John Varvatos produces a respectable range of fragrances; they smell high quality, the packaging is fun and the collection is cohesive and "adult" (nothing Axe-like) — I don't feel most Varvatos fragrances are made to feed (or succumb to) a market trend. From the moment I smelled Dark Rebel,* I liked it. A lot. It didn't take long to realize WHY I liked it so much...more on that later.
Dark Rebel begins with a sweet (but assertive) leather aroma, mildly boozy and spiced with peppery notes and cardamom. In mid-development, Dark Rebel's leather is smoother and its character softens as silky benzoin becomes apparent (vanillic at first, smoky later). On my skin, I don't really detect strong tobacco or castoreum notes, but Dark Rebel's patchouli is abundant (although not dark or rebellious in the least). In Dark Rebel's base, I smell a background evergreen note, indistinct woods, vanilla/benzoin "ashes" and light musk. Dark Rebel is a well-blended, rich-smelling perfume, and it arrives on the shelves at a perfect time: autumn.
I realized quickly why I enjoy Dark Rebel so much. It's a very close relative of one of my all-time favorite perfumes: Hermès Bel Ami. During Dark Rebel's mid-development and finale, the resemblances were so striking I got my bottle of Bel Ami and did a side-by-side comparison. Dark Rebel is sweeter and smokier than Bel Ami (not as clear/pungent or resinous) but at times the two perfumes were difficult to tell apart. Is Dark Rebel an homage or rip-off...or an "accident"? We all know near-duplication of popular perfumes is often the goal — think of the slew of candy-sweet, fruity-florals or fresh ozone/white musk monsters that arrive by the dozens each year and are hard to tell apart — but I doubt Bel Ami is a huge seller so that type of duplication is unlikely. Maybe John Varvatos, or his perfumer, loves Bel Ami? But do we need Dark Rebel? Bel Ami is still on the shelves. Why not explore new territory?
If any of you "almost" like Bel Ami but wish it were a tad milder, give Dark Rebel a try. Me? I'm sticking with Bel Ami.
Question: Name a recent perfume that smells almost identical to an older, famous fragrance.
John Varvatos Dark Rebel Eau de Toilette is available in 75 ($66) and 125 ml ($86). It was developed by perfumer Rodrigo Flores-Roux.
*Fragrance notes include rum absolute, sugarcane accord, davana, cardamom, clary sage, black leather, fir balsam, nutmeg, black pepper, styrax, akigalawood (patchouli fraction), cade, tobacco leaf, blackened vanilla bean, castoreum and balsawood.
Kevin, I am always afraid to try mainstream releases. I prefer my fragrance bounty to garner compliments while I always conveniently “forget” what I am wearing when asked, haha. I will have to give this one a try. What do you think of the “Narcisco Roriguez Blue”? That was the other mainstream fragrance I was thinking of trying. I bought the original “For Him” a couple of months ago and i have not worn it since it’s debut in 2007. Sadly, it was now too much of violet bomb for me to enjoy. I am hoping that the blue version will be better.
Lindeberg…haven’t come across the Blue yet in stores…and refuse to buy a sample! Ha!
Interesting to note that both of the Narciso Rodriguez fragrances mentioned by lindeberg38 have been (in keeping with the spirit of your challenge, Kevin) compared to other scents. The original NR For Him has been compared to Grey Flannel, and the newer ‘blue’ fragrance to Declaration, of all things. I can’t speak for the latter, but “For Him” certainly resembled the earlier (vintage) version of Grey Flannel, which had more galbanum and dank, mossy woods than the current bargain-basement version, which is mostly violets and musk.
I’ve been very curious about Bel Ami for about a year now, but have yet to smell it. It kept crossing my path when I was doing classic fragrance/oakmoss/vetiver research. And I did read your glowing review of it! So I’ll be watching carefully for Dark Rebel to show up, hopefully, at our small Macy’s, so I can smell it. I’m just as curious about it as I am Bel Ami. I’ve also begun to realize after starting an incense appreciation research type project (trying to learn to get over my incense issues), that I like smokey benzoin the most of all. So now I am searching for more smokey benzoin fragrances. Thanks for the tip!!!
Ann…you’re welcome. It IS hard to fine Bel Ami in stores, unless you have a Hermes boutique nearby…do try it.
I’m one of those that almost likes Bel Ami, so I will definitely try this, if I see it!
Merlin, good!
Hi Kevin. This comment would better be written after checking my decant of Bel Ami, but I won’t get home for a few hours so I’ll just fire now and check later.
I have owned a bottle of ELDO Je Suis un Homme for a while-I like it, and I remember your review. When I first sniffed Bel Ami, I felt I immediately understood Je Suis as an homage to It. The rough leathery opening seems very close to Bel Ami. But while Je Suis nominally has “animalic” notes, it comes nowhere near the civet/armpit thrill of Bel Ami.
Donnie…I will have to do a side by side with those, too!
To me, Soir de Lune, smells like the old Coriandre – but I’d rather have Coriandre…
Nancy: the oldies seem to always win in the comparisons, don’t they?
Oh yes…luckily I’ve got some vintage Coriandre…
Are we talking similarities between vintage Bel Ami, or reformulated Bel Ami? There’s a big difference, in my opinion, and one that would make it much more of a purchase if it’s closer to the vintage (which is obviously all the harder to come by and thus much more expensive).
As a side note, the vintage always reminded me of fall and burning leaves from a poplar tree.
The Bark: I should have said I was comparing vintage Bel Ami to Dark Rebel…but I do like the current Bel Ami, too…even Bel Ami Vetiver.
I think Mon Parfum Cheri par Camille smells a little like Femme.
Solanace…I recently bought a vintage bottle of Femme and I don’t wear it “outside’! HAHA! So, is Mon Parfum Cheri that musky/cumin-y?
I don’t think MPCpC has any cumin. To me, it’s mainly iris, peach and patchouli – sort of a Goth Iris Gris. Wonderful!
Since vetiver and I are mostly frienemies, I’ve stayed clear of Bel Ami. (I haven’t tried it in years so I should try it again maybe)
Dark Rebel could be the winning one for me… Will have to look for it.
Plat: ah…I don’t think of vetiver at all when I sniff Bel Ami..it’s all about the resins/leather…love the cedar-patchouli, too.
Hi, Kevin you asked about perfumes we might find have a fraternal similarity to an equally famous sibling. I was very excited once when we were travelling in Austria to encounter the Aedes de Venustas line, which is not, so far as I know, available in Aotearoa-New Zealand. My operating principle is “if liked, buy on sight” when I travel, so I sprayed the eponymous perfume gaily and sat back, hoping to love it for the rhubarb note — and found Traversee du Bosphore. They are not identical, of course, but they were alike enough to my nose that I got all confused (“Can this be? What’s wrong with me?) and dejected and stupidly didn’t try anything else. I’m sure more sensitive noses can tell me where I misunderstood AdeV, but at the end of the day, perfume is about body chemistry and perception, so here I am, Aedes-less but Traverseed up to the ear-lobes today.
waterdragon: chemistry plays its part, and who knows what else? Had the bottle been “cooking” under those horrid lights/shelves one often finds in perfume shops? I wouldn’t think of the rhubarb AdV and TdB being kindred spirits…but I’ve not smelled the AdV in some time now..but own TdB.
Do you find Bel Ami Vetiver very much like Bel Ami?
I’m not even sure how close JCE intended these updated/tribute versions to be. Although you can find Amazone in Rose Amazone, if reminds me more strongly of Diptyque L’Ombre dans l’Eau, curiously.
I was testing a sample of Guerlain Sous le Vent (2006 reissue) recently and thought, “Aha – that was the model for Diaghilev!” They aren’t quite identical: Sous le Vent is a beautiful woman dressed androgynously in YSL le Smoking with her hair pulled back strictly, and Diaghilev is the next time you see her, smoldering in a scandalously cut Versace gown with big hair and a boob job.
Noz…Bel Ami and Bel Ami Vetiver are very similar at heart…with the opening and base being different.
To answer your question.
Narciso Rodriguez for him bleu – a 99% copy of Cartier Declaration.
Anton..ah…must smell the Bleu then.
Dark Rebel could really be just what I need. Bel Ami is fantastic, but something in it always prevented me from wearing it. Thanks for the review. Here are some recent fragrances that smell similar to well known scents:
Sauvage by Dior got a certain Aventus vibe, but also resembles Blue de Chanel.
Bergdorf pour Femme by Roja Parfums smells like Pure Poison by Dior.
Parfum de la Nuit 2 by Roja Parfums has the same sweet resinous amber note you can find in dozens of other (and cheaper) niche fragrances, like Ambre 114 or Alambar.
A Goodnight Kiss by Roja Parfums is like a mixture of Chanel N°22 and N°5.
Sweetie Aoud by Roja Parfums has a similar sweet gourmand feeling like Santal Royal by Guerlain.
L’Homme Idéal by Guerlain strongly resembles A*Men Pure Havane by Thierry Mugler.
Oud Save The Queen by Atkinson’s smells like Precious Oud by Van Cleef & Arpels (which is a toned down version of Black Orchid).
Fascinating, I’m saving these for reference.
Which reminds me, Luca Turin pointed out that modern Grossmith Sham-el-Nessim recreates original 1905 Coty L’Origan, which Grossmith originally copied in 1906. This seems accurate, based on the L’Origan recreations been fortunate to smell.
Smelled it this past weekend. It’s a duplicate of Jo Malone Pomegranate Noir to my nose.
An Iso E Super bomb! I was so looking forward to this too! Smelt that horrid raspy cedar on the bit sprayed on paper and that was it for me! So many fragrances ruined for me by this overused molecule. Lalique Encre Noire, Terre d’Hermes, Pharrell Girl all rendered unwearable for me……