The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
Olivier Cresp designed Today as an invitation, not a safe bet. The 2004 brief asked for a fragrance that could capture a feeling, the specific electricity of a moment that matters, that you will remember. Cresp chose to focus on the honest and immediate: green cactus, bright freesia, and tropical bloom. Rather than opening with the expected aldehydic or fruity introduction, he chose the tactile freshness of cactus as the entry point, grounding the fragrance in something real before the florals arrive.
The note selection reflects a philosophy of honest immediacy. Cactus and black pepper establish a crisp, slightly spiced opening that feels neither synthetic nor overly natural. Freesia bridges the green and floral worlds cleanly. The heart combines neroli and tuberose for classic white floral richness with hibiscus tartness and strelitzia exoticism. The drydown uses rose water as a cooling floral element paired with sandalwood and cedarwood for woody depth, finished with skin-close musk.
The evolution
The fragrance moves through three distinct phases that mirror the arc of a meaningful moment. It begins with the crisp, green honesty of cactus paired with freesia brightness and black pepper spice. From there, the heart blooms into a lush tropical garden where neroli, tuberose, hibiscus, and strelitzia create a white floral landscape that feels both exotic and grounded. The drydown brings the moment home with rose water, sandalwood, cedarwood, and musk, softening everything into a memory you carry with you.
Cultural impact
Today won the 2005 FiFi Award for Fragrance of the Year Women's Private Label, cementing its place as one of Avon's most celebrated releases. The campaign, starring Salma Hayek, positioned the fragrance as an invitation to self-expression, a first chapter in Avon's trilogy of love. It represents Avon's move beyond accessible pricing into something that could genuinely compete with higher-end fragrances, earning respect from those who'd never associated the brand with sophistication.
