Guerlain Homme or The Emperor's New Clothes

Originally Posted by the_good_life

I'd really like to see this judged in a blind smelling, without anyone knowing it was Guerlain, just to eliminate the magic that brand name infuses into a perfume.

Wasser created Hypnose (for women). Recently also the virtually non-olfactant Jil Sander Man, and the even worse (it does smell - cheap and disgusting) flanker Absolut. You know his surname means "water" in German ? I can't believe he made Furyo.

Originally Posted by graffham

Four samples I tried.

I lingered over the photos, visually caressing the sleek, corpulent gleam of the Pinnafarina-designed bottle.

Intially, like a deer caught in headlights, I over looked the short-comings of Mr. Wasser and his Guerlain creation. I ignored the fact that the 'mojito' spine of this fragrance, (also an insidiously lame attempt at luring me), fell apart oh so very quickly. Like a house of cards. Except no one was blowing on it.

And the bottle, fitting the fragrance like a good glove, also deterred my better 'senses' from the glaring fact that this pedestrian attempt was wowing over countless numbers of my esteemed peers.

I became part of the frenzy, convincing myself that Guerlain was appealing to the more sublte aspects of designing a scent. Among the din was heard-' be patient and try to understand this new Guerlain.'

So I walked into my local retailer and redeemed my hard-earned card points and walked out, fitfully, with a bottle of Guerlain Homme.

How to describe the rest of this journey? I opened the box upon returning home and looked at the bottle then I sprayed my arm again and thought why am I doing this? Why am I finding that in order to enjoy this fragrance I have to continually layer it on every 20 minutes, then every hour?

Then it hit me. Not only was this Wasser creation an 'Emperor without clothes' but it was also a slightly less engaging clone of his Lancome creation, Hypnose homme, with the Lancome being the stronger man of the two.

Back to the store went the Guerlain, mystique and all, and I took solace in that I seen through Mr. Wasser's slight of hand.

Originally Posted by eric

Lot's of people seem to like it.

Originally Posted by Trebor

Ermm... I think that was the point...

Originally Posted by Jock_With_Scents

Exactly. And that is a bad thing? Guerlain is a business Trebor not a personal fragrance designer. They are trying to make a profit, stay competitive and still make a nice fragrance. They succeeded, so don't hate on them. Lighten up and go spritz some Blue Amber.

Originally Posted by Trebor

Proof that sarcasm doesn't translate well across the Atlantic...

Originally Posted by Trebor

Proof that sarcasm doesn't translate well across the Atlantic...

Originally Posted by Jock_With_Scents

Everyone knows your sarcasm well here Trebor. I got it. It is just that some days we read it as a tired Broadway play that has run way too long.

Originally Posted by Trebor

It's just an additional cross the English have to bear, I'm afraid. We'd rather eat our own vomit for lunch than adopt that 'everything's amazing' / happy-go-lucky approach that's so prevalent in the US. How the very thought sends shivers down our spines. Btw, ever saw 'Invasion of the Body Snatchers'?

Anyway, to be honest, this whole perfumery lark is getting way out of hand – watered-down creations, umpteen new / revived niche houses, inflating prices, unnecessary (and underhanded) reformulations... My sarcasm is merely a reflection of what's currently going on. Anyway, someone's got to bring a balance to the Basenotes universe, especially with such intense enthusiasm for fragrances that haven't even been smelt yet! I know how you yanks love positivity ‘n’ all but a copious amount of negativity can be just as healthy as well.

Yes, these companies are there to make a profit but there's also more p***-taking from these same companies than ever before. I prefer to remain vigilant than constantly raising my hopes for them to be brutally dashed (which seems to be happening with most of you). At the end of the day, this may be a passion but people’s hard-earned cash is being invested in these creations. I think it’s our duty, as Basenoters, to be as brutally honest as possible.
Now, why don't you spare a thought for the actor having to perform, every single night, on that tired Broadway play for a moment...


P.S. The 'Ermm... I think that was the point...' quote was in reference to eric stating the obvious and not about what I think about Guerlain Homme. Just thought I should make that clear.

Originally Posted by eric

Well, I wonder if you,get the point mr.Trebor.
Since you brought YouTube up: a lot of Metallica fans were dissapointed when the members took a differend musical path and cut off their hair. (hey,..Metallica is the name of a Guerlain perfume, so this is not entirely off topic). Guerlain has to go with time, wheter we like it or not.

Guerlain was not exactly a huge succes in the mens department. With al due respect, after Habit Rouge, there wasn't coming much from them. People weren't exactly standing in line to buy Derby,Heritage and Coriolan when it was released. Let's face it, when LVMH took the company over (and I hated that just as much as everyone else here) Jean Paul Guerlain was put on a side track. LVMH clamed that "he was still in charge , bla,..bla..." Well if you believe that, well , what can I say.
I bet, if they released another Coriolan again today, it wouldn't sell either. So what's a company gonna do?
Maybe after this is a huge succes, monsieur Wasser is gonna show some balls. Or not.

Originally Posted by eric

Well, I wonder if you,get the point mr.Trebor.
Since you brought YouTube up: a lot of Metallica fans were dissapointed when the members took a differend musical path and cut off their hair. (hey,..Metallica is the name of a Guerlain perfume, so this is not entirely off topic). Guerlain has to go with time, wheter we like it or not.

Guerlain was not exactly a huge succes in the mens department. With al due respect, after Habit Rouge, there wasn't coming much from them that sold. People weren't exactly standing in line to buy Derby,Heritage and Coriolan when it was released. I wish they did, so we wouldn't be were we are now. Guerlain is long gone.
Let's face it, when LVMH took over the company (and I hated that just as much as everyone else here) Jean Paul Guerlain was put on a side track. LVMH clamed that "he was still in charge , bla,..bla..." Well if you believe that, well , what can I say.
I bet, if they released another Coriolan again today, it wouldn't sell either. So what's a company gonna do? Release something that will apeal to a wide , male audience.
Maybe after this is a huge succes, monsieur Wasser is gonna show some balls. Or not.

Originally Posted by Trebor

Nice post but what point is there to grasp? We all know that Guerlain needs a big seller - that's no big secret to anyone (not even me). But (and this is a big but) not everyone's going to like Guerlain Homme. Although I've never bashed Guerlain Homme in this thread (that's if you disregard my agreement with the OP) it could have been a lot better and still retain its mainstream appeal. I think that's the main issue with most detractors here. For example, I don't like Dior Homme but I can certainly appreciate its uniqueness and originality.

So, stop selecting fragments of what you want, from other people's posts, and try to understand better what they're actually trying to say. And, yes, it may require reading between the lines too...

Originally Posted by eric

So, let's see: " We don't understand your sarcasm", "I have to understand better what people are trying to say" and it all requires "reading between the lines"

That's a whole lotta work to read a simple post..... do you give give classes for that?




P.S. Sorry for all this Grafham, I do love to read your posts.

cheers,

Originally Posted by the_good_life

I'd really like to see this judged in a blind smelling, without anyone knowing it was Guerlain, just to eliminate the magic that brand name infuses into a perfume.

Originally Posted by Jock_With_Scents

No problems for me. I get crazy longevity from this one. I am lucky I guess.
In fact, it stays around after a shower, and that I don't like.
This is one my top 3 best purchases this year.

Love how fragrances are so mysterious and different from person to person; this time in my favor.

But I admit, I am not one that wears Opium EDP, Dior Homme Intense, etc...some are used to more sillage, heavy handed creations.

Originally Posted by mikeperez23

I smelled it today for the 1st time.

Incredibly wonderful mint top notes crash into a heap in about an hour. Of course, I need to test this more and give it a full wearing.

But for now, I think Roadster by Cartier wins the new 'Mint prominent - Mens Fragrance' award.