While we'd all love nothing more than to set off on an Italian summer vacation, sometimes the closest thing we'll get is a rewatch of Call Me By Your Name while nursing an Aperol spritz. But, there's a way to make your experience even more authentic: you can add one of the best perfumes to the equation. One of the best Dolce & Gabbana perfumes, to be more specific.
Since bringing their beauty business in-house, Dolce & Gabbana has made the strategic tradition to move all fragrance production to Italy—a "reflection of the way they approach their olfactive creations." Big on paying tribute to their Italian origins, these fragrances "celebrate [Italy's] culture, history, and craftsmanship," the brand tells Marie Claire.
For example, the bright gourmand scent of the brand's newest scent, Devotion, is inspired by a classic Italian panettone dessert. The classic Light Blue Eau de Toilette, meanwhile, "captures the quintessence of a summer day lulled by gentle waves lapping against the enchanting cliffs of Capri."
"Fragrance has a way of speaking to people," explains scent influencer and expert David McMillian (you might know him as @itsfragrancedave on TikTok). "It's amazing how the way you smell leaves a lasting memory on somebody."
Ahead, discover the best Dolce & Gabbana perfumes on the market. Amore, we tested them all just for you.
Dolce & Gabbana's Devotion is a recent favorite from the collection.
The Best Dolce & Gabbana Perfumes
- The Best Fruity Dolce & Gabbana Perfume: Q by Dolce&Gabbana Eau de Parfum Intense
- The Best Classic Dolce & Gabbana Perfume: Light Blue Eau de Toilette
- The Best Dolce & Gabbana Perfume For Summer Vacation: Light Blue Summer Vibes Eau de Toilette
- The Best Timeless Dolce & Gabbana Perfume: The One Eau de Parfum
- The Best Gourmand Dolce & Gabbana Perfume: Devotion Eau de Parfum
Cherry perfumes are everywhere this summer (you'll even find them in our best 2024 perfumes roundup), and after spritzing Q just once it landed itself a front-row spot in my fragrance cabinet. I'm sure it'll stay there year round. Long-lasting and slightly masculine, this woody, amber-y scent offers a big ol' cherry bomb on first whiff before settling into its sensual amber base. Also, while certainly sweet and a bit intense, it's not cloying—there's no doubt this could be worn as a unisex perfume.
Key Notes: Top: Dark cherry; Middle: Heliotrope; Base: Amber
Size: 3.3 oz
Year Introduced: 2024
The gorgeous cherry-heavy Q fragrance framed by cherry blossoms.
A true classic, Light Blue has been Marie Claire Associate Director of Social Media Lucia Tonelli's signature scent for 15 years. "That doesn’t sound shockingly long, but, to put it into perspective, I am 28; 15 years is over half of my life!" she shares. "Through high school, college, and post-grad, through working at a magazine and having access to nearly every fragrance I could want, through my changing (and refining) palette and taste, my love for Light Blue has never wavered. It has the handsome bite of a cologne, a citrus-adjacent freshness that’s tempered by woody notes, and the lightness of an ideal daily scent. It’s long-lasting, and the immediate smell post-spritz doesn’t change or sour on the skin." To put it simply, it’s an everyday fragrance she'll continue to wear every day. For the nest 15 years and then some.
Key Notes: Top: Sicilian Lemon, Apple, Cedar, and Bellflower; Middle: Bamboo, Jasmine, and White Rose; Base: Cedar, Musk and Amber
Size: 3.3 oz (0.8 oz, 1.6 oz, and 6.7 oz bottles are also available)
Year Introduced: 2001
Over the years, the iconic Dolce & Gabbana perfume Light Blue has become the subject of plenty of offshoots. The newest take, Light Blue Summer Vibes, might just be the best. Less oceanic than its original scent, Summer Vibes is just that—a light and flirty fragrance that's ideal for the warmer months. If you love the original, you'll probably love this too; it has all the same magic with a nice touch of peach.
Key Notes: Top: Calabrian Bergamot; Middle: Peach; Base: Cedar
Size: 3.4 oz (1.7 oz bottles are also available)
Year Introduced: 2023
Light Blue Summer Vibes looks gorgeous even when not set against the Mediterranean Sea.
Long-lasting and slightly soapy, The One is an amber floral fragrance and the favorite scent of my very cool local Nordstrom beauty associate. Created in 2006, it only gets better with time—in both a long-term "smells better each year you revisit it" and short-term "smells better throughout the day on your skin" sense.
"The One is an elegant, perfect date night or romance-type fragrance," says McMillian. "It’s rich, it’s alluring, it’s the fragrance someone picks up when they just want to make a statement. They want to go out there and say ‘I’m here and I own the night.' It turns the night."
Key Notes: Top: Bergamot, Mandarin, Lychee, and Peach; Middle: Madonna Lily, Lily of the Valley, and Jasmine; Base: Vanilla, Amber, Musk, Plum, and Vetiver
Size: 2.5 oz (1.7 oz bottles are also available)
Year Introduced: 2006
The way it feels to spritz and hold a bottle of The One, modeled perfectly by Gisele Bündchen.
Upon first wear of the gourmand Devotion, my boyfriend said I smelled like an Italian bakery. The panettone-inspired fragrance's creamy citrus notes are so lovely and make it easy to pretend you're living in the dreamy, romance-laden world of the scent's Katy Perry-fronted campaign. The absolutely gorgeous bottle design is another pro—the peachy pink liquid is encapsulated in a simple, clear glass bottle and sealed with a metallic Sacred Heart.
Key Notes: Top: Candied Citrus; Middle: Orange Blossom; Base: Vanilla
Size: 3.3 oz (1 oz, 1.7 oz, and 0.33 oz travel size bottles are also available)
Year Introduced: 2023
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Forgive me for sneaking in a third Light Blue, but the collection is that good. And this particular variant—Light Blue Eau Intense—is McMillian's favorite of the bunch. "To me, the intense version for men and women outdoes the original," he explains. "It just screams ocean vibes, that blue crystal see-through water. You can wear it in the office or on a late night stroll with your man or woman, and just feel confident embracing that sillage.”
Key Notes: Top: Lemon, Green Apple, and Peach Skin; Middle: Marigold, Jasmine; Base: Amber Woods, Cedar Wood, and Musks
Size: 3.3 oz (0.8 and 1.6 oz bottles are also available)
Year Introduced: 2017
"This year saw the launch of Dolce—a line that soon turned into a collection of fragrances, each built around a celebration of a particular flower," explains the brand. We'll get to the others in a second, let's take a moment to admire the first. A delicate and feminine white floral scent, Dolce smells like you're strolling through a perfect garden in the morning, when all of the flowers are just waking up. While it doesn't last very long, it's a lovely scent that comes across exactly as promised.
Key Notes: Top: Italian Jasmine; Middle: Indian Sambac Jasmine; Base: Indian Mimosa
Size: 2.5 oz
Year Introduced: 2014
I'd describe Dolce Violet as an "easy" fragrance—and that isn't a bad thing. Developed to "reflect the Dolce girl’s vibrance, her adventurousness, and her determination to choose the life she wants," this girly, fruity floral scent is reminiscent of the time period in your late 20s when you start to figure out what you want in life and how to go get it. Also, if you're at all afraid of a powdery scent, this doesn't scream violet at all.
Key Notes: Top: Blackcurrant; Middle: Violet; Base: Madagascar Vanilla
Size: 2.5 oz (1 oz and 1.7 oz bottles are also available)
Year Introduced: 2023
Strong and sweet, L’Imperatrice is another dessert-in-a-fragrance creation that certainly leaves an impression. Yet another variant of a perfume originally introduced by the house in 2009, it scratches the fruity floral itch and is one of my go-to's for a quick errand, adding some intrigue and fun with the power of its initial spray before settling into a comfortable, not-so-intense but still delightful place once I'm home and ready to get back to work.
Key Notes: Top: Kiwi, Red Currant, Rhubarb; Middle: Watermelon, Pink Cyclamen; Base: Sandalwood, Musk
Size: 3.3 oz (1.6 oz and 0.33 oz travel size bottles are also available)
Year Introduced: 2020
Dolce & Gabbana Perfume History
Dolce & Gabbana has over 30 years of history. Since creating their very first fragrance—the eponymous female scent in 1992—they've gone on to craft an iconic library, including eye and cheek palettes.
"By bringing the beauty business in-house, Dolce & Gabbana wants to elevate the category and create stronger links with fashion, embracing the craftsmanship and made in Italy values of the wider brand," explains the company. "A good example of that is the newly-launched Devotion franchise which features the iconic Sacro Cuore emblem on its bottle—a symbol that is widely used throughout Dolce & Gabbana fashion, leather goods, and shoes."
Where will they go next? That's anyone's guess. But it's sure to be bellissimo. Watch this space for Dolce & Gabbana fragrance updates.
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