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Best designer fragrance of the last decade or so

post #1 of 56
10/6/11 at 5:27pm
Thread Starter 
Most of my favorite fragrances to wear lately are designer frags -- Patou Pour Homme, Azzaro Pour Homme, Eau Sauvage, Caron Third Man, Hermes Bel Ami -- but they are almost all old, like decades old.

In the last dozen years or so, YSL has made some solid additions to the male fragrance canon -- I'm thinking M7 Fresh and Rive Gauche Pour Homme. But when I think about new classics generated by designers, the list is short. I like Polo Modern Reserve, but calling it a new classic is a stretch.

I was wondering what other people thought. What designer fragrances are coming out today that rank with the best of the best?
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post #2 of 56
10/6/11 at 5:32pm
Terre d'Hermes
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post #3 of 56
10/6/11 at 5:42pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by drseid View Post

Terre d'Hermes

+1 for TdH
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post #4 of 56
10/6/11 at 5:51pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by drseid View Post

Terre d'Hermes

Quote:
Originally Posted by silentrich View Post

+1 for TdH

+2 It's one of the few. I totally agree with UngerWoo. The new classics are not exactly in abundance. Even the truly imaginative designer entries (Bulgari Black, f'rinstance) aren't exactly becoming classics.
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post #5 of 56
10/6/11 at 6:31pm
Some candidates from off the top of my head. Some of these are '98 and '99; hope that's close enough.

Bulgari Black
Le Feu d'Issey
Rochas Man
TdH

If I had to pick one, it would be Le Feu d'Issey.
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post #6 of 56
10/6/11 at 7:34pm
Bulgari Black, Gucci Pour Homme I
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post #7 of 56
10/6/11 at 8:01pm
Dior Homme
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post #8 of 56
10/6/11 at 8:56pm
Aqua Di Gio
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post #9 of 56
10/6/11 at 9:10pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by noggs View Post

Dior Homme

+1 [but vintage, so sad that we already have to say that about a perfume of the last decade!]
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post #10 of 56
10/6/11 at 9:38pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by gtsb View Post

+1 [but vintage, so sad that we already have to say that about a perfume of the last decade!]

Yeah - wow. That's almost a sign of a classic - reformulated, to the pain of many.
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post #11 of 56
10/6/11 at 9:41pm
  • DNT
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Allure Homme? A little over a decade but close enough. ^^

Under heavy heavy bias, La Nuit. :P
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post #12 of 56
10/6/11 at 10:00pm
Lalique Encre Noire
Hermes TdH
Bulgari Black
TF Grey Vetiver
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post #13 of 56
10/6/11 at 10:04pm
Dior Homme
M7
Shalimar Parfum Initial
Tdh (Pure Parfum)
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post #14 of 56
10/6/11 at 10:23pm
Dior Homme
Pure Malt
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post #15 of 56
10/6/11 at 11:09pm
For the last decade, I'd go with:

Burberry London (Come on, this stuff smells amazing and classy!)
Pure Havane (An excellent gourmand with the slightest touch of tobacco)
Rive Gauche (Smells like an old school classic, which is always good in my book)
Juicy Couture Dirty English (Too bad they discontinued this one b/c it was a unique anti-unisex cologne)
Bvlgari Aqva (A very unique take on the aquatic family that can be worn any season)
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post #16 of 56
10/6/11 at 11:45pm
Rive Gauche, Dior Homme Intense, Mugler Cologne, Pure Havane
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post #17 of 56
10/6/11 at 11:50pm
Yeah, for top gun amongst what I've smelled, I'm gonna have to go with TdH, with runner up to M7.
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post #18 of 56
10/7/11 at 12:06am
Agreed Terre d`Hermès
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post #19 of 56
10/7/11 at 12:43am
Quite difficult to say but I would

- Terre d'Hermès
- A*Men flankers, specially Pure Malt
- M7
- Dior Homme

if only one probably Terre d'Hermès
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post #20 of 56
10/7/11 at 12:52am
M7...no question about it.
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post #21 of 56
10/7/11 at 1:01am
In no particular order:

encre noire
TdH (pure parfum)
dior homme intense
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post #22 of 56
10/7/11 at 1:21am
Easy: Dior Homme
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post #23 of 56
10/7/11 at 1:34am
It´s fair to add Comme des Garçons, isn´t it ? Ill put Kyoto.
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post #24 of 56
10/7/11 at 2:46am
Halston Man Amber recently pushed Terre d'Hermes Pure Perfume off that shelf for me
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post #25 of 56
10/7/11 at 5:22am
Terre d'Hermes

Acqua di Parma Colonia Intensa

Duel by Annick Goutal

Encre Noire by Lalique

La Nuit De L'Homme by Yves Saint Laurent

Infusion de Vétiver by Prada

M7 by YSL
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post #26 of 56
10/7/11 at 7:44am
Terre D'Hermes
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post #27 of 56
10/7/11 at 8:00am
L'instant de Guerlain extreme EDP
Dior Homme intense ( vintage)
Terre d'Hermes
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post #28 of 56
10/7/11 at 8:10am
Terre d'Hermes
M7
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post #29 of 56
10/7/11 at 8:16am
I am going to give a bit of love to

Roadster - Cartier

Replaces Lavender with Mint and Ozone to present a crisp modern fougere that still has enough classic feel to have a wide range of appeal.....but you have to love mint.
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post #30 of 56
10/7/11 at 8:28am
+++ on Dior Homme
+++ on YSL M7
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post #31 of 56
10/7/11 at 8:31am
  • KMF
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Terre d'Hermes
Dior Homme
M7
Rive Gauche PH
Gucci PH I
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post #32 of 56
10/7/11 at 8:38am
Quote:
Originally Posted by KMF View Post

Terre d'Hermes
Dior Homme
M7
Rive Gauche PH
Gucci PH I

The answer to this question was always going to be between these 5.

4 of which I dislike and 1 that is good but not FBW in my humble opinion.
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post #33 of 56
10/7/11 at 8:53am
Dior Homme
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post #34 of 56
10/7/11 at 8:54am
M7
Pure Malt
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post #35 of 56
10/7/11 at 9:04am
- Terre d'Hermès
- M7
- Dior Homme
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post #36 of 56
10/7/11 at 9:25am
Quote:
Originally Posted by jenson View Post

+++ on Dior Homme
+++ on YSL M7

probably betwen these 2 is the winner.
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post #37 of 56
10/7/11 at 10:07am
my top 10
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post #38 of 56
10/7/11 at 10:13am
Terre D'Hermes
Roadster de Cartier
Chanel Allure Homme
L'Instant de Guerlain
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post #39 of 56
10/7/11 at 11:25am
Best Designer fragrances of the last decade or so ( I can't just pick one) :

Lauder Brasil Dream for Him
YSL Rive Gauche pour Homme
Burberry London
YSL M7 ( either formula, but I strongly prefer newer one)
Gucci pour Homme ( 2003 )
CD Dior Homme
Caron L'Anarchiste
Michael Kors for Men
TM Mugler Cologne
Cartier Must l'essence pour Homme
St Dupont Signature pour Homme
Helmut Lang Cuiron
CD Fahrenheit Absolute
JPG Fleur du Male

- I could add a few more for sure.

- It all really depends on a persons taste. I've never really been a big gourmand guy (since I started posting on BNs), so while a recognize the quality of Guerlain L'instant pour Homme Extreme, I can't add it to my list. My list is more on my personal preferences. Ditto for Dior Homme Intense and AMen Pure Coffee.

EDIT : I may have misinterpreted the OP's intention of the thread. I don't know if all of my choices will be considered the "new classics". But I do consider them to be the best of the best.
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post #40 of 56
10/7/11 at 11:26am
M7
Terre d'Hermes
Dior Homme
Gucci PH
Rive Gauche
La Nuit De L'Homme
Bvlgari Black
Azzaro Visit
Comme des Garcons 2 Man
Lolita Lempicka Au Masculin
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post #41 of 56
10/7/11 at 11:39am
Agree with:

Terre d'Hermes
Dior Homme
M7
Rive Gauche PH
Pure Havane

My favorite from these is Terre d'Hermes.
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post #42 of 56
10/7/11 at 2:37pm
Halston Man Amber is up there for me. Does not get a lot of attention around here nor does it have the longevity but it smells fantastic. In my top 5 in this cat.
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post #43 of 56
10/7/11 at 3:07pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by KMF View Post

Terre d'Hermes
Dior Homme
M7
Rive Gauche PH
Gucci PH I

These five seem to be the most obvious choices. I guess it's a matter of taste, but I don't love them. I feel like Dior Homme is too feminine for me to get comfortable (and it's loud). Terre d'Hermes is good but it gets a little sharp and can be grating, I think. I see the artistry in it though. I get more mileage out of the others, but, with the exception of Rive Gauche, I don't think they hold a candle to any number of designer fragrances from previous decades.
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post #44 of 56
10/7/11 at 3:37pm
For me, Paul Smith London. That's my 'wildcard' entry!

Along the lines of conventional wisdom, Dior Homme.
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post #45 of 56
10/7/11 at 3:38pm
From my limited exposure I'm going to have to vote for Terre D'Hermes Pure Parfum.
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post #46 of 56
10/7/11 at 3:45pm
Pure Malt
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post #47 of 56
10/7/11 at 3:51pm
Terre D'hermes.

I like it alot of course, but mostly I think its because its a top-seller and, unlike a lot of the other suggestions, it's not discontinued or on the verge of being discontinued.
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post #48 of 56
10/7/11 at 4:37pm
Terre d'Hermes for me too, both edt and parfum. I flip-flop between which version I prefer.
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post #49 of 56
10/7/11 at 4:47pm
Terre d'Hermes

I really didn't like it at first - the flinty/minerally character caught me by surprise. I tried it just before going running, and it grew on me quite a bit! Guess I have to try the other fragrances mentioned here...
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post #50 of 56
10/7/11 at 4:48pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by UngerWoo View Post

Terre d'Hermes is good but it gets a little sharp and can be grating, I think. I see the artistry in it though.

I have the TdH pure Parfum, I do love the scent and artistry, it's one of the best designer scents, but because of its sharpness, doesn't get much wrist time. YSL M7 is the best designer frag of the last ten or so years that I've smelled.
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post #51 of 56
10/7/11 at 9:47pm
Don't know about best but my top 3 would be....
Bulgari Black, La Nuit de L'homme and Pure Malt
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post #52 of 56
10/8/11 at 1:12am
Terre d'Hermes
Chanel Platinum
Pure Malt
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post #53 of 56
10/8/11 at 2:00am
Although from 98, and sadly discontinued.. I have to say Gucci Envy.

Aside from that, definitely in the past 10 years: TdH, VdH, Modern Reserve, Sycomore, Encre Noire, Vetiver Tonka, Ambre Narguile, Eau Duelle, Tam Dao, and a couple others.

If I had to just pick one though.. I would say TdH
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post #54 of 56
10/9/11 at 11:47am
Cartier roadster
dior homme
ysl la nuit
terre dhermes
d&g ph (before reformulation)
d&g the one
gucci ph i
prada infusion dhomme
loewe 7
lancome hypnose
gucci by gucci
bvlgari ph
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post #55 of 56
10/9/11 at 11:56am
Chanel Allure Homme
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post #56 of 56
10/9/11 at 1:51pm
In random order:

Terre D'Hermes
Gucci Pour Homme I
YSL Rive Gauche Pour Homme
Lalique Encre Noir
Dior Homme and Dior Homme Intense

Somehow, I haven't tried YSL M7 yet...
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