The story of Juliette Has a Gun
Romano Ricci grew up in a family tied to perfumery: he is the great-grandson of Nina Ricci. In 2006 he launched his own brand with a name that flips the romantic myth on its head: his Juliette is not waiting for Romeo, she is armed. Humour and a rock sensibility became the house's trademark as it played with the codes of classic perfumery. In 2010 Not a Perfume took that attitude to its logical conclusion. Built around a woody ambery molecule and a minimum of other ingredients, it was presented as a fragrance for people who do not like fragrance and as an option for sensitive skin. It was so successful that it became an emblem of the skin-scent trend, discreet and musky, that defined much of the 2010s and inspired countless imitators across the industry.
An olfactory signature
The Juliette Has a Gun signature is minimalist and skin-like. Not a Perfume is built around ambroxan, present at every level of the pyramid, supported by Cetalox, cashmeran, musk, cedar and sandalwood. The effect is nothing like a bouquet: it is an ambery warmth, slightly salty and woody, that seems to rise from the skin itself. It reveals itself at a distance, in waves, rather than when you press your nose to your wrist, which is part of its peculiar charm.
Which Juliette Has a Gun perfume to choose?
In our database the house is represented by Not a Perfume, launched in 2010. It is the ideal choice if you want a discreet scent that smells of clean, warm skin rather than a floral or gourmand composition. Unisex, it can be worn year-round and layers beautifully under other fragrances to round them out. Its subtlety is deceptive: people around you often notice it more than you do.