Versace L'Homme by Versace, 1984

This city is old, very old, la città vecchia. It was first settled by the Greeks, Neapolis, the new city has stood in splendid defiance of the fires of Hades for thousands of years. Fires which could sweep it away in a roaring flash. Vesuvius glowers green and gorgeous as it rises nearly out of the heart of this city. The walls of the houses of Naples are ancient and burnished with the patina of history and war. It looks old and at times dirty but it is proud and enduring. And at night this city is the very heart of Italian amore! Una notte a Napoli says it all. One night in Naples With the moon and the sea I met an angel He could no longer fly One night in Naples Of the stars he forgot And even without wings Took me to heaven And the men of Naples are indeed angelic, they have what all Italians possess, style with a capital S. Only in Naples it is more so. With death the ever present mistress of these men, the men of Naples tread beneath the killer of Pompeii and carry themselves like kings. They dress with an elegant élan and walk like indolent big cats as the leave the ancient houses to take a passagata in the evening. Even the poorest men of the city dress well. It must be in the blood to always look so great. There is no fashion runway like it in the world as they stroll with their ladies though the streets of the city. Not even Versace can do these Neapolitans one better. The only thing I can think of when I wear Versace LHomme is of these incredible men of Naples. Versace LHomme might have been created with men such as these in mind when it was launched in 1986. This was the height of the power fragrance for men, bombs of scent that demanded attention. If too many opposing power bombs met up in a club there could be blood. What stands out about this predominantly leather fragrance is how restrained it is in its opening of lemon, petite grain, basil and Italian pimento. In this 80s age of gold chained hairy chested panache Versace LHomme comes in easy and with great style. This gives the fragrance timelessness to me. This is Versace before Donatella took us all to the gladiatorial arena. This is not for the moment, for boys who like the flash and drama of a passing fad. This is a well made Italian suit for a man of substance and taste. The center of this fragrance develops with roses in a patchouli patch sprinkled with cinnamon and cedar shavings and infused with sandlewood. The effect is Pepper! The leather comes up from behind and wraps you in a well made and comfortable jacket. The leather was rubbed with labdanum, and Tonka oil. In the breast pocket you will find a bit of smoky Oakmoss and a few vanilla beans. The passagata of Versace LHomme lasts around five to seven hours and like its louder friends at the club it has very good silage. But this one will not grab you by the silk tie and shake you for attention. This sly sexy guy enters the room with true and impressive grace that beckons the senses with true Italian style, much like l'uomo da Napoli/ FIVE GOLD STARS *****

Versace L'Homme is a classic and it deserved this qualification in the course of the years on the side of fragrances from the same age as Armani Pour Homme or following as Boucheron Pour Homme, Egoiste and others. In the same vein of Gucci Envy (but less sugary and more balanced), Photo Lagerfeld (but denser and more complex), Equipage (but less leathery), Parfums de Nicolai  Baladin (but less aromatic, sharp and leathery) and Askew by Humiecki & Graef (but less pricey, fruity-laethery and synthetic) Versace L'Homme is a complex fragrance that shares some characteristics with the aromatic fougere, others with leather chypre and finally others with the woody oriental scents. It's a stiff, surly and funereal juice, masculine and autoritative as an High Court's Judge. The juice itsel, in its final outcome, smells as an oily  grassy-lemony, incensey, slightly leathery and aromatic fluid with mild features of amber,cinnamon, rose and vanilla and the woodsy  restrained consistence of cedar and carnation. The opening is in line with the green aromatic of the 80's and is strong in herbs and citrus with an initial earthiness and dustiness of patchouli  and incense and the indolence of rose rising from the middle. In this phase the fragrance is appalling. The smoothness in the meanwhile is ready to stand, waking up some mildness. The cinnamon starts sweetening the elements together with some woods and florals. The note of jasmine starts soaring in the air in the middle of the dust while the balsams begin to envelop the elements in a dense and silky embrace. The last is woodsy because of a further smoothening note of moss and due to musk and cedar. The silkiness is enhanced by that sort of shadowy and opaque touch proper of leather wares and suede but the dry down is properly smokey, boise' and incensey and just an hint leathery. I've heard the fragrance is now discontinued and eventually it would be a great pity. This scent could even smell to some oppressive in certain stages of the development but it remains a classic and serious piece of art. Any dispute about.