The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
Filippo Sorcinelli has spent decades translating the sensorial language of liturgical vestments into fragrance. The Milan atelier founded in 2001 approaches each creation as a sculptural vignette meant to evoke contemplation rather than mere pleasure. VLAD represents a departure in the house vocabulary, shifting from purely sacred references toward something darker and more personal. The perfumer has long been fascinated by the architecture of religious ritual, and this fragrance draws from a specific moment in that ritual the aftermath, when candles gutter and the congregation has departed and only the scent of myrrh and frankincense remains as evidence anything occurred at all.
The note selection for VLAD was deliberate in its confrontational honesty. Myrrh and frankincense anchor the fragrance in their shared liturgical history while the inclusion of white pepper and birch tar introduces twentieth century edginess. The blood note represents perhaps the most intimate choice, a material that speaks directly to bodies, mortality, and the physical reality that sacred narratives often attempt to transcend. Rose bridges these two registers, being simultaneously devotional and fleshy. These materials were not combined to create harmony. They were combined to create meaning, and VLAD will reward those who approach it with patience and a willingness to sit with discomfort.
The evolution
VLAD unfolds as a meditation on endings and what persists after sacred ceremonies conclude. The opening burst of myrrh and ver mouth combined with white pepper creates immediate tension, an olfactory handshake that demands attention before revealing intent. As time passes, the initial sharpness gentles just enough to allow the heart to emerge, and here the fragrance makes its most controversial move. The rose enters not as a softening agent but as a blood-tinged reminder that sanctity and sacrifice share uncomfortable proximity. Finally, the drydown disperses the early confrontation into something more atmospheric, as birch and frankincense smoke curl through patchouli darkness, creating an afterimage that lingers on skin and clothing for hours.
Cultural impact
Released as a limited‑edition piece of the Unum collection, Vlad was capped at 100 bottles and sold exclusively through select niche parfumeries. Its bold, ritual‑inspired profile quickly sparked conversation among collectors, who praised its unapologetic smoky‑spicy character while noting its rarity makes it a coveted artifact in contemporary niche perfumery circles.
