Fendi

There is nothing like Fendi. Everything I am about to say is about the original. Steer clear of the current formulation: it is terrible. It is insipid. It is absolute dreck. It is a pidgeon who should have been born a peacock. It is a drag queen in a conservative skirt suit who dreams of sequin-studded gowns and mink stoles. This was my mother’s signature scent throughout my childhood, though I hated it as a child. She had a bit of a heavy hand, and I remember crying and refusing to hug and kiss her when she wore it lest some of the stink rubbed off onto me. My sister felt much the same way, so over the years, she began wearing the lighter, more generic 90’s scents like Clinique Happy on the day-to-day. For special occasions, however, she remained loyal to Fendi until it was discontinued in the early 2000s. Strangely enough, I did not appreciate this until I was in my 30s, almost two decades after it was discontinued. I’d started becoming very seriously interested in perfume in my late 20s, but even then, I considered this scent to be TOO BIG and TOO MUCH, very old-fashioned, although it did not repel me as it did in my childhood. However, once I started getting into niche perfumes and stalking fragrance forums, I heard fragrance nerd after fragrance nerd reminisce about vintage Fendi, and I found myself growing curious. I wondered if Fendi would smell different now that I had a more refined “palate”, so-to-speak. For Christmas 2013, I bought my mother a vintage dabber bottle from the 80s. She dabbed a bit on her wrists, inhaled, and cried. She insists that the fragrance has changed with age though she cannot quite articulate how, though it is similar enough to trigger “scent memories” of that era. For her, it is tied to an era where she felt lots of unconditional love: from her two young daughters and her husband. She and my father struggled financially until I was a teenager, but she would put on Fendi and feel glamorous even in our shabby home. Her nose has changed a lot over the years to prefer lighter, more herbal scents, so she does not wear this frequently despite the good memories. While I cannot speak to the way this juice smelled when it was fresh, my impression of Fendi has changed A LOT since I was a kid. Man, I LOVE this. Every time I visit home, I deliberately don’t wear perfume (which for me is like leaving the house naked!) so I can splash this on and without anything to dilute the experience. It is way more floral than my usual taste, but it does not cause dysphoria. It’s the rare floral I can wear on both boy days and girl days. Even though the florals are BIG on my skin (my chemistry exaggerates florals), the warm animalic base is the star, and it is perfectly unisex. On my girl days, Fendi is a socialite who stops by her lover’s house on her way to meet her husband at a charity dinner and doesn’t bother to shower in between. She tries to cover up the scent of passion with a spritz of floral perfume before she slips back into her conservative cocktail dress, but underneath the proper exterior is something animal, something femme fatale. On boy days, Fendi is the socialite’s young, virile lover, sneaking away from another illicit encounter. He smells like leather and sweat and her classic perfume, which has rubbed off onto his skin during their tryst. From the start, this is a blast of amber and spice. I do not detect any citrus, save for something that could be orange blossom. I suspect this is what my mother is referring to when she says that age has changed the fragrance (I have heard citrus notes are usually the first to go in vintages). The florals are big and white, hovering on the edge of powderiness, but never quite going into “old-lady” territory. I think the iris/carnation/rose mix is what made this smell like “granny” perfume to me as a child, though to my more experienced nose there is enough jasmine skank to make the floral component a little more risque. Oh, but the basenotes are what makes Fendi for me. There is so much nuance at the base! Amber always shines on my chemistry, but THIS amber is exquisite, somehow so much deeper and more ancient than modern amber--I swear I can literally see a chunk of amber when I sniff this. The patchouli so much skankier and smokier. The vetiver dirtier, balancing the resins without ever turning Fendi green. The basenotes are what make this a unisex fragrance to my nose. They are strong enough to balance the florals so the perfume smells less like a specific gender and more like forbidden sex in a secret garden. Fendi has excellent performance. The sillage is incredible: apply lightly to your pulse points, this wafts. It easily lingers for an entire day on my skin, longer in my hair. I actually prefer to dab this in my armpits (I wear a natural salt deodorant that is unscented, so it doesn’t affect the smell of my perfumes), then use the almost-dry dabber on my wrists, which I then press to my neck. This makes a big scent like Fendi a lot more discreet and modern-day wearable--and I actually find it wears better in my pits than on my wrists. It mixes with my own scent in a way that emphasizes the animalic nature of this perfume. A masterpiece. One day I will own a bottle of my own. Until then, I’ll keep sneaking dabs of my mother’s bottle and smelling my own armpits with a look of bliss on my face and waxing poetic on the Internet, I guess....

I managed to get this in EDP but have not tried edt so can't compare. on first aapplication it's clear u don't need much this is powerful perfume. It's nothing like today's fragrances that don't project or last offen ! Fendi fendi /donna is a Beast mode fragrance lol , from the 80,s an era when perfume got you noticed for good ir for bad :) I bought this blind based on reviews ,Isn't it crazy how we wait baited breath for it to arrive , like a kid at Christmas pulling it out the bubble wrap! Spritz a little ....first thoughts : oh no it's well old and heavy , very very spicy and soapy, oh dear I'm going to have to find this one a new home :( however good perfume takes time to get the the heart , it needs to mesh with your skin and so i held on as the reviews on Fragrantica are mostly very good so I wanted to give this a chance , I'm glad I did as after 20 mins the magic begins ...,, ....And this deeply buxom Italian beauty starts to shine. The soapy beginning fades out a little ( but not much ) and a woody resinous quality becomes more apparent, mixed with a small amount of florals and big hits of spice and maybe amber ? There is a little bit of sweetness and a lot of LEATHER ! She's very warm and resinous and balmy . This is a vixen , so much is going on , fendi is rich and opulent. expensive , so much spice so much depth , almost dare i say it .... masculine ! yes this is so spiced strong it could almost be a mens fragrance but she just softens in time to stay feminine. You have to be confident to pull this one off . do not wear this to church lol :) unless your having a steamy affair with the vicar ! If you like vintage spellbound or vintage Coco or samsara , maybe opium then you may like this too, if your more a skincent lover of white florrals look away ! You have to be ever so careful how much u apply , less is most definitely more , a classy but big sillage heavy hitter ! FENDI edp is the longest lasting,strongest fragrance I own ! Nuclear power! It's best suited to a cold day or wintery months. Do I like it ??? Yes I do very much but I'm a fiesty quarter italian, English woman of 40 so I'm crazy enough to pull it off ;))) my friend gave me a hug and said ooohh that's nice perfume so i got a compliment the same day :) my hubby said it reminded him of Turkish delight sweets, I think I sort of understand where he's coming from. This is very statement 80,s so be prepared for a slightly vintage retro feel. i I can picture Alexis Carrington ( Joan Collins) from dynasty wearing this dabbed on her pulse points of course she would be about to seduce a toy boy who thinks all his birthdays have come at once , wearing nothing except a fur coat and fendi fendi ! Overall my favourite Fendi is of course Theorema ,but this one , though very different gets top marks from me, Now I think I'll wear a drop or two and go crimp up my hair and play some 80,s cult classics !! I pity my long suffering hubby he's into snoop dog :) Info: Bethco fragrances is listed on my bottle on base sticker so I'm assuming I have a proper edp of intended fragrance pre reform. I understand Bethco New York was up to 2003 but I cannot read the batch number so hard to tell. Lvmh will be the last company to make this so avoid later bottles saying lvmh ,look instead for bethco , is anyone able to say more ?.? I'm loving this its truly fab ! :) 8/10

About 10 years ago I was wandering around the drugstore, looking at the clearance rack of perfumes. I spotted the bright gold box; to me it looked sort of garish, but it said Fendi, so I figured I would give it a try. It was on clearance, so it was somewhere around the 10-15 dollar mark. I came home with my perfume, so proud because of the great deal I had gotten. I sprayed it, and then I gagged. It was terrible! How could anyone wear this stuff? Well, it wasn't for me, but since it hadn't cost that much, I wasn't terribly upset. I don't like throwing things out though, so I left it in it's box and put it on the very back of my dresser..., where it stayed until one day, I decided to google it, and found out that people out there loved it! I figured I would give it another try, and here I am, just over a year later, and I love this perfume! Suffice it to say, I am glad that I never threw this out. I think I just wasn't ready for such a loud perfume back when I first tried it, because this is a powerhouse perfume! When you wear this, you will not be able to apologetically tell people it's your shampoo or hand lotion, if they start glaring at you in public. There will be no denying that you are wearing perfume. It has incredible sillage! When you walk outside, your neighbours will smell it! When you walk through a store, people will smell it in the air 10 minutes after you've walked by! They will smell it on their clothes just from walking through the very air that you just walked through! And it lasts, and lasts, and lasts... But the drydown is so incredible, you will be happy that it's still in your hair and on your jacket days after you last sprayed it! For me, the initial notes are aldehydes, and more aldehydes, with some wood and carnation as well. As the aldehydes start disappearing, you get a warm spiciness mixed with rose and carnations. In it's final stage, there is a subtle sweetness that underlies the spicy, woody, smell. When I wear this, I envision the ladies of Dynasty. This is very much a strong, powerful, take charge, perfume.

I barely skimmed the 80's, I was born in 1989. But in my childhood, I caught whiffs of Fendi on my mother and grandmother. It's so exuberantly Italian! I grew up a short while in Italy and this scent, along with the later 90's D&G Red Cap, are the stuff of my nostalgia. AND YES, you can bet I have my own bottles and wear them today, because I love them. Dated? Of course. Scents like these are a remnant of their time, and whether we like the term "dated" or not, let's be honest: the glory days of gems like these are over, but they don't go unappreciated by people like me... even if I get the "old lady" comments, haha. Anyway, back to Fendi. She's a take-charge woman in an all-black designer skirt-suit, fitted with gold buttons and shoulder pads that could cut through a doorframe. The initial blast of Fendi is like a shattered vase of lush roses strewn about a marble floor, which this stern-faced, model-esque woman is now trampling through with her sleek black pumps. She has no time to waste; be damned the chaos around her. She will trample you, too, if you get in her way. But when she is done carrying out her plans and going about her business, she retreats home to get comfortable, where she relaxes in a bath and carries out her nightly routine. So, yes... Fendi is an aldehydic dark rose boss queen, overpowering at first. The magic is about 30 minutes in, where you get these spicy rich, honeyed florals that loom warmly on your skin. Fendi then becomes rather sensual and reveals its core to you, going from a black panther on the prowl to a black kitten purring in your ear. A work of art. I'm really happy that my skin brings out the rose so strongly, because it ends up smelling a bit on the gothic side. Definitely something I gravitate towards on a cold day when I'm wearing black and feeling rather commanding.

As with many of its kind, Fendi is a chypre that is opaque and not easily deconstructed into smaller assemblages of notes. This is why I deem it a futile task to express how it smells based on my perception of notes alone. It is everything and the kitchen sink under low light—yet it isn't merely a brassy number, its complicated, even messy, like some of the most fascinating personalities in existence. I'd argue it takes someone with a certain constitution to be able to luxuriate in it; otherwise it may feel febrile and oppressive. Fully loaded with any facet one can imagine appearing in any chypre since time immemorial, vignettes of the greats take shape throughout its development—some Coriandre here, then some Aromatics Elixir there, then a flashback of Zibeline, even a silhouette of Youth Dew. But Fendi roars with a timbre like anything else. Imagine a room filled with leather and furs, hot apple brown betties, lit cigarettes in bakelite ashtrays and roses in all states—just budding, in full bloom, dried and faded. I have made a concerted effort to avoid referencing "old money" because of its grim connotations, but there is this undeniable diamond-studded opulence to Fendi, very Vanderbilt before the impetuous fall. For all of its grandeur and decadence, the true thrill is just how seamy it becomes as time passes; an animalic amber paws around at underthings, lurking in the shadows. It's a rascal in a sable, blood red lipstick on a starched collar, beads counted at the break of dawn, and a trail left behind all the way to confession. Fendi goes from lux to lust, and what I ride it is.

Vintage EDT Splash Mini For a long time vintage Fendi eluded me. I always heard its praises since the 80s but never got around to trying it until now.(2017) An opening of coriander, and dry woods with cardamom open and cypress peeks through. On paper this really shouldnt work as its notes were arranged so atypical to 80s aesthetics. It wasnt a huge nuclear floral or oriental. It was a different chypre with class. It almost veers into a mans scent but its softer. I really think the comparison to Teatro Alla Scalla is off because there is just so much honey, fruits and oriental spice going on where Fendi is really dry compared to Teatro. If there is a realm of this perfume it is closer to Coco in the way a marvelously constructed perfume makes a moving whole than its parts. The spicy carnation and geranium emerge and the two are just gorgeous. Ylang and a bit of jasmine add to the heart. Drydown of patchouli, sandalwood, oakmoss and cedar give it the base. Its a really nice woody fragrance with some kind of wood in the 3 stages and it just harmonizes so well I dont think there is anything that smells like Fendi. She is in a class all her own. If I had to compare it to a modern formulation on the market, Galaad by Lubin would have to be in the galaxy. But even then, it falls a little short. Beautiful, Sophisticated, and unique. God bless her for existing. If anyone has a full bottle.. let me know. :)

Update 5/13/26: I have decided to part with my bottle. I just don't wear it, and I would love for it to go to someone who will wear it. FB for sale. Has maybe been sprayed 10-15 times, max, and has been kept in a cool, dark closet for it's entire life. If you love it or have always wanted to try it, make me an offer. I own a big, vintage bottle of this - and I've only worn it a few times, as I've only finally really grown into it. My mom was a teacher and tutor, and a good one, at a small private school in Miami, and the lovely Hispanic madres would give her these huge bottles of expensive perfume for Christmas for getting their niñas to read beautifully. Sadly for her, she was allergic to scent - for me, not so much! I'd end up with full size bottles of the latest Dior: Poison, and more - and one of the gifts was a big bottle of Fendi. Probably circa '85 or '86. It was, like the previous reviewer, too much for me back then. I had a girlfriend who loved to spray it on, but i knew then that I would have to grow into it. Boy, have I ever! It's a powerhouse on me, so I can only spray the tiniest bit and dab it, so I imagine it will last forever... I hope so. I won't go into notes on me, even to wax poetic. Just know that the vintage Fendi, if you can ever get your hands on a good bottle, is FABULOUS. Fragrant Christmas hugs to all!!

Spicy, Vintage Chypre... I wore this back in the early 90's, and loved it for the spiciness - the standouts being coriander, cardamom & the fresh spicy side of cypress. Also a faint vibe of pickling spices, that are all fluffed up by the oakmoss It's a big, bold chypre, and it was sold to me back then as being similar to Coco Chanel, and there are similarities, but they aren't identical. Fantastic performance, on par for big, bold chypres of this era, probably best in cooler weather but really anytime in moderation. If you manage to find a vintage bottle you will enjoy, especially if you like spicy vintage chypres. It's a love for me. Contrast to Coco EDT Chanel: There are different, but there may be similarities with spices, coriander, rose & sandalwood. But Coco isn't a chypre, and doesn't have the oakmoss present in Fendi Fendi. Fendi also reads as spicier to me. Both have great performance, but slightly stronger for Fendi Fendi. Contrast to Diva Emanuel Ungaro: These are different, but there are similarites with big bold chypre-ness, oakmoss, rose, coriander, cardamom, sandalwood etc. The main difference is that Fendi doesn't have the honey & white florals in the heart, and also reads as spicier. Both have excellent performance, roughly equivalent.

Like so many, many others, I want this back! It was my signature perfume as I came of age in the late 80's. I was constantly stopped by men (followed often, in fact) who wanted to get that perfume for their wives/girlfriends/so's, etc, because they were intoxicated by smelling it on me. Never before or since have I had that kind of reaction to a fragrance! Never before or since have I had an EDP that lingered anywhere close to as long as that perfume lasted with my body chemistry. I have a small bottle I use sparingly. My ex-husband almost cried when he found out it was discontinued. My new boyfriend (who met me before I was married back in the 80's) has also expressed regrets that it's gone (and he is asthmatic and can't take most perfume)! I do have a lovely fragrance wardrobe now, and wear many things during the day to match my mood, but there are times that nothing else will do. I love Le Basier du Dragon, and am currently torn between Bottega Veneta, Nest's Midnight Fleur, Penhaligon's Iris Prima, and Houbigant's Quelques Fleur Royale, to make a signature for evening (by day I'm using 613 by ChazDean) all of which have some of the same qualities as my lovely Fendi, all of which I love for their own sake, but none of which quite lives up to Fendi.

Gone too soon My dearly beloveds, we are gathered here today to celebrate the life and the premature death of a work of art that is sorely missed. Fendi Fendi, according to databases, was first launched in 1985. I only met her just last year when my quest for vintage fragrances began to soar. At first sniff, my eyes watered. Fendi, for me, carries the feel of L' Heure Bleu but sways in the opposite direction. Where L'Heure Bleu is subtle and unobtrusive, Fendi is prominent with a hot chip on her shoulder. An initial blast of spice leads to soft, aromatic florals. Warm spices envelop the sweetest flowers. Ylang is captivating as it mingles with Jasmine and Patchouli making this a deep, rich and irresistible. If carefully applied, Fendi can be as soft as corn silk yet powerfully rich and deep enough to make your knees buckle. Woodsy notes and amber bring us to a dramatic finish that reeks luxury and sex appeal. Fendi can be described as breathtaking and heartbreaking. There are no equals. None. She and I don't have a long history together but I do cherish my new friend. Just as a departed loved one remains in our hearts forever, I am hoping that Fendi will remain in my collection forever.

Years ago when I found out this was discontinued I hoarded as many bottles as I could so I would never run out. I love this scent, it's been my signature scent since I discovered it in the late 90s. Its smells of a mysterious, vampiric dominatrix with the elegance of Catherine Deneuve in The Hunger. It works well with leather, satin, latex, cashmere, and rhinestones. 6" patent leather heels or thigh boots. Corsets and fully-fashioned stockings, long opera gloves. It's a Helmut Newton goddess in a bottle. It's powerful and sensual, and not at all girly. I would even recommend this for the right man to wear because it's too incredibly sexy to be wasted on one gender. It's not for people who like fruity, sparkly, or sickeningly sweet scents and its not a blind buy. My previous partner was mesmerized when I wore it, current partner despises it so I wear it for myself or when he is not with me. I can't stop smelling my wrist when I do! I will wear this until I am down to the very last drop of my very last bottle and try to have a dupe made when it gets to that point. Such a shame this was discontinued.

Woke up and just knew I had to wear this beauty today. The original is pure magic and unlike anything else. It’s a floral chypre with ORIENTAL written all over. When I first encountered it in my youth, I was torn. I loved it very much on others, but the coriander in the opening was overpowering and I just couldn't wear it mysef. Fast forward till 10 years ago, where I smelled this glorious cloud of seductive spicyness on a lady in a theatre. I instantly recognised it and knew I had to give it another try. Luckily, I found a mini with the original juice a few months later and it's magnificent. My skin still seems to amp up the coriander in the opening, but not as much as it used to and it is followed by an effortlessly elegant mix of leather, cardamom and oldschool carnations. The dry down is to die for with more spices, resins and an oakmoss hard to come by these days. Fendi is huge, both in terms of sillage, longevity and allure and one dab is more than enough. Sexy, seductive and selfassured as few. They just don't make them like this any more.

Well this was a happy accident. I bought a half full bottle of a vintage fragrance on eBay. When the box arrived it was SOAKED with perfume and smelled... not at all how I expected. When I opened it up I found a half full (it must have started out totally full) bottle of Fendi! (NOT what I had ordered). I was so enchanted with the scent that filled my mailbox/office though that I started looking for other vintage bottles online (as obviously I would send this one back, it wasn't what I ordered!). Lucky for me the seller didn't want a leaky bottle shipped back through the mail system and told me to keep Fendi. What a gorgeous fragrace. Spicy, fresh, but warm. I'm wearing it on a bright, warm, sunny spring day and it is perfect. Old school, yes. But I consider that a *good* thing. There's no sugar bomb here. This is a fragrance for a woman who knows what she wants and goes for it. One spray of the EDT and even sitting outside in the breeze I am totally enveloped in scent. They certainly don't make them like this anymore.

I blind bought a 25 ml bottle today and I'm still hesitating what to make of it. It's distinctive and impressive to start with: very (very!) spicy, dryish chypre. But then there is that harsh smoky note, which reminds me of Gres Cabochard and sadly doesn't agree with me. Someone mentioned bugspray earlier, and I kind of get that too, in a way. Is it the coriander? But then again, I cannot stop sniffing my wrist, and the more I sniff, the more I'm lured by this scent. It develops on skin and becomes sweeter, like spicy rose scent, but with woodsmoke and leather in the background. Kind of boozy, too, like a glass of quality cognac. It's feminine and masculine at the same time, which makes it interesting. After an hour it's still going strong and I'm head over heels in love with it. Can't imagine this being worn in McDonald's or some other cheap place. It requires opera, art gallery or a party. Fendi is a sultry, classy and mysterious experience, definitely worth the effort of finding a bottle, or two. Or three.

Created back in 1985, at the time (i was a teen) it was all the rage, and it deserved its huge success. In the Eighties, those bold, strong, heady and screaming-out-loud frags ruled. So we were all wearing that stuff (Poison, Loulou, Krizia, Diva, Opium), dressed in miniskirts, padded shoulder blazers, bold golden jewellery and big fluffy curly hair. Minimalism was yet an unknown concept LoL. I was given a bottle of Fendi as a present in the late Eighties - felt so flattered as it meant I was a "grown up" girl and not a teen. It is a BOLD fragrance, and draws instant attention. It's a chypre with a spicy/oriental vocation. The flowers in it play a smaller role... the drydown is a classic oriental, with resins, moss, tonka. Feminine, dry, spicy, sensual. Incredible staying power. I loved it to bits and I am still mourning its discontinuation. A great frag that you need to smell to have a taste of the Eighties!

What can I say ... I read numerous sad comments on the internet about the discontinued Fendi and the plee to "bring it back" ... and I'm one of them. Do not be fooled by the Ea De Toilette version ... it's NOTHING like the EDP ... it stinks ... a completely different perfume. The EDP is a beautiful spicy and sweet perfume, but not a smokey raw type of spicy like Tabu. I had so many compliments on it ... I just had to be careful not to overspray. I'm new to all these perfume notes, all I know is that it is the more beautiful warm spicy winter fragrance, not harsh in any way. It would last for hours. Last bottle I bought in 2008 for $20.00 ... Oh how I wish I would have bought at least 4 .... It's a shame that Fagerfeld did not realize this perfume could be one of the forever classics along with Coco Chanel and Shalimar. So far, the closest fragrance I have found is Basile .. yet another Italian perfume.

The original vintage Fendi is just outrageously fantastic, no idea why it doesn’t have the same status in the fragrance community as Opium and the like. It’s an almost narcotic oriental chypre, spices, leather, carnation and oakmoss and everything but the kitchen sink. It’s an 80s powerhouse and a little dab will do ya, nobody is going to miss your scent. It’s sexy, slinky but also a bit shoulder pad glam. I bought either a reformulation or a fake about 5 years ago and it was a pale color and smelled nothing like Fendi. You want the old amber colored stuff. It will knock your socks off. Back in the day we didn’t think “unisex”, this was made for women but now when I smell it I realize just how amazing it would smell on a man. This was my signature scent for years and every time I smell it again I realize why. Not many things can equal Fendi in my opinion.

If I would be visited by somone from outer space, an alien, and it would like to learn all about mankind and in that matter also about perfumes and it would want to get only one example, for what a perfume is, I'd choose Fendi for it. The most perfumery perfume ever invented: chypre, dry, spicy, heady and lush. It is the perfume per se. I do not often turn to this little gem, maybe because it is so much, with great sillage and enormous staying power. For me it is simply most of the time too much. But now, as the weather is turning again from warm to cold, Fendi's time has been coming. Wear it now or never! It reflects the slight melancholia of another summer, that has been passed, another dark winter to come. It makes you feel cosy, when the leaves are turning and the rain is coming. I wear Nu and Parfum Sacre for the same reasons right now.

I'm in love with this scent. I can't describe it properly, but it gives an endorphin rush somehow. I expected it to be very spicy and heavy, but it's pretty much the opposite to me (at least in EDT concentration, EDP is on its way though). Powdery woods, soft leather, patchouli and honeyed spices cover Fendi's core of rose liquer - slighty sweet and sour, but not overly floral. It's a very beautiful creation and it's a shame Fendi's fragrance division has ceased to exist. It's sisters are Magie Noire and Teatro alla Scala; the former being obviously more stern and bitter, whereas the latter is more voluptuous, with a more pronounced rose/white floral combination and an oriental base. Fendi Donna floats between her sisters like a feather - a carefully balanced composition of both. Very easily wearable by men, too.

Dark , elegant , mysterious ,intense ... this is sultry silk velvet in the shade of deep Siena Earth . I was not a not a big fan of leather note in the past ( now I love it ) but there Always have been exceptions when it comes to complex masterpieces . I'm a fan of THIS old Fendi . There is an amazing equilibrium in this blend in my opinion : it is not floral , not dry , not sweet , not bitter ... Legendary dancer and spy of the first world war Mata Hari's perfume , maybe ? But also very suitable for special men , so Dear gentlemen , wear this if you want to seduce a special woman :-) ------------- I am really astonished to read in a post below that Fendi can be related to Elie Saab Le Parfum as they could not be more different , in my humble opinion .

I was just a teenage girl in the late 1980s, shy, a virgin, who lived in the countryside and was going out for a date for the first time with a guy who looked very promising. I didn't wear perfumes, but that day I wanted something special for a special night. I took Fendi hidden from my mom and spread it all over my body - several times, on the whole body - completely unaware of what I was doing, I just wanted to feel confident, haha. My date was waiting for me across the street when I left the house. He got out of the car and came towards me and I noticed that he already smelled my perfume from afar. When we got in the car, he jokingly announced: "I know what perfume you're wearing: it's Fendi! My mom wears this perfume too."

Dark, vamp, seductress, very sexy, are the words I would use to describe this fantastic fragrance. I loved this from when it was first launched in 1985, I was 18 years old. I have a large 100ml Spray bottle identical to the photo, also a tip on version and 2 5 ml miniatures all of the original vintage fragrance and they smell divine. All the notes are as mentioned, this is a very spicy, warm fragrance ideal for the colder months. A resemblance to the original vintage Chanel Coco, nor the newer version as the fragrance has been watered down and no longer resembles the Coco of 85. Fendi Donna is a beautiful fragrance. I love it as it is unique not many women/men will be wearing thus bomb in 2024! Except me of course!

Nothing else smells like this. In my rather large collection this is one of two fragrances that transports me (to 2004 or 2005, even though it took me 20 years to come to it) -- the other fragrance is the feminine Benetton Colors in clear bottle with various colored name text, which transports me back to 1987 around when it came out. I bought a vintage well preserved unused bottle of 100 ml edp Fendi Donna Classic / this one on eBay and have noticed that the oakmoss softens to reveal a more ambery base which I prefer, in time. I guess Josephine from Rancé 1795 is also a transport fragrance, to around 2006 in St. Petersburg where I bought it. Just to give an idea of my taste and trajectory in perfume.

Woody, strong, spicy and long lasting perfume.First spray all i could sense was the woody notes and then the spicy warmness and because i like woody perfumes it was enough for it to have my like: It is well blended, has a interesting leathery smell and brings confidence.it is balasamic and a blend of oriental notes.Makes me think of a bag of tea wich contains diferent fruits, red berried spices and aromas in a steamy cup with earthy colours-soothing, being pasionately served. well and I see passion and confidece because of its warm spicy vibe and woody quality. I like it. Elegant and galantly warm I would wear this in a black vintage triangle shaped dress accesorised with a leather brown pourse

Fendi is one of the best classics of the 80's. Big and spicy with the sharpness of those pumped up aldehydes. Damn, this is so sexy. After it's settled down a bit, the cardamom keeps it spicy and woody and very comfortable, but it is unmistakeably a child of the 80's. There's something so animalic about it. I'd swear there was civet in the base, which was used a lot back then. Maybe it's the combination of leather, patchouli and oakmoss, but it certainly gives this a definite air of skankiness. In fact, I'd call it my favorite skank scent, right up there with Habanita! Fendi makes me feel like a prowling lioness in heat when I wear it. I just might rip you to shreds....but boy, you'll like it!

Wonderful, delicious, spicy, intoxicating. I first smelled this on a friend of mine and seriously, I couldn't stop leaning in to smell her. This is not a scent for the timid. Great silage and lasting power. Because I kept complimenting her, my friend bought me a bottle for my birthday and while I like it on myself, it doesn't smell like it does on her. Different chemistry, she IS Italian and has dark hair and eyes, while I am fair. Not sure if that's the reason, but I generally wear this only during the winter, but it's my friend's signature scent. I smell the patchouli and oak moss and it's much more unique than Opium, Cinnabar or some of the more popular scents that were strong and sexy.

I was lucky enough to score a 1/2 full bottle online recently and it is every bit as wonderful as I remember. I wore this in the early 90's...in my younger, wilder days! It is everything that most of my other perfumes of today are not...loud, unmistakable, intense and heady. Spicy, woody with a dry down reminiscent of well worn leather and a hint of smoke. I suppose if you don't have a strong emotional attachment to this or have never worn it, you can skip the high price tag on this discontinued fragrance and find something comparable that is just as unique and fantastic to you (more for me, insert evil laugh). I would be interested to know if anyone has found a contemporary substitute!

[Review originally posted on MakeupAlley in 2005]: Supaperfume.com has this for 20 pounds...it seems to be hard to find in stores. Fendi for me is a sort of sour leather and roses, like a bourbon drink. Persistent and sultry. A weird fragrance, and I can see why some think it smells like Raid or bug spray, but on me it works, smells slightly masculine even, and lasts a long time. An SA recommended it as something that wouldn't be recognized and would mix well with my chemistry. She was right, for the price it is another rare mainstream perfume being proferred by the likes of stores that sell Villoresi, MPG, Caron, Rosine, etc. Somewhat classic in my opinion.

I LOVE this FENDI - MY ALL TIME FAVORITE Fendi!!! Please, oh Please, Fendi, bring this awesome fragrance back!!! LOVE LOVE LOVE MISS MISS MISS Hopefully, someday Fendi will bring this out of the discontinued status. It's gorgeous, pow in your face fragrance is so luscious and such a feel-good feeling when you wear it! So classy and timeless... Will always cherish the memories of my father gifting me this perfume (in the '80's for Christmas). He has since passed away (2003) - To me this fragrance will always have a special place in my heart! :) Loving other Fendi also: Fan di Fendi and L'Acquarossa I think with Fendi, you just cannot go wrong!

If I'd known it would be discontinued I wouldn't have lost it. This fragrance was really lovely and had quite an addictive quality to it. Reminded me a little of bvlgari mon jasmin noir actually. I had the body lotion as well which was really lovely; more feminine than you would expect from the notes listed. Reminds me also of Idole d'armani but I like fendi better. As spicy scents go this wasn't overwhelmingly spicy. By looking at the composition you might be fooled into thinking it was quite old-fashioned smelling and not pretty but you'd be wrong- one of those unique winners this was. I'll miss you Fendi :(

I found a bottle of Fendi at a consignment shop for $2, a full bottle!!! I couldn't believe it! I grabbed it up ASAP along with a several d/c'd frags. Fendi is such a powerful, beautiful, unique & very distinctive scent, IMHO. I cherished every drop of that bottle & was saddened to see it all used up. It is very potent, had wonderful sillage for me...people would comment "What are you wearing? That smells sooooooo good! On me it smells more like an Oriental, which is my favorite group. A masterpiece! Even my sons would comment on how good this one smelled...

Another breathtaking floral chypre. I sprayed this precious vintage Fendi EDT on a handkerchief for some ad hoc aromatherapy. I have discovered that when I'm testing a new fragrance, I'd just as soon use a clean handkerchief as a test strip. It lasts a lot longer than it does on my skin, which means I can enjoy a small amount for a much longer duration. This is so well-blended that nothing jumps out at you; you just pause to admire the way the ylang-ylang, rose, geranium, woods, and spices converge in an agreeable and enigmatic aroma. Pure class!

It is lovely to see so many people who appreciate this amazing and rare vintage scent from Fendi. I happen to have a large full 3.4 fl oz/ 100ml bottle with the box available. It is like new and has been cared for since I first found it in an estate sale. If anyone is interested in purchasing, I am willing to negotiate a fair price. I have seen how much it is going for on ebay (up to 675.00 last I checked), but I would rather it go to a place where it is appreciated, so I am willing to come down a bit in that respect. Message me if interested!

Wow this is all about the long slow dry down. Very sensual , softly spicy with rose leather and sandalwood with an underlying non sweet vanilla and warm amber. This one to me could be unisex possibly. At first sniff it seems loud but confident, after 15 Mins it's more velvety with a set of complex base notes That are heavenly. Classy a tad retro going towards oriental for ladies not girls. 9/10 for amazing scent 11/10 for lasting power (edp) 11/10 spillage , gently wafts all around you.

I have a bottle of Fendi perfume that I purchased in 1998. I’ve treasured it and only worn it once or twice a year. I will never be able to afford it now. I absolutely crave the cool wet forest soil under decaying leaves and conifers in fall sunshine smell of it. It transports me. On my skin it lasts forever, getting sweeter and deeper and even earthier with something like mossy granite. It is caves and secrets and insects in amber and ancient knowledge brought to light in a scent.

Vintage Fendi is loved by many for good reasons, the reform seems less popular. I know only the original and have no interest in the newer version. Anyway, Fendi is powerfully spicy and warm and recalls the even more beautiful Teatro alla Scala by Krizia. F. has good sillage and longevity. This is a big perfume, glorious in it's strength and intensity. But it's also very wearable when applied with a light hand. Personally I'd like to roll in it, Fendi is that good.

I love this fragrance to no end. The coriander and cardamom in the top notes are absolutely brilliant, with the aldehydes keeping things fresh and classic. I smell rose next, pulsing underneath, dancing with sweet geranium, while all the while the lush, warm base hints at the drydown, which is glorious and lasts and lasts. A brilliant masterpiece of a fragrance, but not for the faint of heart, as this one is strong. One need not bathe in it...

Fruity but not sweet, spiced but not spicy, all with a light tinge of incense; all of this combines with the alcoholic base of the perfume to create the overall impression of a wine-like scent. It's sweet but not in a cloying way, with a definite incense or spice undertone. It might be one of the fruitiest perfumes I've ever tried, but like I said, it's not fruity in the fresh, sweet kind of way- it smells, well, like flowers and wine.

Fendi was my signature in high school....HIGH SCHOOL! Oh, the 80's! Our poor teachers, stuck in a classroom of heavy hitters like this, Giorgio Beverly Hills, Obsession, and Poison! I suppose we were trying to be sophisticated... Looking at the notes, I really don't think I would like this now. Funny how people say this is for a mature lady, but tastes change, I guess. I would love to try it again and see!

Oh fendi fendi fendi...je ne regrette rien...except the loss of you, my love. I have been looking for another scent that comforts my soul as you do but to no avail. My lovely hubby got me a wee 25 ml EDP for my birthday though. I am making you last, too scared to contemplate life without you again. Please can anyone suggest an affordable alternative and don't say Diva cos it's just not true. Nice but dim.

I found a bottle from the mid 1980's among my older perfumes. I tried it and it still smells great. I'd forgotten how much I liked it! I agree with many of the reviews that suggest a light application enough. Also, it is not a fragrance I would wear everyday. When I wear Fendi the spices and woody notes predominate. For that reason I would tend to wear this fragrance in the cooler months of the year.

I was privileged enough to sniff this masterpiece finally and all I can say is WOW! Fendi Donna is truly in a class of its own! I do not think I have ever smelled anything quite like this.. Strong, potent, mature, classic, sultry, animalic, chypre floral full of leather, spices, and woods! Out of this world sexy! Fendi is definately a masterpiece, and I hope to get to know it better!

My goodness this juice is divine! Everyone else has described this far better than I could. Be careful applying. I have always thought if a little is good, more is better. This isn't a watered down fruity floral. She has everything and not one aspect of it needs any improvement. Not dated either. Just a dab will do-then be prepared to have your mind blown.

I have the original vintage edt. This scent I remember from childhood. It's bold yet soothing. Leather, spices, and so much more that is very well blended. Very sexy. A little goes a long way! The scent of many new wave girls, clubs, and parties! By today's standards, I think it's easily unisex. Last all day and night. Smells amazing on a leather jacket.

For any of you depressed ex-lovers of this fragrance, I by chance came across a fragrance that reminded me very strongly of this one. Juliette Has a Gun Midnight Oud is extremely similar, it has a heavy powdery rose component though so if you are a hater of rose or powdery frags it may offend you a little. Happy to help my smelly friends :D

Had it a couple of times. The first time, I was in my early teens. This frag is strong, spicy and elegant. Not an everyday's frag. I still use it on special occasions. I used to love it back in the 80's and I still love it since it's a sexy, mysterious & very strong perfume. You really need to love over the edge frags to wear this one.

For me it's not at all chipre,it's oriental perfume similar so much to coco chanel vintage.Strong as pure concentrated perfume,I use only 1 drop and I feel all day huge scent from me (for have the same scent with new formula's perfumes you have to spray 10 times!)On me I feel a lot of honey +woody notes. Real treasure and must have.

I finally got my hands on some Fendi Fendi vintage - exactly the same as I wore back in the early 90's. I love this perfume! But, to my nose it comes across as much more of a Chypre Oriental than a Chypre Floral. I just don't detect floral......maybe a hint of ripe fruit, but no floral. I love Fendi Fendi and it loves me right back!

I must admit that when i received it as a gift didn't appreciate it at all! But I get so many compliments every time I wear it that AFTER FIVE YEARS of owning it I started wearing it EVERYDAY!!! It's amazing that it stills smells brand new! And even more amazing after six or eight hours at work it still draws compliments.

This is such a stunning scent it reminds me of a more peppery cinnamony Opium at the start and softens to a smokey spicier version of Ungaro Diva. It's one of those cool warmth polarizing aloof chypres along the same lines as EL Knowing or Paloma but more oriental spicy with an earthiness with the chic glamour.