Men’s fragrances
Fougère, wood, citrus and water: where the traditional “men’s” vocabulary of scent comes from, and why it need not be taken literally.
Twentieth-century men’s perfumery rests on a handful of families. The oldest is fougère – an accord of lavender, coumarin from tonka and oakmoss, which was born in 1882 with Fougère Royale. It was later joined by woody, citrus and aquatic fragrances.
Of the fragrances in the Archive, Kenzo pour Homme (1991), Azzaro Silver Black (2005) and Calvin Klein’s Euphoria Men (2006) belong here. Their reference entries include an editorial Fragrance DNA.
As with women’s fragrances, the division is a convention. Rose, vanilla and iris turn up regularly in men’s fragrances too, and vice versa.
Where to start in the Compass
- Fresh Citrus peel, herbs, cool air. Fragrances that open quickly and brightly.
- Woody Cedar, sandalwood, vetiver, oud. A dry structure that holds a fragrance together.
- Green A snapped stem, grass, moss, herbs. Slightly bitter, vegetal freshness.
- Dark Smoke, soil, leather, old wood. Fragrances with a dense base and little light.
From the archive
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