Behind the Seen

Behind the Seen is framed as a tribute to the learning and scholars of Rome. Its starting point is a palazzo's grand library, where an unremarkable door among the shelves conceals a secret passage, and the scent is built around that idea of something kept just out of view.

Vetiver and a hazelnut accord form its core. The vetiver is earthy and grounded; the hazelnut brings a toasted quality with a little nutty sweetness. A nut that hides its kernel inside a hard shell echoes the concealed door, giving the story a tangible counterpart in the scent.

Pink pepper oil opens with a bright, peppery spark. In the heart, an accord evoking hazel woodmeets geranium oil and orris concrete, which lend a green edge and a soft, powdery tone to the wood. Cedarwood oil, amyris oil, Haitian vetiver heart and New Caledonian sandalwood heart make up the base, keeping the woody spicy structure steady to the end. It was composed by Delphine Lebeau and Anne Flipo, and Valentino presents it as a fragrance for fall and winter.