GIANFRANCO FERRE FOR MAN: How does it rank as a LEATHER fragrance?

I just received a bottle of this. I love this fragrance, however I hardly get any longevity out of it. I love all my leather frags, and this one is right up there with VC & A, Trussardi Uomo, Oscar Pour Lui, Halston Z 14, Quorum, Francesco Smalto et al. However, as much as I love it, it does not have any staying power - 3-4 hours max. I read your review about the brown top bottle, so next time I will get that one and see how it goes. A+ for the smell though!

Very low.

Interesting thread, Shamu. I would like to offer my thoughts. My history with Gianfranco Ferre evokes a memory and a metaphor of this scent's notes to me - I spent my honeymoon in Italy in 1999 (we travelled for a month throughout) and I bought a beautiful, hand-tailored off-white/ivory "evening" jacket at the Gianfranco Ferre boutique in Rome. Still have it today, it fits absolutely perfect and it radiates masculinity with confidence - yet could come across as dated or "wear you" if you don't have the right attitude. It's how I wear it and I never fail to receive compliments. That is the essence of this fragrance to me. Same name on the label of my jacket as this bottle. To some, this is a "leather" fragrance, because the don't look beyond that one note...but, to me, it is a very true chypre with leather notes accenting the top notes of citrus (lemon/bergamot), florals (lavender and carnation mostly), middle notes that include juniper with the exquisite warmth of leather, sandalwood and moss blending into the basenotes and drydown. Wonderful and classic. Extremely chic, as one reviewer wrote somewhere. This is truly "For Man", not boys. Not just a LEATHER fragrance, but a classic Man's fragrance that blends leather extremely well. When I put that jacket on and doused myself with GFF for Man after we got back from our honeymoon at a great party, I got two compliments from everyone there - I looked and smelled amazing! I had an aura about me, my wife still remembers it vividly - memory lane...wow. Any way, the longevity for me is still fair (but somewhat lacking) with the new black bottle - I remember that I used to spray 3-4 shots and it would last a day with great strength from the brown glass bottle. Now I spray 5+ times and respray in a few hours with the black metal bottle. It has lost its longevity, but the sillage is still there while it is fresh (first couple of hours) and I believe a masterpiece of the 80's era that is far overlooked. Gianfranco Ferre has stood the test of time as a house of impeccable taste - more respected and known in Europe than in the US. I see that as a positive, as taste is simply more refined in Italy, France, etc. I had the old brown bottle in the 90's and now the "rebottling" in black metal. I want to go seek out an older brown bottle again, just for kicks. Doubt I will get it for $1.99, but I will be happy at $35-40 or so, as long as the juice is still good. Great thread...thought I would share.

I've to admit it took a while for me to fully appreciate this composition as the opening notes (mainly bergamot and lavender) are not among the best examples of a "catchy opening". They're kind of edgy and too acidic but fortunately they quickly evolve into an amazing fougère made of woods, leather, tobacco, vetiver and floral patterns. Elegant, sophisticated and extremely refined but absolutely not affected as it gathers together more than a single aspect of the 80's powerhouse style.



Personally I get it standing halfway between a classic fougere and a chypre with botloads of tobacco, oakmoss and dark woods. The leather is there but works more as a side note IMO.

As a matter of fact, Ferre For Man rapidly became one of my favourite fragrance in the vintage designer's range being among the best creation of that time. A true hidden gem.

Hi Shamu,

I'm going to have to get my bottle out when I get back home- I'm away at the moment. I do think there's leather in this but I never felt it was big on it. A great fragrance for winter by the way.

I'll check it again and get back to you.