I’ll spare you the hand-wringing and damp eyes that often accompany discussions of the original 1999 version of Yohji Yamamoto Yohji Homme — there'll be little talk of the dreaded, but inevitable, reformulation, and no repetition of the glowing reviews of yore. As they say: what’s done is done…what’s gone is gone. Anyway, I don’t think I ever smelled the original version of Yohji Homme; if I did, I probably dismissed it immediately (fourteen years ago, I was not a lover of spicy fragrances).
Perfumer Jean-Michel Duriez developed Yohji Homme; perfumer Olivier Pescheux was assigned the task of updating the defunct Yohji Yamamoto perfume line for re-release. I wonder if Pescheux was nervous, given the widespread love of original Yohji Homme?
Yohji Yamamoto said of Yohji Homme: "The scent follows the funny off-track and avant-garde image of my fashion.” Quirkiness was certainly present in one of my favorite Yohji Homme ads — an old dog hiding behind a slender tree. Unbelievably, Yohji Homme lives up to Yamamoto’s statement; it IS off-track and avant-garde — like some of the more abstract fragrances created at Comme des Garçons (where Yamamoto’s ex-girlfriend Rei Kawakubo presides).
Yohji Homme* begins with a burst of bergamot-juniper berry that segues quickly into a “meaty” sage note (not “green” and crisp but more “celadon” and tough in character). The heart of Yohji Homme presents percolating coffee, and this brew was made with beans charred on a bed of peat; the coffee has a slightly smoky, leathery aroma. Oh, and there are bitter chocolate and “burning-popcorn” moments as well.
That’s what happened on Yohji Homme Test Day No. 1.
On the second day I wore Yohji Homme, the fragrance started off with a burnt brown-sugar scent, with added notes of pine-cedar and licorice. Coffee was present...but waaaaaaaay in the background. Yohji Homme, on day number two, was a sweet, spicy/talcy wood perfume: handsome and comfortable.
On the third day I wore Yohji Homme, I smelled of liquor-y cardamom and licorice with vibrant cedar, sage-y musk, and patchouli. Again: enjoyable.
Either Yohji Homme is 1. unstable; 2. reacting to my skin in a weird way; or 3. designed to provide a variety of "presentations" (maybe that’s what is off-kilter and avant-garde about the perfume — it shifts and sways and surprises like the many layers, apparent and obscure, in Yamamoto’s fashions).
I liked all the permutations of Yohji Homme; it’s an ephemeral perfume, lasting about four hours before becoming so faint I have to put nose to skin to detect it. While it lasts, Yohji Homme has good sillage
As I said, I have no idea how today’s Yohji Homme stacks up against the original version; do comment if you’ve worn both fragrances.
Buyer Beware: now that Yohji Homme has been reissued in the same bottle design as the original, be careful when buying online; what you THINK is the older version of Yohji Homme may be the reformulated fragrance.
Yohji Yamamoto Yohji Homme is currently available in the U.K. at Selfridges & Co.: in 30 ml (£35), 50 ml (£45) and 100 ml (£65) Eau de Toilette.
*listed fragrance notes of bergamot, juniper berry, sage, cardamom, licorice, geranium, rum, mocha coffee, cedar, leather, patchouli and musk.
Was both looking forward to and dreading the announcement of a re-release, since I splurged last year on the original.
While I admire it a lot, I don’t believe it was worth what I paid for it, and fortunately I cannot remember how much.
Relleric, no doubt you’ll remember in the middle of the night
Well, I had to go looking through order history, turns out I paid $149.99 for 1.7oz EDT with aftershave balm included. I would still like to sample the new version, provided it becomes widely available in the US.
Relleric: Yikes! So about double what it’s selling for now. Could have been worse I guess!
I recall most of these being the same notes as the vintage one, which you could find with big discounts in the early 00s, powerful fluid, I used to call it “2 sprays of Au Masculine and one Amen”… I wonder how reformulated it is… Great review, Kevin.
Eaudemale, it is certainly not that powerful now
Have you heard if or when it might be available in the US?
Janice: No word…
Really enjoyable review, thanks. Hopefully your alternative 3 holds good, that the fragrance has several presentations. I’d love to smell it if I get the chance, now that I’m curious. I don’t wear masculine fragrances much – and this one sounds very masculine – because even if I like them wearing them always feels wrong. (This was confirmed for me the other day when I took Grey Flannel out for a spin. Nope. Felt like I was driving someone else’s car.)
I’m curious about the chain of decisions that led to the revival of Yohji Homme, I mean, if it could happen to Yohji Homme, could it happen to Theorema, or Cuir de Lancome? Sigh. No, I guess not. Nice to dream though.
Annemarie: dream on! It could always happen….
Any word on a re-release of the ladies Yohji? I have backstocked a bottle, but curious what the new one will do. I lurve the original.
Louise: I believe all Yohji fragrances have been re-released. I got samples of the entire line.
Louise: just checked and have these, reissued or new: 1. Yohji Senses, 2. Yohji Essential 3. Yohji Yamamoto Eau de Parfum (short rectangle bottle) and 4. Yohji Eau de Toilette (tall/skinny bottle)
Your description makes it sound very appealing!
Hajusuuri: it’s a fun scent.
I have the original (because it was one of the 5-star scents in The Guide) and test it about once a year. It’s one of the few good perfumes that smells too masculine for me to wear, even just around the house. I’ve never noticed it to be changeable, but then I’ve never worn it two days in a row, either.
It looks like the bottles are the same but the caps are different. You can see in the photo of the original that it was a simple matte silver spray with a kind of weird lever clasp (not sure how to explain – mine broke off immediately and got lost).
It’s aways good news when they bring something back and don’t ruin it.
Noz: I wish you could try the new one to see how it compares…and report back!
I got a couple sample vials of the original via eBay after reading Luca’s book. I have one left and will save until I can try the new one. It does sound interesting and I’d be happy with any of your 3 days.
My partner absolutely adores this one. We had plenty of old bottles over the years.
When I tried the new one, I think it lacked some oomf of the original one. I feel that it is modified but not to the extent of completely losing the original character.
Selfridges in London have this in stock at the moment. They also have an offer, if you buy a 100ml bottle you get a 10 ml bottle free. I also got additional 10ml worth of samples of the same Yohji Homme. My partner is very happy 🙂