“A touch of high tech and a touch of classic glass for an exquisitely-formed bottle.” More than anyone else, Karl has turned his fashion into a look, an attitude, an institution. His two new fragrances echo his edgy style while conveying sophisticated elegance and classicism with a bold, modern twist.
Price: R695
Size: 50ml
Availability: Selected department stores nationwide
What we say:
This new fragrance is stylish yet sophisticated. For a man who’s working in the corporate world this is the fragrance to have as it reflects characteristics of masculinity, power and portrays a modern man. The packaging and bottle also reflect the simple yet stylish man who would wear such a scent. As I sail, the notes that came out for me remind me of the fresh ocean breeze. The smell isn’t overpowering yet lasts most of the day. As the smell isn’t overpowering at all it is an easy scent to wear. I don’t think I could put an age to it, as it is not a deep scent that will only suit men of 40+. I really enjoy wearing it. Rating: 8/10.
– Paul
Well, the much-anticipated new Karl Lagerfeld for HIM has finally hit the shelves. According to the legendary fashion designer he wanted his new fragrance to have a modern vibe as was quoted as saying ‘Fragrance is fashion for the nose.’ If this is the case, your nose will have to deal with a fashion tour de force.
Overall, it is a highly aromatic scent with a strong top note of citrus and lavender. The heart is a crisp green apple, tampered buy a gentle violet, followed by amber and a sandalwood base.
In keeping with the modern vibe, the fragrance is not overly masculine and as such it is a safe designer fragrance but lacks a strong punch and longevity. This is not to say it is not a pleasurable fragrance, but I believe fans of Karl Lagerfeld will have expected more from the great man. My only other comment is that the bottle is unexciting and bland. My rating would be 3.5 out of 5.
– Mark
Being fortunate enough to work at a private investment bank, I had a plethora of bright talented and sophisticated individuals with whom to measure and review a new fragrance, all of whom I am pleased to report purred with pleasure at the first note. Although new to the designer fragrance niche luxury market, this fragrance draws on a rich fashion history drenched in the history of one of the most prolific and influential designers, Mr Lagerfeld.
The design of the bottle is strong and modern with pure weighted glass creating a sturdy appearance. The clean black and white packaging speaks to the simplicity of the brand and is refreshingly conservative. The fragrance itself is decidedly masculine and evokes imagery of adventure and exploration, with ingredients of mandarin, lavender oil, apple, violet leaf, sandalwood and an amber accord, a distinct influence of Karl’s era growing up in a post World War II Europe and his love of history.
The late entry to this luxury fragrance market is more than likely a reflection of the Largerfeld focus on fashion, but with such a strong and influential history, it is only fitting that this heritage be immortalized in a fragrance that has the notes to be a classic.
– Rees
First off, the box is a pleasingly pure black-on-black with a uniform embossing that echoes the metal ring of the bottle (this pieces tactile accent in keeping with KL’s creations). The bottle itself is made up of simple, geometric forms rendered in polished chrome and smokey glass. Naturally, the signature KL silhouettes dot the cap and logo as well as the box.
Composed by Lagerfeld’s perfumer Jean-Christophe Hérault, the scent straight out the bottle is fresh and tangy owing to lavender, mandarin zest, crispy apple and violet leaves. These open to the heavy, spicy sandalwood and amber, supposedly affording an elegance to the scent. I’ve got skin like bicarb so only the hardiest of scents don’t get absorbed. Thus all I get when I wear the scent is, sadly, sandalwood-induced-nausea. That being said, this eau de toilette has some serious staying power so only a fraction of a spray is required.
To be honest, this isn’t really my preference – a bit too sweet for my liking. Also, I prefer a fragrance that I spray on in the morning and can forget about – one’s scent should only ever be discovered and not announced.
– Julian
My partner usually picks out my perfume for me, as I am generally pretty useless when it comes to deciding what works for me and what doesn’t, so I was a little hesitant receiving a fragrance which hadn’t been “approved” beforehand. Luckily enough, she absolutely loves it and insists that I wear it every day.
I’ve also received a few compliments on how good it smells, plus the fact that it last the whole day without fading is great. I would definitely continue using it and don’t think the price point is ridiculous either. I would be very happy paying for both bottle sizes as its well within the range of the rest of my perfume collection. Hopefully this one has made it on to my Christmas / birthday list as well.
– Jonathan
