Kenzo World
Kenzo (2016)

If you've ever seen the Kenzo World advert - where the woman freaks out and starts smashing up the place with death rays - it isn't because she's bored with the company, it's because she's wearing this chemical-fruity nightmare and it's brought on a psychotic episode.

Kenzo World opens with delicious berry jam wedged next to cold, watery flowers. The hyperrealistic berry jam is bright and mouthwatering–so intense that one can almost taste the tartness. As the fragrance dries down, it starts to build a transient architecture. Like a tent pitched in the backyard, the juxtaposition of the almost soapy floral notes and the tart berries creates a sense of space. One gets a feeling of coziness while being exposed to some of the elements. For example, a subtle breeze or ray of sun penetrates the tent, but the semitransparent veil protects us from the rain and fog. Over time, the tent starts to collapse, almost deflating, and exposing molten ambroxan. The ambroxan forms an amalgam with the skin, swirling in a thick vortex, dragging the berry jam and flowers down in a nauseating spiral. At this point, the composition is dominated by ambroxan and the original sense of space is replaced by warm, flattened molecules.

Overall, I enjoy Kenzo World as fun contemporary fruity-floral. If I owned a bottle, I would reach for it occasionally, but I am not excited enough to put this on my full bottle list. I am slowly becoming a fan of the perfumer, Francis Kurkdjian, and this composition makes me excited to sniff more of his work.

3.5/5 Recommended to people into fruity-florals and ambroxan

A review for Kenzo World EDT (the pink bottle).

Top note: Pear
Middle: Peony and Almond flower
Bottom: Orris
(according to the packaging of the spray vial).

This sweet fruity floral happened to be a total horrorshow to my nose. I had to scrub it off after an hour because I really started thinking this might make me sick. The sillage/projection is definitely there, and I think its staying power is also quite good, since after all the soap and water I STILL was getting small hints of the stuff from my skin. It was sweet, flowery and fruity in the worst imaginable way - to my nose. I'm not saying the scent itself is bad, it should definitely have its fans, but I'm staying away from anything pear related for a looong time, since it's not the first time I find pear scent so unpleasant.

Bottle is creative.

The jus? Everything Darvant said.

On the right woman this is pure sexy.

It is not unique though, but the Kenzo style shines through which means longevity is decent, projection normal.

I dig it.

Minimalistic synth fruity "powdery-candied" amber with a standout breezy/tart peony and a fresh ethereal soapiness. It seems to detect a red-berrish and vaguely gummy/waxy presence probably elicited by ambroxan/jasmine (something finally talky/soapy). I detect a quite tart/leafy ostensibly aquatic vibe. Honestly this juice is a new drop in the ocean of modern perfumery. It finally smells like a soapy detergent.

What a gorgeous bottle for a simple fruit punch. I would love it as a cocktail. I don't get the floral notes. Just a fruit mix. Very sweet. Sillage and longevity should be better.