“Aramis was a pioneer in men’s fragrance and is a scent that is distinctive and recognisable and one which can transcend trend and fads,” says Estée Lauder’s Trudi Loren, Senior Vice President, Corporate Fragrance Development, proudly. Which is something that certainly can’t be said of the majority of today’s bland and samey fragrance launches – few of which will be around in 2024, let alone 2064.
— Lee Kynaston pays tribute to Aramis, on the market since 1964. Read more at Aramis: the smell that just won't go away at The Telegraph.
Bland and samey is exactly right — all these hundreds upon hundreds of cookie-cutter men’s scents. It’s been over a decade since I smelled anything really new and original in men’s fragrance in what I guess they’re calling the luxury category (Very Irresistible for Men and L’Instant de Guerlain Pour Homme are the last ones I can think of).
I change my mind every so often about whether men have the worst for “bland or samey” or whether women do. Anyway, there’s an awful lot of meh out there.
I disagree wholeheartedly! I think all Fragrances have merit and uniqueness… it is if one isn’t finicky and overly judgemental that beauty can be found . Yes, some basic ingredients and essences simply don’t jive with people because they simply don’t like those scents, but the trend, (and it is legion) to be not just radically dismissive but downright uncaring about Fragrance because it doesn’t immediately charm and the rise of the perfumnista whom cannot even be bothered by something unless it fits X amount of criteria runs rampant on the blogs and with writers and reviewers! No one can POSSIBLY be expected to like EVERYTHING! It’s simply not going to happen, but the trend of immediate dismissiveness or lumping together scents as bland or samey is creating snobbishness and a certain ivory tower mentality!
And really one has to ask, maybe it isn’t the scent that’s the problem! Simply because something smells bland and samey to this writer of above article, does not mean that’s how scents smell to others! His or her nose does not speak the gospel for us all!
I think most of us here are finicky and overly judgemental — but you already know that
But despite that, I find plenty of beauty, more than I can afford to buy.
Love Aramis!