There’s something about red. It’s a color of power, passion, and drama. For the house of Valentino, the color has long been a key part of its heritage. And now, it’s bottled. Sogno in Rosso, the creation in Valentino’s Anatomy of Dreams fragrance collection, bringing the Italian luxury house’s signature crimson hue to life. Inspired by the plush velvet curtains of a Roman theater, at its heart, the cult-favorite Valentino perfume is a bold interplay of black pepper and creamy schiuma di latte (Italian milk foam), creating an unexpected yet harmonious finish.
Crafted by master perfumer Fabrice Pellegrin, Sogno in Rosso brings together an intoxicating mix of notes that feel strikingly familiar yet entirely new. Incense, ambergris, and sandalwood lend the scent a depth that feels particularly attuned to the preferences of the discerning taste of the Middle East. There’s a story behind every ingredient— In an exclusive interview below, Pellegrin shares the inspiration behind Sogno in Rosso, the unexpected accords that define it, and the role of fragrance in capturing emotion.
Sogno in Rosso—”Dream in Red”—is an evocative name. What emotions did you want to capture in this fragrance?
FABRICE PELLEGRIN: For me, this fragrance creates a suspended moment, an escapist parenthesis where you let your imagination carry you away. It evokes the floating sensation of dreams, where emotions are amplified and inhibitions fade. Sogno in Rosso is built on a subtle contrast between light and depth.
Can you walk us through the moment of inspiration for Sogno in Rosso? Was there a particular memory, place, or person that influenced its creation?
FP:When composing Sogno in Rosso, two things were at the forefront of my mind. The first was red itself—Valentino’s signature. I immersed myself in everything this color represents. Red is passion, audacity, elegance. It’s also the hushed intimacy of an opera house, the velvet of theater seats. I wanted to translate that into scent.
The second was Valentino’s unmistakable Italian elegance. To embody that, I introduced an accord of milk foam—schiuma di latte, a nod to the creaminess of a perfectly made cappuccino. This brings sensuality, texture, and warmth to the fragrance, without veering into the overly sweet or gourmand.
Red is such a bold and symbolic color in Valentino’s world. How did you translate its essence into scent?
FP: To bring Valentino’s signature red to life, I worked with spicy notes, especially black pepper. It has a sharp, modern vibrancy that makes it feel alive—much like the color itself.
What are the standout ingredients in Sogno in Rosso, and how do they interact to create the final olfactory experience?
FP: I built Sogno in Rosso on an unexpected contrast, almost a chiaroscuro effect of light and shadow. The black pepper’s spicy energy cuts through the creamy softness of schiuma di latte, giving the fragrance a tactile, almost airy quality. Then there’s orange blossom absolute, which brings a quiet luminosity—like a subtle glow.
As the fragrance unfolds, it deepens. Sandalwood, ambergris, and vanilla bourbon from Madagascar create a base that lingers like the memory of a beautiful evening. These notes, particularly the incense and ambergris, are deeply resonant in the Middle East, where scent is woven into culture and ritual. There’s something incredibly timeless about them, yet here, they’re given a modern sensibility.
What elements in Sogno in Rosso make it unmistakably yours?
FP: Harmony. Every ingredient needs to have a place, a purpose, a dialogue with the others. I wanted Sogno in Rosso to feel effortless—like a couture gown that looks simple but is meticulously crafted. The balance between the milk foam accord, orange blossom, and black pepper is what makes it wearable yet artistic.
Did you incorporate any unexpected accords in this fragrance?
FP: Absolutely. The schiuma di latte accord is an unusual choice—it’s a vaporous, slightly gourmand element, but here it’s treated with such delicacy that it feels almost weightless. It’s an elegant texture rather than an obvious sweetness. That’s what makes it couture.
Your career spans decades, and you’ve worked on some of the most iconic fragrances. How has your approach to creating scents evolved over the years?
FP: With time, I’ve become more minimalist. Early in my career, I was drawn to complexity, but now I prefer shorter, more refined formulas. Simplicity is actually the hardest thing to achieve—every ingredient must be essential, every note intentional.
Is there a note or ingredient you feel is underrated in the industry?
FP: There are no underestimated ingredients—only ones waiting for their moment. Right now, gourmand vanillas are having a resurgence. Tomorrow, it could be something entirely different. That’s the beauty of fragrance.
What’s one fragrance memory from your childhood that still influences your work today?
FP: One of my earliest scent memories is from my walks home in Grasse. I’d pass by the Roure factories, and one day, the air was thick with the scent of patchouli distillation. I remember being mesmerized—it was raw, powerful, all-consuming. That moment shaped me. To this day, there isn’t a fragrance I create that doesn’t contain, in some way, a trace of patchouli.
