Valentino launched Rock 'n Rose in 2006. The fragrance was said to have been "inspired by a new generation of young Valentino women....a Rose on the outside and a Rocker on the inside"; as you can guess, that means Rock 'n Rose hopes to bring younger consumers (or more specifically, "younger women who aspire to a luxurious lifestyle"*) into the Valentino fold.
Valentino Garavani reportedly loves roses; the garden at Wideville, his estate outside Paris, is said to have "acres" of roses. I could swear I read somewhere recently that Valentino does not really adore the smell of roses, but I can't find a link so perhaps I dreamed it. At any rate, Rock 'n Rose is not meant to be a rose soliflore. Valentino describes it as a "fantasy rose" fragrance; in other words, expect a modern stylised rose. The opening is bright and fruity and green, and a bit sharp. The lily of the valley is prominent in the early stages, after that, the rose is center stage (other notes: bergamot, black currant, "crunch green", gardenia, orange blossom, sandalwood, heliotrope, vanilla, orris and musk). The florals in the heart are strong and diffusive, but at the same time, they smell indistinct, even watery — you would not have to love roses (or any other flower) to like Rock 'n Rose.
The dry down is woody and middling-dark, with sweet vanilla, the merest little smidgen of powder and lots and lots of musk. After an hour or so, it feels very soft and smooth, but I wouldn't call it light — it would be easy to overapply Rock 'N Rose. It is meant to be edgy, and I suppose it is edgy in comparison to your average department store fragrance geared towards a young audience. It is certainly edgier than some other recent "modern roses" (Stella McCartney's Stella, Vera Wang's Truly Pink). Still, if your idea of an edgy rose is something along the lines of Frederic Malle's Une Rose, you won't be impressed.
The first Rock 'n Rose flanker, Rock 'n Rose Couture, followed last year (Rock 'n Rose Prêt à Porter is still to come). The bottle is swathed in black lace (an improvement, if you thought the original looked too much like a nail polish bottle).
I expected that Rock 'n Rose Couture would be deeper and edgier, but it is rather the opposite. The top notes are brighter and sweeter, and there is less of the stemmy "crunch green" accord. The floral notes in the heart have been amped up, particularly the white florals; the musky notes in the base have been tamped down a bit, although otherwise the base is largely the same. It is less edgy, more feminine and romantic.
I can't say I love either fragrance. I found the musky base of Rock 'n Rose overwhelming, and for that reason, I prefer the lighter Couture version. Still, for a modern rose-ish sort of thing, I'd much rather wear Stella, for a young and "kicky" rose, I'd take Bond no. 9 Bryant Park. For a real "rock 'n roll" rose, maybe Juliette Has A Gun Lady Vengeance or Christian Dior Midnight Poison?
Valentino Rock 'n Rose and Rock 'n Rose Couture are both available in 30, 50 and 90 ml Eau de Parfum.
* First quote via Neiman Marcus; second via Women's Wear Daily, 12/1/2006.
Advertising image is via the forums at Images de Parfums.
Robin, re: Valentino's not liking the smell of roses, I wonder if you are thinking of the Wall Street Journal that detailed the collaboration between him and the marketing company for R&R. I remember a line from that one to the effect that they were relieved that he didn't mean “real roses” but simply a “fantasy of a rose.”
It was an interesting article, very much from the WSJ point of view. All about how conservative the marketing firm was and what a stretch it was for them to work with Valentino. He was a big perfectionist about…the bottle. Didn't say much about the juice.
A, thanks so much, you were right and here is a quote:
“Roses are an important source of inspiration for the designer, whose château outside of Paris boasts a garden of nearly one million buds. P&G worried that the rose scent was too commonplace and old-fashioned. “But as we talked to him about flowers, we discovered that what he really liked was the sensuality of the rose, rather than the actual scent,” recalls Mr. Bhasin.
That subtlety led P&G perfumers to take liberties when developing the Rock 'n Rose line…The concoction is intended to “evoke the velvetiness of the rose,” rather than the smell of one, says Mr. Bhasin, a biochemist. The final scent, meant to slightly modulate with subsequent versions, pleased the designer, who chafes at perfumes that “pinch the nose.”
So, it isn't really at all that he said he didn't like the scent of a rose at all…in fact sounds like the usual push for something marketable.
Rock 'n Rose smells exactly like Red Vines on my skin. I wonder what red licorice product the new one will smell like.
I have tried Rock'n Rose once but was not too impressed by it. The beginning was nice and fresh but then it turned into something I don't really like. The Couture version does not appeal to me either.
For the very first time in my life I have tried two fragrances by Moschino: Funny and I Love Love and I like Funny. I am going to try more Moschino fragrances. Never payed attention to the M. products because I did not like the bottle of their first scent. How stupid of me..:-D It is a nice discovery now.
I have the roller ball parfum version of RnR Couture, and it's too sharp for me.
Eshellmoyer, Red Vines! I don't think I found it that candied, but it is sweet
Marianne, Have only tried a few Moschino scents myself — they aren't widely carried in US department stores.
Hey, I didn't know there was a rollerball! Will have to look for it.
I once liked Very Valentino but by then that was above my budget. Would love to try VV once more but haven't seen it anywhere.
M, it is still very easy to find in the US, but don't know about where you are.
I really like Rock'n'Rose, it smells wonderful on my wife who is starting to get into more floral perfumes.
However, I have to say, the perfume which has absolutely knocked my socks off this week has been Bulgari Rose Essentielle. My God that is beautiful. I ordered a bottle for my wife and it is stop-you-in-the-street-what-are-you-wearing delicious.
Rose Essentielle is really pretty. I think I still like the original Bvlgari Pour Femme better, but they did a nice job on the RE.
RE is simply a work of great genius with the rose root. It is a paen on to nature's original creation, but tweaks it and crafts it into an explosion of notes which form their own concerto.
Yep, it's that good.
(btw – in case you hadn't noticed, I rather like it…)