Zoologist
A unique visual signature based on accords, character, and seasonality
The initial blast is pure tropical chaos—bright, peppered mango and starfruit collide with bergamot's citrus bite whilst pink pepper snaps like electricity across the skin. Violet leaf adds a bitter-green counterpoint that prevents the fruit from cloying, immediately establishing that this isn't a straightforward fruity-floral.
The composition pivots dramatically as coconut and frangipani bloom, but crucially, clove and saffron arrive as gatekeepers, lending the creamy florals an almost herbal, slightly spiced character. The sensual skin accord and that enigmatic "sea breeze" note create an aqueous, slightly salty undertone that contradicts the tropical sweetness, generating genuine tension between competing accords.
Sandalwood and opoponax emerge to soften the herbal edges, whilst musk and vanilla create a skin-like, slightly powdered finish. The composition settles into something more conventionally creamy and intimate, though the woody vetiver-patchouli substrate prevents it from ever becoming genuinely comforting—there's always an underlying earthiness that keeps it grounded and slightly austere.
Chameleon arrives as a contradictory whisper—a fragrance that promises tropical exuberance whilst delivering something far more conflicted and introspective. Daniel Pescio has constructed a scent that refuses easy categorisation, oscillating between luminous fruit-forward femininity and creamy, almost animalic warmth. The Madagascan ylang ylang forms the architectural spine, its indolic richness immediately tempered by sharp bergamot and the peculiar brightness of starfruit, which adds an almost metallic juiciness rather than conventional sweetness. Pink pepper crackles atop this foundation, creating a volatile opening that feels simultaneously green and spiced.
What distinguishes Chameleon is how violently its personality shifts once the heart notes materialise. The coconut-frangipani alliance would ordinarily signal beachy banality, yet here they're anchored by clove and saffron, which introduce an almost savoury medicinal quality—as though someone's added turmeric to a tiare flower. The "sea breeze" accord sits uneasily alongside this creamy florality, preventing the composition from ever settling into comfort. It's restless, questioning.
Add fragrances to your collection and unlock your personalised scent DNA, note map, and shareable identity card.
Creed
3.5/5 (488)