“And what costume shall a poor girl wear, to all tomorrow’s parties?” Lou Reed.
The Vero Profumo Eau de Parfums, although related to both the Voiles and the Extraits, are quite different. The EdPs are available again as limited editions in the black VP bottles. Online only, from Campomarzio. The Voiles are no longer available, and apart from a couple, neither are the extraits. You missed out? Tough.
Vero Kern once said that she likes to put “something a little bit disturbing” into her fragrances. Perhaps a note that people cannot identify. Sometimes it may disturb in a positive way and sometimes in a negative. “A characterful perfume has to have this disturbance, otherwise it is flat.” The Eau de Parfums are anything but flat.
The EdPs are sensual. Carnal, fleshly, unchaste. Voluptuous and beautiful. Lustful, earthy, and warm.
Vero commented at the launch of the original three edps, Rubj, Kiki, and Onda, that the new perfumes were not diluted versions of the extraits. An EdP needs a structure highlighting more the top notes as opposed to the base notes; but the aim still being to keep the original style of the extrait intact.
The EdPs are delightfully lascivious. “I replaced the animalic notes with the unique scent of the passion fruit …. it lends a sensual and erotic lightness to the composition.” The luscious passion fruit links the four perfumes, Rubj, Kiki, Onda, and Rozy, adding to their communal seductiveness. (There is no passion fruit or cumin in any of the Voiles or the extraits, regardless of what you read – discontinued anyway. The number of comments and posts from people in the past writing about the cumin in Rubj Voile or extrait, used to make Vero crazy. Me too. I mean really? )
The above does not apply to the Mito EdP. That is a completely different kettle of fish. It is rich and green, sparkly and mossy, uplifting and elegant. Oh and the Mito Extrait is divine, but suck it up, it’s discontinued. NAJA stands alone from them all. And at the moment of writing this is still available.
I have the Rubj and Kiki EdPs in the black bottles, and the fragrances are exactly the same as in the original bottles. No changes at all. So chill.
All of the perfumes Vero created are exquisite, but it is so much more than that. They have the same effect on me as The Velvet Underground did when I first heard them. Both added to my soul. Both Vero and the Velvet Underground have an erotic, revolutionary, pioneering, and subversive character. A most powerful perfume synesthesia. Vero and the Velvets stand at opposite ends of the bridge that connects me to the young woman I was, and to who I am now.
CQ.
Some of the above thoughts have appeared in previous pieces I have written.
A Bottled Rose 
I never tire of you talking about Vero and her work. What a ride.
I love that she would put something off kilter in her perfumes. This so often elevates something from being good to being fascinating.
The new packaging is fabulous.
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Off kilter is really interesting. And it is what makes them fascinating. It is also what determines whether sometime can wear them or not. And you know what i have said so many times VP picks you, not the other way around. Accepted or rejected! Life is a risk. The black bottles spray a lot better than the original ones I must say. Thanks for having me here! xxx
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Amen, Sister !
I think it‘s a good time now to praise my Voile of Kiki and take a good spritz or two of it…
Sending 💕
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I remember when you bought the Kiki. Oh gosh. Longing for a Vienna trip. We have been saying soon for so long. But maybe it will finally come to pass. xxx
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Totally with Tara. Please keep talking about Vero.
I am wearing Mito Extrait after reading, and I am lucky to have it. Therapeutic with regards to covid measures stress. We are taking the local goverment to court. We have to. But stressful ofcourse, and expensive.
I am still dithering about Onda EdP. I received a sample once (ParfumMaria) which was so gorgeous. I ordered the full bottle and it was horrendous. It was so off that they allowed me to return it, though they kept saying there was nothing wrong with it. I keep thinking, maybe they put the Extrait or Voile in the sample. Any thought from you? Scented hugs.
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I would say that probability is 99% that it was the Voile. The EdP is, hmmmmm, difficult to say the least. The Voile and Extrait are the reason that Onda is art. Quite beautiful.
Whoa. Taking them to court? Awesome. I hope that you win bigtime.
Mito Extrait. My Magic Fairy Princess perfume.
Hugs.
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Thanks for your support, we need it! And no Onda EdP for me, quite enough challenges at the moment…
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No. I nearly killed myself with the stuff.
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So glad to hear you are taking them to court, there have been such egregious abuses of power in this pandemic, I wish more people would stand up and fight. I hope you win big!
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Thank you! I am relieved that more people see the measures as abuses of power. The things that happen on a daily basis as if it is normal I find very disturbing.
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I have several extraits and voiles, but couldn’t abide the edps, especially Rubj. Passion fruit is not at all my thing. But I am happy that the scents are available again for those who missed out.
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More than enough to give you pleasure. Yep – the EdPs are not everyone‘s cup of tea. But oh how I love Rubj EdP. xxx
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Love this write-up! Yes, none of the ones I’ve smelled are “easy” but they have such a fingerprint.
I actually adore the EdPs (which is good for me because I never smelled a single Voile). I enjoy them all, but Rubj, Kiki, and Mito steal my heart every time. The passion fruit is so intriguing and lovely to me. It does lighten them and give them a unique character.
I’ve managed to scrounge up Mito and Onda in extrait. Now I just need Rubj….
Eric
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Hey Jarmangad. So cool you dropped in to comment. I too love the EdPs. They were my gateway to Vero. They are so sensual and really become part of the skin. The only second bottle I ever needed was Kiki EdP, underrated and so gorgeous. Very cool you got a couple of the extraits, one drop is enough. Magic potions! If I come across a Rubj Extrait I will let you know. One never knows – and I hope to be in Milan in June. Stay tuned! xxx
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I wonder how many people associate vero profumo’s perfumes with you, as I do 🙂
Rubj extrait worked on my skin once in a while, and I hated with a passion Rubj EdP and both version of Onda. Kiki worked for me in any form, but I had my heart taken by another Lavender perfume, so I never went beyond samples.
And then I fell in love with Mito… I was going to buy it! I have no idea why I haven’t done it immediately. I think I had a plan to do it on one of my next trip to Europe… And then it was gone.
This time when I saw this limited re-release, I was prepared to buy it despite the draconian shipping prices (which we much higher than I saw from any EU perfume shops in a while). But I asked them if they would take off the VAT – since shipping to the US (hence the price for that shipping!) automatically meant that they wouldn’t have to pay VAT. They refused. I kind of understand why: they didn’t really want to bother with international shipping, and they knew they would be able to move whatever stock they had on their terms. Which they did – most of the perfumes are sold out already. But I have some strange code when it comes to such matters (I pay too much taxes already without getting back even a promise to be taken care of if/when I’ll need anything, so paying extra taxes is my pet peeve). I’ll keep stalking eBay for older bottles, but if it never happens, then it never happens.
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I’ll look for one. Pretty sure Vero is watching me, checking that I am behaving! ❤️
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Ahhhhhhhhh Vero. What a superstar.
Thank you Val for introducing us to her.
Portia xx
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Val, Vero and The Velvets – what a ‘deliciously alliterative’ underground trio. I agree that you became part of everyone’s associations with the brand. You were such a good fit as Vero’s ambassador, and still are today! I love the punchy bright packaging and it is so true about the ‘disturbing’ factor in Vero’s work. My favourites of hers are probably the defunct Mito and Rozy Voiles, but hey-ho. 😉
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My Vero years were a complete joy. I learned so much from her, and got to know a quite vulnerable side, to an otherwise very stubborn Swiss lady. I miss her. xxx
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