L'Homme Prada Absolu

In 2016, the house Prada unveiled one of the most iconic olfactory couples with L'Homme Prada and La Femme Prada. Both refined and ultra elegant, the Prada couple represented the quintessence of Italian refinement. Regarding this couple, the house Prada stated: she could be him, he could be her. She is an absolute woman, he is an absolute man. There is no obvious definition of their relationship. They could be lovers, friends or even strangers. Both have multiple identities. In 2018, Prada presented a variation with L'Homme Absolu.

Danièla Andrier once again at the heart of L'Homme Prada Absolu

While Danièla Andrier is not the official perfumer of the house Prada, she is nevertheless the one who creates the majority of Prada fragrances. Danièla Andrier was born in Heidelberg, Germany. She would arrive in France at the age of 15. Although Danièla Andrier was originally headed toward literary studies, she joined the renowned perfumery school ISIPCA after having a revelation about her career. Danièla Andrier is a highly talented perfumer, but also a modest and instinctive woman. When asked what a good fragrance means to her, she states: one that has a soul and the ability to bring us back to lost realms, full of echoes of our own memory. It lies in resonance, it does not only tell its own story. A good fragrance is emotion. Danièla Andrier is responsible for such great fragrances as Candy Kiss, Les Infusions by Prada, but also Angélique Noire by Guerlain.

The oriental and powerful tonalities of L'Homme Absolu Prada

The composition opens with a striking contrast, combining bergamot, green mandarin, black pepper and cardamom. The latter is a spice from the Zingiberaceae family, a rhizomatous plant of which only the dried fruits are used. Cardamom was primarily known and used by the Egyptians of antiquity, then by the Greeks and Romans. They used it as a solid perfume, blended with wax, but also as toothpaste because cardamom had the power to neutralize the taste of garlic. It was also used to soothe sore throats, coughs and to eliminate intestinal worms. In perfumery, cardamom is highly prized; it is used by steam-distilling the dried seeds. It gives off camphoraceous, zesty, resinous tonalities. Then, the heart of L'Homme Absolu evolves toward floral tonalities, with iris, the star of L'Homme Prada. The heart notes accordingly combine iris, neroli and geranium. Iris is, along with oud, the most expensive raw material in perfumery. Originating from the Far East, iris is mainly produced in Italy and Morocco. The root of the iris is a rhizome, and it is this rhizome that is used in perfumery. Its extraction is long and complicated, which explains its price. Catherine de Medici used iris for its powdery qualities, and this tonality is highly prized by noses today. Finally, the base of the composition is intense and sensual, harmoniously blending cedar, labdanum cistus and amber, Miuccia Prada's favorite material.