GFF Donna

First of all, I am impressed at how many 'dislikes' this perfume has. Maybe it's because of the initial blast, which is weird and harsh, but it disappears after five minutes the most. To me there's absolutely nothing woody or chypre about this perfume. It's an elegant and soft, HUGE floral, very 'Italian' by the way. It's not very common and boring too. Most prominent note for me is jasmin. A hint of honey is there too, I think. Adorable, suitable for those who like pure florals. I can't stop sniffing my wrist! It brings a spring image on my mind. Such a nice image, isn't it? :D

I smelled it some time ago searching for a new bottle of the former GFF version (I finally decided not to rebuy it) and I liked it. It is an inoffensive scent that resembles baby powder a little bit. This is what I got from it, as it was very different from the former GFF version (which was a unisex scent). I think that one can't go wrong with this perfume. I get the feeling that it will never be a love at first sight (smell) but it will be a pleasantly wearable perfume, especially for the morning before going to work. Probably nice for every age.

I used to hate this perfume - a blind buy, disappointed when it came, it was just too havy to me. Then I took it with me when I went to Italy to visit my mom - this was in 2011. I still have it and now I love it. Every time I snuff it it reminds me of my mom, of Italy, old and beautiful furnitures in the house, wonderful memories. I love the feeling that it gives me.

Leave it to the italians to make a female fougere in the late 90s. There isnt many out there so its a unique treasure that opened herbal then morphs into a hybrid animalic chypre. How fun for hardened perfumistas. Night wear or have a big personality to pull it off.

This is a very interesting scent. I didn't know what to think at first as it reminded me of Arpege and I can't wear that one ... there's something in it that goes sour on my skin. This perfume is starting to grow on me. I bought it when I saw it has lavender. It's a beautiful scent ... it's a bit dry compared to the popular sweet scents these days .. the sweetness toned down by the sage and cardamon .. I guess. I don't really smell jasmin unless that's the sweetness in this perfume, but I think the blend is so good I can't really pick out individual notes. It's very elegent and will be lovely in the spring and summer.

To me very 'Italian', bitter-honey-lemony, rich winter-cozy, fur friendly. one of the favorites.

This was a blind buy in my search to find a more affordable version of my beloved Amouage Beloved. Both perfumes share fresh spicy top notes on top of a floral middle. As much as I'd like to find an affordable alternative, GFF is not it. GFF is a dual-personality perfume, one half is a greenish fougere, the other is a floriental with prominent ylang and soft honey. One moment GFF seems to be more of one, then the other rudely enters and asserts itself. While I feel I'd like each "half" on its own, the two halves never quite come together into an integrated whole.

There's a lot going on in Gianfranco Ferre GFF DONNA, but, in the end, it all boils down on my skin to a sharp soapy scent. The opening is a bit jarring, reminiscent of the smell of shoe polish--not that I have used that product in recent history. Rather than giving up, I let the chaotic jumble of notes settle, and eventually what emerged out of the cacophony was soap. During most of the lifetime of this fragrance on my skin, it seems like the soapy drydown of a classic perfume--something which might have been launched in the 1970s or 1980s. However, this is not as likeable as GIANFRANCO FERRE, the 1984 launch, which I looked forward to reapplying. In contrast, while wearing GFF DONNA, I began to look forward to a bath. The impressive line-up of notes notwithstanding, the trajectory of this fragrance does not unfurl with discernible flowers blossoming at any point. It all just seems somehow a bit too harsh. Like hard work with no recompense. Actually, it evoked memories of the short story La Parure, by Guy de Maupassant. Anyway, for now, I have to say that I'm not surprised that this perfume was discontinued, but I'll give it another try at a later date...

Many years ago, I bought the GFF Uomo (male) version by mistake, thinking it was the female version. I did not know I had to look on the cap to know which one was for men and which one for women. The bottles are almost identical, but for the slightly different colour of the bottle and the initial on the cap. Anyhow, I did not even notice at first I had bought the 'wrong' version, because in my experience the male version is rather unisex, even a bit on the feminine side. Recently I bought this female Donna version. And although it is a nice enough scent, I have to admit I like the male version better! I think GFF Donna is not as unique as some of the Gianfranco Ferre scents. An inoffensive, good-to-wear-to-the-office scent, as some of you have rightly put it.

It begins with a heady mix of flowers; jasmine, violet, ylang ylang along with some daffodil and honeysuckle. It's so opulent and slightly reminiscent of Arpege sans the aldehydes and a little more indolic. There's a tinge of green adding a sweet herbaceous tone. I was enthralled by these notes and so pleased with the perfume. After a few hours I noticed it had changed into something unexpected. A soft, leathery base was hiding under all those flowers. It's reminiscent of Cuir de Russie at this stage. The sillage is soft but it certainly lasts.

June 18, Thumbs up.:)) Wonderful furry, warm, honey-ish, sweetness which does not stick to nose like in most of up-to-date perfs... Love it absolutely. Gianfranco Ferre was a big man with a big soul, loved by almost everyone he worked with. He knew his dearest and nearest needed a feeling of that big hug and appreciation. Thanks for this and a whole line of his other perfumes, including male ones as well (I wear both GFF-s, donna and uomo).

Incredible. The best way that I can describe it is a sweeter Shalimar with a boatload of civet. There is some civet/musk in here bigtime. The main notes in the top are citrus and Tonka with vanilla then the honey sweetens the pot and the civet takes hold. In the base, it is all about the musk with the sweetness but not too sweet and a creamy base of tonka and sandalwood.

Wow, this is a lot of jasmine on my skin. It is well blended with the base notes to lend a creamy warm/cool feeling, but the jasmine has that distinct mothball edge that white florals often do on me and I had to scrub. On someone who can wear jasmine, this would be a stunner. An elegantly constructed oriental that is fairly light. A perfect afternoon tea scent.

Smells nothing like Anna Sui, I was searching for something similar to that and has more waxy and powdery vibe. This smells a lot like the opening of Chanel N0.5 and coco edt. Not what I am looking for....

I miss this scent so much... It was like a happy vacation in Rome or Tuscany. A bouquet full of joy and sun. Lots of carnations. What a shame it has been discontinued.

Very specific scent, it's hard to me to describe it but definitely worth trying even someone may find it too dark.