Roberto Ugolini
Roberto Ugolini
106 votes
A unique visual signature based on accords, character, and seasonality
Ylang ylang blooms with immediate sweetness, its tropical honied character punctuated by snappy geranium and a whisper of red-fruit brightness. The opening feels almost candied, yet remains somehow fresh—those fruity accords prevent it from settling into pure floral softness.
Gaiac wood emerges as a welcome surprise, introducing a resinous, slightly smoky undertone that grounds the sweetness. Amber and patchouli weave in gradually, creating a creamy, spiced warmth whilst sandalwood softens the edges with its powdery, almost talc-like presence. The fragrance becomes less about florality and more about texture—creamy, complex, deliberately underfeline.
Tonka bean and vanilla come forward with gentle insistence, but crucially, the musk prevents this from becoming entirely gourmand. What remains is a soft, intimate sweetness with ghostly whispers of patchouli and gaiac wood—a gentle, skin-scent phase where the fragrance becomes almost whispered against the wearer.
Kitten Heel announces itself as a floral sweetness with architectural precision—there's nothing apologetic about this fragrance's construction. The ylang ylang arrives with tropical insistence, its buttery density immediately tempered by tart geranium, which cuts through like a precisely placed architectural detail. Those fruity notes don't languish in the background; they're bright, slightly tart, creating a counterpoint that prevents the composition from cloying.
What makes Kitten Heel distinctive is how the heart develops: gaiac wood enters with unexpected woodiness, grounding the sweetness without obliterating it. The amber and patchouli add a subtle spiciness—not harsh, but enough to create tension against the sandalwood's creamy whisper. This is where the fragrance reveals its sophistication. Rather than succumbing entirely to tonka bean's gourmand embrace, it maintains a delicate balance between creamy sweetness and earthy restraint.
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4.3/5 (91)