Valentino Beauty expands the Born in Roma fragrance family with the launch of Born in Roma Purple Melancholia, presented as a new Donna and Uomo duo arriving in January 2026. The release explores memory, individuality, and creative emotion through scent, using melancholy as a generative force rather than a passive mood. The fragrances approach emotional depth as a starting point for expression, imagination, and connection.
FRAGRANCES
The campaign introduces Adut Akech and Anwar Hadid as the faces of Born in Roma Purple Melancholia. Their presence reflects the theme of individuality and emotional presence, aligning with the concept of connection that anchors the release.
Since its introduction in 2019, the Born in Roma collection has developed into a defining chapter of contemporary perfumery for the Maison. Each release introduces a distinct color and emotional register, shaping a chromatic fragrance language that connects mood with sensorial experience. From Coral Fantasy to Green Stravaganza, the collection builds a sequence of expressive identities that evolve through tone and composition.
The new chapter centers on the idea of “who is your purple,” described as the person whose presence enriches life through kindness, authenticity, and emotional closeness. Born in Roma Purple Melancholia translates this idea into scent, framing connection as an intimate experience shaped by memory and shared presence.
For Donna, the eau de parfum opens with a luminous plum accord that sets a rich and expressive tone. The composition moves into an osmanthus heart, adding floral depth and a sense of softness. Madagascar vanilla extract forms the base, leaving a warm and enveloping trail. The fragrance develops through contrast in texture rather than volume, allowing fruity brightness, floral nuance, and gourmand warmth to coexist within a confident structure. Vanilla drives the lasting impression, while osmanthus introduces a reflective quality tied to memory and emotional presence.
Uomo approaches emotion through a different register. The eau de toilette begins with the freshness of cardamom, offering a vibrant and energetic opening. Lavandin follows, bringing aromatic clarity and a refined edge. The structure settles into an amber aromatic woody base, enriched by a creamy coco accord that adds depth and a contemporary tactile quality.
The bottles reinforce the identity of Purple Melancholia through material and color. Each flacon features Valentino’s signature Rockstud design, rendered in a deep melancholia purple contrasted against black leather. The pyramidal stud references Roman visual codes and functions as a defining emblem of the Born in Roma line. The color treatment connects the packaging to the emotional tone of the fragrances.
Born in Roma Purple Melancholia extends the Valentino Beauty fragrance narrative by focusing on memory, emotional depth, and creative individuality.
