Cashmere, Meet Rose: My Take on Donna Karan’s New Cashmere & Rose Absolu

Roses are loud until you wrap them in knit. Donna Karan is betting on that hush with Cashmere & Rose Absolu, the newest floral in the Cashmere Collection. If your heart still warms at the thought of Cashmere Mist and its signature second-skin aura, this feels like the next logical whisper.

Why this matters: the Cashmere universe has always been about texture as much as scent. We’re not talking high-drama oud fireworks or syrupy jam. Absolu here reads as concentration-with-intimacy, the kind of rose that breathes with you rather than announces you from the elevator.

What I’m expecting when I finally sit down with it:

• A petal-rich rose that’s velvety instead of tart.
• Creamy musks and cashmere-soft woods that blur the edges.
• A polished, chilled sheen that keeps it modern, not powdery-grandma.
• Projection that hovers close, with longer cling on knitwear and scarves.

Translation: a rose for people who are over the loud-and-proud trend but still want nuance. This won’t compete with jammy rose-oud blockbusters. It’s more about fabric romance and clean skin warmth. The kind of perfume that makes someone lean in, not step back.

Who will love it:

• Fans of Cashmere Mist looking for a floral counterpart that keeps the house DNA intact.
• Rose wearers bored of fruit-chouli tropes who crave something quieter and tactile.
• Office and travel minimalists who want one bottle that reads pulled-together from morning to late-night emails.

How I’d wear it:

• Over a plain, unscented body cream to amp the plushness.
• On knit cuffs and the inside of a coat collar for that come-closer trail.
• With satin at night for contrast, because soft rose against sleek fabric is a cheat code.

Industry lens: the comfort-luxe tide is in. Texture-first perfumery is outrunning loudness, and Cashmere & Rose Absolu slides neatly into that macro mood. It’s a safe move, yes, but also a smart one if the blend keeps its rose luminous rather than soapy.

Early verdict from the peanut gallery in my head: if they’ve nailed that slipstream between petal and pelt, this could be the rose people who “don’t wear rose” end up finishing. Quiet seduction always travels farther than noise.