Fragrance comparison

Gianni vs Initiation

Notes, accords, longevity, sillage, seasons and community ratings, side by side.

Updated 15 Oct 2026 402 ratings analysed

Gianni

Versace

4.25327 votes

Rank #23,989 AmberWarm Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

38%scent match

Some overlap

4 wins

Initiation

Molyneux

4.2375 votes

Rank #13,725 White FloralSweet

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Initiation takes 4 of 7 categories.

Gianni
Choose it for a amber and warm spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter, evening wear.
Initiation
Choose it for a white floral and sweet character. Wins on community sentiment, value for money and versatility. Best in fall, day or night wear.

Gianni3/7

Initiation4/7

Ratings & consensus: Gianni
Community sentiment: Initiation
Longevity: Gianni
Sillage & projection: Gianni
Value for money: Initiation
Versatility: Initiation
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Initiation

Head-to-head breakdown

Every category side by side, with the winner called out.

Fragrance

GianniVersace

InitiationMolyneux

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.25/ 5 · 327 votes

Have 42%Had 21%Want 37%

4.23/ 5 · 75 votes

Have 38%Had 19%Want 43%

Category winnerGianniRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

50%Love

37%Like

3%Ok

9%Dislike

1%Hate

327 votes

40%Love

52%Like

1%Ok

4%Dislike

3%Hate

75 votes

Category winnerInitiationMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity80

〰 Sillage74

♥ Love / hate81

⏱ Longevity66

〰 Sillage56

♥ Love / hate81

Category winners

LongevityGianni

SillageGianni

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value49

¤ Price value81

Category winnerInitiationBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

amber100%

warm spicy92%

white floral84%

woody77%

balsamic69%

earthy61%

white floral100%

sweet92%

woody84%

floral77%

yellow floral69%

animalic61%

Scent match38%Some overlap · both white floral and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = shared

Top15-30 mins

SpicesAldehydesFruity NotesBergamot

Heart2-4 hrs

CarnationTuberoseNarcissusGardeniaOrris RootJasmineLily-of-the-Valley

Base8-12+ hrs

OakmossBenzoinMyrrhIncenseAmberSandalwoodLeatherPatchouli

Top

PeachGardeniaBrazilian RosewoodAldehydesMandarin OrangeBergamot

Heart

TuberoseYlang-YlangRoseNarcissusHeliotropeJasmineCarnationLily-of-the-Valley

Base

HoneyAmberCivetOakmossCoconutPatchouliVetiver

InformationalShared notesAldehydes, Bergamot, Carnation and Tuberose. Durations are only published for Gianni, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring31

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day37

Night100

Spring47

Summer40

Fall100

Winter80

Day100

Night94

Category winnerInitiationMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men2

Unisex34

Women64

Date 38%Party 32%Work 16%Casual 14%

Men0

Unisex10

Women90

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#23,989

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#13,725

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews8

Category winnerInitiationHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Gianni Versace by Versace is a fearless 1981 vintage chypre that refuses to whisper. Do not expect modern sugar. Instead, the first blast hits with brisk aldehydes, sharp bergamot, and pungent dry spices that crackle across the air. As the initial sharpness calms, deep carnation and velvety tuberose merge into a dense…

Reviews →

Initiation by Molyneux is a Oriental Floral fragrance for women. Initiation was launched in 1990. Top notes are Peach, Gardenia, Brazilian Rosewood, Aldehydes, Mandarin Orange and Bergamot; middle notes are Tuberose, Ylang-Ylang, Rose, Narcissus, Heliotrope, Jasmine, Carnation and Lily-of-the-Valley; base notes are Ho…

Reviews →

InformationalRead bothTaste is personal

How we score: ratings blend public fragrance ratings with Fragranxe member votes; longevity, sillage, value and sentiment are community vote scores, and season bars are relative to each fragrance's strongest season. Categories with too little data are shown but not scored. The scent match weighs accord overlap (60%) and shared notes (40%). More in the FAQ.

Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Gianni or Initiation?

Initiation takes 4 of 7 categories. Gianni is rated 4.25/5 from 327 votes; Initiation is rated 4.23/5 from 75 votes. Choose Gianni for a amber and warm spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in winter, evening wear. Choose Initiation for a white floral and sweet character. Wins on community sentiment, value for money and versatility. Best in fall, day or night wear.

Which lasts longer, Gianni or Initiation?

Gianni lasts longest (Gianni 80/100, Initiation 66/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Gianni or Initiation?

Gianni projects furthest (Gianni 74/100, Initiation 56/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Gianni and Initiation smell similar?

Some overlap: a 38% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share white floral and woody accords. Common notes include Aldehydes, Bergamot, Carnation and Tuberose.

Is Gianni or Initiation better for summer or winter?

For summer, Initiation is the stronger pick. For winter, Gianni is the stronger pick. Gianni suits evening wear; Initiation suits day or night wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Gianni and Initiation?

Gianni has top notes of Spices, Aldehydes, Fruity Notes and Bergamot, heart notes of Carnation, Tuberose, Narcissus and Gardenia, a base of Oakmoss, Benzoin, Myrrh and Incense. Initiation has top notes of Peach, Gardenia, Brazilian Rosewood and Aldehydes, heart notes of Tuberose, Ylang-Ylang, Rose and Narcissus, a base of Honey, Amber, Civet and Oakmoss.