Fresh, sensual, leathery…

Über-hip fashion brand Prada didn’t hesitate before launching a mellow and sophisticated cologne for men that would reprise the theme of their eponymous feminine fragrance, namely amber. This version highlights four stages: an amber accord predictably, a traditionally masculine fougère (ferny) accord, a fresh cologne accord, and a suede accord, by interweaving notes of citrus (bergamot, mandarin, neroli), spices & flowers (cardamom, saffron, geranium, orange blossom), balsams & warm notes (myrrh, musk, labdanum, sandalwood, tonka bean, vanilla, patchouli) and ~la pièce de resistance~ soft, supple leather. The result is like a soft-spoken young artist whom all the girls in his entourage fall in love with.

Created: 2006

Type: Oriental – Fougere

Top Note: Neroli, Bergamot, Mandarin Orange

Middle Note: Pelargonium, Vetiver, Orange Blossom, Myrrh

Base Note: Leather, Saffron And Sandalwood

Timelessly sensual, elegant, virile…

There are some things that Armani does really well and discreet elegance is one of them, especially concerning masculine fashionable accoutrements. Trust him to put class in a seductive fragrance for men and there you are; Armani Code for Men in a bottle as beautiful as the fragrance inside is deep, sonorous and timelessly charming! Fresh yet spicy too, it opens on citrusy notes and an unusual olive flower heart, evocative of lines and lines of Italian olive groves, before warming up via the exotic wood of guaiac (lignum vitae) and the sweetness of Tonka beans with their half cut hay, half caramel aroma. Code for Men is a nice companion to a professional lifestyle year round and shines best on the unassuming, modern guy.

Created: 2004

Type: Oriental – Spicy

Top Note: Citron

Middle Note: Olive Blossom, Aromatic, Anisey Accents

Base Note: Tonka Bean, Blonde Tobacco, Gaiac Wood, Smoky

Luminous, vibrant, elegant…

Some guys have all the fun. Not only are they successful, handsome and smart, they’re downright humorous as well, taking in stride everything with confidence exuding from their every pore. No wishy-washy colognes for them, no weird modernist alloys either, they just reaffirm their prowess with their great-smelling fragrance, classic but with a twist, to be taken along the ride for evenings and special occasions. Stefano Gabbana shaped the composition of The One for Men according to his personal taste: “I like spicy-oriental notes and we’ve never done this type of fragrances, it’s a little warmer than our other men’s scents”, adding that The One is “not a banal classic, but a classic men’s fragrance that would last for years and be the type of scent that women adore”. We hereby admit it: we’re smitten!

Created: 2008

Type: Woody – Oriental

Top Note: Grapefruit, Coriander, Basil

Middle Note: Cardamom Seed, Ginger, Orange Blossom

Base Note: Cedar, Ambre, Tobacco

Sensual, elegant, charismatic...

A brand with perfect top-down design, the fragrances of Narciso Rodriguez reflect the pared down aesthetics of the fashions and the sleek image the talented Cuban-born designer projects with his every show. Narciso Rodriguez For Him focuses on the designer’s well-loved musk note but in a completely novel way; flanked by patchouli and an aromatic accord that seems out of place for a second and the more predictable, cool and watery violet leaves, it revolutionizes the masculine cologne genre. It will make you ~and those smelling its perceptible aura~ think a bit, it will make you search for where the scent ends and your natural skin scent begins and it will end up charming you. Effortlessly. Vote with your wallet if you’re accordingly charismatic.

Created: 2007

Type: Aromatic

Top Note: Violet Leaf, Aromatic Note

Middle Note: White Musk

Base Note: Patchouli, Amber

Warm, sensual, masculine…

Le Male by the design house of Jean Paul Gaultier is a sharp oriental-woody fragrance that lends no air to subtlety. Introductory notes feature strong mint with touches of artemisia, bergamot and cardamom; a rich heart quickly seeps in with lavender, orange blossom, cinnamon and cumin before revealing the ultra-masculine base of wood, musk, amber and vanilla.

Created: 1995

Type: Oriental – Fougere

Top Note: Mint, Lavender, Bergamot

Middle Note: Cinnamom, Cumin, Orange Blossom

Base Note: Vanilla, Tonka, Sandal, Cedar

Crisp, sensual, masculine…

Paco Rabanne, the designer in the vanguard of fashions in the 1960s, is still able of raising a few eyebrows in surprised admiration of his innovative artistic direction. One Million comes in the shape of a gold bullion bottle that is ever so clever, playing on the appeal of the precious metal and Rabanne’s futuristic fashion designs featuring metallic details. Like Rabanne says: “In all civilizations and religions gold has always managed to seduce people”.

The smell itself is a spicy woody, full of energy and dynamism. Grapefruit, red orange and mint brighten the heart of the fragrance built on a spicy rose and blond leather. The base is fanned out on appealing notes of patchouli, woods and amber, making One Million a fit fragrance for an evening out when you simply want to be your best. Can we state the obvious and say you will smell like a million bucks? Because you will!

Created: 2008

Type: Woody – Spicy

Top Note: Ruby Mandarin Orange, Grapefruit, Peppermint

Middle Note: Rose Absolute, Cinnamon, Spices

Base Note: Blond Leather, Patchouli, White Woods, Amber

A journey through the elements…

If there is a contemporary masculine cologne that is destined to be among us for decades to come, this is undoubtedly it! Terre d’Hermès is intensely popular among both men and women because it’s so beautifully polished: A burst of refreshing bergamot and a little grapefruit juiced over rock and earth, a leap unto the skies, the feeling of watching clouds pass by when lying back down…Deceptively simple but masterly woven, this woods (cedar) and oranges combination is bold and manly, but without any sort of pretence, as befitting a true luxury product. Created by master perfumer Jean Claude Ellena, known for his delicate, watercolor rendition of precious materials which project at the pitch of classic guitar (soft and inviting, beckoning you to sit up and listen), Terre d’Hermès is meant for the discerning man who, once he finds his perfect scent, will cherish it for its ability to brighten his day.

Created: 2006

Type: Woody – Spicy

Top Note: Grapefruit, Orange, Flint

Middle Note: Pepper, Pink Pepper, Geranium Leaves, Patchouli

Base Note: Cedar, Vetiver, Benzoin

Invigorating, adventurous, masculine…

Imagine the most delicious and mouthwatering dessert: The cool tingling aroma of mint, bergamot, and lavender couple with the unique aroma-ingredient Helional to evoke stark austerity, like a metal bowl designed by Philip Stark to serve it; the velvety feel of patchouli with almost licorice hues and a caramel nuance is almost palpable on the tongue marring your senses of smell and taste; the whole is drenched in Milano’s most delicious ristretto espresso for a sensual experience that tingles your intelligence as much as your sweet tooth. A*Men leaves you satisfied but never full, always hankering for more of the same. Succumb!

Created: 1996

Type: Oriental – Woody

Top Note: Bergamot, Lavender, Coriander, Peppermint

Middle Note: Patchouli, Atlas Cedar

Base Note: Coffee, Styrax, Tonka, Musk