With Vétiver, Jean-Paul Guerlain did a seemingly simple thing—he emphasized each facet of the natural raw material, vetiver oil, to create an abstract, modern fragrance. Even though Vétiver de Guerlain has been in existence since 1959 and along with Carven Vétiver engendered a whole family of classical woods, it possesses a timeless elegance that has come to define masculine perfumery. Therefore, it continues to inspire new fragrances based around the dark, green woody note of vetiver, the latest of which is Christian Dior Vétiver.

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Star rating: 5 stars–outstanding/potential classic, 4 stars–very good, 3 stars–adequate, 2 stars–disappointing, 1 star–poor.

Smelling Gucci Rush is like looking into a kaleidoscope: while the colors remain the same, the shapes and effects they produce change depending on the angle. From one perspective, Rush is a fruity chypre, with a nod to the baroque loveliness of Guerlain Mitsouko and Jean Patou Colony. From another, it is a thoroughly modern fragrance with its radiant accord of florals and transparent moss notes. When I finally think that I have it figured out, it presents yet another twist–a patchouli-jasmine note reminiscent of Diorama and Diorella. Yet, Rush is more than the sum of its parts and its distinctive character and strong signature make it one of the best fragrances created over the past decade.

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My perfume collection is my wardrobe. The only difference is that while I would not pick a ball gown for an average day at the office, I can easily select a lush and dramatic perfume, an olfactory haute couture equivalent like Guerlain L’Heure Bleue or Chanel Coco, if it suits my mood that particular morning. Yet, the fragrances that constitute my staples are often more along the lines of a little black dress: versatile, elegant, with enough subtlety to make a great day time perfume and plenty of character to make the transition into the evening.

What is your perfume equivalent of a little black dress (for men, a perfectly tailored blazer or a crisp white shirt)? What fragrance makes the best morning into evening transition for you?

My favorite little black dress is undoubtedly Christian Dior Eau Sauvage. Its composition of citrus and basil over a smooth, luminous woody base never fails to make me feel elegant, whatever my outfit choice for the day. I also appreciate the understated allure of Guerlain Après l’Ondée, Love Chloé, Serge Lutens Bois de Violette, Chanel 28 La Pausa, and Frédéric Malle Le Parfum de Thérèse, which are among my favorite daytime fragrances, my talismans guaranteing a good start for the day.

Photography by F.C. Gundlach, Siv Benno and Pierre Hogard, cocktail dress by Pierre Cardin, Paris 1962.

One of the first things you see in any fragrance press release or magazine editorial, besides the ubiquitous advertising with a model in the throes of ecstasy, is a list of notes that the fragrance contains. Usually, they are arranged in pyramid form with top, middle and base notes carefully separated. It seems like this would provide a useful roadmap, a way to envision a fragrance as it would develop on the skin: first, you will smell citrus and fruity notes, then you will smell florals and then some time later, you will enter the world of solar musks and cashmere woods. The problem with this neat design is that it is a myth as it pertains to modern fragrances.

Most contemporary fragrances are not built in a fragrance pyramid style, so the fragrance will not develop according to the pyramid description. More importantly, the list of notes tells only a small part of the story and is heavily driven by marketing considerations. While the fragrance notes are definitely helpful in some ways, they should always be seen as a rough guide to unexplored terrain.

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Star rating: 5 stars–outstanding/potential classic, 4 stars–very good, 3 stars–adequate, 2 stars–disappointing, 1 star–poor.

While many recent launches have featured oud in one form or another, I find that like many other complex natural raw materials, the more I explore oud the more it inspires me. After all, with so many beautiful facets encompassing different woods, honey, tobacco, incense, spice, caramel, animal fur, and tanned leather, oud offers a rich palette of ideas. Another reason why I am still not bored by the oud trend is that most of the fragrances promising oud do not smell even remotely like the raw material, with which I am very familiar. Not so with the latest from Dior. Leather Oud from Christian Dior La Collection is interesting in that it sets a very beautiful, rich oud note against a velvety leather accord.

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