Our take
What does Bloom smell like?
The first women's fragrance created under Alessandro Michele's creative direction and composed by Alberto Morillas, Gucci Bloom arrived in 2017 aiming to smell like a full garden rather than an abstract bouquet. Its rarity lies in Rangoon creeper, a climbing flower seldom used in perfumery, which brings a powdery, faintly fruity facet. The opening is already dense with blooms, green jasmine bud and fresh tuberose. The heart amplifies that abundance with tuberose, jasmine and honeysuckle in a green, naturalistic rendering, far from creamy, sunny tuberoses. The base of sandalwood, musk and iris stays quiet and powdery, leaving the stage to the flowers.
When to wear it
Spring and summer, daytime or office wear; it suits lovers of true-to-life, green, unsweetened white flowers.
The story of Bloom
Alessandro Michele became Gucci’s creative director in 2015 and turned the house’s look upside down. The sexy glamour of the Tom Ford years gave way to flowers, vintage references and an off-kilter romanticism. Bloom, in 2017, was the first fragrance conceived entirely under his watch. Alberto Morillas composed it around a simple idea: smell a real garden crowded with white flowers rather than an abstract bouquet. Rangoon creeper, rarely used in perfumery, gives it a recognisable signature. The opaque, lacquered powder-pink bottle with its old-fashioned label looks more like an apothecary jar than a designer flask. The campaign brought together Dakota Johnson, Hari Nef and Petra Collins. Bloom then grew into a whole family. Acqua di Fiori, Nettare di Fiori and Ambrosia di Fiori each push one facet of the garden, greener or sweeter. The original is still the most coherent of the lot, and it is the one we suggest trying first.
Our detailed review
Straight after spraying, Bloom smells of freshly cut flowers with the stems still green. Jasmine and tuberose arrive together with no sugar, closer to a pot of jasmine on a balcony than to an evening perfume. Rangoon creeper adds a powdery, slightly fruity touch that is hard to name, and that is exactly what makes Bloom recognisable. For two or three hours the floral density doesn’t let up. Honeysuckle shows up next, more honeyed. The iris and musk base is discreet and powdery, almost soapy by the evening. What we like: it refuses sugar, which was rare in mainstream women’s launches in 2017. What bothers us: Bloom sticks to one idea, and after six hours that mass of white flowers can get heady and flat. It suits lovers of natural-smelling white florals and anyone running from gourmands. People who find jasmine overbearing, or who want a scent that changes on skin, will not get on with it.
Bloom vs its rivals
Released the same year, Chanel’s Gabrielle shares the jasmine and tuberose over a base of sandalwood, musk and iris. It adds citrus and blackcurrant, then orange blossom and ylang-ylang, for a sunnier and fruitier floral. Bloom is greener and more naturalistic. Patou’s Joy was already setting tuberose, jasmine and iris over sandalwood and musk back in 1930, but with rose up front and civet giving it flesh. It is richer and more animalic. Kilian’s Love Don’t Be Shy shares honeysuckle, jasmine and iris. Then it tips into caramel and vanilla, the exact opposite of Bloom’s no-sugar stance. Choose Bloom for a jasmine and tuberose pairing that smells like a garden, and Gabrielle for a brighter, crowd-pleasing take. Joy is for fans of grand old florals. Love Don’t Be Shy is for anyone who wants flowers as sweet as candy.
Longevity, projection and use
Intensity 3 out of 5 in eau de parfum. Bloom lasts six to eight hours on skin, longer on cotton. Projection is clear for the first two hours, then it moves closer to the skin without fading out. Two or three sprays are enough, on the neck and inside the elbows. Any more and the jasmine takes over a closed room. Bloom is made for spring and summer, for daytime, the office and outdoor dates. In winter it feels a little cold. In real heat one spray is plenty, since white flowers project more when it’s hot.
It belongs to the Floral family. Bloom is one of 6 creations by Gucci in our encyclopedia.
