International designer goes from fashion to beauty with a new scent every season.
When one thinks of timeless elegance, bold femininity and an unapologetic celebration of glamour, the name Carolina Herrera is never far behind.
Known for her impeccable personal style and iconic fashion house, Herrera has reigned as a tastemaker for decades.
But beyond the runways of New York and the red carpets of Hollywood, her influence has also blossomed in the world of fragrance, where her Good Girl collection has become one of the most recognisable and best-loved ranges in beauty.
This month, South African fragrance lovers have the chance to immerse themselves in Herrera’s world of scent with the activation stand at Nelson Mandela Square in Sandton, running until 30 August, showcasing the latest release: Very Good Girl Elixir.
From couture gowns to signature scents
Carolina Herrera, the Venezuelan-born designer, entered the fashion world in the early 1980s with her debut runway show in New York.
Quickly establishing herself as a designer for women of sophistication and strength, Herrera’s collections became synonymous with refined glamour.
Her gowns graced First Ladies from Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis to Michelle Obama, and her fashion house remains one of the pillars of luxury design.
But Herrera was never content with conquering just one part of the industry. In 1988, she ventured into beauty, launching her first fragrance, simply named Carolina Herrera.
It marked the beginning of what would become a thriving extension of her brand. The scents carried the same DNA as her gowns: elegant, striking, and undeniably feminine.
The birth of the Good Girl phenomenon
In 2016, Herrera unveiled what would become her most daring and successful fragrance concept to date: Good Girl. With the tagline “It’s so good to be bad”, the scent was as bold as the message. Packaged in a high-heeled stiletto bottle, it quickly became a cultural and beauty icon.
The fragrance itself was a rich oriental floral blend, balancing sensuality and sweetness. Almond, coffee, bergamot, and lemon opened the composition with a sharp and addictive energy, before unfolding into a lush heart of jasmine sambac, tuberose, Bulgarian rose and orange blossom.
The base: warm with tonka bean, cacao, vanilla, praline, and patchouli made Good Girl intoxicating and unforgettable.
The success of Good Girl opened the door to a family of fragrances, each exploring a different facet of femininity. Herrera’s philosophy has always been that women should embrace both their softness and their power, and the Good Girl line embodies this duality perfectly.
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New directions: Good Girl Blush Elixir
Among the most recent additions is Good Girl Blush Elixir Eau de Parfum, released in 2024. This fragrance celebrates romance and lightness with luminous top notes of bergamot and mandarin orange, which soften into a heart of ylang ylang and rose. A base of patchouli and vanilla adds depth while keeping the scent fresh and feminine.
Where the original Good Girl leaned toward seductive glamour, Blush Elixir feels more playful, tender, and youthful, a rose-tinted take on Herrera’s beloved concept.
Spotlight on the latest: Very Good Girl Elixir
This year, the brand has turned up the intensity with Very Good Girl Elixir Eau de Parfum, a powerful oriental floral fragrance that radiates bold sophistication. Launched in 2024, the perfume opens with striking black cherry and bitter almond, creating a fruity yet intoxicating first impression.
At its heart, a bouquet of roses and tuberose blooms with unapologetic femininity, while the base of vanilla and cocoa brings a decadent, lingering warmth. This is not a scent for the faint-hearted; it’s rich, sultry and designed to command attention.
With its stiletto-shaped bottle in a deep red ombré, Very Good Girl Elixir perfectly represents the blend of passion and elegance Herrera has championed for decades.
Herrera’s lasting influence
The brand has proven time and again that she understands women, not just how they want to dress, but how they want to feel. Whether through her couture gowns or her evocative perfumes, her creations empower women to own every facet of themselves.
With Very Good Girl Elixir, Herrera once again redefines modern femininity: bold yet refined, playful yet powerful. For South African fragrance lovers, this is more than a new perfume; it’s an invitation to step into a seductive world, where being good and being bad can smell equally irresistible.
