Bygone glamour, sexuality, richness of quality and complexity, and a soupçon of distaste; like his runway looks, his cinematography, and even his personal life, Tom Ford’s perfumes are a flashy affair. Trust Mr. Ford then to reimagine the classic bouquet of roses as an altogether my sumptuous affair, launching in early 2022 his Private Rose Garden collection of fragrances.
Following Rose Prick in 2020, this new Private Rose Garden subcollection introduces to the Private Blends a trio of provocative new rose scents – each inspired by rare roses found in his own private garden, each of exotic and faraway origination.
Composed to be worn alone or layered with one another, the perfumes and their inspiration are: Rose d’Amalfi, an exploration of the roses the border the citrus groves of Tom Ford’s favourite Italian coast of Amalfi; Rose de Chine, a decadent interpretation of Chinese peony smouldering with exoticism; and, Rose de Russie, an overt rose-focused reinterpretation of the Russian leather theme. But how do these translate on skin?
Rose d’Amalfi (2022) – A bouquet of flouncy, pastel pink heritage roses in full bloom, adorning a table dressed with a Positano-made lace tablecloth and pink Ladurée macarons. There is a spritz of mandarin here, and the faintest hint of pepper there, but toasted almonds are the star of this gourmand rose. Gentle and saccharine, Rose d’Amalfi shares a good portion of its DNA with Rose Prick and will appeal to the same (feminine) wearer.
Rose de Chine (2022) – A potent rose fragrance contrasting the bright, airy rosiness of peonies with a heady heart of smouldering myrrh and labdanum, Rose de Chine feels the most Tom Ford in its composition, no doubt a result of the sensual (and heavy handed) treatment of the cistus labdanum and myrrh. Decadent and supremely crafted if quite linear in its development, this is my favourite of the collection.
Rose de Russie (2022) – The fiery crackle of white pepper, plush, velvety red roses and a heaping dose of sticky black birch tar, this wears dark, smoky, sexy… very Tom Ford. Dramatic and somewhat invasive in it sillage, Rose de Russie proves that the cuir de russie / Russian leather theme still has legs in modern perfumery; here, novelly reinterpreted with a plush, dark rose at it hearts.
The Private Rose Garden Collection is available at www.tomford.com and MYER and David Jones stores.