In 2017 I was bowled over by Mendittorosa’s Le Mat, of which owner Stefania Squeglia had sent me a full bottle, in a wooden box, complete with tarot card and weird marble stopper. The combination of fantasy aesthetic and excellent fragrance seemed to me to herald a renaissance in Italian perfumes. In our 2018 guide, I argued pro domo that Italians were well-suited to do a good job in niche perfumery because of their inability to produce ugly, vulgar things. Bold assertions often require ignoring some data, in this case the existence of Xerjoff. This said, bad taste is at least a defence against the poverty-stricken minimalism that is predicated on the idea that stock bottles and Helvetica Extra Light are inherently virtuous.
Mendittorosa has since doubled down on their style, which I would describe as alchemical. It is perhaps no accident that the firm resides in Naples, a place soaked in magic. Every one of their Talisman perfumes has a distinctive look and a dreamy concept. Even their small travel-size bottles go beyond mere duty, with the one containing Osang spattered with red droplets. (Sang is French1for “blood.”) Also, their website describes both fragrances and copy as AI-free, which is novel and delightful.
For paid subscribers: reviews of Mauna, Osang, Orlo, Athanor, Daymon, Albatros, Talento and Amygdala.
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