Reviews of 8 88 (2007)
by Comme des Garçons

8 88 has the same mosquito repellant note as CdG 2 and Kyoto - must be their trademark, CdG's "Guerlinade"! Well, it sure is original, at least... 8 88 does not have the same emphasis on "dark" notes like incense, vetiver, cedar as the other two, instead it has a much more sweet and floral top and is oddly lacking in basenotes. This makes it sheerer and lighter than the other two, but also more high-pitched. I don't know what's worse really, the dense intensity of the mosquito repellant note in CdG 2 and Kyoto or the high-pitched, yes metallic, tone of it in 8 88. 8 88 smells like a lady out hiking who has had to ruin her floral perfume with mosquito repellant and gets warm and sweats away most of the mixed fragrance while the remaining traces turn even more sharp and sour...

I have changed my mind about this fragrance. It's not really happening for me. After the initial spray, well it's hard to detect anything except maybe a weak peppery aroma. The secret is to wait for hours (it evolves all day) until something really emerges, which is the safraline (basically saffron), coriander and amber, which gives it an incensey feel. The first time I wore it, this was quite strong and heady, but the second time wasn't so. This is CDG's interpretation of what Gold should smell like and there is a metallic note running through it, which I'm not that keen on. Can't thumbs down though because the initial wearing was truly nice. It's a strange one.

Kaern