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Milano Fragranze

Alessandro Brun, creator of the renowned Masque Milano collection, dedicated his new perfume project to his beloved city and called it simply Milano Fragranze. Through scents, Alessandro sought to remind us, deprived of travel, of Milan's most famous landmarks and traditions.

Basilica

Milan's oldest church was built as far back as the fourth century on the burial site of the martyrs Gervasius and Protasius. The church's appearance has changed several times, most recently after the bombing of Milan by the Allied forces. But the Milanese's reverence for the ancient building and the relics housed there has remained constant. The Basilica's olfactory postcard is a grand autumnal celebration, with numerous burning candles and censers, the sweet and spicy scent of fresh gingerbread and warm bread, the rich aroma of wheel grease, and the scent of young pine branches.

Basilica Milano Fragranze,

Perfumer: Violaine Collas

Thyme, rosemary, hot milk, frankincense, labdanum, cypriol, cedar, sandalwood.

La Prima

La Prima is, of course, the famous La Scala opera house, where couples in love, seasoned theatergoers in shabby mink coats, and tourists from all over the world (often wearing sneakers and sporting pink hair) come to experience art. The hall is a fusion of majestic tuberose and delicate bridal perfumes, with hints of hastily smoked cigarettes, sweet popcorn, and dusty velvet. You immediately sense from the general excitement and quickened breathing that the lights are about to dim and something magnificent is about to begin.

La Prima Milano Fragranze,

Perfumer: Violaine Collas

Bergamot, cardamom, davana, orange blossom, osmanthus, jasmine, fur accord, vanilla.

Cortile

Translated as an inner courtyard in an Italian palazzo. There are quite a few of them in Milan. I hid from the heat in the courtyard of Palazzo Brera, home to the Academy of Fine Arts. It seems closed in the evening, but in other courtyards and right at the intersections of the narrow streets of the Brera district, small cafes set up tables so you can sit under the starry sky and enjoy a pleasant drink.

Cortile Milano Fragranze evokes the blackness of the night sky and the heavy, heady scent of blooming jasmine. There's a hint of Aperol, coffee, and focaccia with butter and dried herbs. At first, Cortile seemed gloomy, but over time I got used to the darkness and cold stones and seemed to have found the pulse of Milan's most vibrant neighborhood.

Cortile Milano Fragranze,

Perfumer Michelle Moellhausen

Bergamot, coffee, cinnamon, violet leaves, jasmine, tuberose, osmanthus, ylang-ylang, amber, sandalwood, suede.

Brera is also a separate item in the Milano Fragranze collection. I remember that's what it smelled like in that part of the neighborhood densely populated with niche perfume boutiques. Niche for Italians is powerful and vibrant, so Brera Milano Fragranze is dedicated to a sweet scarlet rose with biscuits, raspberry marmalade, patchouli, and saffron. We've tried something similar a million times and still love it.

Brera Milano Fragranze,

Perfumer: Violaine Collas.

Jasmine, rose, geranium, patchouli, labdanum, vanilla.

Naviglio

Don't throw away the Naviglio blotter for at least 10 minutes! Let the scent thaw and disperse a bit. Yes, this is a cologne that's hard to impress the discerning, but it's a piercingly fresh cologne with the crisp crispness of a crisp white shirt fresh from the iron and the sterile air of a quartz treatment. If the smell of cleanliness soothes you, this is the place to go. One of the best soapy fragrances.

Naviglio Milano Fragranze,

Perfumer Michelle Moellhausen

Marseille soap, bergamot, neroli, lavandin, petitgrain, vetiver, cedar, white musk, aquatic accord.

Galleria

You can't miss a visit to Milan's famous indoor shopping gallery, the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II.

The Galleria, actually a small square with four streets of expensive restaurants and fashionable boutiques converging on it, sparkles with gold, light, and splendor. The clatter of heels on the mosaic floor and the hum of hundreds of voices rises to the high glass roofs. Hundreds of tourists once took photos here every minute. I sincerely hope that all this will return. For now, we are left with memories and smells, photos, and the Galleria Milano Fragranze with its light, creamy sweetness of desserts and spicy coffee in tiny cups, a chaotic mix of exotic spices from around the world, and a parade of the most expensive and fashionable bags in the hands of Instagram-worthy beauties.

Colorful at first, after an hour the Galleria calms with the sweet smoke of orris and a leather strap.

Galleria Milano Fragranze,

Perfumer Dominique Moellhausen.

Red fruits, coffee, citrus, davana, violet leaves, carrot seeds, orris root, leather, sandalwood, patchouli, amber.

Diurno

How many times have I passed the Porta Venezia metro station and the ancient Venetian gates of Milan, never knowing that somewhere beneath Piazza Oberdan are Milan's historic public baths. From 1926 until the mid-1980s, you could visit the restroom, take a shower or bath, get a haircut, shave, and get a manicure at the Albergo Diurno Metropolitano. Open daily from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Little remains of the magnificent Art Deco interiors, but the memory of the place is preserved in the classic herbal Diurno Milano Fragranze. Soapy lather and old-fashioned cologne with geranium, sage, and star anise for the gentleman, and 50 grams of something stronger for the resourceful barber.

Diurno Milano Fragranze,

Perfumer: Julie Masse

Amaretto, lavender, clary sage, geranium, vanilla, cedar, white musk, aquatic notes.

Derby

Usually when people talk about derby, they think of horses, but in Milan, the term refers to the battles between two local football teams, Inter Milan and Milan. They may be local, but they play world-class football, and passions run high.

The fragrance completes the picture of the stadium with a green, silky carpet of grass, unexpected rain, bitter wormwood, and, for some reason, feijoa.

Derby Milano Fragranze,

Perfumer: Dominique Moellhausen

Galbanum, mandarin, violet leaf, lavender, mimosa, tuberose, ylang-ylang, vetiver, oakmoss.

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