Kenzo
A unique visual signature based on accords, character, and seasonality
Rice steam erupts first with an almost savoury, slightly talcum-dusted quality that's genuinely unusual—this is no standard floral bombardment. Within moments, a delicate sweetness begins threading through, the cherry blossom adding a faint almond-like whisper that keeps the composition from floating away entirely.
The peony achieves prominence here, turning powdery and slightly green, whilst frangipani adds a buttery, almost creamy undertone that softens the rose's potential tartness. The frankincense begins its slow emergence, introducing a subtle incense-like bitterness that prevents the composition from cloying. This is where the fragrance finds its centre—a balanced, hushed floral arrangement.
What remains is predominantly sandalwood and white musk, though the frankincense's dry, resinous character dominates any creamy indulgence. The powder lingers longest, creating a faint second-skin effect rather than a persistent projection. By hour four, it becomes deeply personal—barely perceptible beyond an inch from skin, something you smell rather than something others do.
Amour Indian Holi arrives as a peculiar collision between Japanese aesthetics and South Asian celebration—neither fully committing to either tradition, yet somehow the more intriguing for its contradiction. Daphné Bugey has constructed something deliberately soft-focus, a fragrance that whispers rather than declares. The rice steam opening is the masterstroke here; it introduces a savoury, almost umami quality that prevents this from becoming another generic floral. This steamed-rice topnote acts as a palate-cleanser, grounding what could easily descend into syrupy sentiment.
What emerges is decidedly powdery rather than dewy—the peony and frangipani marry with cherry blossom and rose to create a composition that feels like pressed flowers between tissue paper. There's restraint in how these florals interact; they don't bloom so much as exhale, overlapping in soft whispers rather than cacophonous declarations. The frankincense in the base introduces a subtle bitter-resinous thread that prevents the white musk and sandalwood from becoming too creamy, maintaining a sophisticated tension between sweetness and restraint.
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Arts&Scents
3.8/5 (74)