Vivara (1965)

Vintage from the "I love" shelf. First it gives me a cheerful chypre, and I'm falling in love with it... Gradually, the scent gets nice, subtle leather. And, oh, the flowers are so nice, too! Here's some soft jasmine, a cultured rose, and here's light summer wind, blowing and bringing lily-of-the-valley aroma with it, and here's a carnation, no, not just one flower, but a number of flowerbeds. Oh, and what's this? The sun is ruthless, and it fries... yes, it fries some tarpaulin. And here is the sea! The real, living, breathing, huge sea, with the seaweeds, and the sun, and the seagulls, and the sand, and, yes, the sea salt. It is so wonderful! But the evening's coming... Time to go back, to the hotels and civilisation. The air's getting filled with flower scents again. A leather bag on my shoulder, and smells of the sea cling to it, as the sea is getting further and further away. I'm walking. The sand under my feet... And the sea is rustling behind me.

Another day, another 60s green chypre. Where do I stop? Well, if I stop where the variant of this genre consists of a fermented peach and banana oil ylang-ylang, then Vivara is my coup de grâce. This is a unique take on a style we find in such hallowed favorites as Azuree, Fidji, and Miss Balmain. Beyond the aldehydes and green bite, there is this humidity and herbaceousness to the florals that are imbued with pepper and spices in the heart. The latter half of the development is far earthier and more leathery, almost rubber-like, with a fondant of moss. Most salient however is the costus—ooh la la. It's what makes Vivara feel more carnal than its contemporaries. The way it blooms on a rainy spring day such as today as I wear it: chef's kiss. Bring your bumbershoot, put on your wellies, don some Vivara on your pulse points, and you are ready to face the world in style.

This was one of my absolute favourites in the '70s, a gorgeous floral chypre...I used to think that when I removed the cap, the bottle radiated sunshine. I used to buy the Eau de parfum in a small squarish bottle, it was one of those delicious scents that you wanted to immerse yourself in. There was a freshness amongst the floral, no doubt an inclusion of citrus. To be honest, it's a struggle to fully recreate this in my mind, it's quite elusive and didn't have the impact of say a Joy, Jicky or Miss Dior...the earlier versions. I just remember how much I loved it, and how sunny a fragrance it was, if that makes any sense. This review is obviously for the original, and I note that there's a separate page for the reformulated version, which I have not experienced.

I have 2 lil' pursette sprays (those antique propellant-filled juices that ripped a hole in the ozone SURE are heavenly to apply!) Year unknown. Pretty swirly blue stickers and warnings that tell me not to light cigarettes near it. First impression: smells like Pleather, not Leather! Mildly powdery, honey/mimosa in the top and a VERY spicy heart. Like black pepper. Definitely feels Italian! Different enough from my other vintage Chypres to warrant a place in my collection without much justification (plus it's made to travel unlike my others, money well spent 😁) It DOES remind me of Miss Balmain, but maybe a bit less leathery and more sharply herbal. Glad I got my two little gems, I certainly plan to carry one in my purse, knowing there's a backup at home 💚

My go-to signature fragrance. I was first introduced to it as a member of one of those "fragrance of the month" clubs back in the early 70s. I just love how the scent develops on me. It starts green and fresh, then opens up and becomes very warm and sweet without being overly cloying or "too much." I've always gotten compliments when I wear it. I have a bottle of parfum given to me by an old boyfriend. The bottle is over 20 years old and will probably still be mostly full when I am no longer around. I use it very sparingly because I find it does have good staying power/sillage and is overpowering if you drown yourself in it.

How I wish the 1960s version was back. It was a sharp, green, very aldehylic scent. Quite unique. The new Vivaras are a joke. A mockery of the great original.

I had a little mini bottle of this beauty back in the 80ths, and have always been looking for how and where to buy it.. cause it smelled so well on my skin.

Max Factor Geminesse is very similar.

I received a vintage mini splash of this. This is my first time trying Vivari. It's not mind blowing but smells nice enough in a fresh way. I can get a little powder but so far not enough to trigger sneezing, which is always a risk. It reminds me a bit of a D&G Light Blue "impression of" cologne I have but longer lasting and more powdery. Of course, I'm sure the age and the formulation and your skin type will cause your mileage and enjoyment to vary. I'm finding that a lot of vintage fragrances I've tried will smell the same to me, past their prime and too powdery. We'll never get to experience how they actually smelled in their heydays unfortunately. The tiny, tiny sample bottle is way cute.

I'm wearing Vivara vintage extrait by Emilio Pucci - one of my favorite sporty, classic 1970’s chypres. A green chypre, along the lines of Estee Lauder’s Aliage and Givenchy III. Others have compared Vivara to Scherrer (1979), and I'd agree, it has a signature chypre vibe but it's less of a powerhouse. Like Mitsouko, it has a peach note that softens the greens and galbanum which adds that marvelous astringent note that I adore. I find it easier to wear and more approachable.

I'm reviewing a vintage miniature bottle of Vivara. From a mini vintage set. I've tried this a few times now and I can't say it's a favourite. I smell the aldehydes and green notes as well as the complexities perfumes of a latter day project. It is a green chypre in my mind but it is not as spicy and sensual as for example Cabochard. Not one I would seek out but lovely to try it and feel the links to the past of perfume. Edit: An hour in, giving it a proper try, I've really gone off it. I can smell burning rubber from tyres and I will be washing it off and trying another day to give it another go!

Fragrance Review For Vivara Emilio Pucci Top Notes Aldehydes Bergamot Peach Green Notes Galbanum Spices Middle Notes Carnation Jasmine Ylang Ylang Rose Lily of the Valley Base Notes Vetiver Sandalwood Patchouli Oak Moss Amber Benzoin Olibanum Leather Vintage Vivara (1965) by Michel Hy Don Emilio Pucci il Marchese di Barsento, the descendant of a noble Italian family, politician and fashion designer, was one of the big names in fashion in the 60's and 70's with those geometric shapes and psychedelic colors of lime green, hot pink, baby blue, neon orange, and other bright colors in stretch fabrics, swimwear, lingerie, and micro mini dresses which were innovative at the time. Jackie Kennedy wore his sun dresses in the summer time in New York City when she was married to Onassis. Marilyn Monroe was actually buried in her favorite green Pucci dress, selected by her housekeeper Eunice Murray. Those fashion shows must have been quite a sight to behold and if I had a time machine I would go to one of the Emilio Pucci fashion shows and buy some of his creations myself. The fragrance Vivara was not as original as his beautiful clothing because it does smell of those lovely green chypres which were quite popular in the 60's. Frags like Fidji by Guy Laroche, Y by Yves Saint Laurent Chamade by Guerlain and Givenchy III come to mind, although this perfume is not 100 percent similar to either of them and is it's own perfume but it is a green floral woodsy scent of bold aromatic projection. It advertised a sophisticated but modern 60's Mod fashion perfume for the modern 60's liberated woman. The opening is of fresh oceanic aldehydes, the kind of aldehydes that I love in vintage classics. It evokes the Mediterranean Sea, as in the waves that splash on cliffs and rocks on Capri in Italy, in Canzone del Mare where in 1947 just after WW II Emilio Pucci established his first fashion boutique. It smells like a southern Italian coastal town in Capri, by the sea. The green notes emerge almost immediately following the fresh and waves of aldehydes with fruited notes of fuzzy peach, and citrusy bergamot orange. The galbanum note develops with a spicy edge. Very green as it begins and as it will end. The galbanum note is gorgeous and one that I keep running into in my hunt for vintage masterpieces. It's a nocturnal green scent that smells like the breeze or zephyr blowing over cypress and over moss in Capri. This is such a summer in Italy scent with it's greenery. Spices faintly follow with a starchy type of scent, and a vetiver. The florals in the heart of Vivara are a subtle charming feminine bouquet of rose, ylang ylang, jasmine, carnation, and lily of the valley. With only five notes of flowers, it's not as abundantly flowery as other fragrances and because it is so deeply green with galbanum and oak moss, not to mention patchouli leaves, it is in fact a unisex fragrance by today's standards. The dry down mixes up all the green notes together and it becomes a combination Oriental and green-themed chypre. There is a musk with leather that comes off as both elegant but rather on the male cologne side. But that's what makes it so special and so unique. It can be worn by both sexes now even if at the time it was selling to women. It exudes maturity and intellect, and it feels good like basking in the sun in Italian beaches. The Oriental balsam and incense note courtesy of benzoin and olibanum are smoky and warm. This is like a warm sun-kissed scent of green groves that you see on those high cliffs of Capri where once, long ago, the immoral and wicked, crazed Emperors like Caligula would discard their lovers by literally throwing them off the cliffs to their death in the rocks by the sea. The Italian theme of this fragrance matches up with the fashion label. It is very much an Emilio Pucci with lush green velvet tones. The fragrance is a beautiful reminder of the Golden Age of Fragrance. I'm so glad I was able to find one on eBay. The perfume is of course a real perfume that lingers and lingers for hours throughout the day with unrivaled sillage. Superior stuff in this bottle. I was enchanted and it's becoming my current favorite green despite so many gorgeous greens out there.

I love the beautiful colors and exuberant prints of Emilio Pucci, who was also an innovator in the use of stretch and performance fabrics in fashion. Everyone wore Pucci in the 1960's--you can find images of Marilyn Monroe, Greta Garbo, Jackie Kennedy Onassis, and Julie Andrews in Pucci shifts, blouses, and gowns. Vivara is a lovely mossy and herb-infused green chypre that I am reviewing in the vintage "Concentree" formulation (from a bottle similar to the icon photo). The round bottles covered with Pucci prints may look vintage but they contain the 2007 reformulation. Vivara's floral notes are soft, and it acquires some light fruitiness and woods as it dries down. From time to time, I pick up a sharp bitterness in Vivara that I do not enjoy very much which may be the "cypress." Many find Vivara's base to be leathery (41 votes and counting...) but I don't think of it as a leather chypre. At best, Vivara might be ever-so-slightly leathery in the drydown. I have not been tempted to seek out more vintage Vivara because it is fairly similar to Givenchy III (1970), as Loubella has already noted in her review, and I have a large stash of GIII, which is one of my favorites. Scherrer (1979), another one of my staples, is like a powerhouse version of Vivara. Writing this, I realize I may have to credit Vivara (1965) with being the earliest of the sharp green chypres that I adore.

Visiting a vintage bottle from yesteryear. The style was different from now, and of course time passes even within a sealed bottle. But there is almost always still some intriguing delight to smell, especially if one slows down and takes the time to reflect and fully enjoy it. Time travel takes time. The green galbanum and notes from the mossy and resinous base are most apparent. A chypre indeed. There are elements of spice and florality but won't attempt to identify them further. Many are constructed accords and all were intended to blur into the esoteric complexity of the background. Nothing screams or shouts here. Doubtlessly, life wasn't always so languid and serene back then, but a half century later it is a pleasant fancy to imagine an olfactory artifact from the fabled "slower pace" of life. Vivara is a small green island in the Mediterranean, now a nature preserve. Perhaps the reference is meant to suggest a diminutive echo of the isle of Cyprus itself. Interestingly, in Sanskrit, Vivara also means an opening in a rock or forest; often the site of a nature shrine. Of course, the name does sound like Viverra, but that must be only a coincidence as no civet note is listed.

I remember the time when fashionable young women were all strolling through the dull rainy city streets wearing Pucci's brilliantly colored print dresses and trailing clouds of this sunny scent! Recently I sampled two vintage mini bottles of the parfum. Vivara still has that bright Mediterranean feel to it. In fact whenever I see a fragrance described as Mediterranean, Vivara is what comes to my olfactory memory. In the vintage parfum concentration, this scent is really sharp and leathery. The Oakmoss comes out strongly right away and is prevalent throughout all 3 stages. The florals are lovely,soft and sweet and just enough to dismiss the masculine edge. The parfum is a very strong scent with good sillage and very long lasting. Mediterranean fragrances are not my favorite but they can be nice for a change. My husband dislikes this scent, but I appreciate the artistry behind it and would recommend the older version to those who like this sort of thing. I also think that many men might enjoy wearing this fragrance.

I acquired what I think is a vintage new Vivara perfume spray with the old propellant. What this always means to me is YAY! The propellant replaced oxygen in the bottle, and oftentimes these vintage "mists" are in mint condition. And so it is with the Vivara. This is a boozy, spicy, green Peach-with lots of fuzz (Mimosa?). Modest Aldehydes. Most people talk about the base notes, and the leather, but here I feel that the top notes are still quite intact, and going strong after 15 minutes. The classic floral heart appears as a green Lily of the Valley, anchored by Rose. As someone else mentioned, there is a touch of Banana, likely from the Ylang. Somewhere in there is a Cassis leaf note, which could be from the very modest Patchouli combined with the persistent fruit note. The base seems primarily Oakmoss and Amber; I'm not getting the Sandalwood or Leather notes as dominant. This beautiful perfume is a Fruity Chypre, very retro in feel, but still easily worn today.

This review is for Signor Vivara, which is not listed in the database. This is somewhere between Gomma and The Knize Ten. It's not as strong, at least at first, as TKT, but it's more "masculine" than Gomma. As with Gomma especially, the drydown is linear, with leather, spice, an animalic quality, etc., but it's fairly soft. TKT is a bit harsher and with better note separation, so it depends upon what you want. Signor Vivara may be the best of the three in terms of being interesting and wearable (since TKT can come across as too strong or "powdery" for many people these days), and it certainly smells natural and rich. Note that the base is not a chypre, there is no fougere quality, and it's not spicy or sweet enough to be considered an oriental, IMO. There may be a little patchouli or wood, but I can't detect either clearly. This is a leather fragrance for leather fans!

Just recently scored a tiny vintage bottle of this in a little coffret with Cabochard, Ma Griffe, Ivoire de Balmain and Cardin de Pierrre Cardin, what a lovely collection, all are unopened and in good condition although the case is a bit battered! The Vivara,I am finding a bit of a tease, it opens like my utter favourite, Givenchy iii, its so similar with a green burst of Galbanum and aldehyde,then a bit of Jasmine and Patchouli but I am not sure about it after a couple of hours,it becomes a bit too sweet,losing the green woody feel and becoming more powdery floral.I don't get leather either really or not the smoky leather that I love in Cabochard. I think this must be very rare as I was shocked by the prices of the full size bottles on ebay although some of the packaging is stunning!

I bought a sample of this because I"m currently going through an 'I love Fidji' phase and thought, "What's another 60's green chypre?" But as soon as I put this on, and this has happened four times now, I start singing to myself: "YES! We have no bananas, we have no bananas today." Yeah OK, there is no banana note listed, but I feel like there should be. You know how these taste after they've sat on the shelf for a while and turned brown - kind of 'starchy' like, not tart and ripe? Vivara is a 'starchy' chypre. I can't recommend this, actually. Not only is it heavy, fussy and harsh on the nose it has none of the sparkle that I would expect. Not even a hint of peach or carnation. Bleh...

My mom had this on her toiletries tray in 1966 when I was a little girl. I remember spraying some on and not thinking it smelled very nice , but I was a little kid and didn't know better. I don't think she liked it either, because the level never seemed to go down. Not a helpful review, just a childhood memory. I'm 65-year-old years old now, and I still remember the name on the bottle and how it looked. On the other hand, I loved the Pucci prints then, and still do to this day.

A wonderful old school earthy green chypre scent with all the oakmoss you could ask for. A bit too herbal/vegetale on me though similar to Alliage, Azuree, Miss Balmain etc as others have mentioned below. I am better suited to a more rosy/balsamic honeyed chypre scent but that's just my chemistry. This one is stunning even if it's not quite me.

Scored a nice little batch of perfumes at the flea market. One of them -- for $10.00 -- I got the 1970s 2 oz. ViVara - full splash bottle (no box) ! It's lovely but - why is the bottle so ...PLAIN ? Smells nice but I expected MORE. This feels like The House of Pucci had to set up shop in Woolworths. GRADE: C plus.

How does Vivara Emilio Pucci fragrance compare to Vivre Molyneux fragrance? I had Vivre Molyneux Eau De Toilette & they sound very similar in effects & notes, when reading through the comments sections. I love Vivre EDT & went through several bottles in the 80's. I look forward to sampling this someday soon!

Vivara is a slightly floral-sweet chypre. I do not smell a trace of fruit, with the exception of sharp, unripe banana. I cannot get past that note. It's unpleasant on me and I'd rather smell pretty much anything else. I do not recommend this for a blind-buy. Perhaps my bottle turned...?