Men's Fragrances

[darkbydesign]

^^Definitely no gender association with Serge Lutens frags. Le Labo Santal 33 is great. I agree that most of the other scents aren't great.

[Faust]

Le Labo has constantly been giving us sub-par fragrances, so who cares really. Haven't found one which doesn't smell like cheap shit to be honest.

Apparently enough people care to give it 20 million annual revenue.

[Law]

Apparently enough people care to give it 20 million annual revenue.

And to have just been bought out by the Este Lauder group.

[Dane]

I like a few LL fragrances. Iris 39 and Patchouli 24 are very good. The bergamote is also good (although not much bergamot involved).

Anyway, if EL bought them, they'll no doubt end up in department stores, which is good for those of us who want easier access. And hopefully they'll ditch their stupid "mix on the spot" marketing guff.

[Faust]

And to have just been bought out by the Este Lauder group.

Look on the previous page, that's how the conversation started

[Shifts]

Since when are big selling figures a sign of good quality or creativity?

I'm so incredibly tired of many of these new fragrance houses, just dousing the market with their at-first-glance creative fragrances, but which at a closer look just falls apart. Novelty scents at best. I say most offerings from houses like Le Labo, Byredo (M/Mink not counted), Etat Libre d'Orange (Sécrétions Magnifiques not counted), Nasomatto (Black Afgano not counted), Esscentric Molecules, By Kilian, Blood Concept.

Admittedly not everything from these houses stink and I haven't smelled every single one of their releases, but a big part I'm very familiar with: Over-priced, over-hyped.

Btw Santal 33 is an absolutely horrendous piece of ozonic mess.

[Faust]

I did not say they were. You asked "who cares?" and I answered :-)

[Shifts]

Alright, fair enough.

[blackswan]

sorry to interrupt , do you know if with helmut lang cuiron and other fragrances , we will be able to buy also the deodorant stick and after shave ?

the prices on Ebay are crazy

thank you in advance

[Faust]

Probably at some point. No news about that now.

[darkbydesign]

In fact, I don't think anyone said "big selling figures is a good sign of creativity".

And, many of the "new" frag houses - I mean, LL, Byredo, etc etc are not actually "new" at all, but if you mean new as in, created in the past Century, then sure - many of them aren't great, but they certainly beat most of the "commercial" houses and many of them absolutely have great pieces of work. The good thing about fragrances is that people don't have the same tastes nor do people even smell the "same" to begin with, so to each his own and personally think Black Afgano is the biggest crock of super hype and is incredibly overbearing and so sweet (literally) that I smell it on them I'm like "Oh, that person bought it because they bought into the hype" and that's pretty much all I think when I smell someone wearing it. Personally I think people like it because A) it's black color and B) it's ingredient storyline and less because of the way it smells. Then again, many fragrances, particularly from the niche houses aren't really meant to be beautiful or $$ generators, so I doubt the chemists or designers really care what we think. Many are experimental and pretty fantastic, others not so much, but since each of us has our own interpretation, it doesn't really matter in the end. Look at Nosamotto's Blamage and that story. I mean, clearly that was not designed to be elegant, yet it will still have a following for sure. I quite prefer the experimental, "new" market. Lines like Heeley, and since we're talking about lines that have been around for over a decade as "new", Frederic Malle EdP, et al also do a wonderful job, say, over the classic lines like Creed etc.

Since when are big selling figures a sign of good quality or creativity?

I'm so incredibly tired of many of these new fragrance houses, just dousing the market with their at-first-glance creative fragrances, but which at a closer look just falls apart. Novelty scents at best. I say most offerings from houses like Le Labo, Byredo (M/Mink not counted), Etat Libre d'Orange (Sécrétions Magnifiques not counted), Nasomatto (Black Afgano not counted), Esscentric Molecules, By Kilian, Blood Concept.

Admittedly not everything from these houses stink and I haven't smelled every single one of their releases, but a big part I'm very familiar with: Over-priced, over-hyped.

Btw Santal 33 is an absolutely horrendous piece of ozonic mess.

[Faust]

Helmut Lang Parfums

http://www.sz-mag.com/news/2014/10/helmut-lang-parfums/

[Shucks]

european release soon, then.

[Faust]

Yes, this Friday!

[Shifts]

darkbydesign, great response! You make many good points and I can't say I don't agree with you. Some comments though:

I claim those houses are quite new, most of them hasn't been around more than a decade. Just for the record: The exceptions I listed from these houses are fragrances I enjoy (and not chosen by me because they have a following). I'm sure that in the case of Black Afgano you could be right those are parts of its bigger success, but it is not the reason I enjoy it; it is a quite crude construction – but it works.

Never said they weren't more creative – sure they are. But the execution rarely impress further than the top notes.

What gets to me is how certain brands (Byredo is the perfect example here) becomes an identity marker of sorts. You get it because you know it is Good Taste and you buy into that. It is a part of becoming the person you want to be. I would say the same goes for Mad et Len and Nu_Be on this forum (maybe because these are commonly stocked at the web stores interesting for the SZ crowd).

Frederic Malle exists and creates on a whole other level than the other "new" labels I attacked. Different universe.

In fact, I don't think anyone said "big selling figures is a good sign of creativity".

And, many of the "new" frag houses - I mean, LL, Byredo, etc etc are not actually "new" at all, but if you mean new as in, created in the past Century, then sure - many of them aren't great, but they certainly beat most of the "commercial" houses and many of them absolutely have great pieces of work. The good thing about fragrances is that people don't have the same tastes nor do people even smell the "same" to begin with, so to each his own and personally think Black Afgano is the biggest crock of super hype and is incredibly overbearing and so sweet (literally) that I smell it on them I'm like "Oh, that person bought it because they bought into the hype" and that's pretty much all I think when I smell someone wearing it. Personally I think people like it because A) it's black color and B) it's ingredient storyline and less because of the way it smells. Then again, many fragrances, particularly from the niche houses aren't really meant to be beautiful or $$ generators, so I doubt the chemists or designers really care what we think. Many are experimental and pretty fantastic, others not so much, but since each of us has our own interpretation, it doesn't really matter in the end. Look at Nosamotto's Blamage and that story. I mean, clearly that was not designed to be elegant, yet it will still have a following for sure. I quite prefer the experimental, "new" market. Lines like Heeley, and since we're talking about lines that have been around for over a decade as "new", Frederic Malle EdP, et al also do a wonderful job, say, over the classic lines like Creed etc.