The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
The 2021 release from Filippo Sorcinelli enters the X SÉ collection, four fragrances built around transgression and intimacy. The official copy describes artisanal nights: burned tires on country roads, cheap lipstick smudged on a collar, clothes that smell of cheap detergent. Sudden emotions. Excited imagination. The perfumer translated that raw, youthful energy into a composition of leather, citrus, and herbs, something that doesn't apologize for being slightly wrong.
The note pyramid is unusual. Leather sits in the top, not the base, present from the first spray, bright against citrus. Hawthorn and artemisia bring an herbal bitterness that reinforces the fragrance's edge. Ylang-ylang adds warmth without softening the overall character. The base is minimal, cedar and pine, but they ground everything that came before. What makes this work is the deliberate tension: citrus and leather together, sweet florals against bitter herbs, cool mint cutting through warm wood. It's a composition that rewards attention, each stage has something distinct to offer.
The evolution
The opening hits sharp: leather and bitter orange arrive together, immediately confrontational. Clementine pops above, green almond adds a nutty edge, mint brings a cold finish to the citrus heat. As the top notes evolve, clementine softens, leather settles into something less aggressive. Hawthorn and ylang-ylang emerge, yellow florals that bloom warm and slightly animalic. Labdanum and artemisia follow, resinous and bitter, adding depth that feels earned rather than decorative. The transition is seamless, you stop noticing the citrus and start inhabiting the heart. As the fragrance develops, the florals begin to recede and the woody base takes over. Cedar and pine settle close to skin, the sillage moderate but the presence lasting. The drydown lingers on fabric, leather, herb, and a trace of something sweet.
Cultural impact
The X SÉ collection invites wearers to step outside conventional fragrance expectations, embracing a provocative and unapologetic spirit. slightly-b!tch makes its statement through leather, citrus, herbs, and wood combined into something that doesn't ask permission to exist. It's the kind of fragrance that divides rooms and builds loyalty in equal measure. For those who connect with the brand's bold aesthetic, this is the entry point. For those who don't, there's always the next release.
