Onda Eau De Parfum by Vero Profumo, 2010

Hard to thoroughly be described in all its diverse facets, this pillar of the modern olfactory classicism, a sort of perfumed analogue of a Doris Lessing's romance, is colonialistic, decadent but surprisingly introspective, "cultured" and yes, futuristic with its hyper-advanced hesperidic/floral exotic/fruity irony spark. Onda is the scent of the excesses, of the opposites but at once is finally perfectly balanced as a puzzle that is recompounded after the initial chaos. Onda, namely a sour-hesperidic/uriney/gingery initial blast which, through a watery fruity-exotic and at once "old wardrobe" moth balls and honeyed/stuffy/animal-organic (with an infants skin kind of aftersmell) sort of interlude phase, turns finally out as a sophisticated woodsy (mostly vetiver, musk and cedarwood)/leathery floral with sparks of fleshy fruit (passion fruit) and iris/ylang-ylang, noticeable at distance. The dry down presents a tamed citron/naphthalene vibe and a dominant soapy/musky honey with floral exotic sparks and a leathery widespread faint feel swirling around as a ghost. Onda Edp is a deeper (but in my opinion less complex and multifaceted) version of the exotic Onda, probably a bit more "sulphureous" but finally equally exotic with a noble chord of barboun vetiver, ylang-ylang, iris, ginger, aromatic spices and passion fruit. There is a royal salty/sweet, citrony (fizzy effervescent digestive citrusy kind), soapy/fruity/honeyed dirtiness that is the Onda's landmark, something olfactory weird, pungent as the aromatic spices (a sort of aerial citric-kurcuma smell), uriney and almost chemical as the smell of an old laundry after a general disinfestation around. There is also a vintage bergamot/honey/patchouli backbone in order to bind the olfactory fatigue to a classic decadent structure. The outcome is a weird beast really challenging and hard to understand for many (sometimes many exclaim "oh, my God, you smell as an old grandma washroom with detergents, disinfectants and soap!" but in other occasions some learned noses assert that you smell about an english colonialistic romance over the British Empire's age, about a story full of passions, ballets, loves and diverse cultures' commixtures. That's worthy the trip).

Saying that Onda EDP is a challenging composition would be like considering Marcel Proust and easy read. Onda is far beyond being just challenging, is weird, destabilizing and unusual but at the same time "cultured". It is built around a solid structure that shows many characteristic of classic perfumery and adds a bizarre, sort of futuristic, accord of passion fruit and vetiver that together with floral pattenrs and ginger gives birth to a strange blend that sits somewhere between a disinfectant, a mass destruction weapon and pure luxury. Overall Onda smells salty/sweet with fresh nuances, flowery with acidic/unripe fruits and definitely sulfurous (urine?). While all of this may sound disencouraging, I still believe that Onda deserves our respect as one of the most intriguing, complex and original compositions around. Onda, more than like a proper fragrance, sounds like a declaration of intent that says "I'm here, and I'm here to stay!". On the other hand the extrait de parfum is, paradoxically, more familiar. Don't get me wrong, it's still far from being easy to wear or "pretty" but, its chypre-y animalic leather structure brings, somehow, to mind of the beloved Djedi. A loud vetiver-leather concoction that moves on the thin line between glory and precipice, between a luxurious smell and a revolting stink. Earthy, animalic and almost disturbing yet extremely compelling. Onda was definitely an ambitious and risky project just like doing tightrope walking between two skyscrapers. It took some skills and a guts but Vero Kern has successfully managed to walk to the other side. Chapeau. Two of the most challenging and compelling compositions that I've ever experienced. By all means niche stuff.