adore and cherish this perfume. It's amazing.

Legendary Sicily by D&G, is the modern Dove soap on steroids. It last for more than 3 days on your clothes and bed. I love it! This is not a gourmond and the banana is actually nutmeg mixed with citrus. It creates a similar subtly sweet, tangy smell. Cefiro by Floris is similar to Sicily, but a more light day time freshy. They are both also linear, and do not evolve much, from start to finish. It's great for night time, special occasions, and it's very strong. The price is worth it, because one 3.4oz bottle can last 10 yrs lol. I bought 10, so I've enough for all my life now. It's also a psychological nostalgic scent. If you wear it, anyone in your path will never forget you. Lol In my opinion it's very sexy and one of the greatest scents of all time. Dove, Nivea Creme, CkOne, Royal Violets, Caress, Coast, are all scents I keep trying to find in other perfumes. A soapy, creamy, comforting citrus with a touch of delicate flowers. Something very pleasant and clean. If you like Sicily, you may also like Rive Gauche by YSL. 🍋🍊🧼🌹🫧

When this perfume was released it stroke a chord with me. I was always a fan of Mario Puzo The Godfather book. I had romantic images of Sicily in my head and whenever at the library I would reach for an album showing photos of religious processions walking down cobble stone streets of Palermo. I loved the Monica Belluci advertisement and the elegant black and gold capped bottle. And the scent for some reason brought memories from the past but I could not quite put my finger on them. My husband dismissed the fragrance as too powdery and said it's made for a warm climate. And this is so true. It blooms in the heat. In cold weather it really has a laundry soap quality about it but in the heat it really is quite amazing. I never got any banana from this. Also when released this fragrance was an obvious flop and reviews were really low. Now that it has been discontinued only the loyal fanbase is left so ratings are high. Get a bottle while you can and spray some on after a shower on a hot Summer day. Clean sexy and decadent.

Ahh yes! After skipping through the guide, I came across Malena. A most beautiful dramatic film starring Monica Belluci. As i watched this utterly misunderstood character, I knew she would have worn Sicily. Gorgeous, curvaceious, wanted, sexy, humble, solemn, shy and kind, not at all provacative, flirty or longing for attention. Malena needed no validation except the one from her beloved. She loved only one although many loved her. Sicily is a real honest and gorgeous woman. True through and through, although many look passed her personality and only at her provacative beauty. The film is central to the idea of her one and only true love and her faithfulness to him, and her pain and suffering being misunderstood. Sicily with its sprakling note and maternal like creamy smell, drydown to create a round smell; honeysuckle is warm with an exotic like smell mimicking tiare and banana creme almost, and sandalwood with slightly powder tinges finishing it off. Exotic, maternal, calm, warm, a golden sunlight in mid day.

I'd hit a plateau on my perfume journey before I came across Sicily. The best Lorson's creation in my book. Sicily is multifaceted, well-blended, fine and sophisticated. The first time I sprtized it on my skin, I caught a whiff of something odd along with white florals but I didn't know and couldn't know for the life of me that the odd pleasant scent was that of an abstract ripe banana, what a creamy delight. The Citrusiness and aldehyidic facets have been incorporated so finely into the totality of the scent that you know they are there but they never clamor for your attention, they never jokey for taking center stage but they add freshness and an uplifting quality with grace. A babypowderiness is also at play here that renders the scent snuggly and also kindly and softly clean not squeaky clean, if you know what I mean. The longevity is praiseworthy and I can smell it on me after several hours of wearing it. Hats off Natalie Lorson and the warmest thanks