Portofino'97

To me, Portofino ’97 feels like the better version of its “cousins.” The closest one in vibe is Byredo’s Bal d’Afrique, but Bal is musky, powdery, and a little vetivery, it barely lasts 1–2 hours on me. Portofino takes that same idea but makes it fresher, with more amber, musk, and citrus. It also hangs around a lot longer — about 5 hours solid... which is why I would prefer to purchase one over the other. - I also get some similarities with Kilian’s Playing With The Devil... I don't know why... probably the mix of blood orange, pepper, and a little floral lift (jasmine). I love Playing With The Devil, but it’s another one that disappears too quickly..however people complemented it a lot... - Sospiro Contralto comes to mind too, because of the sweet pepper and white florals, is a very very good one.. - Xerjoff Torino 22... I know people compare them, but on me they’re nothing alike. Torino is all eucalyptus, tea, and musk. Nice in its own lane, but very different. So... ’97 is fresh, citrusy, ambery, musky, and just feels “put together” compared to the others. It has that same spark as Bal d’Afrique or Contralto, but it actually lasts more than the 1st... and feels more balanced... My point is unless you are really fan of this scent profile you don't need all of them... Maybe couple will be fine..

I sniffed this on a whim in Selfridges - and fell absolutely in love. Lord almighty what a fragrance! I am utterly in love with this scent it’s simply stunning and I can’t stop wearing it. The notes throw me off as it doesn’t quite translate into what I actually smell - I get a distinctive pineapple but woody blast at the top which melts a unusual blend of fresh aquatic coolness, with a sandalwood peppery touch yet somehow also remains very sweet, almost rich but yet citrusy/summer leaning scent. It’s so odd yet so bloody delicious. And despite its sweetness it also remains firmly unisex. And the best part is that it LASTS and LASTS. Projects beautifully, but this isn’t one that will knock anyone out, yet does whisp out softly and leaves a lingering scent trail. It makes me beam ear to ear when I catch a sniff - it’s such a happy and uplifting scent. Overall, this is a fresh, crisp, modern, “clean girl” fragrance but doesn’t have the typical airiness of that category - this instead has real depth and character, never staying linear. Who would have thought a designer/celebrity fragrance would be quite so lovely. I can’t not wait to try her other ones! Side note - I dont get the BR540 comparisons at all, it’s much too citrusy, woody and has a distinctive freshness BR540 couldn’t dream of.

I have just purchased this and it certainly has the wow factor about it. It's very unisex although more leaning toward feminine. I do think men could get away with wearing it however. The Fragrantica main accords as listed are pretty spot on although I do not get much amber. This perfume has very much a 'cologne' smell with primarily citrus, aquatic and then woody notes. I do detect a bit of powdery smokiness as the dry down begins. The strength is amazing! A small spray on one wrist and another on my throat and I can still smell this 8 hours later. It has staying power comparable to the old version of Poeme by Lancome before it got reformulated into a weaker version. This perfume is likely going to become one of my signatures. The smell is incredible and it smells very high end and good quality. The bottle in and of itself is gorgeous and worthy of display just on its aesthetics alone. This perfume is also amazingly versatile and could be a day or night, winter or summer, male or female scent. I don't often rave about a new perfume but this one is definitely worth raving about! It's pricey but very high quality. I was never a VB fan before but bravo to her for bringing out a perfume of this quality and versatility! I will definitely repurchase.

I got the Fragrance Discovery Set with 21:50 Rêverie, Portofino’97, Suite 302, and San Ysidro Drive in those cute little 2ml parfum vials, plus the hand cream set with the same four scents in baby tubes, and honestly? Most of them weren’t for me — Rêverie was a sugar bomb, Suite 302 a bit too girly, and San Ysidro way too heavy. But then... Portofino’97 happened. Absolute bliss. It’s everything I want in a scent: citrusy-woody heaven with bright bergamot and crisp vetiver shining through, all tied together by a soft amber warmth. The mastermind Jérôme Epinette and Posh Spice created something elegant yet daytime-friendly, energising but grounded, formal without being stuffy. The marine-meets-incense twist is shockingly addictive — who knew I’d fall for that combo? It gives off this unmistakably 90s vibe (as the name suggests) but stays far from feeling dated. Totally gender neutral, beautifully balanced, moderate sillage and insane longevity — like, still-there-at-bedtime levels. It’s polite to others but faithful to me, just how I like it. Not even gonna lie, I ordered the full 100ml bottle right before writing this. It’s a lifer.

My signature scent - I adore both the perfume and the bottle. It opens with a burst of juicy citrus that melts into an aromatic, aquatic experience, finished with a hint of smoky incense and salt that lingers on the skin like a day spent by the ocean. I first bought it in Paris and wore it throughout a trip to Greece, so it will always carry the memory of that special time. Now that I’m landlocked, I find it harder to wear, as it pairs so perfectly with sunshine and water. It’s definitely a spring and summer fragrance; it just doesn’t feel right in autumn or winter. Another bonus is its impressive longevity - lasting easily 6 - 8 hours, which is rare for such a citrus-forward scent. Others have mentioned it performs better than Bal D’Afrique but I don’t find them to be that similar honestly. Bal d’Afrique is far creamier and doesn’t have the beautiful salty and incense notes. It’s a truly gorgeous fragrance that I know I’ll enjoy for years to come!