Envy (1997)
by Gucci

The brief to Maurice Roucel must have been very brief indeed, probably just that single word: ENVY. For Roucel seems to have had pretty much a free hand in this undertaking, opting for the easier no-brainer option to draw upon the oft-quoted phrase, 'green with envy'. And that's what we got here, folks - a green floral. But unlike the fresh effervescence of Tommy Girl's spring morning, Envy is more about spring evenings with dusk approaching, flowers in late bloom, a peach ripening on a stem, mayhap a touch synthetic but still lactonic. I find the musky and powdery heart addictive and kept sniffing myself every few minutes. But far from being a happy scent, Envy's dusky yet seductive demeanour hints at darker secrets, of desires and longings and quite possibly, envy.

A wearable if somewhat seductive scent that comes across as 'young'. On a sultry beauty, I could imagine Envy as the embodiment of a third-party aka the 'husband-stealer'. Now if that isn't something that elicits envy, I don't know what is.

Gucci Envy

Notes: Hyacinth, Magnolia, Lily of the Valley, Jasmine, Violet, Iris (from sephora.com)

I have to be very honest. I do not smell anything like what is listed in the notes for Gucci Envy. When I first spray it, I smell something like waxed Granny Smith apples and plastic screechy florals. In the drydown I smell vestiges of the plastic top notes along with an extremely "perfumey" synthetic powder note and nondescript sweet musk. I can't say it is completely unpleasant, but here's what's really interesting about Envy...Envy smells like the fragrance counter at Macy's. In other words, it smells like a cloud of fragrance which is composed of countless spray-testing all the more recent fragrances available at a mid-level department store. This is the PURE ESSENCE OF MALL smell. I have to give some kudos for being able to bottle such a nebulous thing. It's definitely not for me, but I can understand the appeal.

I bought this for my wife when it came out, mainly because I was curious what Gucci, in the middle of a creative rebirth, was doing in the area of fragrance. Well, they created a classic. Such a beautiful fragrance and one that for once deserves the description “modern” (most of the time a word mistaken with “current fashion”, and most new fragrances don't deserve to be called modern.) This truly is a stylish fragrance for women that, once and for all, ends the tradition of musty, female perfume. This is crisp, green, sharp but unmistakably female. Undeniably great (too bad the male version wasn’t any good.)

I've only recently tried Gucci Envy and its made me realise how fabulous green florals can be. Love it and hope to purchase a bottle soon.

Wow! Fresh dazzling green! Envy is like a bracing, refreshing blast of water and greens! A cold rain on a hot day! Definitely unisex, definitely unique. Anyone who has trouble wearing the green, dry, chypre Chanel Cristalle should try Envy instead - gets you in the same zesty green place but with soft sweetness.

an_oud_girl is absolutely right about it smelling like Florida after the rain. Envy is gorgeous!

Envy is a massive sweet green floral scent with abundant sillage and powerful projection. It’s quick to fill a room, but the essential bitterness of its green notes keeps it from becoming crude or cloying. In other words, it’s a fine example of Maurice Roucel in his expansive mood – the same one in which he composed Insolence and Musc Ravageur.

Envy’s floral notes include bold jasmine and orange blossom which bear a hefty load of fleshy indoles. These give Envy a decadent, lascivious undertone that balances out it’s clean, green attributes. The tension between Envy’s green and animalic faces makes wearing it an enthralling experience. I find myself waiting expectantly for one of the two sides to take over and throw the balance, but the suspense does not subside until the entire composition retreats into its relatively simple, pastel green, coumarin-tinged drydown. An altogether pleasant scent, and one I’m comfortable wearing (in small doses) as a man.