Versace — Versace Pour Femme Dylan Purple
Essence
Dylan Purple is Versace’s fruity-floral with synthetic captives entry - a sparkling pear-and-bitter-orange opening that resolves into a freesia-pomarose floral over a heavily ambroxan-driven woody base. Created by Givaudan’s Christophe Raynaud, it is positioned as the more romantic, slightly gothic counterpart to the breezy Dylan Turquoise, with Iris Law as the face. Beneath the marketing language about Italian ice creams and beach sunsets, it is a competent but very modern-smelling fragrance that leans heavily on a small handful of trademarked aroma molecules (Pomarose, Mahonia/Mahonial, Sylkolide, Belambra) and an ambroxan/Iso E Super spine.
Scent Profile
The opening genuinely is one of the best pear notes in modern designer perfumery - a juicy, tart, slightly candied pear that several wearers describe as hyper-pear Jolly Rancher and the best pear opening I’ve smelled. Bergamot and bitter orange (Orpur quality, the typical sugary-pear shampoo register. For the first ten to twenty minutes, this is loud, juicy, and surprisingly upmarket; one wearer flatly says the opening, however, it’s a slap in the face, so just wait for it to settle. The heart, one to three hours in, is where Raynaud’s signature shows: he is the perfumer of Mugler Aura and Givenchy Pi, and the layering of Pomarose (a smooth apple-plum-rose hybrid molecule from Givaudan) with Mahonial (Givaudan’s lily of the valley with grapefruit molecule, frequently called angel’s breath) creates a freesia-rose-apple haze that is undeniably synthetic but cohesive. Freesia is the most legible floral; jasmine isn’t on the list and isn’t there. The mid-stage smells soapy and clean to many - repeat wearers across wearer consensus and wearer consensus call it shampoo-like, but a nice shampoo. This is the same olfactory register as the original Dylan Blue Pour Femme (Calice Becker, 2017) and is the through-line of the entire Dylan Pour Femme line. The drydown, three-plus hours in, is essentially ambroxan + Iso E Super + Virginia cedar + Sylkolide (a Givaudan musky-fruity molecule) + Belambra (a Symrise woody-amber captive). On skin this reads as a glowing, slightly metallic-warm designer woody musk - clean, faintly fruity, and very modern.
Performance
Projection is moderate, peaking at one to two meters in the first 30 - 45 minutes, then dropping. Sillage is light-to-moderate; this is a scent that creates an aura close to the body rather than a wake. Heat amplifies the pear and the ambroxan glow and is where this fragrance shines - direct sun makes the woody base bloom. Cold weather flattens the top notes and exposes the synthetic character.
Wearing Context
Late spring through early autumn is the sweet spot. Daytime: brunches, casual office, errands, dates. It also bridges into evening casual surprisingly well because the ambroxan base gives it more presence than the breezy top suggests. Reviewers consistently note I can see a teenager and my grandma wearing this, and it wouldn’t feel inappropriate for either age group. It is genuinely age-agnostic in a way Dylan Turquoise (younger-skewing) and Blush Pink (juvenile-skewing) aren’t.
Comparisons & DNA
Closest direct comparisons: Versace Dylan Blue Pour Femme 2017 (same overall DNA - fruity-floral over musky woods - but Dylan Blue is apple-blackcurrant-driven where Purple is pear-driven; Purple is louder and cleaner); Ariana Grande God Is a Woman (similar clean-pear-musk, but God Is a Woman is creamier and more vanilla-leaning); Marc Jacobs Daisy Love (similar fruity-floral softness, less ambroxan); and Chloe Eau de Parfum (more rose-centric, drier). One wearer put it well: Like if God Is a Woman was a little less sweet, but more tart, and a bit more synthetic. Within the Dylan Pour Femme line: Dylan Blue is darker and more woody-floral; Dylan Turquoise is more citrus-tropical; Dylan Blush Pink is the gourmand outlier. Dylan Purple sits structurally closest to Dylan Blue but is more fruit-forward and less rose-driven. Clone/dupe ecosystem: Lattafa Habik (2024 - 2025) is widely identified as the closest Dylan Purple dupe - same pear opening, freesia heart, musk-woody base, at roughly one-quarter the price.
Reception
Wearer sentiment is positive, with the most common praise being fresh and clean smelling throughout the day without ever getting sour or musty, well-rounded fragrance, and addictive pear. The most common criticism is performance - the only thing I would change is the longevity, Versace please make it last longer. Polarization axes: traditional-floral lovers find it too synthetic and shampoo-like; modern-fresh lovers find it very Y2K in a good way. No critic (major guide, critical commentary) has published a written response of Dylan Purple. critical commentary carried a new-fragrance post but no response. Among influencers, the reception was warm - Demi Rawling and several beauty creators featured it positively in 2022 - 2023 video round-ups. wearer consensus reception is competent but not exciting - most threads compare it favorably to Dylan Turquoise as a slightly more grown-up flanker, but few enthusiasts treat it as a must-own.
Versions & Reformulation
Single composition, no known reformulations. Only EDP concentration. Launched September 2022 (in wearer response news post by launch coverage) in 30ml, 50ml, and 100ml. No flanker has been issued.
Acquisition Notes
Designer pricing. US retail roughly $90 (50ml) to $120 (100ml) at boutique; discounters reliably run $55 - 75 for the 100ml at Jomashop, FragranceX, and FragranceNet.
Notable Facts & Lore
- Christophe Raynaud created Dylan Purple at Givaudan; in the Moodie Davitt Report launch interview he stated his intent verbatim: I created this fragrance as an invitation to travel.
- The fragrance has a fresh, fruity, and addictive opening, like a tribute to the iced delights of Italy and its iconic citrus.
- The floral heart is the representation of a hypnotic sunset by the water.
- Purple reflections and a delicately scented breeze.