John Galliano by John Galliano

LadiesRed

Loved the bottle and wanted to give this baby a try, the scent was nice at first then it started to change into something horrible! I nearly choked from it, what a shame...I was sure it was special...>_>

amber_glow

I loved the bottle. I can't say the same for the fragnance. Actually my heart loved, my mind hated it.

At first it smelled like vodka on me. Very sharp. Then it turned into a sharp bitter scent that was exactly smelled like a spoiled perfume but had a kind of attraction that I wanted to smell my wrist once a minute although I find the smell disgusting. It seems weird when telling I know. :)

After 1-2 hours it turned into a very strong soapy smell and stayed there like two days. This fragnance is difficult to handle, not suitable for everyday wear. Not suitable for work.

Although it is very original there is a possibility of making other people run away from you.

Jillzilla

The opening notes were a bit sharp on me, which I did not expect, but presume was due to the angelica. Fortunately, my chemistry obliterates most top notes, so it was only a matter of minutes before the iris and lavender began to emerge, which reminded me just how much I love those two notes in combination. Eventually the rose peeked through at about the same time the incense, cedar, and patchouli did, and by then, I had fallen completely in love. This is such a soft and feminine scent! The incense is like a veil. The woody notes are like a whisper. I really expected something heavier, but it was light and earthy-sweet on me. I just loved how the rose continued to sweeten over the course of several hours, until it climaxed in a note that resembled sugar-covered rose petals.

I found myself compelled to reapply the fragrance so I could take the journey once more.

mister_chaz

this perfume actually reminds me of the Sunday trips to the church)) after the initial spray the frankincense is quite distinguishable; i wouldn't call it a "dark" and heavy perfume tho, it's quite sweet and not overpowering if you don't apply too much; it also lasts long! I like this one, it definitely enters my top 10 list)))

Fragaria

I won't ever be able to have a bottle of my own with a price tag like that! I will try it as soon as I get to a store that carries this. I sure do love reading about it though! Thankyou for all the lovely descriptions!

lucifera

yes im glad i discovered it! it became my most favorite dark gothy smokey perfume ever ;-p perfect lasting power too, i wore it during a concert and after that i could still smell it! a real gem

sofiii

When I first tested John Galliano, I had instantly been brought back to some old, mysterious, gothic and dim place. I can smell a lot of wood, dry wood, with some dry sweetness. It could be an unusual opening for some of us to adapt.

After several minutes, it's more powdery and nostalgic. I can smell the mixture of violet and incense, with a little bit ghostly floral hint. It is a cold fragrance to me, no matter how the powdery scent can trick me.

When I smemt it from my skin, I can detect a little bit nutty hint, which gives me some similar feelings as Dior Hypnotic Poison can offer. But of course they smell different and in a totally different way -- John Galliano speaks solitute. It is lonely but proud, it is wasted, deadly but also uttly sexy, it's close but still far-away, like a sheer, like a piece of chiffon cloth on you. It is like a Tim Burtons movie in a bottle.

It is a stunning scent which may require a lot of testing till you can really find the essence and truely be in love and appreciate every drop of it.
Also, it may be hard to wear on a regular base. It demands a certain mood and state. However, since I always discover more found memories and different sensations, I guess I can hardly ever fully unveil the beauty of it. :-) but I'm happy with that.

xen

Just received my Galliano.....one word....Spectacular......... Soooooo John Galliano, what else can I say ;o)

jatzzie

I love this! The bottle first of all is stunning, simply beautiful and really stands out. I love the color scheme and shape, so pretty. I was so lucky to come across this perfume today. The fragrance on the other hand is a bit reminescent to Alien or Ange ou Demon which are two very special fragrances, aka I love this.Esp Alien is one of my all time favs, so naturally I had to like John Galliano too. Very strong, unique, dark, kinda gothic, sophisticated scent, has this minty thing in the beginning but then it dissapears after a while. Something you could def wear to the Opera or some fancy dinner party. A obvious evening scent. I so must have this.

Trvevil

So mixed reviews about this one :o
Luckily, my friend dragged meh through old part of city and I spotted very catchy campaign in store window.
'That's it', I though 'I'm soo going to test it when I go back!'

So, when I was turning back home, I sneaked from my friends and run directly into store which sells this masterpiece by a master who has really distinctive and unique style.
What did I expect? Well.. If it IS churchy enough it will be bought in soon future, if not, then it'll stay in store, he he

I went in, grabbed the bottle and sprayed...
What was first? Oh, that was soft creamy luxurious soap smell with dry florals. You know, like Chanel N5. I love the luxurious soapy Chanel N5 and plan to own a bottle of this wonderful classic perfume and that means that I enjoyed aldehydes in John Galliano. ^^

Even though dark incense notes with 'old wood' weren't detectable, this is very melancholic and kinda 'that tells a story' perfume.

Later when I already thought 'c'mon, where is incense?' I smelled my wrist and there it was- dark, pure incense. It comes out of shadow and performs dark ballad about eternal romance and it's melancholic, deep voice enchants, it's like pulled outta fairy tale.
I enjoyed this incense middle notes very much and fell in love with this perfume.

Morelater tender top and warm middle entangles and sing in a duet. It's nostalgic, powdery and has character. Dry-down, by the way, is kinda like JPG Classique, but less intense and has dusty powdery quality.

So, this is very kinda old fashioned scent, a find for this kind of perfume. I don't think it would appeal young girls, but it truly deserves the gothic G on the very top. Everything about it reflects and suits Galliano's spring/summer collection.

I was so very impressed by perfume even knowing of what Galliano is capable of, I highly recommend this one if you like aldehydes or are in desperate search for incense perfume you could buy in your local place.

Amarilia

The bottle and packaging catched my eye in a store,and instantly wanted to give it a try. all I can say it is very much identical to D&G Dolce Gabbana edp (with red cap), but a bit softer and airy, at least on my skin. I used to wear DG years ago, but I found it too heavy and cloying for my taste. John Galliano is just right, very feminine, clean and lovely long lasting dry down. I can imagine to wear it throuhout the year. Definitely a keeper for me!

Fragrance

MMM.... Quite strange..
At the first I could really smell Plum..
when it dries down, it turns to a nice Powdery scent which is bit masculine..
There's something which attracts me to sniff it always... But Im not in love with that....
Very Very mysterious perfume..
Can be used as a cold night wear...

guest_Lady Stardust

I love only two perfumes and this is one of them...smelled it for the first time a couple a days ago. it lasts really long, I could smell it on my wrists(that's where I test perfumes in shops) even after bath!
Another superb perfume is flora by gucci.
It smells like flowers, old powder, old wood and maybe somewhat like musk. Very dreamlike, romantic and somehow at the same time seductive. Beautiful. Full of nostalgia and very femenin.

crimsonbutterflies

I tried this on an hour ago and I must say that I am disappointed. I am a fan of intriguing bottles and of oriental perfumes, so it is not that the perfume was heavy that put me off. The top notes smell like pure incence. You cannot discern a particular note other than realising from the very first seconds that this is an "older ladies" perfume. Even an hour or more into the perfume, I can smell nothing different; only the cloyingness has disappeared somewhat and makes this less offensive to my nose. The perfume smells like you are in the church indeed, with all the incence I can make out of it. And I do not think there is anything sexy, animalistic, even remotely flowery about church. Even if it dries down to loveable notes, I would not purchase it just for the dry down. Because it would be like having a trip and sleeping all the way through it. And I could not possibly put up with all this cloying incence for the sake of even a beautiful dry down.

Migotka

My last review was done after a single test. True, JG did not manage to seduce me back then.

My attitude changed now, but still this fragrance shows how body chemistry can influence a fragrance, so that it smells completely differet on different people.

My friend got on her a fresh bouquet of beautiful flowers. On my skin John Galliano still turns out like a mass in an old, wooden church. My friends who have never been to a Catholic church during the mass (still, not all churches smell like this, I mean mostly the old ones) could not identify it as well though. While my perception of the fragrance has not changed, I really got to like this woody incence with a touch of aldehydes.

And the bottle is simple gorgeous! I think it is a little masterpiece.

alianeblue

Does anyone know when this scent is going to be available at US big retailers? I can't believe that Neiman Marcus, Norsdtrom and Saks don't carry it.

Jinalda

That is rare that one may come across with a fragrance like this. It’s a very interesting blend. I spayed it on a paper for test in a shop and I really smelled aldehydes, bergamot and flowers with incense notes. And no amber, maybe only a little. Since I expected aldehydes like in the perfumes of 70s it was quite hard for me to find them in this particular perfume.

But then I sprayed it on my skin… and the magic began… A true alchemy – it changed on me with every minute getting even better, and every minute was spellbound. It started with angelica, citrus and flowers – the smell was very much the same as it showed up on the tester paper.
Being fascinated by the top notes, I decided to move out of the shop – I had some business to finish and actually no plans of buying any perfume that day. But after about 20 minutes walking in the street I started to feel – strangely enough – a plum… I don’t know how it happened, there is no such a component in this fragrance, but it was definitely a plum! Such a sweet and sugary one, surrounded by powdery notes with flowers and maybe incense in there. Woodsy and amber-musky notes also started to show up slightly. But a plum prevailed above others.
Later, in an hour approximately, I came home. I asked my mother how did I smell and she answered “good… yes, really good” and smiled. I asked her what it was like, but she said it was not a perfume but me who smelled good. But after a little “interrogation” she confessed that it was some cozy, warm, sweet and even animalistic scent. By that time the “plum scent” has already settled and the gorgeous amber started to reign. Animalistic ingredients always worked good with me, so they do this time as well. It appeared to be very gourmand on me.
And now this perfume is going to be mine soon. Also the bottle – purple is my second best colour (after black).

Well, as a conclusion, I would say that John Galliano is just a magic potion that would turn your skin chemistry into a true alchemy! Do you remember what is said about Melange in “the Dune” by Frank Herbert? Its taste was different for everybody and it changed every time they tried it. So do this perfume – everybody will get completely different effect and it will change differently in time. Give it a try – If you like it, you won’t forget it.
Someone said that it’s deign and promo campaign aimed on the girls who are into gothic and emo style. I don’t think so (despite all that is said about the “gothic letter G”). It is something that has a style of 20s with a modern core. It’s not like someone wonted to create a copy of Shalimar, for instance, but something contemporary in vintage style. A true glam fragrance, bottle and promo. Not a vulgar something at all.

truffles

I've only tested this while shopping. The topnotes are out of this world - really unique and beautiful. I really have no idea how to describe them I would just say smell for yourself! Unfortunately they are gone very very quickly and what is left is a smell which to me is very one-notish and very reminiscent of Guerlain's Insolence (which people seem to describe as a violet-like scent, although for me, and I adore the smell of violets, this flower only really works on its own). This stays pretty much the same for all of the wearing.
So for me this perfume is only special to start with - if only the topnote smell could be the heart/base of the scent (I know that doesn't scientifically make sense!).
I still want this fragrance just for the bottle though! Gorgeous!

Adriana_87

Finally i also got to try it and wore it today.Thx to lovely migotka that send me a decant.It is very special,i have ever smelled a scent like this.I was afraid that it is very floral smell but its ok.Its more smokey dark floral and on me i can really smell the incense.I like it more after a while because it is a bit sharp and minty at the start.But develops to a softer incense/flower smell.Very sensual too and truely on of a kind,very Galliano.But i dont know if i would buy this sometime,its still very new to me but it is surely a winner and maybe it will grow more on me with time.

jemma

Today I was fortunate to try Galliano and remained enraptured by this unique flavor! Beginning is slightly sharp, but later opens, and the flavor is mild and warm, subtle and intimate! I fell in love!

teddito

Today I've tried a sample.Really very seductive, mysterious and interesting scent.
I hope I will get a bottle soon.

sjanira

Masterpiece indeed! that bottle! that smell! an unforgettable, dark, seductive, sexy smoky bombshell. That's what I think about when I wear this perfume. Opening notes are heavy, smoky and a bit sweet. The aldehydes are a bit strong but it quickly settles and moves on to some beautiful flower notes. The lavender tranquilizes this scent a bit. Moves it into a softer, relaxing and wearable scent. Still maintains that smoky resin note but much cozier and warmer now. The bottle is very artistic, I don't find it cheap looking whatsoever. Galliano is a great addition to any perfume collection.

Taliera

The perfume is a masterpiece, like John Galliano himself. His bottle suits his style - the shades of purple, the twisted glass, the ribbon, the gold rose - it's really avant-garde and mysterious. Packaging and advertising are excellent too. The fragrance is dark and heavy - some might call it overpowering, but I enjoy it being so.

When sprayed on paper, I found it complex and intriguing. The colour purple is really perfect. I decided within the first 10 seconds or so that I had to have it. Mostly, it smelt like blackberry, licquerice, musk and incense, but was also quite powdery, and had a barely-there sweetness.

But when applied to my skin it was different, though not in a bad way. The lady behind the counter took a sniff of my arm, and said she liked it even better. Apparently it smelled floral on her, but on me it was very smokey and spicy. I thought that it lost sweetness and the licquerice was enhanced.

Overall, this is a wonderful, unique fragrance, and I think it's really going to become a classic. But it's obviously important to test it with your skin chemistry.

allexa27

Sexy ,sexy,sexy!!!It drives men wild.I actually cant describe it,but i know that i love it!This is my new favourite and i am sure it will be fore ver.It is very interesting perfume.I smell lots of iris and insence and something like chocolate.Absolutely divine!
Great lasting power

arianperfume

First smell I felt while visiting Paris last week for the first time. I love it. Very classy I can sense roses, peony, musk and iris pretty clearly. Expensive but worth every dime. Saddly, the bottle is very cheap looking. The fragrance itself is very reccomended. Love at first sniff!!! It is a perfume that is constantly developping on skin, very clean and sensual in the same time. If you like roses you will love THIS Galliano.

guest_bny.

interesting.
loved it instantly.
reminds me of the smell of a fabric warehouse and singed tulle.
gothic yet romantic,
just like the bottle.

Aalia

This scent is intruguing, because itś unique, and the mixture of notes creates a quizzical scent, really. The aldehydes are strong, but not extreme, they do thier job..they lift the scent into the air and give a good prescence of the perfume in the room. I love the Melissa note. It lasts for quite a long time, wich gives this perfume spice and zing. The Melissa even interacts with the Incense in the base! This combo is very pleasing. The Lavender, Iris, and Violet, all balance out what could be choking Peony and Rose, thank goodness. Notice, no white flowers..unusual. After the top notes fade, the Amber is strong, and there is some mixture of notes, with the all the sweetness combined, wich makes the smell of...
a brand new plastic baby doll. Are you familiar with Stella ? Similar, but less refined, seemingly of lower quality. Are you familiar with Anna Sui Dreams ? This is similar, but better.
I do like it, however, I don't know if I can commit to a purchase...

guest_

I bought this perfume last weekend & instantly liked it, reading these reviews is somewhat disturbing, however one does have to remember this smells different on everyone due to our own chemical makeup.

Amarilla

It's a bit embarassing but I have to review myself.
It's just... I don't know... there is something offensive in it.
I got this conclusion after using it a couple of times and I was always bothered. Too sharp and cleaning product smelling. Like a strongly scented detergent. Very disturbing and vulgar.

Spring25

I really liked the eye-catching artistry for the ad and bottle of John Galliano's first fragrance. When I viewed the notes, I suspected that I would probably like it, so I bought a sample. Well, now that I've tried the sample, I will be sure to purchase more of this wonderfully unique fragrance. From the refreshing orangey mint opening to the warm floral heart which transitions to a relaxing powdery woody incense drydown, this perfume is a pleasure. I think it would be especially nice to wear in the evening. It has medium sillage and is fairly long-lasting.

sugarbaby

this is my best fragrance,so sweet,mistic,sexual,different,special......

Tarya

I was very curious about this John Gallianos first perfume. And it did paid off to wait.
Exciting first impression, and I liked it immediately. Not for everybody, because it's so strange. Interesting, sensual, mysterious and enchanting fragrance. Smoky floral with incesce.
I felt cinnamon in the opening and it's not listed even here, I must have a vivid imagination. Wicked bottle.

Unusual beauty!

SYDNEYGIRL

i saw this in a store today and loved the bottle so much that i was sure i would love it! boy, was i wrong! this had nothing feminine or lovely about it. it was powdery in all the wrong ways and had some sort of spice that smelt like it was off. top-middle and base notes did not work for me in any way. sorry mr galliano, this was definately a hit and miss for me:(

ticalica

Love the bottle, very artistic!!
Unfortunately let down by grandma smell of dusty pillows with old synthetic flower petals

luz

It is an interesting and creative perfume... personally, I don't like the presentation and I find the fragrance a bit confusing. Open notes are very soapy and heady, and the evolution is dark though transparent... the dry down is powdery and smooth.
It was not love at the 1st sight, but I am falling in love with it !
I love having it, it is unique !

guest_penny

I stumbled across this perfume walking through a department store and fell in love instantly. the bottle is slightly OTT and the nozzle/ spritzer is a bit inconvenient for spraying the perfume but the smell is worth it in the end i think.

Amarilla

As Galliano himself for me is being an annoying and provocative fellow, I rightfully thought that his fragrance would be the same. Well, I miscalculated.
Even though I find the bottle displeasing, the content is a very nice surprise. At first sniff the aldehydes nearly made me sneez but that's ok. A few minutes later it settled down to an incomperable and complex bunch of velvet and powdery flowers.
Absolutely feminine and not overpowering at all. I can squarely detect all the middle notes which is really cool.
The drydown is elegant and longlasting, but unfortunately a slightly masculine on my skin through the patchouli.

lilith

John Galliano's 1st perfume is as complex,creative and genius as the man himself.Like his astonishing gowns, this scent has many facets,It's classed as a 'floral aldehyde'but like a prism it changes with every twist and turn. Yes, first impression is definitely an aldehyde, a faint scent of Channel 5 with its iris and bergamot, then comes violet, rose and the scent of powder puff;as if you have just stepped into a showgirl's powderroom. Wait...now there's the intoxicating smell of musk, amber and the sensual woody undertone of an 18th century boudoir.
The bottle reminds me of one of his haute couture gowns, with the glass molded and twisted to look like a cinched gothic ballgown in fushia and back,delicateley adorned with a gold rose.
In 1992 Theirry Mugler amazed the perfume world with the launch of 'Angel', a blend of fruits,coconut,candy,honey,amber,vanilla and chocolate that no other perfumer had ever blended.This clear blue icy liquid reflects through a star shaped bottle.John Paul Gaultier created the same fever in perfume with his now renamed 'Classique' in 1993, integrating fruits,anise,rose,orchid,vanilla and amber in his own unique way.And in his own unique way,bottled it into a ladies corset.
These designer scents are now, and will always be new world classics. I believe John Galliano has just been inducted into this privileged world of fragrance. Like his predecessors his 1st perfume has taken his imagination and creativity from the catwalk to your dresser.
You may not be able to afford a Galliano design but at least you can drown and loose yourself in the aroma of one.

guest_

I didn't expect to like this at all but I think it's in fact brilliant and very original. It's full of contradictions, but somehow it works. It's smokey, citrusy and powdery at the same time. It's also fresh, it has punch and is seductively budoir-like at the same time. A bit weird maybe. Weird and wonderful!
(Hate the cheap bottle, though.)

scarlett5stam

► I don't like this creator but that fragrance very interesting me. Very mature scent, gothic and mystic smell about poeny, iris, Violet. I like the base notes because I think is deep and dark...
♠ The bottle is really a magnifique creation. It fascinates me, The "G" can be represent the "G" of the word "Gothic". I think this must be done on purpose. Hence the police of this initial. Great idea ┼

ca.comMiss_Binky

this is just what I would expect Himself to smell like!
minty clean yet fruity, maybe a little boozy w/ a med depth incenscey smell. Sort of reminded me of a cross between JPG leMale and 2-soem astringency which I LOVE, and a drydown w/ a strong floral that I thought resembled orange blossom

crystal lady

John Galliano is a fav designer of mine but that would not have made me buy the scent but it did interest me, as did the wonderful add campaign. Having said that I was curious about the scent as it is getting quite mixed reviews. My instincts told me it would be for me and they were correct.
It is a lovely scent, one which I feel I will wear for years to come. I liked it immediately and still do. Its everything I like in a perfume. Its slightly floral and a gently heady with wonderful warm velvety undertones. It reminds of Lolita Lempika L, its a fav of mine. Having said that this is a unique scent with that little bit extra. Its an instant favorite and there are not that many scents I can say that about. I still adore Angel and love Bond no 9 Chinatown and love Tom Ford and Flowerbomb. The thing is This eclipses them all. Do yourself a favour, go buy it its quite lovely and so soft. The scent of a women who is her own person and very sensuas.

Ayse

this is a very strong perfume...the dry down smells a tiny bit like hypnotic poison and kenzo amour.If i had to pick one out of the three it would be kenzo amour. until the dry down its just sooo strong it gives you a headache...i wouldnt buy it

Lorilavira

John Galliano so incomparable and distinct.
Gothic, melancholic but also romantic thats the right keywords for this Parfume...The Bottle is such a artwork,unusual and a eyecatcher.
The smell...the smell is not for everyone. The most people say it smells like a church ...the odors are related.John Galliano first sniff smoky and rosy the top notes are very strong maybe thats for the most of the people daunting. But after 10 min it's sweet and woody you smell the inscense and the peony,for me it smells also a bit like cherry.I get a sample and the packet and the sample is very great "love for detail".
This parfume is great but on the right person.It's very long lasting,better for the colder days.

Migotka

Now Im wondering if I got a sample of the same fragrance as everyone else.

I absolutely loved the bottle- I think it is a little piece of art and my expectations were high. I have been looking for this fragrance for ages and just found it today. I was so very excited about it!

I dont know how many of you have ever gone to a very old, wooden church to attend a mass during which the priest had overused the incense. If you havent- this is exactly how this perfume smells like. Lots of incense and old wood. For me it smells of church and I cant detect any other notes in it unfortunately:(

solocha

For me it was sweet from the top till the bottom layers, it's chocolatey - in fact white chocolate and vanilla. Reminds me strongly Femme by Rochas or something of that ilk. I like the outer packaging - the paper box design is impressive, the bottle a bit weird but in concord with slightly quaint Galliano style.

F_A

First of all, I do not like the kitsch bottle covered with cheap looking plastic. For such a fragrance the bottle design could have been much more better. The fragrance? First of all I thought I already smelled it somewhere, then it became more interesting, more sophisticated. On my skin it had a smell of mint tea with lemon - fresh and warm at the same time, - and the most amazing thing is that it stayed on my skin so very long.

ticalau

Very nice and interesting... lovely bottle 2! Hope will gona do some more fragrances under the galliano's brand... and something for men's 2!And I know this one it's gona b a success ;)

Jalutschka

Very interesting stuff - a multi-layered fragrance, fresh, a rather minty top-note, reminiscent of freshly ironed laundry, not too flowery, but strong enough to be perceived all day long. Perfumer Christine Nagel has done a lot of fine work already, but I would like to call this her masterpiece.
Bonus: Very original bottle and packaging.