Balaclava

The story

Balaclava Perfumes is an Italian brand, based in Paliano, in the Lazio region. Whoever created it does not show themselves: on the website there are no names and no faces, and that is no accident. The brand takes its name from the balaclava, which the house defines as “an ambiguous and powerful symbol: anonymity, rebellion, hidden identity”. In place of a biography there is a manifesto.

“The balaclava protects, covers, but at the same time declares a presence”, it reads. And again: “Balaclava was born from the need to escape. To escape from imposed roles, from invisible cages, from whatever suffocates”. Then it sums itself up in three words: “Balaclava is rebellion, it is identity, it is freedom of choice”. It challenges the rules of traditional perfumery and says so openly: it is not trying to please everyone, nor to fit the aesthetic canons of classic luxury.

The collection has four fragrances, and each is a different way of escaping. Ora d'Aria “is born from the universal need for escape”, that brief but necessary moment when you step away from everything to breathe: it opens with an accord of nicotine and fresh air, sweetens with cherry and apricot jam and closes on a warm concrete accord that recalls the city. Roulette Rosa warns you straight away: “It is not a rose. It is a choice”, sweet at first and dangerous afterwards, because “a rose asks no permission to bloom”. Finepenamai is the opposite of running away: “There is no need to free yourself from what you love. Finepenamai is staying”, with white peach, champagne and cheesecake. And 41 Beach is a reminder that “not all escapes are flights. Some are choices”: coconut, mango and tiaré, then sea lily and ambergris.

The names, too, speak the language of confinement and freedom: the ora d'aria, the hour in the yard, and fine pena mai, a sentence with no end. The accords are out of the ordinary, from nicotine to warm concrete, from powdered sugar to pink pralines, and the brand writes them all in capitals, like a headline. Three fragrances are 100 ml Eau de Parfum Intense; 41 Beach is the only Extrait de Parfum in the collection, in 50 ml. They are all unisex, intense and designed, as the brand writes, for those looking for “something unconventional, emotional and contemporary”.

The fragrances

• Eau de Parfum Intense, 100 ml: Ora d'Aria, the urban escape with nicotine, apricot and warm concrete; Finepenamai, the bond that stays, with white peach, cheesecake and caramel; Roulette Rosa, the rose that asks no permission, with red fruits, peony and vanilla.
• Extrait de Parfum, 50 ml: 41 Beach, the escape to the sea, with coconut, mango, tiaré and ambergris.

OUD Profumeria Artistica is an authorised Balaclava retailer, online and at the shop in Nettuno (Rome).

Frequently asked questions

What kind of perfume is Ora d'Aria by Balaclava?
Ora d'Aria is a bittersweet, urban unisex fragrance: it opens with nicotine and fresh air, has a heart of cherry and apricot jam and a base of warm concrete, sandalwood, vanilla and patchouli. For the house it is born from the universal need for escape.

What does Finepenamai mean?
The name takes up the Italian expression fine pena mai, a sentence with no end. Balaclava turns it around: not a punishment, but a bond that withstands time and distance. Finepenamai is a gourmand with white peach, champagne, cheesecake, iris and caramel.

Why is the brand called Balaclava?
A balaclava is the knitted mask that covers the face. The house describes it as an ambiguous and powerful symbol, made of anonymity, rebellion and hidden identity: it protects and covers, but at the same time declares a presence.

Are Balaclava perfumes for men or for women?
They are all unisex. Ora d'Aria is the most urban and tobacco-like, 41 Beach the sunniest, Finepenamai and Roulette Rosa the sweetest.

Which Balaclava perfume should I choose?
For a bold, unconventional character Ora d'Aria; for a sunny, tropical fragrance 41 Beach; for an enveloping gourmand Finepenamai; for an indulgent fruity scent with a heart of rose Roulette Rosa.

Where can I buy Balaclava perfumes?
OUD Profumeria Artistica is an authorised Balaclava retailer: you will find them online, with free shipping in Italy over €60 and 10 free samples over €100, and at the shop in Nettuno (Rome).