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• Green: Tradizionali.
• Brown: Classici.
• Bordeaux (Dark Auburn): Orientali.

Three colors, each representing a different fragrance style, marks the assortment of fragrances from Enzo Gallardi’s first line, Bois 1920. The Tradizionali features the fragrances Agrumi Amari di Sicilia, Sandalo e The, Real Patchouly, and Vetiver Ambrato.  Classic 1920 and 1920 Extreme belong to the Classici line and the Orientali consists of Sutra Ylang and Sushi Imperiale.

These fragrances have been composed from formulas Guido Gallardi (Enzo’s grandfather) created in 1920.  Enzo took his grandfather’s formulations and applied his own sense of imagination and wonderment to produce Bois 1920.  While all the scents in this line are considerably well done with complexity and lasting ability,  Sutra Ylang and Sushi Imperiale, caught most of my attention.  The other fragrances in the line are worth exploring (Real Patchouly, is in my opinion one of the best interpretations of patchouli I’ve ever smelled) however don’t sizzle with the originality and fantasy that the aforementioned do.  Sushi Imperiale, which does not smell anything like a Japanese food item or contain any fish ingredients (too my knowledge at least), is a cinnamon inspired scent with light touches of vanilla.  Yawwwn, been there done that?  No.  You haven’t been there.  As soon as a citrus glow fades into a more alluring mix of cinnamon and pepper, an anise note climbs in spinning the spice accords in an edible fashion.  I can’t compare the smell to a food item since it does not have a “foody” odor though it is very much a gourmand.  Imagine fresh baked pastry being served with rose hip tea as you lay beside a fire with potpourri around the room.  It smells good enough to eat but you wouldn’t want to exactly eat it.  Perhaps you’d nibble on your skin a little.  Perhaps someone else may nibble too . . .

Sutra Ylang is a leather fragrance.  I’m sorry leather isn’t listed in the ingredients and the press releases I received don’t list leather either.  It may not have any leather accords in it but I SMELL LEATHER so I’m going to refer to it as a leather fragrance.  What’s more alarming is that two of my most reviled notes are in the composition (lily of the valley and carnation).  I love this scent.  It is one of my favorite three fragrances from Gallardi.  Wearing this is reminiscent of a daydream where you picture yourself walking in the most fragrant gardens.  Dashes of jasmine, violets, and a whisper from a rose mix elegantly with a refreshing cardamom note to start the journey.  After walking through the garden the earthy smell of moss fades as you get lost deeper in the woods.  Sandalwood and cedar wood pull memories of logs burning as you recklessly abandon yourself in the woods.  In my woods I find a leather jacket and wear it since it gets cold. 

In 2006, a restless Gallardi launched a new line, Odori.  In a day where fragrances are so often created as clones of one another, Enzo Gallardi defines uniqueness with each invention.  The Odori line only shares it’s quality with Bois 1920.  Aside from that, they could have been from two different perfumers. Odori makes a mark by featuring an old world charm fused with a Florentine touch of sensuality whereas Bois 1920 creates a new world from the scents of the past.  With Odori, the fragracnes are brillliantly composed but of the type that one must walk with, talk with, and sleep with before fully appreciating.  I recommend going on a few dates with Odori , it will inevitably lead to a marriage.  A marriage where I doubt pre-nups will be neccessary. 

The Odori  fragrances seem to also take on nature’s elements, amplifying them to a higher degree.  From tobacco, to lavender, or iris, Gallardi re-invents mother nature’s work, translating it into a strange epiphany for us to ponder. 

Tabacco, my personal favorite from this line, is s perfect example of the character these fragrances evoke.  Initially, I found this creation to be quite peculiar.  I’d even say I found it unwearable for the first minute.  But these fragrances are a new kind of armor, one that the wearer has to feel out and fit into.  Tabacco starts with a warm glow, almost honey like (without the faint urine like odor of honey).  A powdery, candle like vanilla accord works with the oakmoss and vetiver to create a great deal of depth.  One can imagine biting into the scent and becoming satisfyingly full.  Tabacco is the name of this fragrance and I have yet to talk about the any tobacco.  The tobacco comes in and touches on the sweetness, working with a flash of incense to bring a rich elegant darkness to its overall composure.

Spigo, another in the line, is what Gallaradi claims Guido would have worn were he was alive today. It is reminscent of Caron’s Pour Un Homme. Spigo  continues where Pour Un Homme left off.  The fresh attitude of lavender is present and met with a creamy vanilla akin to the Caron fragrance.  It makes sense that Galardi predicted his late grandfather would have worn this.  The smell is luxury oozing out class, sophistication, and depth.  I said reminiscent of Pour Un Homme, not identical.  Pour Un Homme has a soapy texture to it (mostly due to pronouced iris notes I imagine).  The lavender hearty grows in strength as if to compete with the vanilla, thus making it heavy and at times unwearbale in warmer weather. Spigo  maintains a light airy feeling even after the fragrance gains full vitality with the lavender/vanilla duet.  It still projects excellent silage as well as infinite lasting power (which all the Odori fragrances seem to have).  would would be wearing were he alive today.  It is reminiscent of

The fragrances of Odori and Bois 1920 create feelings that defy simple olfcatory descriptions.  Gallardi creates each fragrance with a feeling in mind.  His color palette for design is composed of his life experiences, whether it be a stroll in the park or a recollection  of his grandfather’s fragrance recipes.  Through the sense of smell he re-creates these moments that are so personal to him for us to re-inerpret in our own way.  Most interestingly Galardi creates sensuality without vulgarity.  He draws the line between sumptuous and strange.  In his own words he believes:

Everything in my life revolves around the connection between minimalist modernity and the imperturbability of tradition, from my bottles that I design personally, to the essence itself.

Minimal, oozing with tradition is most assuredly how I would best describe his work.  However, the tradition isn’t limited to that of Italty.  The universality of his fragances can be attributed to his travels across the world.  These travels, the experiences he gets from them, the feelings, are what drive him to create a fragrance.  He begins with one of these feelings when concocting a new potion.  So a drop of curiosity and a dash of amazement are what go into the formula first. 

Gallardi remarks that he is envious of nature, for the perfumes that it creates.  One can reason that if “nature” is the perfume then “God” is the perfumer.  So is Mr. Gallardi committing an act of hubris by re-inventing nature and the sublime odor that nature presents us?  Indeed.  And his sentence seems to be eternal damnation in his self created fragrant Hell.  His hell just may smell better than Eden though.

For any information regarding either of Gallaradi’s lines, one can contact Amy Robin Tepper at tepper.amy@gmail.com.

About the author

Ali Nakhai is a writer and filmmaker who shares his time between New York and L.A.

All articles by Ali Nakhai

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