10% off with code: FIRST10 Skip to product information
1 of 1
Francesca Bianchi

Francesca Bianchi Insomnia Extrait 30ml

Regular price £98.00
Regular price Sale price £98.00
0% OFF Sold out

Made by Francesca Bianchi (Amsterdam, Netherlands)

Perfumer: Francesca Bianchi

An accord of narcotic flowers, dominated by ylang-ylang and jasmine, evokes the feverish, intellectual beauty of nightlife. A sharp mineral facet recalls the strain in the eyes when the body is asking for sleep, but the mind refuses to surrender. The radiance of the flowers is darkened by deep woods, creating a stark contrast between light and shadow. Finally, a subtle dose of indole introduces an animalic, carnal and ambiguous sensuality, making the accord even more intoxicating and seductive.

Notes—
Top: Bergamot, Black Pepper, Mineral Notes
Heart: Ylang-Ylang, Jasmine, Narcotic Flowers
Base: Sandalwood, Cedarwood, Patchouli, Cypriol, Tonka Bean

Next day delivery available
Standard delivery Royal Mail Tracked 48

Dispatch: 1–2 working days

Tracked service
Royal Mail Next Day Tracked 24

Dispatch: Same working day if ordered before 12pm

Next working day expected, not guaranteed
DPD Next Day DPD Next Day

Dispatch: Same working day if ordered before 12pm

Next working day expected, not guaranteed
Special Delivery Royal Mail Guaranteed by 1pm

Dispatch: Same working day if ordered before 3pm

Guaranteed service, subject to carrier terms

Orders placed after the relevant cut-off, or at weekends, are dispatched the following working day. Working days exclude public and bank holidays. Dispatch estimates are subject to pre-order conditions.

View full delivery information ↗
Free Click & Collect

Collection is available from our studio

1143 Pollokshaws Road, Glasgow G41 3YH

View full Click & Collect information ↗
Quantity
View full details
Francesca Bianchi

Insomnia is about the suspended time of night, and the sense of freedom that comes with the absence of limits and constraints.

Night is like a dark sheet beneath which everything that weighs on us during the day begins to dissolve: routines, deadlines, urgencies, appointments.

At last, while everyone else is asleep, there is nothing left to check on the phone and no emergency that needs to be solved within the next few hours. Being awake at night offers a moment of grace, a form of release from the pressure of the day.
It is a sense of radical freedom, embraced by a welcoming darkness.

Insomnia speaks of the excitement produced by that narcotic, exhilarating sense of freedom that only wakefulness in the stillness of the night can create.
It is the kind of excitement that allows you to develop an artistic project, write a book, or finally dedicate yourself to something personal that has been neglected. Perhaps even an apology that requires a couple of hours of uninterrupted concentration.
Insomnia is the nocturnal time devoted to a conversation with a friend, philosophical or deeply personal, without limits or restrictions. Fatigue begins to set in, but the conversation is far too compelling to end.

Insomnia is also the freedom of spending the night with friends, moving between a laid table and a pub, unconcerned with the passing of time, trying to overcome exhaustion because those moments cannot be repeated and somehow take on the dimension of something infinite.
Nothing banal ever seems to happen in that precious space. Thoughts become sharper and more defined, even as fatigue begins to torment the mind and the eyes. Without the pressure of the clock, the night does not chase you. It envelops you, somewhere between the ecstasy of freedom and the muffled haze of exhaustion.
For me, there is something magical about being awake at night, especially when I am alone. That suspended nocturnal time has an almost sacred quality. The connection with oneself becomes stronger, and the suspension of time creates the feeling of living in a parallel universe.

Insomnia comes from my own experience as a nocturnal creature, particularly during the years when I was working on the first creations of the brand. At the time, I had another job during the day, and the night was the only space left in which I could fully immerse myself in my creative process, in complete freedom and without temporal constraints.

Another reference that enriched the imagery behind this creation is a particular eye makeup that has always fascinated me: a slightly shimmering smoky blue-black look.

To me, it conveys the idea of a glamorous insomnia — a dark-glam nocturnal creature, tired yet still radiating energy.

Alcohol Denat., Parfum, Aqua, Tetramethyl Acetyloctahydronaphthalenes, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Peel Oil, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Benzyl Salicylate, Vanillin, Amyl Salicylate, Limonene, Pogostemon Cablin Oil, Linalyl Acetate, Cananga Odorata Oil/Extract, Benzyl Benzoate, Linalool, Pinene, Jasmine Oil/Extract, Beta-Caryophyllene, Geranyl Acetate, Citral, Terpinolene, Benzyl Alcohol, Farnesol, Isoeugenol, Terpineol, Eugenol, Geraniol, Anethole.

Meet the Maker

Francesca Bianchi

Francesca Bianchi is a self-taught perfumer whose creative path began not in a laboratory but in the world of art. With a background in Art History and early work in art-book publishing, she developed a sensibility rooted in culture, emotion, and aesthetic nuance. A lifelong fascination with scent eventually drew her toward perfumery, and what began as a personal curiosity grew into a vocation. Her artistic training still permeates everything she creates: each fragrance feels less like a product and more like an expressive medium, a way of translating moods, memories, and intimate sensations into olfactory form.

Her creative process is slow, deliberate, and deeply personal. Every perfume starts as an idea — sometimes a state of mind, sometimes an emotional vignette — that she gradually shapes through countless trials. Some formulas come together in months, others take years. Bianchi composes the original perfume concentrate in her Amsterdam laboratory, where she works alone, refining accords until they fully capture her intent. Once the formula is ready, production unfolds across Europe: the concentrate is sent to a small atelier in Grasse for mixing with alcohol, and the fragrance is matured, filtered, bottled, and packaged in Milan. This craft-driven, hands-on process mirrors her philosophy: authenticity over speed, artistry over mass production.

Philosophically, Bianchi treats perfume as an emotional language. She is less concerned with trends or conventional “wearability” than with creating fragrances that provoke feeling. Many of her compositions explore intimacy, vulnerability, sensuality, and nostalgia. She uses both natural materials, which lend complexity and depth, and synthetics, which offer effects nature cannot provide. For her, the choice is never ideological — only expressive. The result is a signature style that is rich, immersive, often animalic, and unmistakably human.

Since launching her house in 2016, Francesca Bianchi has earned a devoted following among niche fragrance lovers. Her perfumes are known for their intensity and evocative storytelling, appealing to those who see scent as an art form rather than an accessory. Early creations such as The Dark Side, Angel’s Dust, and Sex and the Sea helped define her aesthetic: bold yet nuanced, intimate yet expansive. Collectors often describe her work as atmospheric and emotionally charged — the kind of perfume that wears like a narrative rather than a simple blend of notes.

Despite the sensuality and drama of her fragrances, Bianchi maintains a thoughtful approach to ethics and sustainability. She avoids using animal-derived materials such as natural musk or civet, preferring synthetic alternatives that offer similar effects without ethical compromise. She partners with raw-material suppliers who prioritise responsible harvesting and safe working conditions, and she designs her packaging to minimise waste, using recyclable materials and avoiding unnecessary plastic. This balance of luxury and responsibility is central to her vision: a perfume can be indulgent without being careless.

Today, Francesca Bianchi stands as one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary niche perfumery. Her work resonates because it feels honest — rooted in personal expression rather than market formulas. For those drawn to fragrance as a form of art, her perfumes offer depth, complexity, and emotional truth. They are not merely scents to wear, but experiences to inhabit, each one revealing something intimate about the maker and, perhaps, the wearer too.
View Francesca Bianchi Collection
Francesca Bianchi brand image
Meet source media 71498