Kenzo Power Cologne (2009): An 18th Century Twist {New Fragrance} {New Flacon} {Men's Cologne}
Kenzo Parfums is releasing this month a new variation on Kenzo Power (2008) called Kenzo Power Cologne.
Here the term "cologne" is used in the traditional sense of an hesperidic eau as the new flanker attempts to derive inspiration from the 18th century genre by relying on a few key notes....
Natura Brasil Kaiak, Kaiak Aventura (2009) {New Perfumes} {Men's Cologne}
Brazilian beauty and perfume brand Natura Brasil have released two new perfumes for men called Kaiak and Kaiak Aventura.
"With their rich and seductive fragrances and their radiant personalities {who was the advertising genius who first came up with this kind of line?}, the two Kaiak perfumes are an invitation for urban men to be on the move." (My translation).
Kaiak "evokes the freshness of movement in contact with nature that nurtures the spirit." Notes of citruses, aromatics, woods.
Kaiak Aventura is said to be more peppery and woodsy, with citrusy head notes. "Kaiak Aventura keeps a fresh top note but then evokes challenges, surpassing oneself and strong sensations."
No further information on the compositions is provided at this point except that the perfumes are made of 100% biological alcohol.
Frapin L'Humaniste (2009): Clarity is to be Found in a Glass of Wine {Perfume Review} {Men's Cologne}
L'Humaniste is the latest perfume by Parfums Frapin, the perfumery branch of Cognac Frapin. For more background information you can go here as we already reviewed several of their perfumes which are all inspired by a love of wine country and the different facets of wines.
L'Humaniste is a reference in name and composition to Renaissance writer François Rabelais (ca. 1493- 1553) who is an ancestor of the Frapins. He is the son of one Antoine de Rabelais and one Anne Catherine Frapin. The perfume, created by perfumer Sidonie Lancesseur of Robertet, was issued to follow up on the celebration of the 500th anniversary of François Rabelais. Associated with this gesture, Frapin have also launched a luxurious limited edition Cognac bottle called Baccarat Rabelais (see picture on the left) which was presented this year to wine collectors also in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the technique and expression termed La part des anges (lit. the angels' share). As we know, it has now been borrowed as an adapted technique by Thierry Mugler to felicitously, in my opinion, apply to perfume-making and Angel in particular.
The grape harvest just took place in Paris in Montmartre like each year. Grape harvest news have been broadcast since August in France. Wine is one of the jewels of French culture (and exports) and it is therefore always, somehow, interesting to know how wine is doing, will be doing and what people can expect to see poured in their glasses at an ulterior date. To paraphrase Stendhal, like beauty, wine seems to be a promise of happiness in France. The news from the Bordeaux country are excellent (they tend to be always great hence the difficulty to sort out facts per the cited source). But according to Le Monde.fr, Saint-Emilion maker Hubert de Boüar exclaimed with particular enthusiasm this year that,
"J'ai un jeune labrador. C'est la première fois que je le vois croquer à pleine dent dans une grappe de merlot !"
"I have a young Labrador. It is the first time that I see it eagerly bite into a bunch of Merlot!
Wine is in the air and in two new perfume this fall, the other one being Angel Liqueur, which I already mentioned in an earlier post.
The American Line Patton, Devil Dog, Liberty, Stealth, Riptide (2009): Fragrances Dedicated to the Armed Forces {New Perfumes} {Men's Cologne}
A Californian company called Parfumologie came up with the project in 2008 to dedicate an entire line of perfumes to the armed forces of the United States of America. They decided to launch the officially licensed line entitled TheAmerican Line with five masculine fragrances and are planning a similar collection for women in the future. The five colognes introduced with the tag line "Uniquely crafted fragrances for the men of the United States military" are Patton (Army), Devil Dog (Marines), Liberty (Navy), Stealth (Air Force) and Riptide (Coast Guard). 10% of the proceeds for each cologne go to each individual branch and an additional 15% will go to the Veterans Affairs.
The inspiration for American Line is based on real-life face-to-face interviews with dozens of active servicemen and veterans.
"[...] Being sensitive to the feelings of the men and women that the
item represented was a top priority.
From these meetings, Parfumologie learned that the idea had
strong appeal, as long as it was carried out correctly.....
Calvin Klein CK Free for Men (2009): If This Is The Smell of Freedom, I'll Eat My Hat {Perfume Review} {Men's Cologne}
The new CK Freefor Men by Calvin Klein turns out to be a perfectly pleasant, innocuous cologne without any particular personality nor soul to it. It is co-signed by perfumers Ellen Molner and Rodrigo-Flores-Roux of Givaudan who delivered a product rather than a perfume. The eau de toilette seems to be made up of ideas borrowed from Dior Homme (a lesser dose of soft sueded iris here), John Varvatos created by one of the perfumers, Rodrigo Flores-Roux, and the 2007 Man by Calvin Klein. The scent follows the trend of fruity ambers for men that was fresh when CK Man came out.
To paraphrase Brüno, this is sooo the first half of 2009 when all these flocked to the counters with a herding instinct.
In brief, CK Free may be sending you a message of freedom but it is not applying the message to itself, wanting desperately to not offend the largest number of people possible.
In fact, this time the brand explained that they wanted to conquer the US market as the CK fragrances are more popular abroad than at home. This results in an ultra prudent jus trying to blend in maximally in terms of its scent even if the literature surrounding it was made to convey the idea that it is oh-so-daring ...
Parfums de Nicolai Patchouli Homme (2009): More News {New Perfume} {Men's Cologne}
Parfums de Nicolaï introduced their new masculine fragrance called Patchouli Homme yesterday. You can read an earlier teaser about the cologne here.
Patchouli Homme is based on a patchouli-rose accord and is launched with the tag line "Roses for men, why not!". As perfumer Patricia de Nicolaï said,
"Patchouli oil is a raw material of great importance in the perfumer's palette. It plays as first violin in the orchestra. Patchouli has many facets. There is always more to discover its damp, wet, mossy, dry, almost dusty earthiness. It evokes power and depth." ...
Carven "Le" Vetiver Re-Edition (1957/2009): Back to the Vetiver Roots {New Perfume}
The fashion house of Carvenwhich gave in the past the legendary perfume names of Ma Griffe (1946) and Vétiver (1957) will resurrect an authentic version of the classic 1950s men's Vétiver based on the original formula which is now called Le Vétiver, The Vetiver meaning the famous one, the real one, to distinguish it from less qualitative versions still floating about in the market. Carven Vétiver was the first French mainstream vetiver-based masculine fragrance, before Givenchy Vétiver (1059) and Guerlain Vétiver (1961)...
Azzaro will release a new twist on its best-selling classic cologne Azzaro for Men (1978) called Azzaro Elixir for Men. The new version is said to keep the fresh fougère/fern accord but to have supplemented it with warm oriental notes to emphasize the sensuality and mystery of the original fragrance...
To celebrate the 25th anniversary of Parfums Ted Lapidus, the brand is launching a men's fragrance called BlackSoul dedicated to the "neo-dandy who cultivates elegance and sophistication in the minutest details." The scent is further described as an "olfactory ambush", that is, impossible to resist, being built around three distinct main accords that indeed sound like honey traps...
Guerlain will follow up on their masculine launch from last year, Homme, with Homme Intense on September 1, 2009. While the original fragrance is an eau de toilette, the new one is an intensified version at an eau de parfum concentration presented as a more sensual take on the Mojito accord. Reading from the list of notes it appears that patchouli was added as a dominant note...
After launching Zen (2007) (see also here), then Zen White (2009), Shiseido is adding a masculine flanker to the line this time with Zen for Men. The composition is described as being woody with exotic fruity accents and a lingering musky base.
Fruits have become the new hip, metrosexual note in mainstream masculine perfumery so the trend continues with this fragrance...
The ad features models Alexis Papa and Alyssa Miller
Davidoff, who once was better known for their cigarettes,will release a new flanker to their now classic Cool Water (1988) called Hot Water. There have been other flankers in the past but the name this time is an indication of a direct opposition and contrast.
Caroline Epuran d'Esneval, vice president of marketing for Davidoff at Coty Prestige said,
"Cool Water is about a fresh sensation, whereas Hot Water is about intense and sensual ardent physical passion," "Both depict a strong and powerful masculinity."...
Dior will introduce a new, darker, and more intense version of the instantly recognizable men's classic Fahrenheit originally launched in 1988; the new fragrance is called Fahrenheit Absolute. It will be a flanker to both the original floral for men and to a more recent 2007 addition, Fahrenheit 32.
The image that inspires the composition is that of a man departing for an adventure at the end of the earth while walking on magma in fusion...
Aramis, a brand owned by the Estée Lauder Cos. Inc, will introduce a new revamped collection of its men's classics issued between 1974 and 2006 in September-October 2009 called the Gentleman's Collection. The idea behind the line is to offer a wardrobe of scents "each one for a different day, for a different mood." Aramis sees this venture as being in tune with the trend of fragrance collections and multiple launches while at the same time constituting an opportunity to attract new Aramis wearers.
The collection comprises 8 perfumes: Aramis 900 (1974), Devin (1977), JHL (1981), Tuscany Per Uomo (1984), New West for Him (1988), Havana (1994), Aramis Life (2003) and Aramis Always for Him (2006)...
Kylie Minogue initially wanted to create her first men's cologne taking inspiration from her then boyfriend Olivier Martinez. Instead, and due to the vagaries of existence, Inverse bears the touch of her current paramour Andres Velencoso Segura who is fronting the perfume advertising. You can also watch a TV commercial for the cologne here.
Additional information is now available. Inverse will be launched in August 2009. it is a fresh oriental meant to scent "a man with many facets. A man full of contrasts and contradictions" who is one thing and its opposite, hence the name of the perfume...
50 Cent Power (2010} {New Perfume} {Men's Cologne} {Celebrity Scent}
American rapper and actor 50 Cent, born Curtis James Jackson III, is set to launch his debut signature fragrance called Power which is scheduled for a worldwide launch in 2010. Himself a reported user of Creed Imperial, the singer wanted his creation to smell like success and guarantees us that it does...
Hermes Terre d'Hermes Parfum (2009): A First Look at a Masculine Extrait {New Perfume} {Men's Cologne}
The extrait bottle of Terre d'Hermès is a square. It was conceived by Philippe Mouquet, the Hermès in-house designer.
As commented upon earlier today, Hermès is on a path to subtly engineering a mainstream shift in the attitudes towards perfume from men with the upcoming introduction of an extrait version of Terre d'Hermès, a masculine national bestseller in France. It is now several hours later and we received further information that stresses further how the gesture is deliberate yet understated in style.
I remembered in-between posts that Guerlain has not long ago issued an extrait version of a masculine classic, Habit Rouge, also beloved by women. Terre d'Hermès in extrait will have more far-reaching consequences potentially also because it will be much more widely accessible as I learned. If Guerlain has been playing in great part the elitist card to the umptieth degree for many of its recent fragrance launches under the tutelage of LVMH, Hermès is still thinking in terms of affordable luxury and we can hope, affordable beauty ...
Usher VIP (2009): Two Words - Empowerment, Seduction {New Perfume} {Men's Cologne} {Celebrity Scent}
Singer Usher will release a new fragrance, a solo men's fragrance this time called VIP. Its aim? To empower, to seduce. End of story. Or rather it sounds like the beginning of an encounter.
"I consider all of my fragrances tools of engagement for seduction --
but this one demands a different type of attention," "That is part of the
reason I led with the males only with this one -- it is made for a man
but for women to enjoy." [...]...
Tim McGraw Southern Blend (2009): The Essence of the Southern Man {New Perfume} {Men's Cologne} {Celebrity Scent}
Singer Tim McGraw following McGraw in 2008 will launch a second perfume under his name in August 2009 called Southern Blend. That will be two upcoming fragrances by celebrity Southerners with Reese Witherspoon In Bloom which is inspired by the floral scents of the South. In the case of Southern Blend, it is more about being in general simple, unpretentious and virile, the Southern way. In other words and to quote the folk singer, not French,...
Frapin L'Humaniste (2009): An Homage to Rabelais and Humanism {New Perfume} {Men's Cologne}
Parfums Frapin, a perfumery extension of the famous Cognac brand, is launching a new men's perfume called L'Humaniste (The Humanist) as an homage paid to 16th century writer François Rabelais author of Pantagruel, Gargantua and more. The writer, physician and humanist also happens to be an ancestor of the Frapin family.
L'Humaniste is said to represent the essence of a modern-day humanist and to address itself to a man for whom non-material values are more important than banal consumption,...
24 The Fragrance by ScentStory (2009) {New Perfume} {Celebrity Scent} {Men's Cologne}
ScentStory FZE fragrance company in Dubai came up with the idea of creating a perfume inspired by the character of Jack Bauer played by Kiefer Sutherland in the popular television series 24 where each episode is consecrated to narrating one hour in a 24-hour action-packed day. They approached and secured a deal with Twentieth Century Fox Licensing and Merchandising...
Calvin Klein will launch a new men's perfume in September 2009 called CKFree. The scent is meant to rally a lot of people looking for the same thing, or rather escaping from the same reality...by wearing the same cologne. How ironic is it that in order to attempt to flee the daily grind one is invited to wear what sounds like Eau de Grind en Masse. Hope that works,
"CK Free has been created to offer men an everyday escape away from the
daily grind regardless of their age, ethnicity or social status. It's
very democratic."...
Fashion label Express LLC will launch a new men's scent in the second week of July 2009 called Express Reserve. Executive vice president of men's merchandising and design David Kornberg described their first fragrance offspring best,
"It's inspired by our Express man, who is confident, modern, cool and stylish," "The name is about the rare and select nature of the fragrance --
reserve, as it relates to the most coveted and aspirational aspects of
something."...
Editions de Parfums Frederic Malle Geranium pour Monsieur (2009): Brash Masculine Floral or a Green Fougere Gone Black {Perfume Review}
As reported last time, Géranium pour Monsieur is the latest Editions de Parfums launch due out in May 2009. Evolving from a brash and super fresh opening to further green crushed freshness then floralcy and dark woodland obscurity, it is touted as an innovative take on the traditional showcasing of geranium (not the rosy kind, but the green leafy kind), a key note used in masculine colognes called fougeres (fern) in reference to their eponymous ancestor Fougère Royale by Houbigant (1882) a creation by perfumer Paul Parquet made possible thanks to the synthesis of coumarin by Perkin in 1868 with its freshly mown-hay nuance.
In a slight departure from the overall professed unisex creed for the house, it is the third perfume by Frédéric Malle to appear with a more marked masculine persona after Vétiver Extraordinaire and especially French Lover (French-market name)/Bois d'Orage (US-market name)...
Melvita Homme Noix de Muscade et Cardamome (2009) {New Perfume} {Men's Cologne} {Green Products}
Melvita have added a new perfume and their first masculine composition to their range of bio-grade fragrances benefiting from the organic seal approval from Eco-Cert. The scent is called Eau de Toilette Homme Noix de Muscade et Cardamome (Nutmeg and Cardamom) and is part of Les Eaux de Toilette Bio collection....
Stetson All American (2009): The Smell of America's Melting Pot {Perfume Review & Musings}
All American by Stetson
is the latest Stetson cologne to see the bright light of day. In
advertising images, the effort is spearheaded by the persona of
Patriots' quarterback Tom Brady. Nothing unusual so far. Brady,
like actor Brad Pitt, seems to be the very mainstream, and for the most
part, convincing incarnation of the classic All-American folk hero, the
one who seems to have spent his childhood on a Midwestern farm running
on a background of cornfields before reaching for the stars and getting
national attention as the best possible outcome to the popular
successful-story master narrative, with roots.
All American Barn by Marty Martinez
But
what I find truly fascinating about this new mass-marketed cologne is
the way in which the successful contributions to America's perfume
culture that were made in the last few years by celebrities from
minority groups were purposefully taken into account and weaved into
the scent by perfumer Harry Fremont of Firmenich. Just
by reading the PR-released interview with him, I would have never
guessed. In fact I was wondering how to make use of one interview so
controlled was it in its tone, its total lack of spontaneity, a little
bit as if he were answering sitting in a confinement room in the
pressure atmosphere created by two former KGB operatives giving him the
steely eye each time he might be tempted to depart from the official
party line.
All
American is no old-fashioned Stetson cologne, or at least, the idea was
adapted. The idealized cowboy imagery is still up on the new billboards
(the folksy hat is gone but the rancher's gloves remain) but the
perfume itself has already started to smell like a mix of real-life
influences and cues taken from Jennifer Lopez in her most Hispanic phase, Sean John (see review), and Usher. They have all been very successful at impacting America's fragrance culture through the celebrity-perfume niche.
I
am now starting to understand better in what ways celebrity perfume may
not be such a trivial topic as it is helping define America's identity
smell-wise. If you look at celebrity perfume developing as one of the
major entrepreneurial niches for minority celebrities; if you realize
that those celebrities brought different sensitivities to the notion of
a smell-good perfume; if you acknowledge the fact that American
olfactory culture has already been hit by the change...then one better
understands how mass-market gorilla Coty is making a politico-cultural
statement with Stetson All American. I would have never suspected that
so much could arise from the inclusion of a guava natureprint® note
(and other notes) spotted from early on. One could have just imagined a
slightly trendy and forward-thinking fruity men's scent along the lines
of Calvin Klein Man (2007) and The One for Men by Dolce & Gabbana (2008), say...
Editions de Parfum Frederic Malle Geranium pour Monsieur by Dominique Ropion (2009): Bye-Bye Fougere, Hello Geranium {New Perfume} {Men's Cologne}
Since Paul Parquet's Fougère Royale for Houbigant introduced in 1882 which created the abstract proposition of the scent of a fern in a forest thanks in part to the adjunction of the synthetic coumarin, so-called fougere scents have become the signature scent of the masculine half of the population. A classical fougère accord is distinguished by notes of geranium, lavender, oakmoss, coumarin (hay). There are variations and sub-families.
Editions de ParfumsFrédéric Malle has introduced a new perfume composed by perfumer Dominique Ropion (winner of the International Cosmetic Valley Prize 2008) titled Géranium pour Monsieur in both a throwback to those classic men's perfumes linked to memories of his childhood and as a renewed take on them. The name of the scent is a reference to a key component of fougeres, geranium, which is to be found in the heart of the fragrance here together with Rhodinol which keeps only the fresh facets of Chinese geranium, and which Malle calls "fantastic."
A note to readers: many consider press release documents as suspicious literature, I tend to consider them as historic documents and advise skeptics to just read in-between the lines. Of note here is the fact that a trend that has appeared more and more in this type of material but which is shown in full here is a technical detailing of ingredients. Editions de Parfums is taking the lead in going further than most descriptions of perfumes nowadays by giving out not one or two synthetic molecules but a whole list...
Kylie Minogue Inverse (2009): New Men's Fragrance + TV Commercial {Celebrity Perfume}
Kylie Minogue has been putting out a number of perfumes under her name since her debut one Darling in 2006. I have somewhat lost track of all of them because they resemble each others too much in names, colors, concept. When perfumes aim for indifferenciation, or more nicely put, brand cohesion, my brain tends to respond adequately.
Still, I covered two sequels, Sweet Darling (2007) and Showtime (2008). There is also a Sexy Darling and a recent 2009 Couture. Now on to something a little different, I guess...
Baxter of California Bravado 2 & Bravado 3 (2009) {New Fragrances} {Men's Colognes} {Scented Quote of the Day}
American men's grooming company Baxter of California will introduce two new scents from mid-April 2009inspired in name only by the original Bravado cologne launched in the early 1970s. In fact, the new owner Jean-Pierre Mastey knew he didn't want the new Bravados to smell anything like the earlier woodsy-floral cologne which has been retired for 7 years. He turned to fragrance supplier Belmay who blended the original to archive Bravado and create 2 and 3.
Bravado 2 and Bravado 3 are described as being both "...light and sophisticated scents designed to fringe on unisex."...
Yves Saint Laurent La Nuit de L'Homme (2009) {Perfume Review} {New Fragrance} {Celebrity Juice}
La Nuit de L'Homme by Yves Saint Laurent is the latest men's fragrance to be issued by a brand that has shown in the past that it could create some fascinating masculine compositions even and especially when you were not necessarily going to wear them. But at least scents such as Kouros and M7 made you, arguably, pay attention and L'Homme is, for all of its popularity, somewhat edgy. The new La Nuit de l'Homme (The Night of the Man) on the other hand is safe, oh-so-safe a launch in a time of recession and a big let-down in terms of creativity although it can still pretend to the designation of "sent-bon" (a smell-good scent), undeniably and unsatisfactorily so. Three obstacles were not surmounted it seems: 1) being an interesting flanker 2) being a celebrity scent that made sense when compared to the person embodying it 3) managing to add a big dose of warm oriental amber without losing all of its edge as that scent is so round and skin-friendly.
To refresh our memories we can turn again to the original L'Homme which I reviewed last week and which reveals itself to be a much more interesting concept with its central duetto of bilge and
florals, like a gentler, more pastel version of Sécrétions Magnifiques.
Its transparent fruity undertones, including a trace of cool cucumber, make for a
more complex, aerial blend than LNDLH. Although on a blotter the new
La Nuit de L'Homme seemed in the first moments to project a stronger personality than its progenitor, on the longer run
it turns out to be a more mechanical and conventional version of a
masculine perfume. It is the difference between showing off and imparting a smidgeon of inner life to your perfume.
The obvious structural difference to my perception is that the new
flanker went by a pattern, re-utilizing, the skeleton of L'Homme but
emptying it of its inspiration and originality and decided to
incorporate a twist. That new element is noteworthy in and of itself, or
rather noticeable, but creativity was very limited. La Nuit de l'Homme is a true commercial flanker,
unlike, for example the very personal Kelly Calèche EDP 2009 which is
based on a perfumer's leitmotivs and feels authentic using the flanker
category as a vehicle for personal variations rather than appearing to think in
terms of mechanically applied "codes".
You know when you read the word "code" all over the
place that the marketing forces had a heavy hand in the design of the
scent and in this case the perfumers complied, a little too obediently. If sometimes, you are delighted to find the perfumer(s) using a secret language in her or his composition to say something a little more interesting than found in the official spiel, here it looks like they went by the marketing book. The trio of noses are the same ones that worked on L'Homme: Pierre Wargnye, Anne Flipo, andDominique Ropion...
Yves Saint Laurent L'Homme (2006): Modern Man in a Museum {Perfume Review}
L'Homme by Yves Saint Laurent was released in 2006 and has become a bestseller. It is ranked as the 6th most sold men's fragrance in France. The jus benefited from ample advertising budgets as well as the contributions of actor Olivier Martinez as the celebrity face of the scent. The talent of architect Jean Nouvel was added to the mix for a limited-edition bottle shaped as a homage to the male member (officially it is a test tube on a base). The tapping into the nuts-bolts-and-screws imagery obviously was a hit in general, with a bottle design inspired by the Bauhaus aesthetics.
The cologne also arrived in a context where the simple name "L'Homme" was still capable of sounding distinctive and ear-catching a year after Dior Homme breathed new life into the masculine world of fragrances thanks its overdosed floral iris accord imagined by perfumer Olivier Polge (the sleek design-conscious packaging by Hedi Slimane counted as well to define the identity of the Dior perfume). Since then, numerous men's colognes touting a spare manhood label have been added to the point of drowning that sense of being simply a man's fragrance and standing apart thanks to a lack of fussiness. Sensing this, Yves Saint Laurent just released a more narrative flanker cologne titled La Nuit de L'Homme as a sequel to L'Homme (our review of the new scent is up next)...
Lanvin L'Homme Sport (2009): Fronted by Rafael Nadal {New Fragrance} {Celebrity Men's Cologne - Adverts}
As announced previously, Lanvin is counting on the celebrity-recognition effect of world champion Rafael Nadal to promote their new men's scent called L'Homme Sport by Lanvin. It can be hard sometimes for consumers to orient themselves in the maze of L'Homme and Sport-tagged masculine fragrances so it is almost an obligatory step for companies to choose a unique differentiating element in their advertisements, at least....
The Sex Factor in Men's Fragrances: 11 Best & Hottest Men's Colognes - Part 2 {The Fragrance List}
Life is paradoxical. After coming up with my list of sexiest men's fragrances in 10 minutes or so, it took me several days to be able to focus again on publishing it. Meanwhile, I wrote about why my list was not ready for publication yet some ideas around why a man needs a woman to help him choose those steamy scents in Part 1.
I toyed with the idea of adding a couple of perfumes but decided to stick to the original list after re-smelling Jules by Dior, a once-very-sexy scent for me that seems to have lost that character. And If I did not think about it immediately, I suppose it means that it did not leave such a mark on my psyche.
So, here is my list composed on an instinctual level. If I happen on other particularly sexy scents for men, I will make sure to add a part 3, part 4 etc....
Different Kinds of Sexy:
• Plain Sexy: Kenzo Jungle pour Homme. I don't know exactly how it manages to do that and I don't really want to know, but it's a scent that readily plants a masculine atmosphere of woods and a sensual aura of virility. Not all woods are very masculine, you realize, some just smell like the timber with which lumberjacks are associated. With Kenzo Jungle pour Homme, there is like a masculine holographic presence materializing at your side, the palpable ghost of a man. It smells like the effect of "a boyfriend's tee-shirt."
• Sexy-Sweaty(Sexy-Hot): Eau d'Hermès. The scent of a lupanar sold by a very chic house so it's okay and your good taste and good morality won't be questioned. I still can't believe my nose that such an indecent perfume is available on the market and not even safely tucked away in a niche perfumery brand. As soon as you wear it, you will feel as if all your clothes had fallen at your feet and you are tripping on rumpled bedsheets. The key note of cumin gives it a very frank sweaty and naughty vibe...
Byredo Fantastic Man (2009) {New Perfume} {Men's Cologne}
The Dutch men's magazine Fantastic Man, "A gentleman's style magazine", has inaugurated a collaboration with niche perfumery newcomer Byredo parfums to create an eponymous scent called Fantastic Man. The composition, an "eau de cologne" is said to be the result of the collaboration between Byredo founder Ben Gorham working together with designer Jop Van Bennekom and journalist Gert Jonkers, the creators of FM.
Fantastic Man features notes of bergamot, star aniseed, cardamom, geranium, incense, lavander, vetyver, moss and patchouli.
The world-exclusive launch will take place at Colette in Paris, France on March 9, 2009.
DKNY Men (2009): Inspired by New York & a Redux {New Perfume} {Men's Cologne}
Donna Karan New York is preparing to launch a new men's perfume called DKNY Men. Although this is not advertised, another DKNY Men was introduced in 2000 which is discontinued now but still available at discount stores online.
The new DKNY Men is described as a citrus, floral, and woody scent (the old one had facets of lavender, amber, spices, and woods). It was created by perfumers Alberto Morillas and Harry Fremont over the course of more than a year.
Donna Karan said,
"DKNY Men is all about the man and the city. It takes a certain kind of
guy to live and thrive in New York [and] I wanted a scent to speak to
his unique style and strength. That is why we chose Mark Vanderloo to
represent both DKNY fashion and fragrance. He embodies the DKNY Man."...
Mark Vanderloo in the 1990s and at the DKNY Celebrates 20 Years at The Tent, Bryant Park on September 7, 2008 in New York City with ex-wife actress Esther Canadas.
Stetson All American (2009): Fronted by Tom Brady {New Perfume} {Men's Cologne}
Coty is going to launch a new Stetson cologne targeting younger men called All American in March of 2009. Coty want to reach out to consumers aged between 25 and 35 while at the present their typical client is 35+. This move is aimed at consolidating their leadership position in the mass market as Stetson is placed # 1 in the US mass-market brand.
What values the All American young male is supposed to embody?
"We see the All American man as an adventurous, rugged, masculine man who is a risk taker."
The new juice was devised by perfumer Harry Fremont of Firmenich and is classified as an aromatic and woody scent...
John Varvatos Artisan (2009): The Call of Tradition {New Perfume}
John Varvatos will introduce in February 2009 its third masculine fragrance called simply Artisan with the tag line: "The Past and the Future, Artfully Interwoven." The perfume flask is encased in a beautiful hand-made and distressed rattan outer-covering in reference to antique perfume casings. When the pace of the economy is slowing down, how appropriate and psychologically astute isn't it to turn to the soothing feeling of a simpler and slightly more bucolic past?
The citrus composition is by perfumer Rodrigo Flores-Roux, who also created the two previous men's colognes for the brand, John Varvatos and Vintage. According to Nicholas Ratut of JV Fragrance & Skincare, a division of Shiseido,
"We feel there's nothing industrial or corporate about this fragrance; it's very classic, but with a twist."...
Diesel Only The Brave (2009): Fist-Bump with your Cologne {New Perfume}
After the huge success of Fuel for Life, Diesel has imagined a completely different scent housed in an unconventional figurative bottle for its new men's cologne named Only The Brave. The flacon represents a clenched fist with a two-finger ring inspired by Diesel founder Renzo Rosso's holding company and charity foundation both called Only The Brave as well as his own two initial R & R tattoos on the hand. L'Oréal reportedly asked him for something a little extra personal to help construct the identity of the new perfume and these are the insignia both parties came up with. Rosso also hopes to build awareness for his charity foundation through the perfume and has promised to unveil a major charity project in a year or so.
The new masculine cologne is described as being artsy and virile in spirit, going three ways as far as the fragrance personality goes: oriental, woody, and leathery...
Yves Saint Laurent La Nuit de l'Homme (2009): The Nocturnal Side of l'Homme {New Perfume} {Celebrity Fragrance} {Men's Cologne}
As previously announced, Yves Saint Laurent will launch a new masculine perfume on March 2, 2009 fronted by French actor Vincent Cassel. In an interview the thespian gave the Votre Beauté magazine of February 2009, we learn that the new jus is called La Nuit de l'Homme (lit.The Night of the Man), a new installment in the L'Homme franchise the latter still being fronted by actor Olivier Martinez....
Leonard Homme (2008) {New Perfume} {Men's Cologne}
Léonard has introduced a new men's cologne called Léonard Homme.
Lately, and since the successes of Dior Homme (2005) and Yves Saint Laurent L'Homme (2006), "homme" has become the best name in town for a men's scent.
London-based niche perfumeryOrmonde Jayne has introduced a new men's perfume called Zizan. It is the eleventh composition by perfumer and owner Linda Pilkington and her third men's cologne after Ormonde Man and Isfarkand.
The new scent rests on a main vetiver and citrus accord and aims to be rich and complex enough to be entirely satisfying on its own - no suggestion of layering here as you can see, and in fact, quite the reverse,
"Zizan, a perfume like no other because it has everything a man could possibly want in a single spectacular scent. This is a powerhouse perfume."...
Yves Rocher, after releasing a collection of re-editions for women from their archives in 2007, have now turned their attention to discontinued men's scents. This fall three colognes can be found anew on the shelves of the Yves Rocher boutiques*: Antartic (1990), Aztec (1993), Trimaran (1985)...
Penhaligon's has commissioned a reinterpretation of its classic men's rose fragrance Hammam Bouquet first issued in 1872. For doing so they have turned to none other but to mistress of pale watery effects, vapory H20 and subtle nuances of life perfumer Olivia Giacobetti (she is known for collection interesting smells in tight-shut jars). The end-result is an opulent oriental incorporating a realistic hammam-atmosphere touch, that of the perfumery rendition of steam as revealed by the presence of a note of "eucalyptus steam"...
Salvatore Ferragamo F pour Homme Black (2009) {New Perfume} {Men's Cologne}
Italian luxury shoe designer Salvatore Ferragamo will launch a new masculine scent called F pour Homme Black in February 2009. It is said to be a more intense twist on F pour Homme and is designed to be easily worn in the evenings.
One can only appreciate the way the ad makes a statement about the kind of men it targets in not-so-many-words, by just offering a sartorial hint that seems to say, if you like to dress this way (the in, clean and stylish look with a dash of romanticism for the 30 something urbanites who read men's fashion magazines), then I am the one for you ...
Tony Sirico Paolo Per Uomo (2008): The Sopranos' Touch {New Perfume} {Men's Cologne} {Perfume Ads}
As a follow-up to our initial announcement, here is a sneak peek at the advert for the upcoming new cologne inspired by actor Tony Sirico titled Paolo Per Uomo (Paul or Paulie for Men). It is inspired by his Soprano character Paulie Walnuts. The tag line is: "Make it known you mean business."...
Not everyone can be Hugh Hefner and he understands that. But you can get the Word translated into perfume and spread the message around. Sex guru, eye-candy master and lifestyle coach Hefner has launched a series of four perfumes for men destined to awaken your desires and those of your elected partners while teaching a lesson on life. The latter part seems as important as the first and that is to learn to play the Hefner way, meaning living your own personal dreams and, very importantly, leaving as little as possible to chance. This venture comes as Playboy has been experiencing financial difficulties due to a drop of circulation of their magazine, but no one can deny the major impact Playboy has had on pop culture.
Hollywood Playboy, Vegas Playboy, Miami Playboy and Malibu Playboy, developed by Coty Inc., are all meant to capture a different type of man, each associated with the spirit of a particular place known for its high-living style...
Amouage Lyric for Man (2008): Unusual Rose {Perfume Review & Musings} {New Fragrance} {Rose Notebook} {Men's Cologne}
Lyric for Man by Amouage
The Skinny:
Perfumer: Daniel Visentin Artistic Director: Christopher Chong Gender label: masculine, but easily adopted by women Notes: top: bergamot, lime; heart: rose, angelica, orange blossom, green galbanum, spicy ginger, nutmeg, saffron; base: pine, sandalwood, vanilla, musk, frankincense Characteristics: a fresh and warm, dark and transparent green spicy rose oriental fragrance with a sustained aqueous facet and discreet powdery one. Personality: subtle, elegant, offbeat Wearability: very easy for a woman, easy for a man Price point: $$$; worth it. Exceptional lastingness and diffusion Bottle: an almost black-red glass (darker than on the picture) and a lighter black plastic cap than on the women's flacon but without feeling flimsy. Here the Swarovski crystal appears on the face of the cap and a crown motif appears on a metal appliqué on top of the cap. Perfumes discussed: Penhaligon's Hammam Bouquet, Czech and Speake No. 88, Un Jardin Après La Mousson, Fabergé Brut, Yves Saint Laurent Paris, Lyric for Woman, Yohji Homme.
Lyric Rose, The Men's Version, and Gender
Amouage, as is their habit, launched at the same time a duo of fragrances for women and men which in this case turns out to be a dual homage paid to the rose. They being a perfume house shaped by the culture of the Middle East (and that of Oman in particular), it was interesting for me to anticipate how the creative team would work on a masculine version of a rose perfume that would be made, in principle, to stand a few degrees of virility apart from the feminine version while, one could surmise, taking into account the cultural heritage of the rose traditionally considered to be a popular scent in Arabic men's perfumes. By opposition, modern Western perfumery broadly defined tends to interpret the lushness and floralcy of the rose scent, whenever it is showcased prominently, to be women's appanage; it was not so in the 19th century (see for example the literally sulfurous Penhaligon's Hammam Bouquet) and even today Czech & Speake No. 88, a men's perfume showcasing a dark even sombre incensey rose belying these proclivities. It may be due perhaps both thanks to the colonial history of Great Britain and the country's traditional inclination for floral fragrances including soliflores that this cultural perception of the intensity of the rose otto was never completely forgotten. For it is a given that the rose in such cases will be masculinized.
The Western history of beauty reinforces the feminine attributes of the rose as this most desired and cultivated of flowers has been made to become in the end a stereotypical symbol of feminine beauty since the antiquity when the rose was sacred to Aphrodite. In the Islamic tradition however, the rose's aroma has been exoterically endowed with religious meaning, and if there is any gender association, it might be considered to be just as masculine as feminine through its connection with the figure of the Prophet Mohammad. It is thus said that the emanations of the rose are derived from the very sweat of the Prophet who invites "whoever" wishes to smell his person to drink it in. According to this tradition he expresses his own transfigurative mystical experience by referring to the intoxicating olfactory power of the rose, pointing at the same time possibly to a favorite perfumery accord: rose and musk,
"When I was taken up into heaven, some of my sweat fell upon the earth, and from it sprang the rose; and whoever would smell my scent, let him smell the rose."
The mystical use of the rose trope to express the exquisiteness and ineffability of the divine, further popularized by images of Sufi poetical transcendance. It carries therefore a priori an universalistic message despite the fact that Arabian feminine beauty, as in the West, is also unavoidably and classically compared to that of the rose. Of the rightly-named Rose-in-Bloom in the 1001 Nights, it is thus said that
"her name was Rose-in-Bloom; and the reason of her being so named was her excessive delicacy of beauty and her elegance."...
October rose by Catmadogma: this picture is cool and warm like the perfume with a similar effect of watery transparency
Dior Homme Sport (2008): Red Hots & Jude Law {New Fragrance} {Men's Cologne}
Dior just launched a new cologne for men (in France) called Dior Homme Sport avowedly destined to rope in a younger consumer, aged 25 to 40, as well as a more international audience. The brand decided to achieve this goal by resorting to a gourmand connotation as well as to freshness, the latter interpreted as being a more accessible trait in fragrances. It will be introduced more widely at the end of August and in September 2008.
The beautiful transparent, red and black packaging, which caught my eye earlier on, on Sephora.fr contains a jus described as being both red hot and fresh, inspired by a "red pepper candy" that perfumer and director of olfactive development François Demachy found in the US, some kind of Atomic Fire Balls, Red Hots or Hot Tamales, one can only guess (no brand names were given out)
"The original idea was to transcribe the sensation of eating the
candies," he explained. "Paradoxically, there's the fact that they are
very peppery, very burning, but give a fresh effect simply because one
is obliged to breathe very deeply."..
Perry Ellis for Men (2008) {Perfume Review} {Men's Cologne}
The new Perry Ellis for Men by Perry Ellis represents an avowed effort on the part of the brand to go upscale under the aegis of its new owner since 2007, the Falic Fashion Group LLC. This evolution is immediately noticeable in the design of the bottle which is more soigné; it aims to convey a sense of luxury through the heaviness of the glass flacon especially (it is very heavy) - the cap is made of composite wood and the strap is a nice modernist touch and apparel reference but the metallic details could have been of better quality it seems; then the advertising is aspirational in two senses: both in the sense of presenting an image of luxurious lifestyle somewhere on the Italian coast, but also in making more democratically reference to a carefree summer holiday atmosphere; finally, the character of the jus itself comes across as life-affirming, frank, relaxed, sensual, devoid of complexes - the designers who mothered the scent do not hesitate to underline "...a bright freshness with commercial appeal."
Perry Ellis for Men makes you think of a smiling, charming beau gosse who could not care less about what is in and what is out because every clothes fall great on his frame. The fragrance has an easy, smooth charm while being masterfully blended; it obviously did not torture itself about being avant-garde, edgy, or even trendy. It takes a well-tested classic persona of citrus + spices + woods + amber forming a fresh and warm contrast, but manages to impose its personality thanks to the quality of the treatment by perfumer Mathilde Bijaoui who reveals her finesse and a very good sense of balance....
Image from the photo shoot for the advertising for Perry Ellis for Men - model is Nir Lavi
Lalique White (2008) {New Fragrance} {Men's Cologne} - Thierry de Baschmakoff at Lalique {Fragrance News}
Crystal-maker Lalique will launch a new fragrance for men called Lalique White, first next week, exclusively at Harrods in London, and then worldwide in September 2008. The US and Middle East will only discover it in 2009.
The scent is described as a fresh hesperidic perfume and was composed by perfumer Christine Nagel who reportedly was interested in bringing out the fresh, cool facets of spices.....
NoBs Alpha Male Fighter (2008): No B.S. Be A Man! & Become No B.S. Girl of the Year {New Fragrance} {Men's Cologne}
NoBs Alpha Male is a fragrance company founded in 2007 entirely dedicated to catering to the perfume needs of a forlorn minority, the alpha males. In the midst of a gender-bending age, someone had to shout enough is enough. Within this brand universe "Metrosexual" is considered a dirty word. As stated, "NoBs Alpha Male is a company of, by, and for the alpha male".
We got a comment and advertising tag under our recent post about men's perfume ads, saying "NoBs Alpha Male has come out with a fragrance for Alpha Males, called Fighter, no mixed messages; smell great, and smell like a man. We agree, men want to look at women, not other men." We went to take a look at their website and it is pretty single-minded and picturesque.....
Kenzo Kenzo Power (2008): Trendy Masculinity By Way of Muji {Perfume Review} {Men's Cologne}
Kenzo Power by Kenzo, which rhymes with Kenzo Flower no doubt for harmonizing branding purposes, is destined to be the masculine counterpart to their best-seller feminine scent created by Alberto Morillas in 2000. Like its predecessor, the upcoming Power to be launched in August 2008, takes as source of inspiration the imagined scent of a flower.
In the case of Kenzo Flower what served as support for poetic license was a scentless red poppy dear to the heart of designer Kenzo; in the case of Kenzo Power the fictionalized floral reference dissolves further into the vagueness of a non-entity just described as an "imaginary flower".
Olivier Polge is the perfumer behind Kenzo Power. He is also the creator of Dior Homme, Guerlain Cuir Beluga, Dior Pure Poison, Victor & Rolf Flowerbomb, among others.
Masculines Are Hot
The new Kenzo Power, beyond the in-house reference, appears to be part of new trendy generation of floral compositions for men that were recently reintroduced with some fanfare by Jean Paul Gaultier with Fleur du Mâle (Flower of the Male), a masculine scent centering on orange blossom created by Francis Kurkdjian. If floral notes never really took the exit door of men's fragrances following the prim flowery 19th century filled with gentlemen sporting flowers in their buttonholes and scented with rose at their barber shops, they could be showcased more or less, and as recently experienced, readily flaunted for their modern metrosexual connotations rather than hid as sub-virile. Thus contemporary dandies have pointedly been invited to reconsider their options......
Guerlain Homme (2008) {New Fragrance} {Men's Cologne}
Guerlain is preparing to launch a new perfume for men starting in August 2008 called unequivocally Homme.
The brand owned by LVMH has the ambition of making it a pillar fragrance on a similar standing as L'Instant and has invested in it accordingly. The main concept is that this man recognizes that he has a dual nature, both human and animal.......
Paco Rabanne 1 Million (2008) {New Fragrance} {Men's Cologne}
Fashion designer Paco Rabanne known for his daring use of metals in the 1960s-1970s on fashion runways as well as for his life-long interest in astrology and numerology is bringing together these two sources of inspiration in a new fragrance for men to be launched in August 2008 called 1 Million.
The new cologne is said to feature a coppery note seldom used in men's perfumes and is packaged in a spray bottle looking like a gold bar.....
Airness Instinct Cool, Instinct Musk, Instinct Power & More Instincts (2008) {New Fragrances} {Men's Colognes}
Ex-boxer Malamine Koné the founder of sportswear brand Airness, reported to be the # 1 French sportswear brand, has partnered up with L'Oréal to propose a new line of 3 Eaux de Toilette and 3 déoparfums for men.
The perfumes are called Instinct Cool, Instinct Musk, and Instinct Power while the deo-perfumes are titled Instinct Urban, Instinct Deep, and Instinct Fresh. They were developed by perfumers usually working for the prestige fragrance sector but will be marketed as masstige products.....
Surf and lifestyle Australian brand Quicksilver is launching their first fragrance, a masculine cologne, this summer called Quicksilver. It follows their sister brand Roxy's two women's perfumes Roxy and Roxy Love. As a "transgenerational" fragrance Quicksilver aims to reach a broad audience while reportedly leaning towards the 15-35 years old demographic.
The perfume was created by Antoine Lie and Antoine Maisondieu of Givaudan (they are known in particular for their co-signed creations for niche brand Etat Libre d'Orange).....
Porshe Design The Essence (2008) {New Fragrance} {Men's Cologne}
Porsche Design as the result of a joint effort between Groupe Clarins and the Porsche SE subsidiary will launch a new masculine fragrance in October of 2008 called The Essence. It is reported to have been originally inspired by a single molecule named "Artical" which has the property of conveying a sensation of extreme freshness without the usual reference to a marine atmosphere. In this case the freshness alluded to is that of the North Pole.
Historically this is very interesting as it is not a first despite the forward-sounding name of the molecule; the classic Chanel No. 5 is also said to have been partly inspired by the sensation of freshness experienced by its perfumer Ernest Beaux while in the vicinity of a lake in the Arctic region.......
Jennifer Lopez Deseo for Men (2008) {New Fragrance}
Jennifer Lopez is adding a masculine scent to her portfolio this September of 2008, for the very first time. Following this spring-and-summer Deseo for women, the new scent, Deseo for Men, represents an effort to broaden the appeal of the brand and challenge its creativity......
Ferre Acqua Azzurra for Men (2008) {New Fragrance} {Men's Cologne}
Ferre has launched a new perfume titled Acqua Azzurra for Men. The perfume which is described as being woody and fresh with a salty and aqueous accord in the base was created by nose Mark Buxton.....
Tim McGraw McGraw (2008) {New Fragrance} {Celebrity Perfume} {Men's Cologne}
Country singer Tim McGraw is set to launch his first signature perfume called McGraw in August of 2008. The simple rather virile name of the fragrance already sets the tone,
"Tim resonates with the American consumer — he is admired not only for being a great musician, but also for being a great husband [to Faith Hill] and father [of three]. We see this as one of the most significant mass market fragrance launches since [Coty launched] Celine Dion five years ago.".....
Dolce & Gabbana The One for Men (2008) {Perfume Review} {New Fragrance} {Men's Cologne}
The latest Dolce & Gabbana The One for Men is said by Gabbana to be an all-man's perfume, "I wanted to create a real man's fragrance" and the designer according to WWD emphasized the word "uomo" in the conversation. The ad fronted by Matthew McConaughey in the role of a (fully-dressed for once) Latin-inspired masculine icon was photographed by Jean-Baptiste Mondino. A micro site was set up to promote the new cologne.
The One for Men is a warm, sweet and fruity tobacco perfume in the oriental genre. The brand describes it as "a spicy, oriental perfume developed on the harmony of tobacco with refined boisé notes". The flacon is meant to directly reflect the fashion sense of the brand as "the proportions of the bottle recall a tailor suit made by the fashion house" (see also Narciso Rodriguez for Him).
Noteworthy points are the fact that the scent emphasizes the fruity tonality - less common a phenomenon for masculine fragrances than for feminine ones currently (see Calvin Klein Man) - and that you can find a well-developed quote in the heart from a famous discontinued Italian oriental classic.......
Ted Lapidus Altamir (2008): The Trail of Orange Blossom {New Fragrance} {Men's Cologne}
Fashion design brand Ted Lapidus has released a new masculine perfume called Altamir. The scent is described as an oriental featuring a delicate yet intense note of orange blossom further encased in an orange-y accord.
Last year, Jean Paul Gaultier put the spotlight on this floral note in his (officially) gender-bending masculine fragrance, Fleur du Mâle....
Thierry Mugler AngelMen Pure Coffee is a new interpretation of Angel Men launched in 1996, four years after the original women's Angel which revolutionized our perception of the seductive oriental fragrance by pulling all the stops on extreme edible sensations such as chocolate, honey, and caramel but darkened and turned into a dusky-voiced femme fatale thanks to indomitable notes of patchouli. Shalimar had met its match in gourmand and alluring shock-value nearly seventy years later. One can well imagine that smelling the overdose of vanilla in Shalimar in the 1920s when Vanillin was but an unfamiliar sensation in the world of fragrances must have been the equivalent of inhaling Angel in the 1992 and finding it curiously voluptuous, intense, and almost edible.....
Fashion brand Izod is launching a new men's signature fragrance called Izod, targeting the 18-35 year-old market. For a month, it will be sold exclusively at Nordstrom......
Unforgivable Black & Unforgivable Woman Black (2008) {Perfume Reviews} {New Fragrances}
Unforgivable Black and Unforgivable Woman Black by Sean John are the two latest additions to the Sean John perfume portfolio. His debut scent was Unforgivable for Men in 2006 which was a commercial success earning the brand $150 million globally.
Last year Sean Diddy Combs also designed a women's version of Unforgivable, which he noted had nothing to do with the original men's version except for a subtle "synergy note" of bergamot as he wanted the feminine scent to stand on its own. He told Women's Wear Daily,
"I didn't want to take the easy way out as far as just making a feminine version of the men's. Women and men are totally different. I like a woman to smell like a woman, and a man to smell like a man."
After everyone has had time to take in this statement and digest it, we can point out that this time the Black duo takes the synergy route that was rejected the first time around. The two perfumes are very much two birds of the same feather but this time they seem to belong to one of those species of birds where the male's plumage is more colorful than the female's one due to male active sexual competition over female mates......
David Beckham Instinct After Dark (2008) {New Fragrance} {Celebrity Perfume} {Men's Cologne}
Coty will release a new limited edition fragrance as part of the David Beckham Instinct franchise inaugurated in 2005. The new scent is called Instinct After Dark,
"Intinct After Dark, according to various report, opens with sparkling, tangy-fresh citrus notes of grapefruit, Italian bergamot and mandarin leaf. The middle note is pure elegance with pimento, star anise and cardamom, culminating in the magnetic sensuality of vanilla and white amber."....
Avon & Ungaro U for Her & Him (2008) {New Fragrances} {Men's Cologne}
Following the developments of higher profile fragrances in collaboration with luxury designers Christian Lacroix for Rouge and Noir and Cynthia Rowley for Flower and Petal, Avon will now offer a new duo of perfumes created in partnership with couturier Emmanuel Ungaro from August of 2008.
The fragrances are called UngaroU for Her and U for Him, not to be confused with last year's Ungaro by Ungaro fragrance bottled in a U-shaped flacon.....
Sean John Unforgivable Woman Black & Unforgivable Black (2008) {New Fragrances} {Men's Cologne}
Sean John is releasing a new limited Collector's Edition of a duo of fragrances in April of 2008 called Unforgivable Woman Black and Unforgivable Black. The news have not just to do with the packaging which is now all lacquered black but with the more luxurious renditions of the perfumes themselves for which "...only the most premium and luxurious ingredients were used..."
The new fragrances are "extracted and re-created from the original Unforgivable" using top grade quality ingredients labeled "Orpur". As stated by the press officer, "Orpur ingredients are naturally grown and harvested to the strictest standards, causing the fragrance to have a concentrated and intense scent.".......
Dirty English has been identified by Nash-Taylor of Juicy Couture as a cross between the influences of her own Anglomania (she is married to John Taylor of Duran Duran), Skaist-Levys’ “CZ Guest Style”, a dash of punk (Sex Pistols) while its style (the bottle's?) borrows from their flagship store located on Rodeo Drive. She also promised that, "Any self-respecting bad boy will want to wear it." (Women’s Wear Daily)
The name of the perfume is immediately catchy and if we were to start drawing a list of The Best of 2008, it would have to be nominated under the category "Best Fragrance Name". It actually makes you want to create the category. The first whiff from the bottle promises the scent to be less than pale. It is sweeter and more heavily resinous than average.
The perfume turns out to be a noteworthy twist on a traditional woody-leathery-tobacco scent for men with fresh fougere accents. It demonstrates how you can play with the idea of excess without being excessive in reality. Its most traditional facet suggests the suave after-shave of a gentleman frequenting the requisite club with all the necessary trappings of leather furniture, books and polished woods with beeswax that one would expect. This is deemed an ideal by many and it is a comfortable one. Its more adventurous facet is a humorous and sensual play on the notion of human foulness and extreme bodily exhalations as it plays with the notion of dirtiness but ultimately and paradoxically in a clean and allusive way. This Englishman is indeed a bit dirty and it is not just a play on words but really a play on olfactory sensations......
Hugo Boss Boss Pure (2008) {New Fragrance} {Men's Cologne}
After having mostly focused on aromatic fougères, Hugo Boss will launch a new cologne for men called Boss Pure, which is inspired by the abstract smell of water and classified as a fresh scent. Reportedly, fresh perfumes are popular enough to constitute 45% of the men's market....
Tonino Lamborghini Mitico, Feroce, Forza (2008) {New Fragrances} {Men's Colognes}
Tonino Lamborghni, the prestigious Italian car brand, has signed a deal with Coty to release three new colognes for men in April of 2008 titled Mitico, Feroce, Forza. Each will illustrate a different fragrance family....
Cacharel Amor Pour Homme (2006) "Men's Rose" {Perfume Review} {Men's Cologne} {Smell-The-Roses-Till-Valentine's Day Challenge - Day 13}
Amor Pour Homme by Cacharel was composed by perfumer Sophie Labbé together with Pierre Wargnye in 2006. Thanks to 22 Perfumers in Creation by Clara Molloy, we learn that just like for her other fragrances, the perfumer used a code name to inspire her efforts and in this case it was "Men's rose", in English, that she repeated to herself from time to time to keep her eyes on the prize.
Labbé also further explains that when the idea came to her (date unspecified), it was difficult to impose this concept of a floral for men, which literally obsessed her, but that after Dior Pour Homme, which was released in 2005, this concept of a paradoxical fragrance for men based on a flower - a note commonly perceived as being feminine in Western perfumery culture - became much more established. We have to understand that this remark applies essentially to the mainstream market.
Thus in 2005, there was an iris for men, in 2006 a rose for men, and in 2007, an orange blossom for men with Fleur du Mâle by Jean-Paul Gaultier.......
L'Artisan Parfumeur Voleur de Roses (1993): An Earthy Masculine Rose {Perfume Review} {Men's Cologne} {Smell-The-Roses-Till-Valentine's Day Challenge - Day 7}
Voleur de Roses (lit. Rose Thief or "Stolen Rose" per L'Artisan's translation) was created by perfumer Michel Almairac in 1993 for L'Artisan Parfumeur. In the recently published 22 parfumeurs en création by Clara Molloy, the book opens on his interview, one of the most interesting, humane ones in it, and the one leaving one of the more lasting impressions despite the fact that you read it before all the others, as they are organized alphabetically. What makes him stand apart from the rest of the perfumers is that he reveals somewhat of an unexpected rebel's personality, not easily satisfied with his corporate lot. He acknowledges the fact that he stands firmly on the side of the raw materials themselves rather than the concepts presiding over them. This position is commonly seen to be that of the Grassois school of perfumery, which is perhaps usually less publicly articulate about its preferences than the more intellectualist one working with ideas or stories as points of departure. Hence, a sense of difference that is more marked in the current media context. Last but not least, he is the only one who confesses publicly and candidly to having been "hurt by a perfume", Minotaure by Paloma Picasso, which was not successful commercially, for reasons that are hard to decipher.
His creations are wonderful and we can particularly call attention to Gucci Pour Homme, Burberry London/Classic, Rush, and Saks For Her. He himself says that of his own perfumes two that he can say he "adores" are Burberry London/Classic and Rush. He likes Casmir a lot and he likes Zino by Davidoff.......
Thierry Mugler AngelMEN Pure Coffee (2008) {New Fragrance} {Men's Cologne}
Thierry Mugler will release a limited edition of AngelMEN sub-titled Pure Coffee in mid-April of 2008. The original AngelMEN or A* Men was introduced in 1996 followed by B* Men in 2004.
This new version takes as a point of departure a coffee note that was already present in A*Men, but which thanks to "new CO2 technology allowed the company to extract a natural note directly from Columbian coffee beans,".....
Versace Pour Homme (2008): A Return To Simplicity {New Fragrance} {Men's Cologne}
Versace is going to introduce a new cologne called Versace Pour Homme, inspired by a return to Mediterranean roots and Donatella Versace's father. He loved to wear neroli and the scent features this note. Interestingly, Versace is promoting this time a minimalist approach to perfume composition thinking that too many fragrances in the market are too ornamented and made with too many notes. Versace wanted its scent to smell simple and strong....
Etat Libre d'Orange Tom of Finland (2008): The New Prudish Gay Scent {New Perfume} {Men's Cologne}
Etat Libre d'Orange is on the verge of launching its new fragrance, Tom of Finland. WWD reports that the Tom of Finland foundation, which commissioned it, requested that it, "does not disturb the odor of men,".
The perfumer-composer for the fragrance is Antoine Lie and to him it had to smell like "a guy coming out of a shower. He's clean, but not fragranced. And he puts on leather pants.". There is also an outdoorsy aspect to the scent and themes of "metal, leather, sensuality, beauty and radiance" inspired by Tom of Finland's drawings. Perfume wearers will be carded -- that's right -- as a suggestive sketch is part of the outer packaging. You will have to be 21 in the US and 18 elsewhere (how will you be able to buy it over the phone?)
Well, it looks like it will be the first non-liberated Etat Libre d'Orange and will serve to underline all the straight-laced Victorian values surviving from the era of our great-great-let me add one more-great grand-fathers .....
Intimately Beckham Night Men & Intimately Beckham Night Women (2007-2008) {Perfume Reviews & Musings} {Celebrity Fragrances}
The Beckhams moved to the United States before their new duo of fragrances, Intimately Beckham Night for Men and Intimately Beckham Night Women will cross the Atlantic. The perfumes were launched in September of 2007 in Asia and Europe and will be rolled out to the US market in 2008. Another "signature fragrance" by Victoria Beckham is said to be planned for the fall of 2008.
Since 2005 and the success of Instinct, the Beckham franchise has developed to include both the day-time and night-time versions of the couple's perfumes meant to embody their marital bliss and sexy image. The Intimately Beckham Night duo is the sexiest to date. The men's version was created by perfumer Jean-Pierre Bethouart of Firmenich, the women's by Andrea Lugo of Takasago........
Henry Cavill Adds A Celeb Note To Dunhill London + Meet & Greet in London {Fragrance News} {Celebrity Perfume} {Men's Cologne}
Continuing to add portraits to our gallery of celebrities that lend their name and fame to perfumes, we can now report that actor Henry Cavill who plays Charles Brandon the 1st Duke of Suffolk in the popular series, The Tudors (2007), has become a spokesperson for Dunhill fragrances......
Guerlain L'Âme d'Un Héros (2008) {New Perfume} {Men's Cologne}
In the collection of Guerlain re-editions called Les Parisiennes, the new addition is called L'Âme d'Un Héros (The Soul of a Hero) in reference to "the legendary Roman general Coriolanus, who inspired Shakespeare and Beethoven, as well as Plutarch." It is a re-take on a former fragrance by Guerlain, Coriolan; as can be expected it will be probably inspired significantly by it but modified somewhat too and made more upscale thanks to more luxurious ingredients (see Mayotte and Mahora)........
Calvin Klein Man (2007) {Perfume Review & Musings} {Men's Cologne}
Model Garrett Neff fronts the Man ad
Man by Calvin Klein was launched in October of 2007 and proposed as a new classic for the modern Calvin Klein man, aged from 25 to 40. The name itself is programmatic and unambiguous, like an English translation of L'Homme by Yves Saint Laurent. Simple, brief, to the point. You are going to smell the essence of masculinity if you are to take your cue from the name of the fragrance. Admittedly most people are a little more jaded than that and will probably just barely register that it is a cologne (in the American sense of a perfume for men) as opposed to a feminine fragrance. The packaging is sleek, modernist, with an architectural sense of proportions and looks good. It is unusually large and slim at the same time, built like a wall more than a bottle. The surfaces are extremely shiny, mirror-like making you think of high-shine paint, black lacquer, or patent leather shoes. Another contrast intervenes with the white edges of the bottle..........
Skarb by Humiecki & Graef (2007): How Men Cry - Part 2 {Perfume Review & Musings}
This review of Skarb by Humiecki & Graef is continued from Part 1. I would like to pick up where I started last time to describe the scent proper,
"...Skarb is romantic in a forgotten sense; the word "eruptive" chosen by the authors to describe this sensation is completely apt. The perfume opens with a hitherto unknown sense of aggression and dynamism, literally jumps at you like a surge of violent emotions breaking one's sense of tranquility and resounding of a diffuse noise that seems to emanate from a crowd. One is reminded of the tears streaming down on the faces of Czechoslovakian men standing on the streets when the German Nazis invaded Prague in 1938."
The smell-personality of the scent is immediately complex: leathery, fougère/fresh, peppery, a trace of semen-like impression (see Sécrétions Magnifiques), metal, a deepening spicy brew. There is a refined undertone of orris adding a sense of melancholia, tenderness, and femininity to the scent. It smells of, or perhaps abstractly suggests dusty history books whose leather covers would have kept, somehow, the faint traces of men's sweat and layered experiences; the sweat is refined and exquisite. The herbs are almost violent in their expression at times, like the scent and properties of natural plants can be. There is also a more systematic peppery and salty impression which makes one think of pepper gas and tears running down on one's face.
A resinous quality emerges that conjures up a witch's hut in a forest whose door sill is announced by bunches of tied up herbs drying upside-down. The area feels vaguely magic and enchanted but also dangerous. The forest motif here suggests also a place of liminal danger in reference to it having been a locus of traumatic experiences during WWII. It signals hidden executions and refuge places for escapees from concentration camps or Nazi raids (perfumer Christopher Laudamiel worked with historical photographies we are told, but I do not know if this type of reference was included)........
Burt's Bees Cologne (2007) {New Perfume} {Men's Cologne} {Perfume Review in a Nutshell}
Burt's Bees has launched a reportedly 100% natural oils cologne for men in its Natural Skin Care for Men collection, simply called Burt's Bees Cologne. From the ad copy,
"Exude confidence and appeal with this all-natural blend of essential oils. Fresh citrus oils of lemon and orange and energizing bergamot are blended in the warm, spicy depth of cypress and fir oils for a crisp, woodsy scent." .......
Skarb by Humiecki & Graef (2007): How Men Cry - Part I {Perfume Review & Musings} {Scented Thoughts} {New Fragrance} {Men's Cologne}
Daniel Craig by Sam Taylor-Wood in Men Crying
Skarb means "treasure" in Polish; it is the name of the first fragrance put out by the niche perfume brand Humiecki and Graef, named after the two grandmothers of founders Sebastian Fischenich and Tobias Müksch: Helena Humiecka z Humiecina (1908-2000) and Katharina Graef (1906-2004).
There exists here so many networks of meaning on which the existence of this perfume rests that it is worthwhile to try to present a few of them. First the fragrance is said to explicitly refuse the traditional order and hierarchization of notes. Skarb is an attempt to reflect the intricacies of life and history - especially as impacted by National Socialism in Eastern Europe, the points of rejoinder and departure, the memories and emotions that beset and nurtured human lives in that region - into the language of perfumery........
John Varvatos by John Varvatos (2004): Scent of a Man {Perfume Short (Review)} {Men's Cologne}
John Varvatos by John Varvatos was launched in 2003-2004 and created by perfumer Rodrigo Flores-Roux (Clinique Happy, Donna Karan Black Cashmere, Hilary Duff With Love, Bagdley Mishka Fleurs de Nuit....). This was the debut fragrance by the men's fashion brand and was followed in 2006 by John Varvatos Vintage by the same nose. John Varvatos is described as a woody oriental and reportedly includes notes that, at the time, had never been used in a man's scent such as Tamarind tree leaves, medjool dates, eaglewood "including Auramber, a secret potion exclusive to Quest". The scent is remarkable for the restrained intensity it offers, its palpable masculine character, and the showcasing of dark, resinous, and peaty notes reminiscent of Islay whiskeys. Its character remains classic, even traditionalist, with a hint of seductive wildness and an erotic appeal.........
Night Show by Joaquín Cortés (2007) {New Fragrance} {Celebrity Fragrance} {Men's Cologne}
Spanish company Idesa Parfums in collaboration with internationally renowned flamenco artist Joaquín Cortés have released his first signature perfume called Night Show. Cortés has worked with Jennifer Lopez, Almodovar, Alicia Keyes in the past. For flamenco aficionados, he will be presenting his show, Mi Soledad, at the Broadway's Palace Theater from Dec 11 to Dec 22, 2007.
The perfume comes just after another celebrity fragrance called Siete was developed by Idesa with pop singer Alejandro Sanz.......
The Pope's Cologne by Excelsis Fine Fragrances: An Homage to Pie IX (Mid to Late 1800's - 2006) {Perfume Review & Musings} {Men's Cologne} {Celebrity Fragrance}
Through some mysterious accidents of history, the recipe of a cologne that was used by Pope Pie IX (1792-1878), the longest reigning pope in the history of the Catholic church after Saint Peter (1846-1878), ended up twelve years ago into the hands of a general physician from San Francisco, Fred Hass, who took it upon himself to resurrect the 19th century perfume. All that is known with some certainty is that the recipe left the Vatican in the luggage of the commander of the Pontifical Zouaves (the Pope’s guard), Colonel Baron Anasthase De Charette, a French Catholic nobleman who had come to the rescue of the papacy in the troubled years of its struggles with Garibaldi. How did this object of toilette and personal grooming item came to be passed on from the Pope to the head of his guard, who it seems recognized the qualities of the scent enough to want to reproduce it, is another pretext for imaginative speculation and could probably be only clarified by descendants of the De Charette family, if anyone remembers anything about it still.......
The Body Shop introduced this fall a novel masculine version of its bestseller White Musk initially launched more than a quarter of a century ago in 1981. It is called White Musk for Men. The composition is signed by perfumer Evelyne Boulanger who also did L'Artisan Patchouli Patch, Zagorsk, Jaisalmer in the Comme des Garçons Incense Series as well as Carnation in the Red Series, amongst others.
The fragrance was designed to smell more virile thanks to the addition of pronounced dry woody notes conjuring up the evocation of fast and hard driving in a scorched desert atmosphere.....
TV Spot for Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue pour Homme {Scented Images} {Men's Cologne}
After reading that Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue pour Homme contains the much celebrated Paradisone, we happened on the TV spot for the perfume featuring model David Gandy (see advert). A certain idea of paradise, we are sure, for many people. Did you notice how blue that water is?
Azzaro Pour Homme by Azzaro (1978) {Perfume Short (Review)} {Men's Cologne}
Ads from 1998-2000 and 1994
Azzaro pour Homme by Loris Azzaro today is still after its launch in 1978 one of the best-selling men's fragrances in the world and last year in 2006 was still the third best-selling cologne for Father's Day in France. If one of its creators', perfumer Wirtz's ambition was to bring it a step further than Paco Rabanne pour Homme which pioneered the category of the aromatic fougère redolent of Mediterranean herbs and aromas typically found in the scrubland, he seems to have succeeded in his endeavor......
The most recent advert for Azzaro pour Homme as found on the Azzaro website
Paco Rabanne pour Homme by Paco Rabanne (1973) {Perfume Short (Review)} {Men's Cologne}
A 1984 ad, "Paco Rabanne pour Homme -- it is up to you to make it unforgettable"
Paco Rabanne pour Homme by Paco Rabanne is a distinctive masculine fragrance in a world where men's colognes are more often than not accused of feeling as dull as dishwater as if their sole raison d'être was to attempt to mirror the ideals of the conservative man's dress code. Like a tie that ought to blend in seamlessly with a grey suit rather than become a clashing focal point of social attention and judgment, the average mainstream cologne is business-like and strives to self-efface professionally. Some men will protest and exhibit an accepted sign of eccentricity such as, say, the polka dotted bow-tie or the cartoon-covered tie - riskier this one - but the gesture rarely extends to their equivalents in perfumes.
Fortunately, Paco Rabanne pour Homme sends a subtler message than the desperate reaches for color that men in grey or black sometimes dare experiment. It offers more depth, character, and presence than your average non-intrusive cologne, without imposing too much on the senses. In other words, it is distinctive, but not showy or angling for flamboyance. In 1975 its particular charm did not pass unnoticed and it managed to win two FIFI awards for "Most Exciting Men's Fragrance" and for "Most Appealing Men's Fragrance Package", this one designed by Pierre Dinand .....
A 1973 advert "After Calandre the perfume of the era, Paco Rabanne launches its men's line"
Vetyver by Givenchy: Les Parfums Mythiques (2007) {Perfume Short (Review)} {New Perfume} {Men's Cologne}
Givenchy recently launched a new collection of fragrances called Les Parfums Mythiques (Mythical Fragrances), which includes a library of ten perfumes that were recalled from the prestigious past of the house. They are for the men's fragrances, Vetyver (the first Givenchy masculine scent), Monsieur de Givenchy, Xeryus, Insensé; women's scents are: L'Interdit, Le De, Givenchy III, Eau de Givenchy, Extravagance d'Amarige, and Organza Indécence. Certain perfumes had become true rarities. Vetyver is one of them; it comes enshrouded with the aura of legend as one of the best vetiver fragrances ever made.
The Knize Ten or 10 by Knize (1924) {Perfume Review & Musings Part I} {Men's Cologne} {Fragrances of Paris}
Knize Ten by Knize (pronounced "Kniesche") comes preceded by an aura of legend within certain circles as being one of the best leather colognes in the world, whose reputation has endured to this day and very rightly so. In some ways, it is the leather equivalent of Borsari Violetta Di Parma where violet perfumes are concerned both being confidentially, yet deeply appreciated by connoisseurs. Even more so than that, it is judged by some as simply one of the very best men's perfumes; it was in fact voted best masculine fragrance by The Best of The Best in 1989 and in 1999 it was listed (somewhere) amongst the 100 best fragrances to date. Knize Ten has enough character, complexity, yet also relaxed and comforting feel about it to become a signature perfume. That one fragrance that could not but be Knize Ten if you had to choose just one "eau de toilette" to bring with you to a desert island as writer Hans Habe once wrote, because then what would have mattered would not have been to love a beautiful woman but to strengthen one's spirit.......
Saks Fifth Avenue For Him by Bond No.9 {Perfume Short (Review)} {New Fragrance/Advance Review} {Men's Cologne}
Saks Fifth Avenue For Him by Bond No.9 (black bottle) is the masculine counterpart to Saks Fifth Avenue For Her. This new cologne takes the route of an elegant neo-classical men’s fragrance evoking the polished woods and muffled atmosphere of a club frequented by men in crisp business suits. The scent smells typically masculine, with a fresh and spicy woody fougere signature and with some discreet up-to-date facets.......
Fil de Soie by L'Atelier Bohême {Perfume Short (Review)} {Men's Cologne}
Fil de Soie (Silk Thread) is one of three fragrances in the collection by L’Atelier Bohême, a small independent French perfume house located in Vernon, not far from Giverny and Versailles, known for being a subject of many Monet paintings. Crystelle Darchicourt is the nose behind the creations as well as the owner of the brand.
Despite its delicate name, Fil de Soie resolutely claims to be a masculine fragrance evoking “…the spirit of a silken scarf and a stroll in the forest…” Like L’Atelier Bohême’s other creations, it is on the unusual side and does not lend itself very readily to immediate deciphering. The perfumes in fact seem to be blended to preserve a sense of quiet unassuming mystery. If in the end one can find some connections to other scents, one also has to acknowledge that the word “idiosyncratic” seems appropriate to describe them.....
Fahrenheit 32 by Dior {Perfume Review & Musings} {Men's Cologne}
Nearly 20 years after the introduction of the now classic Fahrenheit, in 1988, and several summer limited editions later, Dior has struck again, coming up once more with an unconventional men’s perfume playing with gender boundaries through the uninhibited showcasing of a central floral bouquet enhanced by salicylates, which are used to create a blooming effect. This time, like for Jean-Paul Gaultier Fleur du Mâle in 2007, it is based on orange blossom. Both the Fahrenheit and Mâle series skillfully display crossover qualities that make them easy to adopt by women......
Photo of iris glass flowers at the Harvard Museum of Natural History by cf071
Hypnôse Homme by Lancôme: Fronted by Clive Owen {Perfume Review & Musings} {New Perfume} {Men's Cologne}
Hypnôse Homme is the latest release by Lancôme meant to be, in advertising terms essentially, the masculine flanker to Hypnôse Femme. British actor Clive Owen is the face for the fragrance bringing his well-cultivated rugged good looks to the representation of classic masculinity that the perfume stands for. His hand over the flacon, mimicking that of the feminine model for Hypnôse Femme (Daria Werbowy), seems more docile and sedate than one would wish for and dampens a bit, in my view, the sought-after image of a magnetic virile man. That is that it seems to me that the brand-recognition marketing effort comes in the way of the unadulterated perception of a man that "...embodies a certain hypnotic charm. With a flick of a smile and lift of a brow, he hints at mysteries."
The perfume was created by nose Maurice Roucel of Symrise who said of Hypnôse Homme that "it's both modern and quite classic," adding "The idea was to have something flesh [sic], something watery on top and fiery in the dry-down,". An English touch in homage to Clive Owen is conveyed by a lavender note. But Owen himself confessed "...that the formula for Hypnose Homme was already in place when he arrived on the project."
The personality of the scent is both conservative and sensual. There is nothing outwardly very original here, but a true sensual presence and an appreciation of rich sophisticated materials......
Gucci Pour Homme II by Gucci {Perfume Review & Musings} {New Perfume} {Men's Cologne}
The latest release by Gucci is a masculine perfume called Gucci Pour Homme II. It was created by the Proctor & Gamble team and Mane. It includes fresh and silvan top notes of bergamot and violet leaves. The heart unfolds on a spicy accord of pimento, black tea, and cinnamon. The base deepens with notes of olive wood, tobacco leaves, musks, and myrrh. The perfume is a follow-up to Gucci Pour Homme. It is reminiscent of the incensey notes of the first one only en passant while taking on a very different persona. Markus Strobel, general manager of prestige products and fine fragrances for P & G said "the formula is aimed at hitting "the sweet spot" between providing a "fresh, easy to wear' ambience, "a masculine sensuality" and a "distinct, memorable" sensation." He also added "I think we've never spent as much time on a male fragrance as we did on this one, and it really is amazing,". It took Gucci two years to design the fragrance and the result is indeed remarkable.....
Fleur du Mâle by Jean-Paul Gaultier {Perfume Review & Musings} {New Perfume} {Men's Cologne}
Floral fragrances for men still constitute a minority group in modern Western smell culture, notwithstanding the creations of memorable perfumes such as Caron Pour Un Homme (lavender), Dior Eau Sauvage (jasmine/hedione), Dior Fahrenheit (violet), and more recently, Dior Homme (iris). Having survived from the 19th century, we can also still find perfumes like Penhaligon Hammam Bouquet (1872) and Guerlain Jicky (1889) which have marked floral characters. Jicky was originally meant to be a unisex fragrance but was adopted by men first.....
Intimately Beckham for Him by Beckham {Perfume Review & Musings} {Celebrity Perfume} (Men's Cologne}
Intimately Beckham for Him was created in 2006 as part of a duo of fragrances, together with Intimately Beckham for Her. The idea was to capitalize on the celebrity of the couple composed of David and Victoria Beckham.The ad campaign wanted to lead the consummer into believing that he or she would be voyeuristically stealing a moment of intimacy in the life of the famous couple. The ad photo was supposed to be particularly sexy; instead everyone ended up discussing the size-enhancement or lack thereof of Posh Spice's derrière. Ah, the irony of fate.....
Vierges et Toreros (Virgins and Toreros) is one of the two new perfumes launched by the niche perfume house Etat Libre d'Orange, established 2006, whose collection now comprises 13 scents. The fragrance was created by Antoine Lie and Antoine Maisondieu and contains notes of bergamot, pepper, cardamom, nutmeg, tuberose, ylang, leather, animalic base, costus, patchouli, and vetiver.....
Rocabar by Hermès {Perfume Review & Musings} {Men's Cologne of the Week}
Rocabar by Hermès was launched in 1998. It was the house's fifth's men's cologne after Eau D'Hermès (1951), Equipage (1970), Eau d'Orange Verte (1979), and Bel-Ami (1986). It had a limited distribution in the US.
The perfume was created by nose Gilles Romey who is also the composer for Eau de Rochas pour Homme, Jil Sander Jil, and Hermès 24, Faubourg Eau Délicate.
Rocabar is inspired, like many of their other products, by an equine theme in keeping with Hermès' roots as a saddlery when it was first established in 1837. In this case the perfume's name has an interesting popular etymology directly derived from the history of the house. "Rocabar" today designates their famous safron, indigo, and red horse blanket. According to WWD, "Jean-Louis Dumas Hermes, chairman, reported that the name came about when British saddle makers visiting Hermes in the 1930s called the combed-wool blanket a "rug a barres" (striped rug). Over time, the name evolved into "Rocabar.".....
Arpège pour Homme by Lanvin - A Review by Dusan Z {Perfume Review & Musings} {Men's Cologne}
Sweet'n'Sour
Arpège pour Homme by Lanvin - A Review by Dusan Z
December 30, 2006. 17:51 Glancing nervously at my watch and realizing with horror how late I am, I start cursing myself for always doing things at the eleventh hour. The stride quickens into a run and with the last breath in the chilly December evening I make my way through crowds of rushed people to the doors of the department store. 17:54 “I am sorry, we are closing”, the security guard informs me. “But I have to go in, and the perfume store is still open, look!” Again he apologizes but will not yield. “But it isn’t six yet. For God’s sake, man, let me buy a New Year present for my girlfriend’, I lie shamelessly, ‘it won’t be a minute’. Rolling his eyes, he mutters a curse or two, but opens the door. Victory! I dart into the perfume store and make a beeline for the preciousss. Within minutes I am paying for my New Year gift to me, while the pissed SAs are looking daggers at me. “Yeah, whatever”, I look back, mentally sticking out my tongue and blowing the loudest, New Year raspberry at them. Just for a split second though I wonder if I really should be institutionalized, but the cold wind swiftly dispels this foolish idea. Having spritzed myself with the Preciousss in a dark corner of the street, I give a blissful sigh and step into the frenzied throng, toweringover each and every head on my way home.....
Sécrétions Magnifiques by Etat Libre d'Orange {Perfume Review & Musings} {Men's Cologne of the Week}
Sécrétions Magnifiques (Magnificent Secretions) seems to have the words "Hazardous Biological Material" written all over it. It tends to provoke a gag reflex in you if you smell it from too up close. My first impression of it was, I must say, like receiving an olfactory punch in the stomach. Each subsequent inhalation I would take would be followed by an exclamation and deep exhalation to recover from the experience.
The perfume is repulsive - especially in the first stages - but interesting also because it is a perfume that obviously goes against the grain of perfumery and society conventions and for that reason alone should be experienced. It makes two important statements: 1) that no notes are taboo 2) that a perfume does not necessarily have to be nice and smell good, be a "sent-bon" (a smell-good) as the French say in a bit of a familiar or even derogatory manner regarding fragrances that lack any artistic ambition, soul, or complexity....
M7 by Yves Saint Laurent {Perfume Review & Musings} {Men's Cologne of the Week}
The agarwood in M7 is pervasive, dark and swirling with complexities. It has rich sweet resinous and slightly fruity overtones with a good dose of raspberry and lighter nuances of burnt caramel and honey.
It is a perfume that starts off warm and thick like the unfurling texture of dark molasses or better still it is thick like a heavy hanging wall tapestry from the middle-ages evoking men's quest for hotness and fire in the midst of winter.....
Ore by Zents {Perfume Review & Musings} {Men's Cologne of the Week} {Holiday Gift Idea}
I have been wanting to review Ore by Zents for some time now and realizing that it would make a great gift for Christmas/the Holidays, I am finally making it happen.
My first encounter with Ore was in a store in Harvard Square that is now, alas, defunct but that was then chock-full of beauty and health products. It was called Harnetts. At one time, I am reminded with nostalgia, they also had a juice bar. Fast-forward to last spring. As they were liquidating their goods several months ago, I saw the industrial juicer amidst empty shelves and later even its future proprietor laying his eager and happy hands on it. Ah well, all this no more now....
1776 by Elsha {Perfume Review & Musings} {Men's Cologne of the Week}
1776 is the name of a Russian leather cologne issued by Elsha which seems to have a cult following amongst aficionados. The information provided by Elsha.com is succint. They seem to offer a background chronology for the cologne but in fact the data provided is a bit incoherent. One thing we can certainly retain is that it is a cologne "...steeped in history and romance..." with an emphasis on the second term apparently. According to Basenotes, Elsha also marketed two other perfumes called Golden Eagle and Liberty Bell. I found some rare mentions of Elsha 1776 Russian Leather in the press from the 1950s and 1960s...
Ho Hang by Balenciaga {Perfume Review & Musings} {Men's Cologne of the Week}
Ho Hang by Balenciaga was created by nose Jacques Jantzen in 1971. It is classified as an aromatic fougère. The Eau de Toilette features top notes of bergamot, lemon, orange, basil, mint. Heart notes are rosewood, geranium, carnation, lavender, nutmeg, and pimento. Base notes are patchouli, vetiver, sandalwood, amber, vanilla, Tonka, labdanum, and musk....
Corvette Red by Vapro International {Fragrance News}
For those car lovers, here comes a men's cologne called Corvette Red. It is an official licensed product made in Italy. The eau de toilette features notes of tangerine, pear, lavender, violet, rosemary, patchouli, amber, and musk.
"Translucent and tinted red, the container was designed to replicate the look of the Corvette design, revealing the precision detailing and superb craftsmanship of the remarkable sports machine. Topped with a shiny metal pump, the bottle's removable cap is a nod to the chrome detailing that accents the wheels of the iconic vehicle".
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