Dunhill was founded by Alfred Dunhill as a company that specialized initially in saddlery. The times changed, however, leading to the use of the motorcar instead of the horse as the preferred mode of transportation. Alfred Dunhill took the knowledge that his company had amassed in leather goods and changed the company’s focus to accessories for motorcars, like leather overcoats, goggles, car horns, and more. This began their long tradition of selling luxury items dedicated to men, which now includes fragrances. This company continues to reinvent itself and now also offers women’s fragrances too.
The expertise in men’s quality, luxury items extends to their fragrances. The scent is very masculine and even the advertising campaign seeks to attract men who want a more conventional, manly scent. It’s called the scent for men who crave adventure. It has patchouli, pepper, and cinnamon spice notes. It adds the requisite citrus notes along with some woodsy notes too. The bottle itself is broad-shouldered making you think of John Wayne, a man’s man with a big heart. It could best be described as an oriental spicy woody fragrance. The amber liquid is visible through the clear, glass bottle, which has little adornment.
This is a complex fragrance as well as an ultra-masculine scent. It is versatile enough to wear during the day with jeans, as it is to wear it to the office without too much trouble. People who love Dunhill fragrances will definitely love this elegant new fragrance too. It is long lasting but not too heavy. It’s character remains firm and robust throughout the day. It is classic Dunhill with the emphasis on casual elegance for the man about town. It will quickly become a favorite in your bath cabinet. It comes in a wide range of products from aftershave, shower breeze, deodorant, and eau de toilette.
The Thierry Mugler line of fragrances launched a new fragrance called Angel Ice or Ice*Men. This men’s fragrance was released worldwide on April 2007 and is due to be introduced in the United States in September 2007. It comes from a long line of very popular fragrances with the Thierry Mugler name. The original Angel for women was the #1 fragrance in France in 1992 and within the top five in the United States. Most of the fragrances in the Thierry Mugler line have not strayed far from the formula that achieved them fame.
This fragrance uses the patchouli signature of other Angel scents to work its magic. However, the theme is one of freezing ice with a caffeine kick, like iced coffee with nutmeg. Some people refer to it as a glacial, spicy, wood fragrance due to the hint of coffee and nutmeg scents in it. The bottle itself evokes a frozen glacier with an oceanic blue hue to the entire presentation. The notes are citrus, aquatic, and spicy. There is little information on the top, middle, and low notes at this time.
This particular fragrance can be extreme, much like the packaging and namesake. It’s bound to have people who like it and those who can’t stand it. Much like all of Thierry Mugler’s extreme design concepts, this fragrance is one that is modern and trend setting. Some people think Ice For Men is very similar to Thierry Mugler’s A*Men in fragrance and that it just may be the same fragrance repackaged. If you like A*Men, you will like Ice*Men. This may be easier to wear during the day than at night. If you are a fan of Thierry Mugler fragrances be sure to add this one to your collection.
Giorgio Armani remains a fashion designer best known for the business suits that carry his name. He has all sorts of business ventures from boutiques and jeans to home collections and clothing lines. He also has a line of fragrances. The Giorgio Armani style is one of luxurious and seductive elegance. One of these brands that he’s created is called Emporio Armani. The brand of Emporio Armani deals with ready-to-wear clothing, sunglasses, fragrances, watches, and accessories. The Emporio Armani is the mass produced version of the Armani custom line. It’s specifically targeted to younger people who may have fewer bucks to spend. It does offer some higher end products like Armani Jeans, but is not haute couture. You can often find Emporio Armani brand name products at high-end department stores.
This fragrance is classified as a fougere. It is a high-powered and dynamic scent that was inspired by the Fall-Winter collection, which featured the colors of midnight blue for him. The packaging and marketing evokes a night at the local discothèque, with midnight blue packaging and electrifying silver writing on the bottle. The top notes are: basil, cardamom, and bergamot. The middle notes are: lily of the valley and mace. The low notes are: vetiver, licorice, and white musk. The result is a remix that is distinctly masculine with a sweet and fresh twist.
Giorgio Armani Emporio also created a matching Remix She for women. The idea was to pair the two fragrances for a wild night out on the town. The woman’s fragrance took the electric lavender color of the Fall-Winter collection as its base too. The two scents are said to be a duo that dance together very nicely. It makes a lovely and entertaining couples gift, for those of us who want to spend a night on the town.
Bvlgari, sometimes spelled with Bulgari also, is a well-established Italian designer that sells luxury items. It started off with jewelry in the Greco-Roman style, which is why the name sometimes is spelled with a capital “V” to mimic roman numerals. The fragrance line was a later addition but fit well with their unique perspective on luxury items, which include watches, jewelry, leather goods, scarves and more.
The BVLGARI name is associated with a bold but elegant style. The company is known for setting trends and creating their own paths to fortune and fame.
Bvlgari Pour Homme Soir For Men is one of their newest fragrances, released in 2006. It is categorized as woody scent with notes of amber. The top note includes lifescent Darjeeling tea. The middle note has papyrus wood in it, and the low notes have amber and musk. The packaging is one of pure elegance with bold flair, very typical of Bvlgari products. The bottle has a classic black and white theme, like a formal dinner affair. The bottles have a steel chrome cap with black accents on the top. It is decidedly masculine with an air of the man about town to it.
The fragrance was created for men who are want a sensuous evening fragrance. It has a distinctly cosmopolitan flair to it. The tea scent can throw some people off, while others find it novel and engaging. As a top note, it will fade to be replaced by the amber and musk after a short time. It is perfect for a romantic dinner or an elegant black tie affair. Any time there is a special event at night, this mysterious and woody scent can help to set the mood and is meant for people who enjoy the bold Bvlgari style.
Aramis is a division of Estee Lauder. This company, that has many successful cosmetics division, decided in 1964 to add a line of products for men only. Aramis is that division and sells fragrances and grooming products for men. Whether the name is actually taken from Aramis of The Three Musketeers is debatable. It would fit the theme of Aramis cosmetics since the character, one of the three musketeers, loves women and is full of intrigue.
Always for Men begins with heavy citrus notes that can last longer than most top notes. Aramis Always has top notes, which are: lime, ginger, lemon, and mandarin. The middle notes are: mint, marigold, and cardamom. The low notes are cedar and vetiver. The packaging is pretty standard and not very ornate. It leans more towards a modern and casual mood, much like the fragrance itself. It does come off as a bit aquatic in scent, even though it doesn’t appear to be categorized that way. It’s a sporty mix that is suitable for most casual get-togethers. Some people have noticed a similarity of this fragrance to Armani’s Acqua Di Gio.
This is the type of fragrance one can start with if new to men’s fragrance lines. It’s citrus top notes will be pleasing to just about everyone. It plays it safe with cedar and vetiver low notes and the small bit of spice in the middle notes aren’t too extreme. It is obvious from the packaging that this is a scent that wants to cater to people who may be afraid to wear scent. This is definitely a beginner’s fragrance, but good for anyone who wants something casual and light. It is said to have moderate staying power, so if you don’t like it, it will eventually dissipate without too much fuss
This American menswear designer worked in some prestigious fashion houses where he got his start: Calvin Klein and Polo Ralph Lauren. He eventually became vice president of the menswear design. In 1999, he decided to venture out on his own and created his own company. He started to expand his offerings to eyewear and added a fragrance too: John Varvatos for Men, in the fall of 2004. This designer has won numerous awards even being named 2001’s Designer of the Year. John Varvatos like to take old things and make them new again. He uses classic concepts and repackages them to suit his modern sense of style.
John Varvatos for Men is the only scent produced so far by this designer. It comes in a smoky glass bottle with black leather accents. While the materials are typically old-world, the presentation is distinctly modern. The fragrance is said to be a woody oriental. The top notes start out with tamarind tree leaves, Medjool date fruit, and Mediterranean herbs. The middle notes are coriander seed templar, clary sage flower, and Indian ajowan. The low notes are auramber, vanilla, black leather, eaglewood, and balsams. All of these ingredients are very old world, mixed into a new sensuous modern style.
The John Varvatos caters to men who are young urban professionals. It’s very metrosexual and distinctly cosmopolitan with an old world flair. It’s subtle yet intriguing. It can work well for a romantic setting or it is even subtle enough for more casual events. Wears well at night. If you are looking for a masculine scent that isn’t too flowery but has an old-world feel to it, this is it. The vanilla notes are not over-powering and black leather is very subtle. It is a very complex and very unique scent