Xerjoff Casamorati Fiero photo © Xerjoff That’s Amore Rafael Balerzo B

I recently was given the opportunity to choose a Casamorati 1888 fragrance to sample; Xerjoff Casamorati Fiero caught my roving eye: estival pleasure, the classical citrus/herbal chypre with a promised barbershop bent rendered in an Eau de parfum concentration. Perfect. My wheelhouse, and very likely my husband’s as well (it’s double delight when you can share in a household). There are times when you crave something very specific: Xerjoff Casamorati Fiero is a fragrance which suits when there is a desire for elegant refreshment that fits like a bespoke garment. It evokes both urban refinement and the country squire: for me, the sophisticated dalliance between brilliant citrus and sprightly kitchen garden herbs is one of which I never tire – particularly if executed with legerdemain and underscored by a dusky simmering base. Fiero is precisely the sort of scent which brings up the subject of gender, as it was originally viewed as an Archetypal Masculine; if you ferret about for reviews, you’ll likely see that the lion’s share of them are written by those identifying themselves as male.

Photo courtesy @xerjoff Instagram

Gender: if this is the concern, you’ve chosen the wrong person. I’ve always obstinately rebelled against anyone telling me who I should be, how I should dress, behave, and most certainly how I should perfume myself. I didn’t care for dolls, playing house or any prissiness; I did care for climbing trees, getting filthy, wild animals and books, books and more books. To my great fortune, I happened to be a mezzo-soprano and slender – which meant that my best operatic roles were those portrayed en travesti (this translates as ‘trouser roles’ or simply, drag): a young man habitually in love with (usually) older women (Cherubino in Le Nozze di Figaro, Octavian in Der Rosenkavalier, Stéphano, Romeo’s page, Orfeo, Prinz Orlovsky in Die Fledermaus, etc.). These vocal parts have been sung by countertenors and earlier on – the castrati – which further blurs boundaries delineated by gender. As far as many of us are concerned, gender assignation regarding fragrance needs to be a non-issue.

 David Bowie and Tilda Swinton, from the video shoot of The Stars (Are Out …) Robert Mapplethorpe/Getty images© digitally altered

Perhaps it is not coincidental that Fiero means Pride, or that this scent’s name is simply a happy accident. Certainly, Fiero denotes taking care in how one presents oneself, regards their own self-esteem and wellbeing. Pride is a very personal thing – and as such, I feel that Xerjoff Casamorati Fiero is a bold statement couched in a prototypical format which transcends the constraints of sexual identity. Fiero’s aromatic journey begins with the brisk pace of sunny bergamot, lemon, lemongrass and blood orange – all zest and bonhomie, soon to be seasoned with thyme, tarragon and mint. Lavender shares her twin faces of floralcy and herb, dusted with nutmeg for spice; neroli is full of good will. What lingers on for hours afterward is a cavernous, resolute base of familiar materials which somehow construe quite differently from their usual wont: a fine Mysore sandalwood, vetiver, patchouli laced with haylike coumarin take on a darker edge, an unanticipated gravitas. The perfume’s tone is anything but frivolous at this juncture, and waxes deeply contemplative.

 

stock photo

Xerjoff Casamorati Fiero shares a lineage with similar beloved fragrances such as Dior’s original Eau Sauvage (1966) by master Edmond Roudnitska, Le Galion Whip (2014, David Maruitte), and Le Jardin Retrouvé Verveine d’Été (1978, Yuri Gutsatz), and to a lesser extent, Monsieur Balmain (1990, Calice Becker). While each of these possess a palpable radiant vibrancy and common aromatics, their paths skew more floral/herbal/fruity; they dry down with a lighter hand and mood. Fiero alone assumes the shadowy, Underworld-redolent form which is part of its dark allure. I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to experience this scent; it’s not the sort of perfume to blind buy, but definitely well worth sampling – much more than the sum of its parts.

Notes: bergamot, Calabrian lemon, lemongrass, blood orange, thyme, lavender, tarragon, mint, neroli, nutmeg, Mysore sandalwood, patchouli, vetiver, coumarin

  Tester kindly provided by Euro Perfumes – I treasure it! Many thanks.  My nose is my own…

~ Ida Meister, Deputy and Natural Perfumery Editor

photo Twisted Lily©

Thanks to the generosity of Europerfumes, the US distributor of Xerjoff Casmorati we have a we have 100 ml tester of Xerjoff Casamorati Fiero for one registered CafleureBon reader in the USA. You must register here or your comment will not count. To be eligible, please leave a comment saying what appeals to you about Ida’s review and if you have a favorite Xerjoff Casamorati perfume. Draw closes 9/21/2021

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FN: Special thanks to Rafael Balerzo B of Xerjoff That’s Amore Facebook and Instagram for the lead photo.