468 Florabotanica

Balenciaga Florabotanica is a strange, memorable green floral, and No.468 does a fair job of sketching its outline: a sharp mint opening giving way to rose, carnation and that unusual cannabis-leaf accord that made the original stand out from typical florals in 2012. The dupe captures the first hour well, especially the herbal-green sharpness, but it flattens out quicker than the real thing, losing the mossy, slightly bitter green undertow that carries Florabotanica's heart. The base of vetiver and amber is serviceable but generic, missing the earthy complexity that made the designer version feel a little dangerous. For anyone who liked the idea of Florabotanica but never got round to buying it, this is a reasonable taster of the concept - just don't expect the same longevity or depth once the mint burns off.