Valentino Donna Born in Roma Purple Melancholia EDP

Description

Purple Melancholia takes Born in Roma toward dusk: dark plum, soft osmanthus and a deep vanilla base. Valentino introduced it as a limited-edition flanker at the start of 2026, built around the idea of memories from a night in a Roman palace, and it was composed at IFF by Pascal Gaurin and Natasha Côté-Mouzannar. The house classes it as a fruity chypre. On skin it is plummy and sweet from the first spray, with osmanthus adding a soft, apricot-like floral tone in the middle before bourbon vanilla takes over. The original Donna Born in Roma leads with jasmine over vanilla; this version puts fruit first and wears darker.

Scent Character

Translation: two thirds sweet, from the plum and vanilla, with osmanthus supplying the floral third. There are no woods or spice to speak of. This is a fruit-and-vanilla scent with a soft floral center.

Fragrance Pyramid

• Top: Mirabelle Plum
• Heart: Osmanthus Absolute
• Base: Bourbon Vanilla

Note: Valentino publishes a deliberately short three-note pyramid for this edition.

Performance

Longevity: Around 6–8 hours on skin, longer on clothing.
Sillage: Moderate.
Projection: Roughly arm's length for the first two or three hours, then it settles closer to the skin.

An honest note: community ratings put it a little above average for a designer eau de parfum. It lasts well, but it is not a room-filler.

Best Occasions & Season

Best in Fall and Winter, for evenings, dinners and date nights. With a light hand it also works for the office on cooler days. Valentino markets it for women, though the plum and vanilla profile is easy for anyone to wear. Skip it for hot summer days, when the fruit and vanilla can turn syrupy.

Concentration & Provenance

Concentration: Eau de Parfum
Perfumers: Pascal Gaurin, Natasha Côté-Mouzannar (IFF)
House: Valentino, Italy
Launched: 2026, as a limited edition within the Born in Roma line

Try Before You Commit

Plum-and-vanilla scents can read very differently from one skin to the next, so wear it for a day first. A 1mL decant is $6.99, a 5mL is $25.99, and a 10mL is $42.99 if you already know you love it.

100% Authentic

Every Venba sample is decanted from a factory-sealed bottle, never diluted, never mixed. We have filled 200,000+ orders and hold a 4.9★ Trustpilot rating. Free U.S. shipping on orders $100+, with hassle-free returns.

FAQ

Is Purple Melancholia for women or men?
Valentino markets it for women. Its plum, osmanthus and vanilla profile has no sharp floral edge, so plenty of men wear it too.

How long does it last?
Around 6–8 hours on skin for most people, with moderate projection for the first few hours.

How is it different from the original Donna Born in Roma?
The original is built on jasmine over bourbon vanilla. Purple Melancholia swaps the jasmine lead for Mirabelle plum and osmanthus, so it is fruitier, jammier and darker in mood.

Is it a limited edition?
Yes. Valentino introduced it as a limited-edition flanker in the Born in Roma line.