On this Halloween Day, I’ll talk about Malìa by Nobile 1942, a fragrance I’d love to dedicate to women who are free spirits, outspoken, defiant, and intolerant of prejudice; all those women who may be considered “witchy”, who have a dual nature, and who can reinvent themselves no matter what.
Created by Italian perfumer Antonio Alessandria for Nobile 1942, Malìa was inspired by a modern version of the historical figure of The Witch. Enticing yet whimsical, she’s a mysterious seductress who still maintains a childlike quality. The concept was developed in collaboration with the writer Patrizia Finucci Gallo, artistic director of PGF Style, a fashion, style, and culture blog. The fragrance was launched in Florence along with a playful pamphlet, written by Patrizia, which described 10 ways to become a perfect witch.
Dressed in white and gold satin and purple velvet, she’s beautiful, intelligent, unconventional, and has a power that cannot be controlled. She’s a nurturing healer, but she’s considered dangerous in a male-dominated world.
The Italian word Malìa has multiple meanings. As a noun it is translated as ‘spell’, but also as ‘charm’, when used figuratively. Malìa is also part of ‘amMALIAre’ which in Italian means ‘to bewitch’. A malìa is also a chant sung by the Italian witches of Benevento, who, according to the legend, used to gather for their sabbats under a walnut tree.
When I sniffed Malìa for the first time, I was instantly bewitched by its invigorating and intoxicating nature that blends velvety, narcotic fruits with heady, inebriating flowers, in a way I hadn’t experienced before.
Malìa is a potion created with dashes of piquant spices, pinches of aromatic herbs, and squeezes of juicy mandarin orange that are all blended with generous handfuls of irresistible apricot-like osmanthus petals.
Light touches of vetiver, patchouli, and oakmoss are added to the magical brew for wooded, earthy depth and a little darkness.
Malìa fills the air with an effervescent, luminous, sweet aroma, and continuously transforms, as the notes appear and disappear throughout its life.
It can truly cast a spell on those who wear it.
Malìa’s notes are listed as they appear on the brand’s website:
Top notes: mandarin, velvety fruits, pink peppercorn, marjoram.
Heart notes: osmanthus, rose, tobacco flowers, black pepper.
Base notes: vetiver, patchouli, benzoin, oakmoss, musk.
I reviewed the fragrance from my own bottle.
Malìa is part of the Nobile 1942 Fragranze Premium collection and is available as Extrait de Parfum in 75 ml customized hand-painted bottles.
Photos are my own.
