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Thursday, August 01, 2013

Gianfranco Ferre- Ferre (2005)


Here's a partial list of Gianfranco Ferre perfumes from the last three decades: Ferre (1984), Ferre by Ferre (1991), Ferre (2005), Ferre for Men (2006), Ferre Rose (2007), GF Ferre (for her/for him, 2004), GFF (his/hers, 1998), Gianfranco Ferre (1984). See the problem?

I don't know about you, but I find it hard to keep up, so let's make one thing clear: we're talking about Pierre Bourdon's 2005 creation for Gianfranco Ferre. The one that comes in the bottle you see in this ad:



Ferre (2005) is often compared to Bourdon's 2000 Iris Poudre (Frederic Malle Editions de Parfums), and justly so. The main difference, as Victoria of Bois de Jasmin and Elena from Perfume Shrine noted, is that Iris Poudre is more aloof and cold, while Ferre is it sunshiny sister. This is exactly why I enjoy wearing Ferre, while Iris Poudre is to be admired and worshiped from a distance.

Ferre opens up floral. Very floral, actually. But it's also sweet and cozy, with a fruity jammy yellow magnolia note, if that makes any sense. Instead of pearls and powdery pink twinsets you get a warm hug. The iris here is somewhat sugared, and is far more floral than my favorite dry and bitter variety, but it's so pretty and still has an irisy backbone even under a layer of pineapple jam, that it's hard not to fall for the charm.


Ferre has an assertive sillage that fades after about an hour. I can still smell it in the air of my bedroom a while after spraying, hanging there like the sun filtering through the sheer floral curtains. It's a perfect morning fragrance, like a kiss on the cheek and a loved one wishing you a wonderful joyful day.

Notes:  bergamot, iris leaves, honeydew melon, pineapple, freesia, iris petals, jasmine, rose, ylang-ylang, magnolia, basmati rice, Florentine iris root, amber, vanilla.

Ferre by Gianfranco Ferre is easy to find online from various sources at a very reasonable price. Do make sure that you know which Ferre you're buying. Some retailers use stock photos that might not be of the correct perfume.

Art by Marcia Baldwin.

5 comments:

  1. Hmmm....interesting. I will get samples of this. Kinda curious on its scent. Let me see if this will be another addition to my collection of perfumes.

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  2. I used to own Ferre but passed my bottle along to someone for whom it triggered a perfume epiphany! Which is all very worthwhile, but I miss it now. And I do so agree about the confusing names. Stella flankers are a bit similar, and I think it is time they bit the bullet and started to call them 'McCartney Peony' and so on...though maybe not 'McCartney Nude', as that way lie startling images of her dad. :-)

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  3. You make THIS Ferre sound hard to resist...so I don't think I will...plan to order some soon! Also want to say that I LOVE the yellow iris abstract by Marcia Baldwin. Just simply made me smile (no, broadly grin!). THANKS.

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  4. I had never heard anything about this one but I am very interested. If I can find the right version at the right price, I may just buy unsniffed.

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  5. I did not know about the pineapple note! But I love this perfume. I fell for Iris Poudre very early on in my journey to becoming a perfumista, but it's expensive stuff and I only wear it 3 or 4 times a year. So I bought a bottle of Ferre, since it's a sister to Iris Poudre. But I never got around to wearing it. So, like Vanessa, I gave my bottle to a friend for whom it sparked an epiphany and absolute love.
    It seems to be one of those perfumes.

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