Ricci Club by Nina Ricci

Beautiful fragrance, classy and distinguished. Reminds me of Boucheron Pour Homme EDP but more refined, with strange citrus nuances 🍊. One of the best citrus scents I’ve ever tried, and it has a curious evolution: starting from the fougère-citrus vibe of Versus Uomo to the oriental notes of Opium pour Homme. Plus, I have the concentrated version.

Ricci Club by Nina Ricci was an obsession ever since I searched for Signor Ricci, which I had to pay a fortune to revive those memories. That’s when I discovered Ricci Club: by the time I had the money to buy it, it had vanished. I never knew it until friends gave me a reference. A few weeks ago, I finally got the ‘Haute Concentration,’ and although it sounds ridiculous, the happiness was immense; with money, anything is possible, but I wasn’t brave enough to spend $200, and luckily I found it at a great price. Ricci Club is mostly found on eBay, where they’ll sell you a dream come true. What is it? In 1989, it hardly competed with creations from the late 80s and early 90s, like Jazz by YSL. Club opens with a sharp, murky ‘yellow’ lavender, a classic base from which grows an intense, dry, natural peach blossom. This peach blossom matures over time, proposing an atypical masculine fragrance with fruity ozone edges and lavender. After 20 minutes, the assembled scent is timeless, semi-youthful, serious, and perfect for formal or informal commitments. It offers long-lasting power and moderate projection. It’s not a perfume that will make you turn heads; it’s compact and unique, with a ‘different’ personality. It’s a serious man with glasses and a sport coat, attractive but stoic. As Daniel says: ‘It’s a classy perfume, almost intellectual, thanks to a paradoxical sobriety. It’s not for everyone, not playful, not erotic’. However, it’s unique; I have nothing in my collection that resembles it. The packaging design is beautiful. It’s a pity that, although a great fragrance, it already felt ‘old’ upon release, a focusing error by Nina Ricci. Time takes care of everything; Club may not be a must-have, but its rarity and atypical focus make it viable for those who love perfume history and its singular exponents, where Ricci Club undoubtedly stands out.

What can’t I say? It was a revelation, the fragrance that opened a new world to me, the one holding the most life memories. It was my only signature scent for 20 years until it disappeared, leaving me with just one bottle. I’ve tried many, smelled countless others, but none spoke to me like this one. I think it’s a classy, almost intellectual fragrance, thanks to a paradoxical sobriety. It’s not for everyone; it’s not playful, not erotic. But it’s not cold either, even if it seems to create a bubble. More than a fragrance, it was company, protection, and an introduction to the world. Hard to explain, but it was literally the only one that spoke to me. It’s the perfect perfume for an introvert, a capsule that isolates you from vulgarity. I suppose lavender and florals have that virtue of surrounding us with an illusion of beauty and freshness. I’ll keep searching for a lavender that speaks.

At first, lemon, hyssop, and above all lavender surrounded by green notes. From the start, it feels extremely floral; I agree with its classification as Floral Green, one of the few masculine fragrances in this category on Fragrantica. At six hours, the lavender lingers alongside another floral that isn’t jasmine or rose—I think it’s Ylang Ylang, with a strong note of peach and cypress. In this phase, it reminds me of Pour un Homme by Caron, likely due to the lavender, vanilla, and musk. At eight hours, the intense floral sensation persists, recalling Caron. By thirteen hours, it’s still quite present, with strong sandalwood, musk, patchouli, and vanilla, while the lavender remains perceptible. It’s one of the most intense masculine floral fragrances, like a more complex version of Pour un Homme by Caron. The trail goes from heavy to moderate but stays consistent, with longevity exceeding 12 hours. I’d recommend it for intermediate seasons and daytime wear. It’s discontinued, but if you can find it and are a fan of masculine florals that retain the power of the 80s with the style of the 90s, it’s a great choice.