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Gallivant London & Brooklyn ~ fragrance reviews

Posted by Jessica on 20 April 2017 10 Comments

Gallivant London bottle and box

I recently had the chance to experience the new Gallivant fragrance line, and after admiring its packaging and display (city maps! 30 ml bottles! tiny paper airplanes instead of blotters!), I had to decide which of the four fragrances to try on my skin. Where to "gallivant" first? I chose the two cities that have personal meaning for me: London (which I've visited twice) and Brooklyn (where I work).

London was developed by perfumer Karine Chevallier and its notes include cucumber, violet leaves, rose, orris root, leather, sandalwood, patchouli and cedar. The Gallivant website outlines it in a sequence of sensory imagery: "East end boys and west end girls. Second-hand leather jackets. . . .Roses from Columbia Road. Georgian architecture. A hint of dustiness. An earthy lush wetness you can almost taste."

Well, I'd have to try London just for that Pet Shop Boys reference, if for nothing else. On paper, it was mostly a fresh blend of violet and cucumber with a hint of watery rose, and I thought it would be my favorite of the quartet. On skin, it takes a very different turn, just like a pop song with a surprise "hook." The transparent green and flowery notes never quite dissipate, but the dominant theme is the leather. It's not smoky or dirty, so it's not really a "second-hand" leather jacket; it's closer to a new leather jacket. Imagine sitting next to a clean-scrubbed person wearing a leather jacket, while sipping Pimm's Cups somewhere near a flower garden, and you'll be close. (That's an experience I somehow missed on my visits to London; damn.) If you like the idea of a "floral leather fragrance" but you crave something a bit more leather-y and casual than Hermès Kelly Calèche or Bottega Veneta Eau de Parfum, you may want to try London.

Gallivant Brooklyn sample

Back on my own side of the Atlantic, Gallivant's Brooklyn offers top notes of bergamot, lemon, orange, incense, cardamom, fresh air; heart notes of magnolia, orris root and "transparent flowers"; and base notes of musk, white woods, benzoin and amber. It was developed for Gallivant by perfumer Giorgia Navarra and it's narrated in part as "life on the sidewalk, early summer breezes, the glow from the lighting in bars and diners, bright apartments with books. Cocktails with friends." (Hey, those are all experiences I've had in Brooklyn! Relatable!)

I own enough citrusy colognes that I wasn't initially inspired by the description of Brooklyn (the fragrance), but I gave it a few test runs in Brooklyn (the place) and ended up feeling pleasantly addicted. Brooklyn opens with some peppery bergamot, then evolves into a warm mix of cardamom and ginger. The iris root and benzoin are the most noticeable facets of the scent's heart, and the base releases some subtle woody notes. Brooklyn's far dry down is a blend of spice and resin. It's comfortable but still stylish, without trying too hard, like a favorite scarf that adds a finishing touch to any outfit. (Very "new Brooklyn," in other words.)

London and Brooklyn are both unisex, and both have very good staying power on my skin. Brooklyn is more "me," but I'd recommend both to anyone who's feeling olfactory wanderlust this spring.

Gallivant London and Brooklyn (and Istanbul and Tel Aviv) are available at Luckyscent or Twisted Lily, $95 each for 30 ml Eau de Parfum.

Possibly of interest

Gallivant Buenos Aires ~ new fragrance
Gallivant Ta’if ~ new fragrance
Gallivant Nida ~ new fragrance

Filed Under: perfume talk
Tagged With: citrus, gallivant, giorgia navarra, karine chevallier, leather

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10 Comments

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  1. Downtown Scott says:
    20 April 2017 at 3:36 pm

    Thanks for the reviews. If you get a chance to try Istanbul it was my favorite of the four. London did not quite work for me but I ended up liking both Tel Aviv and Brooklyn. I like that the company offers a four pack sampler to try them all and find the right one!! ????

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    • Jessica says:
      20 April 2017 at 6:37 pm

      Yes! Sampling is crucial.

      I’ll be trying Istanbul and Tel Aviv soon!

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  2. littlecooling says:
    20 April 2017 at 4:48 pm

    Great review, Jessica 🙂

    Sounds like pretty springy scents (sadly I will never come across them, as they are not to be find in Denmark) and the bottles are very stylish and minimalistic 🙂

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    • Jessica says:
      20 April 2017 at 6:39 pm

      We’ve been having lots of in-between spring weather here — breezy, then drizzly, then sunny, all in the space of one morning — and both of these fragrances have been working really well for this transitional season!

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      • littlecooling says:
        21 April 2017 at 4:48 am

        Sounds like the weather in Denmark 🙂
        Let’s hope we soon get some lovely sunny warm weather 🙂

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  3. chiara says:
    20 April 2017 at 4:59 pm

    Thanks Jessica, I’ve just ordered the discovery set.

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    • Jessica says:
      20 April 2017 at 6:40 pm

      Oh good! I hope you’ll love at least one or two of them! They’re not easily defined/categorized — it’s not the usual route of one white floral, one all-citrus blend, one vanilla thing, blah blah.

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  4. solanace says:
    20 April 2017 at 5:04 pm

    These look really well made. Thank you for the reviews, Jessica. And YES to The Pet Shp Boys! I still have their first three vinyls (the two white ones and the color bars) and how cool was it when they recorded a song for Jean Charles??

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    • Jessica says:
      20 April 2017 at 6:38 pm

      I was obsessed with the Pet Shop Boys when they first came out…so dance-y, so droll! I need to give some of their stuff a re-listen!

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  5. perfumey says:
    21 April 2017 at 1:52 pm

    Thank you for the reviews Jessica! I’ve been waiting for someone to review at least a few of these . I just might order the sample pack .

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