LOUIS VUITTON
AFTERNOON SWIM

2019

PERFUMER
Jacques Cavallier

mandarin
Orange
Bergamot
ginger
ambergris

‘Passionate orange to sail towards pleasure. A plunge into an ocean of sensations. Feeling all the energy of the waves washing over the skin on a hot summer’s day. Master Perfumer Jacques Cavallier Belletrud pays homage to the citrus notes he particularly loves. He ennobles a rare Sicilian orange lush with juice, like an explosion of vitamins. A sensation of immense freshness imbues this perfume in which bergamot drifts toward a wave of delights, set against a deep current of mandarin. To complement the light within the Cologne Perfumes, the House of Louis Vuitton asked the Californian artist Alex Israel to surround them with creative radiance. He envisioned a joyful design with pop colours that celebrate this summer without end’ – Louis Vuitton

Afternoon Swim is the most ‘orange’ of the Louis Vuitton citrus notes that I’ve sampled so far. Many are fruity and Summery, but Afternoon Swim turns that up to the maximum. It seems to be Louis Vuitton’s ‘copy’ of Bvlgari Tygar.

It’s very simple in the way it comes across. Personally, I’d say it’s one of the best renditions of a mandarin scent that I’ve come across, but it doesn’t do anything exciting or new beyond that. The opening is a bit zesty, but as it dries Afternoon Swim becomes richer and slightly sweeter. Based on what I’ve heard and read about it, a lot of people seem to get salty and ozonic qualities from this, but I honestly can’t say that I do. I feel like all the aspects that I confidently can pick up on in this fragrance can be related to citrus.

And it is great for a citrus; I’m just not as sure about it’s price point and the hype Afternoon Swim has received. If you’re looking for a much cheaper alternative in the same general direction, although with more different fruitiness, I would recommend Zara’s Candy Festival, if you can still find that.