Reviews of H&M (2008)
by Comme des Garçons

Comme des Garcons H&M

Comme des Garcons have come to be known for some of the better examples of incense scents out there. Avignon, Kyoto, and Hinoki are all examples of some of the better regarded of the line. In this 2008 limited release for the clothing store H&M Shyamala Maisondieu has added another star to the incense crown of Comme de Garcons. H&M would be a perfect gateway incense for someone who is a little nervous about smelling like a church at high mass. At the top there is cedar but it is a restrained cedar the kind of airy cedar you would get as if you were sawing a cedar board. The real core of this scent then comes in as the incense makes itself known in short order. The smell of this incense brings to mind the smell of the box of incense cones I had as a teenager. It is incense but in a concentrated form which also had a slight metallic smell to it. Don't get me wrong this is full throttle incense, the metallic note is light and not nearly as prominent as in Bond No. 9 Silver Factory. The scent transitions to full resinous pine base to go with the incense and this brings this home beautifully. Comme des Garcons H&M, if it had a wider distribution, has all the qualities to make it a big success. It has a niche feel without getting too out there. It keeps an admirable restraint on all of its development and it is a fairly linear scent without offering up any jolting surprises. H&M shows off its Comme des Garcons pedigree extremely well.

This is like a primer to the CdG range of scents, boasting as it does hints of the Red Series, Incense Series and the Synthetics, all wrapped in a smokey coat. It's fairly fleeting and doesn't project too far, but it's very nice while it's there. (The smokey note is also redolent of Fracas for Men and Full Choke as well.)

It's not especially radical for CdG, but for a huge department store chain it's a very bold statement indeed. If it brings people to the "proper" CdG range, then it has achieved much. But whether or not it does, it's a lovely "daytime" take on CdG's more distinctive scents and is worth searching out.

At €30.00 for a bottle it won't break the bank, so you can spray generously and renew often.

First impressions:
Top notes are rubbery (Bvlgari Black), citrus (Paul Smith Story), and woody/spicy (Gucci pour Homme).
4 hours after applying, it has a woody base which reminds me of Egoiste.
This is obviously not an entirely accurate picture of the fragrance, but it's what it reminds me of.
Longevity: roughly 6 hours.