
Antonia’s Flowers has launched Rokka, the brand’s first fragrance for men…

Antonia’s Flowers has launched Rokka, the brand’s first fragrance for men…
I am packing for the beach and so thought it would be appropriate to consider something aquatic today. Sogni del Mare is the latest release from Antonia’s Flowers, and was reportedly inspired by owner Antonia Bellanca’s home on Cape Cod. The fragrance description did not sound particularly appealing to me (a “watery, fruity, floral with notes of Italian bergamot, cassis buds, wild rhubarb, orange and lotus”), but I had high hopes for it anyway because I so entirely adore their Tiempe Passate.
As it turns out, the description is pretty accurate. It is very watery and fresh, and while the rhubarb and lots of citrus in the opening do help to temper the sweeter berry notes, by and large, it smells mostly like a sweet but sheer berry musk enlivened by a dash of saltwater….
Antonia's Flowers has launched their fourth fragrance, Sogni del Mare (Dreams of the Sea).
Sogni del Mare was “inspired by days and nights spent living by and dreaming of the sea”, and is described as a “watery, fruity, floral with notes of Italian bergamot, cassis buds, wild rhubarb, orange and lotus.” Additional notes include blackberry…
Antonia Bellanca opened her East Hampton flower shop, Antonia’s Flowers, in 1981. Unhappy with the floral perfumes then on the market, she decided to capture the scent of her shop in a bottle. Her first fragrance, called simply Antonia’s Flowers, was created with perfumer Bernard Chant and launched in 1984.
Tiempe Passate, her third fragrance, was named for a love song written by her grandfather in the 1920s. Bellanca wanted a perfume “designed to immediately smell as if it’s been on the skin all night” (The Independent, 12/14/02). The result, by nose Norbert Bijaoui, features notes of bergamot, clementine, sage, mimosa, cyclamen, Montauk rose, white orris, cedar, vetiver and amber.
Tiempe Passate starts with a rush of citrusy bergamot, but quickly settles into a blend that smells primarily of cedar and iris. The very early stages are mildly sweet and fruity, but after that it is earthy and dry, with a light, peppery-spicy edge. The florals are indistinct…