Odeur 53 (1998)
by Comme des Garçons

I find it quite pleasant but every now and then I get an egg-like smell which turns me off.

17th September, 2010.

This actually does not smell like nothing. It has a slight floral and very atmospheric vibe to it. It actually has a floral accord similar to Black Cashmere, but without the spicy funkiness. That being said, it leans towards feminine. Overall, Odeur 53 is non-committal, barely making a statement beyond minimalism, however perfect for a burst of freshness, and leaves a lot open to interpretation as seen from all these creative reviews. Ultimately for me, it's just too passive. If I want to be subtle and leaning towards ambiguity, I found my rare gem - Six Scents 4 Gareth Pugh: Diagonal - another barely-there scent that's uplifting but more comforting to me.

5th March, 2010.

After the initial mélange of various ozonic/electrical scents, all that I can smell is nail polish, and it lasts forever. Do you want to smell like a TV screen smeared with nail polish...for a looong time? I don't. Frankly, this seems like the fragrance equivalent of living near high-tension power lines. Does that mean that Odeur 53 is carcinogenic? Well, maybe...?

Alright, I'm being facetious (I guess), but I really cannot fathom why anyone would want to subject themselves to this. Similarly, I cannot imagine that anyone would want to smell someone who emits this "odeur."

Oh, but it's an "anti-perfume." It's "art." Sheesh. What's next? A frag that smells like a Ziploc bag filled with the world's tiniest sea shells (not real ones, but space-age synthetic ones!) placed on the surface of the Moon? Fragrance notes like "Exploding Star," "Spent Fuel Rod," or "Frozen Glue"?

I am inclined to agree that this is avante garde, but that would be too complimentary. I would rather just say that it's pretentious and eerily misanthropic - and leave it at that.

9th April, 2009.

i get that after a violent thunderstormlike feel. i like it and it has like a more of a natural smell than a perfumey presence

22nd February, 2009. (Last Edited: 15th March, 2009.)

If ever there was a "clean" scent executed as performance art, this would be IT. A strange/atmospheric/fresh/green anti-perfume. This is Comme des Garcons' pioneering calling card. Don't be deceived by the sillage. It can be quite strong, at least on me, mostly because at first it smells like nothing at all. This is a beautiful/artificial/futuristic/green/fresh scent that is not, mind you, for everyone. Still, this is worth a try simply because it is unique.

22nd September, 2008. (Last Edited: 14th June, 2011.)

Modern, avantgarde and discrete.

This is, for me, a bi-polar scent. There are the flowery notes underneath the dominant smell of photocopier and static electricity from tv-monitors. Somehow these notes do not fit, but then again, that is exactly the point. Provocative in a discrete and quite pleasing way. I love it!

29th August, 2008.