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Xeroxhkasy – :
fantastic, elegant, sophisticated. that’s how i can describe this fragrance, very hard to find now. the notes are blended in a smooth, fine, intelligent way..the rose, the oakmoss, the leather…the rose inside this scent is one of the best ever. if u find grab it, your man will be so happy to smell on you. the packaging is great! profumo eccezionale, senza parole.
my vote:9
in one word: art
120396 – :
Notes corrected and updated 3/27/18 so “Main notes according to your votes” above may not be accurate.
aleb13 – :
Some years ago, I found this online. I had never heard of it, but I was in the throes of Gucci Eau De Parfum (2002) so I decided to give it a try. Smart move. This is a gorgeous scent. Rich, seductive, very feminine. I get a lot of rose, but not a Victorian rose. A much more modern, assertive and dark kind. I also get leather, amber, orris and a bit of fruit (not the fruit punch variety, thank goodness).
Since it has been sadly discontinued I wear it for special occasions. And it never fails to get me compliments, the best being “It smells so different, so unique” (yessssss!).
Meter079InsuffBooni – :
I remember this scent very well, this leathery honeyed rose, heavy, straight-forward, unforgiving but awesome….it really blew my mind back then….and I would pay quite some money to buy this if relaunched now. Gucci, are you reading this ? 🙂
Erattyprina – :
This is the non-drinkable equivalent of 1990s Sauternes to me – a dark-ish, rich, sweet but not at all sugary or even gourmet dessert wine from Bordeaux, with overripe yellow fruit notes. It’s related to another vintage discontinued Gucci beauty, Gucci No 3, which is a little more aldehydic and bright. Wear No 3 during the day and then bring on Arte in the evening.
It’s funny how the shameless 1980s lead to some horrible clothes and hair as well as to the most beautiful perfumes!
purgen9943 – :
Rose, oakmoss, patchouli, and musk are the only notes I can specifically pick out. And a hint of something leathery.
All I have left of this one is a mini, but since I only wear chypre fragrances on the rare occasion, it should last me a while still.
To me, chypres have a “witchy woman” kind of vibe to them, and they’re serious business in the fragrance universe. Nothing playful or frivolous here, I feel that you better know what you’re doing when you wear something like L’Arte!
The bottle is gorgeous, simplistic elegance. In retrospect, I wish I’d held onto my empty full size bottle for a display piece.
chestnovd – :
I have a mini and I am craving a bottle of it . It is the most beautiful perfume bottle I have ever seen . Pure Art
Dyct – :
NOW 2016 and found some very similar – at last….LA PANTHÈRE by CARTIER.
I have been looking for years to replace this perfume which I used to wear in the 90s.
My husband said of my new perfume “You smell like your old house when we 1st met!”
I hope that convinces others who lovvve L’Arte di Gucci to give La Panthere a try.
Invalidka – :
Having it and loving it, again. Beautiful floral chypre, classy notes and very lasting. It is Lady’s perfume. Opulent floral, well blend, not sweet and hard to fond. In a style of Pamela Picasso for those who never tried it before.
Bought my first bottle in San Marino, small country in the middle of Italy, in 94; enjoyed every drop of it. Today got another one, thanks to one member’s referral, it is as good as I remember it, very lasting EDT.
doh105Negeltzex – :
DESCRIPTION from the sticker on an EdT bottle :
” A floral rose note with spicy accords enriched by warm woody ,fruity and light animal musky base .
ROSE , TAGETE ,NEROLI , CAMOMILLE , BOURGEONS DE CASSIS .
ROSE , YLANG-YLANG, MIMOSA, PATCHOULI .
CISTE , SANTAL , CASTOREUM , MUSK KETONE .”
adriaxa – :
Very heavy, dense rose
It does have a classic feel, and could convey a sharp, medicinal, furniture-polish sort of elegance. But on me it’s just elaborate and overwrought
There’s something sullen and almost recalcitrant about it–just sits there, refuses to open or do anything. For hours. It won’t even layer well with other fragrances
vcggysjbdtq – :
The bottle shape was weird to me, but then I noticed, the slant of the top is similar to shoulder slant.. and the slanted bottom is like slant of a skirt. Like diva attitude in black & gold.
I agree it has a beautiful ‘ musky, leather and woody base. ‘ It has a soft incensey darkness that goes so well with the vibrant realistic red rose. I love this one a lot.
Hoplreot – :
L’Arte di Gucci opens with the most beautiful rose note that I’ve encountered. Pure, singing, rich and deep. Just beautiful!
After about 15 minutes the heart opens, bringing in a light LoV, warm narcissus, a touch of geranium, and soft, silky, breezy mimosa. The rose remains clear and true, but softens, leaving a wonderful scent trail. You know that saying about how little girls are made of everything nice? That’s what L’Arte is made of. This scent is almost magical in its complexity and balance.
In the dry down vetiver and leather appear, warming the scent, and grounding the airier florals which continue to move slowly forward. And that rose note, it remains perfectly balanced with the whole.
I usually can’t wear rose, but this is spectacular. On my skin it has the darkness of the rose absolu, with the spice and tang of the base, and the wonderfully light, almost fairy like supporting florals.
Have you ever wondered what Morgan le Fae wore? Titania? Something like L’Arte, I’m sure. Gucci may call this art, but I call it magic in a bottle! You *must* try this- its phenomenal!
repa84 – :
It’s been awhile since I tried this, but it reminds me of my beloved Rose Barbare, and I read somewhere that RB was based on it. I plan on buying a bottle soon and I’m scanning eBay. Absolutely beautiful.
syq174speagoessenda – :
Finally! I’ve been searching for the name and perfume like forever! My mom used to have this and the bodylotion in the black bottle. Divine bottle and scent. I wish we would have more of these today and not only all the sugar and cleanliness. More variety would be nice! 🙂
Farrid – :
This to my nose smells very similar to my beloved ARMANI ARMANI.. Why have i not known about this one? Alas both are discontinued, rare n expensive… Why on earth do they discontinue the best? What is that?
Engestkeeni – :
A mean green rose that shines like rippled light on patent leather, it’s tender and soft too, with the subtlest sexiest skank running underneath like gleaming threads of gold. On me, I feel there is something animalic softly growling (or loudly purring?) in the base, but just retrained enough that it feels like the kind of secret recognizable to only the initiated.
Everyone says this is a vulgar 80s power horse, but to me it’s incredibly sleek, smooth and modern. Smoldering, opulent and dangerous and knowing exactly what she’s doing and getting herself into, she’s like that girl who has perfect delicate bone structure and looks good doing saying loving hating breaking EVERYTHING, roaring through the night.
This is the most magical dirty rose of all time! Period. 🙂 And it is a crime that it was discontinued!!! I love you, L’Arte! Please come back!
teslyuk – :
L’Arte, huh?… Well, what can I say? It matches its name perfectly. Art… The art of indifference and nerve! Because even negative aspects demand a certain artistry. And here, this snob Italian lands a blow! She takes no prisoners! Insolence and sass galore! Rose as a note in perfumery, is not something I am truly fond of. (When it comes to male fragrances especially, I find it almost impossible for rose to be harmoniously blended in the composition. Untill now, only Loris Azzaro’s Acteur and Alain Delon’s Iquitos have found a not just decent but stunning way to do the trick.) But here rose shines! And not in a usual and, more or less, expected romantic way. No! A dirty and marginally vulgar rose it is that drags you by the nose… It is the scent of a woman who, under her expensive suit ( a Gucci one doubtless), hides leather underwear and a stiletto. A stiletto that she shall not hesitate to use, if all else fails (most unlikely). She had the misfortune of being born in a fin de siecle. In an era when the loud and hyperbolic (nonetheless dazzling) enfants terribles of the ’80s started walking the path to oblivion and the watery and optimistic voices of the ’90s started to gather attention further still. But she didn’t care about it. To tell the truth she NEVER cared about anything! And today, even after so many years have passed since her departure for the heaven of lost scents, she still remains a serious contestant for the title of the most “Fuck you!” and “In your face!” attitude of the last decades…
BeissimeGurne – :
I thought initially that I was experiencing something rather ‘witchy-woo’ a-la Magie Noire but upon a closer inspection I realised that there is something different and haunting to this composition. This is a byzantine fragrance;where a lost place with the sunlight overcast, the chills are warmed with fur, a diadem displaced is found, wine from overturned goblets spills forth and paths veiled by bramble canes sing of old glories.
I am unabashed in my love of this fragrance, and I am at a loss as to why the house of Gucci sacrificed one of it’s most ravishing beauties. The more of the old guard lost, the more inclined I am to say my prayer before the tidal wave of juvenile syrup crashes over civilization. I can only surmise that it’s birth was between two epochs and wasn’t deigned to survive.
Citiengague – :
Another good perfume that was discontinued, shame, so many good ones disappear and bad ones stay.WHO determines that to take off the market?
ameno-2008 – :
A wonderfully deep dark rich rose with fat patchouli. Many men are exploring wearing these deep rose fragrances, especially the dark chypres with heavy patchouli, and I could see this on the right man. Regardless of who is wearing this, it is a beautifully opulent luscious fragrance. More, more….
Reminded me a little of Czech and Speake Dark Rose.
nerzh – :
Personally I find all shypres very much alike due to their beloning to the class of elegant perfumes, being enjoyed by our mothers and eternally being in demand as natural ones – in the sense of ingredients and as genuine, classy and nostalgic perfumes.
I hear men love fruity fragrances – that’s it, they’ve got the point)). One man suggested me to test it as his favourite and waited for me to share my impression. L’Arte is a night scent for Grand special occasions, I’m sure it is unique and unforgettable. The woman who is to wear it will feel herself like in the protective envelope and very proud of her mastering it. Delight!
Mazswero – :
I blindly bought a random 3.4oz bottle of this at an antique store in Adamstown, PA for $18.00 (it was marked for $19.00, but since I was paying cash they took a dollar off)! A few months later I dropped it on my bathroom floor and it shattered. I cried(for a while)! I was already hooked. I searched obsessively on-line for a replacement bottle and finally bought one for $90.00….which is a great deal. I will never understand why this fragrance was discontinued. I will always be on the lookout for another bottle of this amazing 90’s time piece.
delyc_m – :
Absolutely the BEST rose I’ve ever smelled…..and I have smelled a lot in my life. This to me screams class, elegance, and sophistication….think Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast At Tiffany’s and you’re close. It can be quite strong so exercise caution. One little dab with do. It can be quite pricey, if you can find it but totally worth every pretty penny and more. Overall, a hands-down, knock-em-out-the-park perfume. Long Live the House of Gucci.
Sapfira1987 – :
Revised- I should have revised this as soon as I acquired some which had been properly stored. It is as I had hoped- smooth true rose, rich dense animalic unique beautiful. I left my old review intact below.
OK, this is frustrating and I’m still trying to figure this one out. I’ve never smelled this back when it was in production, and after reading about it, I knew it was just my kind of perfume. I got my bottle today and I tried it on. I was first off told that it didn’t smell good- as if it had broken down and the components were coming apart (my spouses description- not mine)! I know it should be rich dense with an aniimallic quality that some don’t like, but I don’t know if that is what I’m detecting. I love animallic and this strikes me as something wrong. It is what I can so far only describe as either an over ripe fruit note- similar to but not as dominant as the one I smell in my possibly too old bottle of Oleg Cassini Cassini. The thing is I know these were both in a similar vein when they were new and fresh so I don’t know if the similar unpleasant note is just how they both smell when they deteriorate, or if it is how they both are supposed to smell, or if it’s unrelated in origin. The note faded in proportion to the rest of the scent when I wiped some of it away with a bit of oil. I’ll have to test it again. Incidentally, nothing I did reduced the presence of the over ripe cantaloupe note in proportion to the rest of the fragrance with regard to the Cassini- I could just not get around that note, it took over the blend. On the other hand, with L’Art,I can smell the beauty of the fragrance around the off note- I can tell that I could love it and I just wish I could totally erase that note, but that note may be integral to the blend. Oh well- I wish I’d discovered this sooner so I could have smelled it when it was fresh!
sergatskih – :
this is one of the best rose scents I met so far on my quest for the perfect rose.
don’t be scared away by the honey, it is not another sweet marshmallow scent… it is not so smashing imho.
not sure about the loudness or strongness though – would be interesting to see how it behaves when sprayed and not just applied to wrist with a dipstick.
interesting enough to take up the challenge and check how expensive it is really.
P.S. : i made a comparison to this with Etat Libre Rossy de Palma, after 30 minutes, these are very very similar to me
ВЛАДИСЛАВ77 – :
I have the EDP and I own it already for a very long time but didn’t wear it, as I remembered it to be very strong. I was 27 then.
Because of previous reviews and the high price of this perfume nowadays I thought I should try the EDP again.
It’s still strong, but I can appreciate the scent a little bit more (maybe the price is talking to me 🙂
I guess it’s just not one of those scents I would die for, but I can assure you it’s a very unique scent in my mind and therefore it deserves a place in my collection.
jilbobona – :
Words fail me.
At last I have found a replacement for Opium.
L’Arte may even be “better”, please forgive me my rude simplicity.
This day will be spent in happy silence and sniffing.
omibboverum – :
19. april 2011
HOLY GUCCI!!!!
This one is a true Art of perfumery for me! I really treasure my every bottle (the big ones and minis) of this discontinued beauty. For me this is one-of the kind perfume that is not made anymore nowdays! I wish i could have twice as more as i have of it now so it would last me a lifetime. Prepare to be noticed when you wear it, not everyone likes it and understands it nowdays (it IS a heavy smell and really bold), but you gonna feel yourself like a million-dollar lady! Pure sofistication and class! But this is strictly a cold time fragrance for me, i would kill anyone near me wearing this one at summertime.
A LOT of roses and big jar of honey with some spices (coriander anyone?) and you will get an absolute ÜBERsexy, animalistic fragrance that is full of passion. It takes some nerve to wear it, but if you can handle it you won´t regret. EDP is a lasting monster, lasts for over 24h on my skin and even longer on clothes. The EDT is amazing as well, but just a bit lighter (sillage is a bit weaker, but still very strong), but the scent is the same. More chypre in EDT but still over-the top honey rose!
Use it with caution, do not overspray it or you might end up having a headache. 3-4 sprays are more than enough.
But in general this is a true masterpiece and one of my most favorite and outstanding fragrances! All later Gucci edition don´t even come close to this one! Truly THE BEST Gucci ever made for my personal taste. (Gucci nr 3 is amazing as well and is on the same level of quality)
Catgreen – :
I had the good fortune to test this discontinued beauty recently and it is very beautiful. The opening is strong and 80’s-esque. But it moves into the heart of honey and roses after about 20 minutes and it is a wrist sniffer, for sure.
I spent some time in my favorite perfume store deciding what I wanted to get myself for Christmas with this one and Boucheron Initial. I could have gotten this one for about $20 less, but I decided to go with Initial. As I was driving home, I started kicking myself as this was developing so beautifully. I couldn’t stop sniffing it.
But after about 2 hours as it moved into the base base notes, I was glad I went with the Initial. The dry down is unpleasant to me, plasticky and weird. I dodged the bullet with this one.
denis_savilov – :
This starts off really sharp and heavy, but after the first few minutes this perfume gets better and better! I really like it now, lets see what it does in a couple of hours…
Oh and I totally agree with Mymlan, that’s exactly what it smells like!!!
GRAD – :
l’Arte de Gucci (edp) is, together with Poison edp and Rabannes La Nuit, one of the most apparently seductive fragrances I’ve ever smelt. It’s like a bottle full of feromones.
This stunning beauty is a creation similar to Christian Louboutins red sole high heels. They were made to send a big fat signal to men:” I’m free and ready to be romantingly chased”. But also, l’Arte is so elegant and sophisticated that you instinctively will understand that the woman wearing it is in full control of herself. And that the chain of reactions that just started around her, was exactly what she wanted and expected.
So what does it smell like? Well, as Nuppu says below it is honey dipped roses. So bind your self a big boquet of very big velvety dark red roses. Take also some that are on the verge to be owerblown. Add a lot of dark honey. Then add some animalistic notes, a pinch of moss and there it is.
foma – :
I had it in 1993 (?)…I was dating with young diplomat,who gave me it as a present. I loved it for a bottle shape, for a box, for a mistery, but it is so sophysticated smell, so I used it for only special occasions, which is back then were almost every evening.
Since that I have hundreds of perfumes, although, when I saw it recently in a small boutique, I asked to sniff again.
oh, my God! It brought me back: honey -rose,moss.Femme-fetale woman should wear this.I didn’t know that back then,however, I started to dream about this perfume day and night. I would trade most of my collection things just to have this one!
игорьевич – :
This has to be the most addictive concoction I have ever laid nose on! And discontinued! The lovely reviews of Mals86 and Chat Lunatique capture this perfume’s spirit wonderfully.
Rose is a rather difficult note for me, as it is usually either too powdery, or too acrid, or dangerously close to the smell of burnt plastic. But this! This is none of those, oh no, this is a thick, velvety, fleshy, moist, scorching red rose, dripped with desire. A rose that slowly starts darkening and wilting, from the edges to the core, under the song of forbidden whispers, touched by the spell of the loss.
As a side note, although perhaps similar in structure to Paloma Picasso, Soir de Lune and Knowing, I do not find those perfumes good alternatives to L’Arte: on me Paloma Picasso screams with strong vetiver and musk, in Knowing – the prominent sandalwood eats up the beautiful rose, and Soir de Lune just seems to lack in depth compared to this one.
wirtual – :
Wearing this for the first time today, and I adore it. A little black glass vial, scored at the vintage boutique over the weekend (I made quite a haul there!), and I feel like this is a scent to wear with a little black dress, pearls, high heels and nothing else – except maybe a small whip.
There is a sharp sweetness to it, and a heavy, rich floral spiciness behind that somehow. And below that there’s something really earthy I don’t recognize but I do love. It’s deep and strong but I don’t mind – I just want to sink into the fragrance. I put the tiniest dab on each wrist, and I now am floating in a cloud of confident sensuality.
Koniil – :
Well this is for a real chypre lover!!!Very loud,strong,heavy classic chypre.Reminds me of Pilomma Picassso and very much of Soir de Lune by Sisley.I am not a chypre fan and i will pass it,although is a great perfume for mature women
uza118Negeltzex – :
I love Dark Rose fragrances – the ones that focus on deeper/spicier/more interesting facets of rose – so I had to test L’arte.
I bought a tiny edp splash bottle, and immediately loved it. The top notes (aldehydes, berry, green notes and a very hissy cassis bud) are immediately glamorous and almost overwhelming, although much less so when dabbed rather than sprayed. The heart of the fragrances is rose. Don’t be fooled by the long list of floral notes; most of them are there to round out and soften the rose and geranium. This rose lolls luxuriously, seductively, on a mossy bed. The drydown is sensuous and deep, and the best olfactory description of “bittersweet” I’ve ever smelled. It smells like the beginning of autumn, following the best summer of your life… or time for Cinderella to leave the ball.
It is simply gorgeous, and quite sensual. I prefer to decant it into a roll-on bottle (I went straight out and bought two large bottles of the edp; it’s nearly impossible to find now), since it can be a bit harsh in the first ten minutes when sprayed, containing a plasticky note that I don’t care for, and which I don’t smell at all when I dab.
I’m sure that the recent restrictions on oakmoss were what killed L’arte di Gucci; it is crammed full of moss. Well, that and the fact that the current fashion in perfumery is for sweet and fruity scents, the polar opposite of the sophisticated L’arte. Shame.
Chat Luna below is right, it is “intemperate” and slinky, and rather reminiscent of Ungaro Diva, which I also like and which might be easier to find at this point in time. But L’arte has a smolder, a smoky-eyed stare, that one rarely sees outside film noir. An amazing scent.
catsunt – :
My Holy Grail…was lucky to snatch both edt and edp when the prices were not that sky-high… Actually it is almost 1:1 with Sisley’s Soir de Lune, but less peppery and spicey. It’s dark and warm, elegant and definitely not for young girls. A woman needs to have some background to be able to wear it…and then it will become like a second soul and skin;)
BeedVadet – :
I wore it, when I was in 9th grade. I had a black mini. I loved it. It’s very solid and warm. Very sexy chypre.
EDP at first has a bit sharp (aldehyde) green notes with fruity notes that you won’t find such in recent perfumes, then comes flowery base entangled with musky, leather and woody base. It has similar feel to honey through it too… It has old-fashioned feel to it- it’s indeed like Soir de Lune and sister of Piguet’s Bandit. I thought it was oriental perfume at time. Shame they discontinued it.
mishhoook – :
Yes, L’Arte de Gucci is strong, opulent and even loud. I don’t know why, but on me this smell rich, honeydipped rose with something else what I cannot identify. But lot’s of honeylike sweetnes.
This is a scent that Alexis from 80- Dynasty tv-series woud wear, luxuriant, bold and very femme fatale.
andrkiri – :
I had a brief experience with this years ago and at that time, I remembered it was priced on the higher price range which of course is nothing compared to those super expensive perfumes that had emerged nowadays.
For the scent, I recalled it is rather strong, oppulent and loud with a tinge of metal nuance.
Would need to revisit as I still have a sample vial somewhere in my collection of minatures and vials….