T
SHARE THIS STORY
Victoria Beckham Beauty
Portofino '97 Eau de Parfum
£170
Buy now
his year, we have witnessed the rise and rise of expensive-smelling
perfumes. While the concept of quiet luxury has no doubt played its part in fashion and beauty trends, it has dominated the world of fragrance — everyone seems to be after a perfume that makes them
smell rich. And despite the fact it might seem like a simple task, creating a perfume that smells effortlessly expensive and luxurious is no mean feat, but it’s something Victoria Beckham has down to a fine art, as proven through her trio of debut fragrances.
Housed in what are some of the most beautiful, vintage-inspired bottles out there, each fragrance has been created to portray a defining moment in Victoria Beckham’s life—and each memory smells as money-drenched as you’d expect. To bring the scents to life, VB turned to Jérôme Epinette, the world-renowned perfumer behind her reported go-to perfume, Vilhelm Parfumerie Room Service. The result? Three of the most emotive and effortlessly luxurious perfumes in existence.
WORDS: SHANNON LAWLOR
In 1997, Victoria Adams and David Beckham jet off to Portofino for a secret holiday. They’re newly in love and totally carefree.
Portofino '97
SUITE 302
SAN YSIDRO DRIVE
£170
Buy now
Buy now
£170
Shop the looks
There is no question that Portofino ‘97 is a fresh, wearable citrus. But it’s so much more than anything you might have smelled before. It’s glowing and refreshing, but sharp and salty in a way that steers clear of any sweetness. It’s like waking up in crisp, sun-dappled hotel linen while the sea air breezes through the balcony doors, putting on your freshest cotton shirt and jeans, and jumping in a vintage Aston Martin to cruise the Portofino clifftops. And while you might expect such a fragrance to be fleeting, the element of skin-like warmth leaves it lingering on skin for hours.
NOTES
Bergamot
Zingy, citrusy and deliciously fresh
Amber
Warm, rich and resinous
Vetiver
Green, grassy and lemony
After renewing their wedding vows in 2004, David and Victoria Beckham check into Suite 302 at The Ritz Paris for a trip filled with exuberant glamour.
If Portofino ‘97 is the epitome of quiet luxury, Suite 302 is an explosion of offensive opulence and excess. It is the act of shamelessly flaunting your wealth—like walking down the Champs-Élysées at night wearing nothing but a fur coat and sky-high stilettos. Picture a hotel suite post-party—think silky lingerie, leather jackets, lipstick-stained glasses of champagne, make-up compacts and crystal ashtrays filled with cigarette butts. There’s something blatantly dishevelled about Suite 302, but it’s unignorably enticing.
Mood
NOTES
Mood
Black cherry
Sweet, creamy and tart
Leather
Intense, smoky and musky
Tobacco leaves
Earthy, woody and herbaceous
In 2007, the Beckhams move to Los Angeles’ San Ysidro Drive and discover a sense of wellness-related renewal, set against the luxurious backdrop of Beverly Hills.
There is no scent in existence quite like San Ysidro Drive. It is both intense and light at the same time, while possessing a truly meditative quality. One deep inhale floods the nose with a cooling, grounding sensation that has you sinking right back into yourself. Far from earthy but undeniably serene, it’s a full-bodied perfume, brimming with sweet florals and sour fruits, but it has a light, stony breeze that ribbons itself throughout. It’s like wandering flower-filled gardens at an oceanside yoga retreat, where added notes of incense and sea mist mingle in the breeze.
NOTES
Mood
Saffron
Spicy, dark and intense
Rose
Sweet, velvety and powdered
Amber
Warm, rich and resinous
PHOTOGRAPHER: RICHARD BUTCHER
Supporting imagery & video: Getty Images & Adobe stock
EXECUTIVE BEAUTY EDITOR: SHANNON LAWLOR
SENIOR designer: treasa Burns
PRODUCER: SOFIA PIZA
LOCATION: THE LANGHAM HOTEL, LONDON
Through her first foray into fragrance, Victoria Beckham proves she might just be the only woman in the world capable of bottling up the aroma of wealth
the
SCENT
Victoria Beckham Beauty
Suite 302 Eau de Parfum
Victoria Beckham Beauty
San Ysidro Drive Eau de Parfum
smelling rich
The art of
