Krizia- Teatro Alla Scala

There's something about the incredible lushness of 1980s Italian perfumes. Just like the original Fendi (1985), Teatro Alla Scala by Krizia comes from the same school of thought that a real woman needs to be smelled as well as seen. I'm all for that.

Teatro Alla Scala walks the line between a rich floriental and an animalic chypre. It has a very strong core of honey that goes with both the floral notes and the dark base, making it that much dirtier and more sumptuous at the same time. If this Krizia perfume were an object, I'd see it as a patent leather belt in a very dark burgundy color, bordering on maroon. Something with the feel of 1980s couture, just a little overdone.

You know that it's not an everyday casual perfume from the very first smell of the opening. Teatro Alla Scala gives you all it's got as soon as you spray it (maybe dubbing would be better, by the way, but I haven't tried). Dry fruit in honeyed mulled wine gilded with aldehydes. Usually aldehyde notes serve to lighten up and make a perfume feel fizzy and sparkling, but here they contribute to the ornamental baroque atmosphere. The opulence continues with a heart of blended flowers in full bloom. The rose is identifiable, but it mostly melts into the honey and darker base notes.

Once Teatro Alla Scala is in full bloom, the resemblance to Fendi is most evident. There's sweetness and lots of oakmoss involved, marking it with the 80s stamp and draping a one's shoulder with a plush coat. When Krizia released Teatro Alla Scalla people still wore Poison to the office. Nowadays this is something I'd reserve for a night out (or in), and usually dress appropriately. Big hair not necessary.

Notes (via Fragrantica): Top notes are aldehydes, coriander, fruity notes and bergamot; middle notes are carnation, tuberose, orris root, jasmine, beeswax, ylang-ylang, rose and geranium; base notes are patchouli, musk, benzoin, civet, oakmoss, vetiver and incense.

Krizia has discontinued Teatro Alla Scala. I verified it by checking the brand's website, which is magnificently awful. It has the most ridiculous information architecture, annoying Flash and not a word in English. To find their perfume range one needs to look under the most recent fashion collection and go into the accessories section. Thankfully, finding bottles of Teatro Alla Scala doesn't take that much effort as they still pop out online here and there, miraculously at better prices than Fendi.

Photo of Krizia 1986 fashion from dearjackie.net.