Je Suis un Homme by Etat Libre d'Orange

I LOVE Je Suis un Homme and was very surprised by it. It reminded me a lot of Voleur de Roses and Rose Poivree and I was surprised to learn after trying it that It wasn't a rose/patchouli scent b/c I was sure getting a stronge vibe in the rose/patchouli Dept. I'm probably going to buy a bottle of this when Im in Bendels during Sniffapalozza in Oct.

Its the only one from the line that I enjoyed, but I do have a friend whos absolutely smitten with Nombril Immense - shes been wearing it non-stop since the Paris Sniffapalooza.

yes I noticed that image - After 8 months of debating - I still have yet to come to a conclusion as to what I really think about their advertising campaign. Part of me wants to say its childish - and then the other part of me says, well, at least their having fin and not being uptight with it.

No, I didn't agree with Luca Turin's review of Secretions Magnifiques and truth be told, I take what Luca Turin says with a grain of salt anyway. Same with Chandler Burr. And with Burr, You'll notice he likes whatever Turin likes - which is just kind of boring, in my opinion. I feel like he's hard pressed to form his own opinion about things...

but thats just me, for you.

I have indeed tried Je Suis un Homme. In fact I have a less-than-glowing review of it already, which I am waiting to post when the review function is up and running. JSuH was not one of my favorites in the Etat Libre line. I much prefer the macho floral-leather Vierges & Toreros and the outrageously filthy Charogne. Here are the reviews of all three:

Je Suis un Homme's harsh top notes remind me of Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier's tough-guy Parfum d'Habit, but they pass very quickly. Patchouli and clove are obvious, along with a very musty leather and a boozy note that must represent the "cognac" in the note pyramid. This one fades FAST. Within minutes it's transformed into the faintest of patchouli skin scents, with just a trace of cloves and cinnamon. "Je Suis Un Wimp" is more apt, if you ask me.

Charogne opens with an olfactory assault of very ripe cheese, white flowers, and lavender. I like it! The sort of foetid note that lurks in the background of such "dirty" florals as Une Fleur de Cassie and Jardin du Nil is front-and-center here. The note reminds me of a bulldog, in that it's so ugly that it's actually beautiful in its own perverse way.

I think that what I'm smelling here could be pure, isolated indole, torn free of the white flower gown it wears as part of jasmine accords. It's unquestionably stinky, in an animalistic way, but it's also sultry, hypnotic, and even a touch addictive. In this respect it isn't too far removed from white truffle, with much the same grotty, yet delicious quality to it. I keep coming back to it, like a fly to a carrion-scented blossom, so I suppose the name "Charogne" is apt!

Once I get past the stinky note I detect a bouquet of heady white flowers and the merest touch of smoky leather in an accord that allies Charogne with this house's less adventurous Vierges & Toreros. (Vierges & Toreros less adventurous? Yes, this is that weird!) If the aim here was to provoke, then it has been achieved - in spades! If it's ever widely sniffed, this scent will surely generate as much controversy as Kingdom or Black Orchid, both of which smell tame by comparison.

Vanilla reveals itself in the base, alongside the increasingly conspicuous leather, making the entire composition sweeter over time. The dry down showcases vanilla, leather, and a distinctly dirty animalic musk that steps in for the foetid middle note.

So, is it wearable? I'm not sure. And if it is I'm not sure when or where. What I can say is that Charogne is compelling enough that I'll have to take some time to ponder it.

Vierges & Toreros starts out as a very sharp, smoky leather, sparked with just a touch of bitter citrus. Sweet white flower notes emerge very slowly - even tentatively - from the background. The tuberose does not really present itself as a distinct note. It is blended with what might be jasmine or orange blossoms in a single, seamless accord that drifts mysteriously behind the leather.

The white floral notes never actually dominate the fragrance, because as soon as they grow conspicuous a very strong blend of dry woods takes firm hold of the base. The floral notes move in and out of focus while the woods, smoke, and leather take on a rustic, campfire sort of character. Very late in the drydown the woods sort themselves out into something very much like cedar, which in combination with the remaining leather reminds me of a cedar chest filled with boots and shoes.

It's an outstanding leather scent, but not as dramatic or original as I'd hoped for from the maker's description. Vierges & Toreros should appeal to those who enjoy Aoud Cuir d'Arabie, Tabac Blond, and Lonestar Memories, but it doesn't displace any of them. Anybody looking for a "masculine" take on tuberose should try Mona di Orio's complex, raunchy, and intoxicating Nuit Noire, or just suck it in and risk the blatant green tuberose of Ropion's Carnal Flower from Frederic Malle.

I've also tried and reviewed Eloge du Traitre and Nombril Immense, both of which strike me as pleasant enough, but relatively tame compared to Vierges and Charogne. So far, Vierges & Toreros is the one I keep coming back to. It's not my favorite tuberose, but it might be one of my favorite leathers. I'll have to think hard about buying a bottle once my sample runs out.