Black is a rather dark perfume concept from Bvlgari which relies on shock value as well as a first class scent to lure its  prey in. This is one of those perfumes where the genius of the creator is partly due to their ability to shock our sensibilities. The perfume is therefore quite rightly marketed as a metropolitan fragrance for fashionable men and women. This is one of those rather rare occasions when ultra modern is quite pleasant actually.

 The Brand

The great perfumer Annick Menardo launched Black on behalf of Bvlgari in 1998. The brand belongs to an Italian jewelry line. Founded by an immigrant, the house relies on hard work and constant innovation. That is why they have successfully been able to move from jewels into high end perfume. The brand brings with it an awareness of customer needs and wants.

The Fragrance

The opens up appropriately with black tea. We then move into rosewood and bergamot. A woody quality is brought to by the presence of cedar and oak moss. The perfume then moves to confectionery with vanilla.  The final hues are of amber, sandalwood and musk. What then is absolutely surprising is that such a relatively simple array of ingredients can produce such a challenging perfume.

The Packaging

I am sorry to say this but the packaging on this perfume reminds me of a bullet. Perhaps the shock value was pushed on for  a touch too long with the design. It is composed of ebony and silver with a circular motive just like a bullet or some other sort of modern weapon. The packaging is a curiosity but I am not sure that it speaks to anyone of perfumes. In short the packaging does shock but does not add much to a great perfume

General Customer Feedback

The customers loved the quirky nature of the perfume and pointed out the fact that it was one of those things where shocking was better than bland. Perhaps customers are generally getting fed up with the bland perfumes that are being produced almost on a factory basis. It is a treasure to find such a perfume and I would recommend it for both women and men.

Popularity: 14% [?]