Aramis is repackaging and relaunching eight of the men's fragrances in their back catalog. The Aramis Gentleman's Collection will debut in September, and will include Aramis 900 (1974), Devin (1977), JHL (1981), Tuscany Per Uomo (1984), New West for Him (1988), Havana (1994), Aramis Life (2003) and Aramis Always for Him (2006). The fragrances will be in 100 ml for $48.
The latter two scents will not be released in the US, and the original Aramis fragrance, now known as Aramis Classic, will not be included in the collection. (via wwd)
On the one hand, good news (many of their scents are smashing)
On the other hand, when a sensible company like Lauder issues a “collection of scents” (and on top of that masculine scents, weren’t guys considered less pretencious?) you can almost smell the scent of discontinuing regular bottles and upping prices by at least a 30% margin…Hope I’m proven wrong.
Hm, but on the flip side….maybe the existing packaging will be offered at a steep discount? Love the bottles, though they’re not original; I just like the smooth edges.
They’re sort of retro-masculine bottles. they remind me of the bottles of cologne my father had.
From what I can find, 48 dollars is about the same or not much more than those scents are being sold for at the moment in common US department stores (Macy’s, Dillard’s, etc).
I hope they widen the distribution, too. I’ve only seen Aramis Classic at the local branches of Macy’s and Bergner’s.
Looks like they’re around $40-49 at Dillards now.
Oops…JHL is actually $60.
I hope I’m reading the article correctly – new packaging, same juice = $48. $48 for 100 ML is quite reasonable.
I’m sure all of these have been reformulated recently in one way or another, but yes, they’re supposedly the same juice.
I am excited to smell most of these, which I’m unfamiliar with, but I was a HUGE fan of Tuscany for many years and still own a very ooooooold and large bottle. I still think it is great stuff — a classic that I love much more than similar fougeres like Azzaro Homme. (If anyone wants a sample, I’m more than willing: joe805 on mua.)
Interesting that the latter two won’t be launched in the US. I wonder what stores will carry these.
And goodness, New West really was a crime against package and graphic design, wasn’t it? Even at that mini size in the photos above, it makes me cringe.
Yeah, I looked at the bottle and guessed “80’s,” and scrolled down to see I was right.
Good to hear the endorsement; Tuscany is another, along w/Cabotine, that I always see on discount, but not anywhere I can smell it. Maybe I’ll grab a bottle next time, since our taste seems to overlap a great deal.
A bottle would last you f-o-r-e-v-e-r… I can send you a small decant. It’s also very aromatic/masculine in a type I don’t wear much anymore, but it’s very cool-weather comforting.
Hey, I’d love a sample…thanks! Though if it’s heavily masculine, a teeny one would probably last me forever.
Tuscany UOMO is a personal favourite of mine… and I’m a woman
go ahead, lemon and then wood and something green and… loads of sexyness. Very dry and… yes, manly, but with white chemise and black tie on a hot day with gin-lemonade AND Tuscany… mmm I feel it just fine on me
FYI about the discount stores: I was told at TJ Maxx that you can return perfume if you get it home and don’t like it. I don’t know if the same holds true for Marshall’s, but you can always ask.
I’m um…fairly gifted at sliding the box out of the cellophane w/o tearing it. A little clear glue will re-seal it, and they don’t look at the bottom anyway. Oh…and my TJ Maxx specifically said “you know I can’t take this back if it’s opened, right?” when I bought there, so… must be a store by store basis.
It drives me crazy when chain stores don’t have consistent policies. I bought a sealed bottle of Armani Privee Eau de Jade at Marshall’s not too long ago and returned it opened – and with a receipt – without any hassle. I’ve always had good customer service at my TJ Maxx, too. I don’t get how you’re supposed to buy a sealed box of perfume unsniffed and not be able to return it unopened. Lousy customer service and lack of business sense.
Yeah, the sales clerk said it was all stores. Maybe you got someone who didn’t know what they were talking about? Either way, that sucks.
I was told that because you can’t smell anything first is the exact reason why they’ll let you return it.
Per WWD, Bloomingdale’s, Neiman Marcus, Lord & Taylor, Saks Fifth Avenue, Dillard’s and Macy’s
Tuscany is a very very nice fragrance. I used to apply VERY little and thats how it worked best for me. I agree it would last ages.
Having now sniffed it….ages seems to be an accurate assessment. That is some strong stuff! It reminds me a lot of the original Calvin by Calvin Klein which, big 80s frag or no, I still find completely irresistible (in very tiny doses).
This is good news! Hopefully they’ll get wider distribution and I’ll be hoping for steep discounts on the older bottles hehe! I’m mostly excited about Havana! That is widely loved in basenotes but since it was discontinued it’s been harder to find and is expensive so it’s good for us!
Agree…too bad they aren’t bringing back Havana for women, I know lots of people liked that one too
The big news here, I think, is Havana. I haven’t smelt it, but it is one of the most lamented discontinued designer frags over on BN. There’ve been rumors of its reintroduction. Nice to see that it’s happening (and that it will, apparently, be available in the U.S.).
I’ve smelled it, it’s nice. Don’t know what the new version will be like though.
Which one of these should I try?
oh wow, I thought this was Armani and I was about to say “I haven’t tried anything by Armani”
I definitely haven’t tried anything from Aramis
I don’t know Aramis 900 or JHL, but all the rest are worth a sniff.
I wore Tuscany AND New West many years ago. The original New West bottle was blue and oval.
I had that bottle too
R: Just curious, was the melony New West you’ve often commented on owning and loving, was that the women’s or the men’s? I had always assumed women’s, but now this comment makes me think twice. I don’t think I’ve ever smelled either.
The women’s, but later I also had a bottle of the men’s and I liked that too. Both bottles were pretty cheesy by perfumista standards, I guess, but at the time they didn’t bother me in the least.
I don’t remember the smell of the men’s as well as I do the women’s — that one is etched upon my brain
Good news. My peeps at Basenotes will most likely go bananas about the Havana re-issue.
What I really wanted, was a brand new fragrance from Aramis. But I’ll take what I can get.
And for what it’s worth, I happen to like the 80’s inspired packaging of New West.
They did that “Classic Reserve” last year, but I think that’s it.
Right about Havana. It is funny not a lot of people have commented on that here yet. I’ve hade a small sample forever, saving it for… I dunno. Some special occasion I suppose. Great news indeed. Will be interesting to compare new with old.
Forgot to add, I’m also a proud owner of the traditional Aramis by Aramis and LOVE it (it’s lovely on a woman; somewhat very close to Azurée for my nose) and planning on buying Devin unsniffed some time in the near future.
But the news about Havana is really great and I’ll try it… cause I love the ad… I saw it when I just had watched The Godfather and fell in love with young Pacino, the Havana ad reminded me of him ever since – well bound before the power of ads I guess *sigh*
I used to wear my boyfriend’s Devin all the time — great stuff, although it must be reformulated several times over by now.