Description
The 7th perfume, Prelude to Love – Invitation, a fragrance for men and women, will be joining the collection “L’Oeuvre Noire” in September 2008.
This fragrance is based on the theme “Love and its prohibition”, and is an olfactive memory of the first date. Cheeks blushing, heart is beating like crazy. This exciting moment is refreshed with a bouquet of beautiful citruses. Sweetness of bergamot, with delicate aromas of orange from Seville, embraced by sparkling citruses, twists your mind seductively and sends you a direct invitation for love.
The heart of the perfume Prelude to Love – Invitation includes intensive ginger and accords of pepper, supported by neroli and orange blossom. The base notes incorporate irresistible iris from Florence, which breaks all possible barriers and prohibitions with its magnificent aromas.
The perfumer of this edition is Calice Becker. The perfume is available as 50ml edp refill edition and as 1 liter refill fontaine edition.
denic8007 – :
Ugh horrid. Bug spray mixed with flowers. Weak too. Which is a good thing. If it smelled any stronger it’d be a disaster
Nurik530320 – :
I have to acknowledge that I am a white floral enthusiast.
The richness of its shades and luminous flashes have always dazzled me and leave me as hypnotized, it transports me mainly to my childhood: from my little mother (the typical Mediterranean lady) after the daily bath ritual with pampering, games and Laughter, I put on a classic Spanish eau de toilette, all natural and without artifice: citrus opening of bitter orange with orange blossom accompanied by notes of rosemary and lavender, heart notes of rich neroli and drying of Atlas cedar with oak moss, All a portrait that you are engraved in the olfactory memory like the imprint left by a female mammal to her baby when she is born.
Calice Becker with a very creative attitude is able to recreate from another point of view the classic Mediterranean eau de toilette from a modern perspective and very personal.
The opening is citrus and fleeting with the notes of orange blossom to the head and the spicy notes contrasting this bold mixture where the pink pepper is noticed in my skin immediately giving a spicy note to the orange blossom, when the spices are tempered and Soften the best of this fragrance, the neroli.
These floral hues, fresh, lively and cheerful, enhance the citrus part of the beginning as a rainbow that leaves, disappears and resurfaces. The neroli evolves towards drying with the iris (which I feel in the background), an iris with shades of violet that radiates placidness like a warm summer breeze and accompanying the neroli prolonging its nuances until well into the end of drying, highlighting And looking more than interesting the spin that gives the fragrance from that beginning soliflore to the heart transforming into a camouflaged floral bouquet as a central note towards the drying. I was surprised and delighted because it seems that this mix would never fit, and no, these antagonistic flowers combine great.
Musk and a note of soft suede is more than convincing to finish the drying of this excellent work.
To be a white floral, the duration and the wake are above average. As for the qualities nothing to object to: excellent. By Kilian it is expensive but it offers generally good jobs.
Prelude to love transports me to that stage of my childhood and manages to remember that process so familiar and intimate that I keep as a treasure in the depths of my memories.
Excellent work!!
Rating: 9.3
lenakomlik – :
Generally I like this house so when I first sprayed my sample I was disappointed to find it a bit bland. But others who have the same reaction please persevere. After an hour of it developing it really grew on me. A lovely neroli note comes through coupled with a bit of a citrus zing. Perfect for summer – even though I’m wearing this in January – and even my ‘never compliments my fragrances’ better half commented positively on this one. A must try for neroli fans.
Deroxpzozt – :
I love the initial blast of ginger, black pepper, with a hint of neroli. But if you blink, you might miss it. From there, like others have pointed out, it becomes the luxery European soaps my husband brings home from his business trips. Certainly pleasant, but not something I’d spend gobs of money on.
Hyuuga – :
I have this sample for a while, i tend to savour niche samples that i like by using it a little coz i know it’s cost prohibitive for my budget, especially when it comes to Kilian.
During early wearings i kinda liked it, bergamot citrus done right which not turns into bathroom cleaner smell when touches my skin. Then later i obtained a mini of 4711 Original, surprisingly this smells similar! Suddenly the wow factor for this perfume is not there anymore, and here i am spraying lavishly my remaining vial just to make sure…and i am damn sure! I’ll get the poor man’s 4711 anyday.
Hottabich – :
wonderful neroli and some other citrus deliciousness in this mix. it’s quite a gentle scent and non-invasive, safe and inoffensive. it’s nice enough, but for mine doesn’t do enough. mister kilian, this is nice but not your best…
oyet2032 – :
I like how this perfume has different faces, also that it smells very natural and smooth with clear notes jumping out of the mix, like a menuet with different instruments dominating at different moments. I love the bergamot and citrus flowers. The leathery base (is that caused by iris mixed with something???) is warm, smooth and classy surrounded by delicate flower scent.
It wears very different in warm weather compared to cooler. I have found that the citrussy/neroli aspects dominate in a bit cooler weather while the leathery aspect dominates in hot weather, the leather definitely being the sexy (but refined), perhaps a bit masculine, scent and for me a bit overpowering for daytime use. The citrus flowers and bergamot give the perfume a more feminine and fresh face which I enjoy more. Therefore I would suggest leather loving men to try this in warm weather and women to try it spring days or summer evenings!
All in all a delightful, versatile and high quality perfume.
maloi1979 – :
Bitter orange, I’m sweet on you- and this fragrance is all about bitter orange-
Fresh green notes add to the sparkling effervescence of this lovely scent-
(thanks, MG!)
pavelmur – :
The opening greets me with the loveliest scent of freshly cut grass. It is so exactly like freshly cut grass that I was confused as to how on earth that had been achieved.
I never really get the orange notes here, nor any citrus for that matter. What happens instead is that gradually, the freshly cut grass smell opens slightly to allow wafts of lavender and iris through. It never fully becomes a floral on me though, the grass smell sticks around from opening to dry down, with the other scents simply announcing themselves quietly in between.
The mid notes come with a powdery vibe, which passes away in the dry down.
This is a perfect spring/summer scent for daytime, although I personally don’t find it suitable for evenings, which at this price means I won’t be buying full size as it’s not versatile enough (although if money was no object, I wouldn’t hesitate).
This is the kind of scent that won’t disturb your nose even on the hottest, clammiest of days. It stays completely fresh and airy, light as a feather.
Longevity and sillage are both modest-moderate on me.
This is a truly unisex fragrance, neither masculine or feminine on my skin, just simple nature.
imibiancy – :
A wonderful hot green scent, like leaves in hot summer sun. No real discernable neroli or orange blossom, but they are present as a smooth background to the spicy green pepper and ginger notes. Iris adds a root and stalk woody note that strengthens as it dries down. Like this one very much. Perhaps it won’t be complex or deep enough for an evening scent, but in summer light and crisp is much better.
Deman – :
Green florals and a lot of very fresh citrus, a little sharp at first with the bergamot but it soon calms down into a lovely orange blossom. Lasts well for a citrus.
zmeyleo – :
This must be one of the most underrated beautiful scents out there (props to Frunkinator for giving this some well deserved hype). I first sampled this magnificent fragrance at Saks in NYC & immediately “fell in love”, no pun intended. The opening is reminiscent of Neroli Portofino at first spray with the blast of bergamot & neroli… but UNLIKE Neroli Portofino which has zero longevity or complexity… the citrus accords settle down as a creamy smooth iris takes over. The bergamot & neroli are still present in the background, then begin to come through again as time passes with the fragrance sitting closer to the skin. But this fragrance is just blended so well, plus you can really tell Kilian is using top quality ingredients here. In my opinion, this is what a “perfume” for a woman is all about (even though this is unisex). Fresh & clean with some soft florals – You can’t beat that. Longevity, projection & sillage are all pretty good. To compare, think of Prada Infusion for women (less powdery) but a high quality niche version… much smoother & balanced (you’re getting what you’re paying for, but not a knock on Prada). The best Kilian in my opinion.
gor23 – :
One of the most obvious transformation! Neroli Portofino in the first 5 seconds, then the iris starts to stand out and over take citrus. The whole thing becomes a pleasant floral.
e_anisimov – :
Neroli Portofino
ibopozik3 – :
preludio de amor , floral citrico , gran apertura de citricos y jazmin , es una fragancia suave de se esfuma de manera muy rapida.
exis75 – :
It opens with a blast of neroli/orange and quickly turns a little hotel-soap on me.
baglan111 – :
I really enjoyed this one. In the opening I get a splash of vetiver with powder, it’s also a bit creamy and floral. Nice for every day use. Try it. One of my favorites from the Kilian line. Unisex? Yes.
bobr666 – :
My first foray into Kilian fragrances… Starting with Prelude that as a male I’m still not sure is as masculine as I usually like but the soapy orange blossom seems to last forever and it is quite pleasant. It fades nicely into a subtle powdery smell never losing the initial orange blossom. Definitely like this, but don’t love it yet…
andreypru – :
Brings back good memories of Orange Blossom perfume from childhood.
CFVCEYRR – :
I immediately picked up on the Iris, bergamont and neroli in this very citrus-y fragrance. It definitely reminds me of Prada’s Infusion d’Iris as well as Dolce & Gabbana’s Light Blue-certainly more so on the initial application, the dry down notes gear more towards the neroli and iris. Has a very soapy smell (like Prada Infusion d’Iris, which is what I liked about that one) although that is not for everyone. I can see how it would wear well on a man, although the iris might come too stong on some. I am surprised though how similar it is smelling like Light Blue right now-almost exatly the same.
aizik007 – :
Neroli and orange blossom are pre-eminent to me. It reminds me of Oranges and Lemons by Heeley, in a darker and more meditative version.
azot71 – :
By Kilian PRELUDE TO LOVE is a very straightforward citrus-floral cologne. It reminds me very much of two other fragrances familiar to me (and probably lots of others in existence…): Bond no 9 EAU DE NEW YORK and Banana Republic W. I am sure that the latter comparison will be viewed as heresy by some, but before you balk, I defy you to try these three creations in a side-by-side trial and *then* try to deny that they are olfactory neighbors!
PRELUDE TO LOVE is less green and sharp than Bond no 9 EAU DE NEW YORK, and for that reason some may prefer the By Kilian composition, as it is definitely less bracing. In other summer, I love EAU DE NEW YORK; in the winter, not so much.
At the other end of the price spectrum, Banana Republic W compares favorably to PRELUDE TO LOVE, as well. W is less floral, and less declarative. To some people, that would make it more desirable as it is entirely inoffensive. However, I should say that from reading other reviews, it appears that some wearers’ skin does not mix well with W, so those people probably would do better with the By Kilian. For those who are compatible with W, it’s a fantastic bargain compared to either of these niche analogues of the same type.
Do I like PRELUDE TO LOVE? Yes, of course. But I do not need a bottle, as I already own bottles of both EAU DE NEW YORK and W. A third bottle of such a similar composition would be more than redundant, and I do not believe that this creation is original. I’m not saying that Calice Becker copied anyone, but this is a good idea which others have had before–and have executed very well.
Gesyelisk – :
Kilian said the following for this fragrance: “the innocent invitation of an iris freshened by citrus notes”. Prelude to love opens up with a citric chord dominated by lemon with a hint of neroli. Innocent invitation? Perhaps innocent is just another word for boring…
trough time the citrus opening decays a bit leaving space to a slight sweet orange blosson aroma mixed with a hint, just a hint of iris. A pleasant aroma if I may say, very pleasant, but is it worth the price tag? Well, for ME, the answer is no.
Gusrodlx – :
I actually pursued this fragrance due to my interaction with Frunkinator (the reviewer previous to mine). I will have to come back for a more thourough review. But I will tell you this. Find the nearest Saks and smell this one out. If you are at all intrigued by Frunk’s description, then you really should try it. I think his description is perfect. Citrus with some leather and added sweetness. I would agree that this would stand head and shoulders above many in the crowd. I will wear this a couple of times over the next week or so and come back more descriptive. But for now, don’t let the Kilian hype detour you from trying this.
zxh355speagoessenda – :
After an already olfactory exhausted nose one afternoon I stumble upon the Saks 5th Kilian section. I wanted to love Straight to Heaven, but after running through the gauntlet of fragrances…Taste of Heaven had me at first sniff. I sniffed right passed Prelude, until a second trip and a clear nose found its way back to Kilians doorstep. I began with love, and next moved over to Prelude. Which this time had me by the nostrils and did exactly what its name said. I couldn’t stop smelling myself and for the first time I knew this really was just the invitation.
-What I get from the fragrance is a not too floral, but more sweet orange blossom and neroli blend. It also gives a slightly waxy Iris similar to a makeup bag aroma and soft leather. If leather Oud by Dior is considered a shoe, this would be a lambskin jacket.
-The versatility factor of Prelude is outstanding. Very signature scent worthy and although very unisex, might do just a tad better on a man due to the leathery vibe evolving through in the base.
-Proj/Long/Sillage is also very good. I have gotten noticed after 8 hours, but note it sits much closer to the skin by around the 6 hour mark.
-Prelude reminds me of a cross between Heeley’s Iris de Nuit II and Dior Homme.
This is a masterpiece IMO, and for the cost of the refill bottle or travel packs… it’s well worth the money. If you do not want to spend the extra $100 on the incredibly sexy and sleek bottle, then don’t. But don’t let that deter you from one Prelude you don’t want to miss.
andrewursu – :
Prelude to Love (can you say pretentious) you say? Well, there is no love here!
It’s a nice morning scent to start the day with. Fresh and simple. Unfortunately, It really never evolves into anything more then what you get upfront which is solid rather sweet citrus accord that amps up quickly. Reminds me of an expensive soap.
Sillage is good and it does stick around. Kilian does use top quality notes but it still does not excite me.
Remember, this stuff ain’t cheap! I expect more bang for the buck. There are better choices in the Kilian line. Go fish!
Andrej1604 – :
Very pure water. I think that for her and for him. At the beginning it is gode of Cologne, then I feel violets and lilies of the valley. This is not the sherbet citruses . The neutral fine scent. At finish I feel orange blossom.
yqetltlvqj – :
Nothing special… Nice fragrance, with a little bit of very strange jasmin in the middle, but nothing special. I used a sample and dont want more.
easenueBult – :
This prelude starts off with a soft intro of green notes, played by guitars and other string-instruments, but then the conductor will invite the trompets to blow very bold and sharp accords right in your face…yelling: CITRUS!!
The poor singer that tries singing her best orange notes in her ginger coloured dress, finds herself lacking power…
Sad story…
sky99 – :
I received a sample of this several months ago and remember strongly disliking it, but I am going through some of my samples and decided to give it another shot.
When I first put this on it had a really unpleasant medicinal smell… almost like Desitin (for diaper rash). This was one of the things that deterred me from wearing it when I first got it.
After a few minutes the medicinal smell fades and it becomes more delicate and floral. Several hours later the musk comes out.
I no longer strongly dislike this scent… I guess my taste is starting to evolve. While it is interesting to smell it is not something I would purchase.
npg696Negeltzex – :
Some deluted incense and green notes and voila we sell a piece that doesn’t worth it’s money.After a few minutes you are trying to track down where did the smell go.Nothing special
FoenVokymon – :
i find most of by kilian’s fragrances wearable … and like most of them, although i only own decants. prelude to love smells like a sweet bubbly champagne with fresh orange pulp on me.. all innocence, a french garden party and nice for summer. on others it is very green. yet, liaisons dangerouses is exceptional on me, fignotes and sensual…but i do not reach for it… that is the mystique… it does not tell me a story
DavideIta – :
Someone gave me a raft of BK samples, of which Prelude to Love was by far the most interesting and wearable. It reminded me a little of those high-class, French-milled soaps.
Like the other posters, I’m not sure the BK series lives up to the hype and its heavy intellectual baggage. The scents purport to build step by step on modes of sexual interaction, but the execution of some just doesn’t cut it. “Don’t be Shy” reminds one of French Toast, while “Taste of Heaven” is a barber-shop concoction.
I did enjoy Dangerous Liaisons, however.
slaventiy096 – :
I received a sample of this perfume when I purchased another fragrance. Since yesterday was Valentine, I decided to wear this perfume. The title itself lends to the holiday and the venue we were going to, a jazz club.
Prelude to Love: opens up with beautiful blend of delicate sweetness. Possibly from the Calabrian Bergamot or the Freesia Accord.
As it warmed down (hours later) the Cordamon and Iris notes developed. At times this reminded me of Infusion d’Iris, more like Infusion d’Iris dressed up heading to a masquerade party. You kinda know who is behind the beautiful costuming but you second guess yourself.
Hours and hours later the soft musk notes came to play.
Prelude to Love, is like a fine glass of cognac. It is an acquired taste and eventually you learn to appreciate the fine taste.
By Kilian uses the purest of perfume notes and sometime very expensive ones other fragrance houses may not use them for mass commercial usage.
The marketing is “with the protection of the environment in mind, each product has been created with the intention to never be thrown away.” The bottles are refillable…Enjoy this product for life.”
By the way, I woke up the next morning still smelling this lovely scent.
When you decide to purchase a perfume from this line take your time in choosing the right one for you. You won’t be disappointed.
update: Added to collection 5/06/10