The main argument you hear from brands launching one bland, derivative perfume after another is that consumers like this sort of thing and that it is impossible to come up with an easy to like and uncomplicated perfume that holds the attention and smells interesting. But Bottega Veneta Knot, the new fall launch, proves that this reasoning doesn’t have much merit. If you want a fragrance that is as versatile and stylish as a little black dress, then this radiant orange blossom has much to recommend itself.
Bottega Veneta’s first perfume was a leather-moss blend attuned to today’s fashions, with emphasis on radiance, softness and bright top notes. Knot’s basic idea is sheer as tulle orange blossom edged with vanilla and musk. Orange blossom is derived from the flowers of a bitter orange tree, and depending on how it’s processed–melting the flowers in a solvent or distilling the essence with steam, the result will be different*. The former gives you orange blossom absolute with its sweet, sumptuous notes, and the latter–neroli oil redolent of green buds of spring. Knot blends both of these essences and sheers them out with citrus juice and featherweight musk. The result is as fresh as a classical cologne, but with a curvier body.
Knot is hardly an inspired name, but the perfume itself is. At first, I get a hit of starched linen and soap bubbles, which give a wholesome and clean feeling. But the orange blossom peaks through the well-scrubbed prettiness of the top notes, and for all of its innocent connotations with baptisms and bridal veils, it’s an ingredient with a dark side of inky, moth ball-like indoles.
Daniela Andrier, the perfumer who created Knot and who also worked on Marni, Prada Infusion d’Iris and several other excellent compositions, uses the dark side of orange blossom judiciously here. There is just a hint of it, but it’s enough to give texture to this breezy floral. As it softens on your skin and the spark of citrus burns out, you’re left with a creamy, velvety wrap of vanilla and salty musk. Knot will linger for hours, and it will leave a noticeable trail behind you, even though it’s far from a bombshell.
The best part is that Bottega Veneta, a brand easily available at most department stores, is worth its price. Knot is impeccably crafted, it suits the aesthetics of the brand and offers enough comely charm to please those who are looking for a chic daytime perfume. Like Chanel Beige, Love Chloé and L’Artisan L’Été en Douce, Knot makes me feel like I’m much more elegant than I really am, and that’s an illusion I don’t mind keeping.
Bottega Veneta Knot includes notes of mandarin, lime, orange blossom, lavender, rose, peony, musk, tonka bean. It is available as 30, 50 and 75ml Eau de Parfum.
*To find out more about orange blossom absolute vs neroli, please see Orange Blossom, Neroli, Petitgrain : Bitter Orange Notes.
83 Comments
Patricia: This sounds lovely, and I’m happy to see that it’s offered in 30 ml. bottles! September 8, 2014 at 7:49am
Victoria: I love those small bottles, and they are perfect for travel. September 8, 2014 at 10:06am
rosarita: I will have to try this when I can find it. The original BV has become one of my favorite go to perfumes, it’s perfect for all circumstances year round imho. Love scents that class up my jeans and sweater wardrobe 🙂 September 8, 2014 at 7:50am
Victoria: Same here. The original perfume was such an elegant, distinctive perfume, and while it also wasn’t too challenging or complicated, it was interesting. September 8, 2014 at 10:07am
ralu: Looking forward to trying this! Is it already in stores? Another interesting launch (from what I heard) is the new Opium perfume. I hope to try it soon but apparently it won’t make it to the US until next year. September 8, 2014 at 8:07am
Victoria: I spotted it here, but I’m not sure when it will launch in the States. The new Opium caught my attention too, but I haven’t smelled it yet. September 8, 2014 at 10:08am
George: I actually think “knot” could an inspired name (although maybe it isn’t inspired in this context), because I think good perfumes do not a number of elements together to create an irreducible whole. As such, the term “knot” – with regard to perfume- makes me think of the Lacanian sinthome. However- to continue with Lacanian terminology- I think that BV’s use of the term is grounded solely in the realm of the Real, and accordingly, Knot sounds like a lovely, serviceable well priced perfume: I will try but not necessarily expect it take me anywhere particularly deep. I do like the look of the bottle (nobody mention Jour d’Hermes), even if the knot atop is not suggestive of there being a Borromeanly blended perfume inside. September 8, 2014 at 8:39am
Victoria: The bottle reminded me more of Lanvin Rumeur. Does anything else think so?
Your meaning of knot as a perfume name sounds much more interesting to me! September 8, 2014 at 10:15am
George: Make sure you check out today’s google doodle for Tolstoy! (disclaimer: not sure how I feel about a contentless service hitching every artistic achievement ever to it’s brand) September 9, 2014 at 7:16am
Victoria: It’s Tolstoy’s birthday today! September 9, 2014 at 10:57am
Cybele: I am curious to try it but I am not a fan of Daniela Andrier’s work with the exception of Infusion Iris Absolue. September 8, 2014 at 8:51am
Nikki: That is interesting Cybele, as I also choose perfumes by their perfumers! There are some perfumers who seem to please me with their offerings all the time and some others I just can’t stand any of their perfumes. September 8, 2014 at 9:10am
Victoria: If you like sheer but layered perfume, her work is wonderful, but if you want something with gravitas and bombshell presence, then yes, this style is not quite it. September 8, 2014 at 10:16am
solanace: I really enjoyed their other offerings, so I´ll surely give this one a try, even if orange blossom is not quite my thing. A bit off topic,
their purses are so classy! Not logo oriented, and really well made. September 8, 2014 at 8:55am
Kristina: Same thing for me! I appreciate their effort to come out with something of high quality. And if I ever win the lottery (not that I play) I will buy one of their gorgeous intrecciato bags! September 8, 2014 at 9:59am
Victoria: I once scored a pair of their shoes at an outlet for … wait for this… $70. The leather is like butter, but it is treated so well that it doesn’t get damaged too quickly. If I won the lottery, I too would splurge on their intrecciato purse. September 8, 2014 at 10:28am
Kristina: Lucky you! 🙂 September 8, 2014 at 11:07am
Victoria: One of those rare bargains. 🙂 September 8, 2014 at 11:09am
solanace: I love a good bargain! September 8, 2014 at 2:57pm
Victoria: I’m rarely this lucky. September 8, 2014 at 4:49pm
solanace: Me too! But I play. 🙂 September 8, 2014 at 2:56pm
Victoria: I, on the other hand, can’t get enough of orange blossom, so maybe that’s why I like this perfume as much as I do.
As for BV and their purses, I know what you mean. The quality of their craftsmanship is impressive. September 8, 2014 at 10:19am
Patricia: Not being able to afford their gorgeous bags, several years ago I bought a leather braided bracelet that closes with a loop and braided knot (!). It also has a small round silver charm tastefully engraved with “Bottega Veneta.” Mine is brown, but they came in many colors. I wonder if they still make them? September 8, 2014 at 10:32am
Victoria: That sounds very pretty and elegant. I also like that they don’t have logos all over their accessories. September 8, 2014 at 10:35am
Karina: I’m intrigued as I am looking for a breezy floral for summer and after spraying on some of Serge Lutens Fleurs d’Oranger the other day I remembered how much I like orange blossom. The vanilla and amber dry down sounds lovely too. Interesting bottle but yes I wonder what is the significance of the name? September 8, 2014 at 9:30am
Victoria: I just googled it, and apparently it references their best-selling Knot Clutch. So, unlike George’s interpretation, the naming choice was fairly straightforward. 🙂
Another orange blossom I love (but the one that’s very different from Knot and Lutens’s Fleurs d’Oranger) is Hermes 24, Faubourg. September 8, 2014 at 10:22am
Karina: Ah thank you for seeking out that information! 🙂 September 9, 2014 at 9:57am
Tijana: Sounds right up my alley! Are you seeing any similarities with Kilian’s Sweet Redemption given it is orange blossom / vanilla combo? September 8, 2014 at 9:34am
Victoria: Not really. They couldn’t be more different, the same notes notwithstanding. Knot is sheer as tulle and not that sweet, while Sweet Redemption is warm, enveloping and sugary. I like both, though, but for different moods. September 8, 2014 at 10:22am
Tijana: Awesome, thanks for the reply and the review – I will check it out for sure! 🙂 September 8, 2014 at 10:48am
Victoria: Please share what you think when you try it! September 8, 2014 at 4:41pm
kaori: I like Sweet Redemption very much. I will try this soon. September 8, 2014 at 9:38pm
Victoria: I do too, but it’s possible that if you like Sweet Redemption, Knot might may not seem dramatic enough. September 9, 2014 at 10:55am
Sajini: Sounds gorgeous. I’m getting an orange blossom wedding feeling from your description, especially from the name of the perfume. I wonder if that was intentional? September 8, 2014 at 9:57am
Victoria: It was named after a clutch and one more google search reveals that the perfume was inspired by an Italian village. I didn’t read the press release when I wrote my review (in general, I try not to, to avoid being influenced), so I’m getting more of a bridal feel than the countryside out of this perfume. September 8, 2014 at 10:24am
Amer: This both sounds AND looks beautiful. I am an orange blossom devotee so I can hardly wait for this this to come out. The feminine BV line is very satisfying and this will probably be a fitting addition. The male one on the other hand, while interesting is too shy for my liking. I just wish there was some way to turn up the volume on it. September 8, 2014 at 10:02am
Victoria: I haven’t tried the male one yet, because at my local store, the tester is always empty! Do you mind describing it for me? September 8, 2014 at 10:25am
Amer: It’s been a while since I last tried it on. If memory serves me right, it is a very subtle and tame leather with black pepper and violet leaf accents. I would call this a classical combo only here it is served up almost straight with a fresh herbal top and a transparent patchouli base instead of being set in a fougere structure as we’ve been accustomed to.
The idea is not groundbreaking but not bad either. I only find it too transparent for my liking and I doubt I’d ever notice it on someone else. If the whole thing was made a bit more agrestic with a nice rough labdanum note it would definitely get my attention. It just seems begging for it! September 9, 2014 at 6:31am
Amer: Btw, have you tried Encre Noire Sport? I’d very much like to know where you stand on it, since we are both vetiver lovers 🙂 September 9, 2014 at 6:48am
Victoria: Not yet, but I’m really curious about it. September 9, 2014 at 10:56am
Victoria: It does sound great, though! I will see if I can get a sample. September 9, 2014 at 10:56am
Susan Minnicks: It is lovely, and the bottle is much like Hermes Jour. It’s at Neiman Marcus. September 8, 2014 at 10:12am
Victoria: Thank you for confirming that it’s now at Neiman’s, Susan! September 8, 2014 at 10:30am
Aisha: I just recently got a sample of the original Bottega Veneta, am testing it today and so far love its cozy feel and may (eventually) add a 30 ml bottle to my collection. Now you’re saying they’ve come out with another fragrance?!?! Oh, my poor fragrance budget. 😉 September 8, 2014 at 10:13am
Victoria: We don’t need them all at once! 🙂 The cozy feel of the original might be better suited for the colder months ahead. September 8, 2014 at 10:31am
Aisha: But all at once is half the fun! 😉
I have many on my wish list. Many in the past were on my wish list for months, but I now no longer feel the need to get them. Funny how that happens. 🙂 September 8, 2014 at 11:51am
Victoria: It can be, until you get to the point that you forget what you have. 🙂 Unless, unlike me, you have a great organization system.
Wishlists are so good for that. For instance, I’ve crossed off many things, but a few are still tempting me, including Chanel Beige parfum and Guerlain Jicky. September 8, 2014 at 4:46pm
Sylvia: Hi Victoria!, I haven’t smelled this one yet- but you’ve got me interested and I’ll be watching for it. How does the orange blossom here compare to the Hermes 24?
I got to smell both 24 and Beige recently and liked them a lot! You’ve got great taste! 😉 I need a decant of both of those. Thanks for the review!
Hey- how is your family in the Ukraine? I’m following this and think about those who have loved ones there. I hope everything is well! blessings, Syl September 9, 2014 at 8:45am
Victoria: 24 Faubourg doesn’t smell similar at all, and apart from the orange blossom part (and then this note is rendered differently by the perfumes), they don’t have much in common. 24 Faubourg is thicker, heavier, rich in amber, whereas Knot is an airy, sheer floral with a creamy drydown of musk. Both are very good though.
Thank you for asking. My family in Ukraine is fine, but of course, we’re all extremely anxious and concerned. I open the newspaper every day with a sense of dread. September 9, 2014 at 11:02am
Parfumista: How does Knot compare to another orangeblossom by Andrier Prada Infusion Fleur d’Oranger? I remember PIDdO:s as soapy and a bit “orangeblossom cologne like”, remember I was liking it. September 8, 2014 at 11:54am
Victoria: Infusion de Fleur d’Oranger is much more soapy and also thicker, whereas Knot is radiant, fresh and citrusy on top. It’s more of an abstract orange blossom than Infusion. September 8, 2014 at 4:47pm
Claire: I am very curious to try this. I like both Marni and Prada infusion d’Iris, and I sometimes love orange blossom. I need to read more about the methods of extraction and distillation, as I am trying to determine which aspect of orange blossom I like. There is a quality which I truly do not like and even leaves me rather nauseous. It is very difficult for me to describe, yet very distinctive! It is present in Laura Mercier’s Neroli, and I detected it in Tom Ford’s Mandarino D’Amalfi, but Sonoma Scent Studio’s Jour Ensoleille is entirely free of it and I love it. It may even be present in Infusion D’Iris, which I like now, but required some getting used to. Great review! September 8, 2014 at 12:28pm
Victoria: Perhaps, it was the indolic, inky, moth ball like note? Orange blossom is chock full of indoles, so that might be the culprit. September 8, 2014 at 4:48pm
Julie: So happy you reviewed this and gave it 4 stars!
I tried this in BV the week it came out. They had (or so they claimed) no samples to give but I was impressed enough to order a sample from STC. I do enjoy orange blossom, but not sweet like By Killian.. I found Knot to definitely be more the orange blossom I like.
BV is one of my favorite scents. I never get tired of it. It might be getting some competition soon! September 8, 2014 at 1:51pm
Victoria: Glad to hear that you liked it as well. For me, it was an instant infatuation! September 8, 2014 at 4:49pm
Judy: I thought the bottle/top was so pretty and unusual that I decided to purchase a bottle based on listed notes and bottle beauty alone. I am not disappointed. Poor scent vocabulary notwithstanding, I have to say that it just smells very different than most “fresh” perfumes. There’s something just weirdly wonderful there to appeal to “likes the strange stuff” me! Thanks for reviewing so soon. Judy September 8, 2014 at 4:37pm
Victoria: The bottle has a nice heft, and I like that feeling in my hand.
It’s not an overly complicated perfume, but it’s impeccably crafted and has many interesting nuances. I really enjoy wearing it. September 8, 2014 at 4:51pm
Patricia: My sample was waiting for me when I got home from work today, and right now I’m enjoying its bright, citrus opening 🙂
Talk about timing! September 8, 2014 at 5:34pm
Julie: Me too! September 8, 2014 at 10:36pm
Victoria: Perfect timing, Pat! Looking forward to more impressions. 🙂 September 9, 2014 at 10:50am
annemarie: Hmmm … now didn’t D&G do something recently based on orange blossom? I remember that the ad – girl boy, Italian village, people picking oranges – was more interesting by far than the perfume. It sounds like Knot will fulfil the promise that the D&G failed upon. Oh – Dolce. That was its name.
All of which goes to prove the point in the first paragraph of your review. September 8, 2014 at 6:21pm
Victoria: Orange blossoms have been a big trend over the past couple of years, starting with Armani Code for Her. BV is more like an orange blossom musk, on the other hand, and there is even a hint of salt. So, it’s very different in spirit. September 9, 2014 at 10:54am
annemarie: And Elie Saab EDP was the orange blossom du jour a few years ago, in department stores. Perfume bloggers were unimpressed but I liked it a lot, have a FB. September 8, 2014 at 6:22pm
Liz K: I liked it a lot too but haven’t quite been convinced I need a FB. I do make myself a sample every time I’m in Nordy’s though. They’re gonna hide the bottle if I’m not careful. September 9, 2014 at 10:03am
Victoria: If Elie Saab were less sharp, I would have liked it much more, but something about its amber base was too much for me. The orange blossom part was very pretty. September 9, 2014 at 10:54am
key change: Oh, be still, my heart! I have a bit of an orange blossom addiction going on, and I think it’s hilarious and wonderful that so many people have ordered samples of this! Now I need to hunt this one down. September 8, 2014 at 10:50pm
Victoria: If you like delicate, musky orange blossoms, then this is a good choice. September 9, 2014 at 10:56am
Andy: This sounds really promising. Not something I need, but worth a try for sure. I’m not sure if I’ve tried anything else by Daniela Andrier, but Infusion d’Iris is such a staple for me. September 9, 2014 at 7:38am
Victoria: You might like Knot then, because it’s very much in the Infusion style. September 9, 2014 at 10:58am
sara: lovely review! orange blossom is probably my favorite floral note so this will be a must-try for me. can’t believe I’ve not yet tried BV original. sigh… September 9, 2014 at 8:24am
Victoria: BV original is a soft, fruity leather, with a dose of moss and violet. It’s worth trying if chypres are your thing. September 9, 2014 at 10:59am
Annikky: This sounds really nice. I like the bottle, I like the name and I like the fact that BV continues with intelligent fragrances that fit the brand well. I probably would have bought the original BV, but I wanted it to be stronger. Otherwise it was quite lovely. September 9, 2014 at 9:34am
Victoria: I also wouldn’t mind for the original BV to be stronger, but in the end, it’s fine and perfect for my “I need a comforting, easy to wear AND elegant perfume” moods. The new BV will also fall into that category. 🙂 September 9, 2014 at 11:03am
kimmi: Wonderful review, Victoria! I loved the original BV and am dithering over which version and size to spring for. So great to see a large fashion house making great, easily available perfume, and in small bottles no less 🙂 September 9, 2014 at 5:23pm
Carolyn J.: Does anyone know where to buy Bottega Venetta in Canada? I’d like to try this one. September 14, 2014 at 8:33pm
Aurora: This sounds right up my alley – I can’t get enough of orange blossom and really like Armani Code and Fragonard Fleur d’Oranger.
Thank you for such a timely review, so detailed. I will look forward to sampling Knot. September 15, 2014 at 7:01am
Victoria: It might be even better if you wanted something less photorealistic and abstract, like the idea of orange blossom wafting in the cool air (rather than burying your face in a bouquet of orange blossoms). Hope that you get a chance to try it soon. September 15, 2014 at 12:17pm
Ligeia’sEyes: Knott is really close to the Luten’s Fleur d’Oranger drydown delight which is an all time favorite of mine! This is just more subtle and naïver but definitely a daytime alternative to Fd’O, I really like it!!! September 24, 2014 at 12:02pm
Littlekarstar: I love it but can smell cumin on me! It does disappear and mellow into a beautiful skin scent but did you detect cumin too…? October 8, 2014 at 5:15am
Victoria: Not really, but I didn’t search for cumin on purpose. Next time I will wear it, I will pay more attention. October 8, 2014 at 7:54am
Melina: I bought it and I adore it. So fresh! November 24, 2014 at 4:34am
Victoria: Glad to hear it! Enjoy it. November 24, 2014 at 1:14pm
VY: I tried Knot at the shop while purchasing BV pumps, it smelled fresh and as I love orange blossom, I liked it for the time I was in the shop, by the time I left the shop the fragrance disappeared too, didn’t even last 10 min on my skin. August 10, 2016 at 12:57am