The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
February 14 arrived from Retrouvailles in 2020, composed by Hamid Merati-Kashani. Its name points straight to romance and the rituals that surround it, while the official description gives the idea a floral and fresh register. Gardenia and Damask rose create the central bouquet, ylang-ylang adds a sensual glide, and citrus keeps the composition lifted. Musk, vanilla, and amber bring a soft finish, with bergamot and lemon sharpening the whole frame. The result feels less like a literal celebration than the scent that lingers around one: flowers, warmth, and the promise of another meeting.
The interesting part is the collision of materials that don't usually sit so politely together. Bergamot and lemon bring a clean, sparkling edge to damask rose, gardenia, and jasmine. Then basil, rosemary, and myrrh add herbal and resinous tension beside vanilla and ylang-ylang. Amber, musk, oakmoss, patchouli, sandalwood, and vetiver make the base more grounded than the floral opening suggests. It's a familiar language of romance, but the moss, woods, and warm spice keep it from becoming syrupy.
The evolution
February 14 begins with citrus at full volume. Bergamot and lemon make the opening glinting and immediate, pulling gardenia, jasmine, and Damask rose forward before the composition has settled into itself. During the heart, the flowers gain weight from ylang-ylang and vanilla, while basil and rosemary introduce a green, aromatic snap. Myrrh adds a low, resinous shadow. As the fragrance dries down, oakmoss, patchouli, vetiver, and sandalwood replace brightness with earthy depth. Amber and musk soften that base, leaving a warm floral trace rather than a loud sweet finish. The trail feels intimate and skin-close, with the final impression centered on moss and warm woods instead of a fresh bouquet. On fabric, it can linger softly.
Cultural impact
February 14 is identified as a unisex fragrance from Retrouvailles, with a composition suited to those who enjoy floral scents carrying depth and sensuality. Gardenia and Damask rose establish a romantic floral center, ylang-ylang adds a richer, more intimate character, and citrus brings a fresh lift. Musk, vanilla, and amber create a soft trail, with bergamot and lemon sharpening the overall frame. The scent moves between floral brightness and warm, lingering softness, offering a distinctive way to explore romance through fragrance.
The House
RetrouvaillesRetrouvailles is a French-inspired niche fragrance house that draws on decades of perfumery expertise rooted in Grasse, the Provençal town long regarded as the center of the fragrance world. The brand operates as an independent label, offering a compact catalog of scents released steadily since 2019. Its portfolio spans atmospheric compositions like Strong Feeling and Ignorance is Bliss, alongside evocative place-named works such as Upper East Side, Belgravia, and Parisian Lights, suggesting a sensibility shaped equally by travel and intimate emotion.
The Creator
Hamid Merati-KashaniFrom the evidence available, Merati-Kashani's style tends toward the opulent and the gourmand, with a clear appreciation for rich, complex accords. There's often a signature use of vanilla, spices, and woods, creating fragrances that are warm and inviting.
