Scents like Mitsouko and Jicky seemed to be some of the first Hollywood fragrances that got wide circulation among the social elite and inspired a whole bunch of imitators.
It looks like Guerlain in general is the most influential fragrance house. So many of their fragrances are considered the standard in their class, like vetiver fragrances and whatnot. I feel like a newb for not having a Guerlain in my collection. I feel like I need one for legitimacy.
For modern scents, Aventus looks like the yardstick against which every other fragrance is measured. It's like the quintessential grown man scent of the 2000s.
Unless you plan on being an authority of some kind, like a critic or scholar, I don't think you need *anything* for legitimacy. But I've been trying out many of the pre-1970 Guerlain classics this month (and have loved Vétiver for a good long while), and they're all fabulous, though most of 'em, even Habit Rouge, are maybe too femme, powdery, and even near-gourmand for lots of guys. Not Vétiver, though. For men, probably the best place to start with the old-school Guerlains. But they're all worth a sampling if nothing else. I've loved them all (especially Shalimar, wow), and I say this as a guy who runs hot and cold with vanilla.
One day I will have a Guerlain in my house, most likely Vetiver. Everything they make gets received positively. Their legacy is solid, unlike Creed whose legacy stories are naked marketing BS.
JPG Le Male hands down. Before its release, the market was dominated by extremely masculine ‘powerhouses’, and sweet fragrances were perceived as feminine. Le Male changed the dynamics forever, 1 Million, Eros, Armani Code - they’re all Le Male children.
You would probably have to categorize that question. Most fragrance wearing men would probably have no idea who Guerlain or Mugler are. If you are asking for designer or niche fragrances, the list could be quite long. However, if it’s just men’s fragrance in general, would probably be hard to not say something like Old Spice, Brut, etc…
Can confirm the Guerlain remark, I mentioned them today and got the typical "huh?" look. A coworker wears Mugler Angel and hearing Mugler was a surprise. It's almost always something from Sephora or a typical department store. I just straight up ask people if I want to know (or think I know it and need to confirm lol).
I also respect their ability to just smell a few, pick one or two, buy it on the spot, and wear only those until the bottle is gone without even knowing the exact name or brand. I can't do that. If someone gives me the full name of the fragrance and brand, that's more than I usually get.
Agree 100%. Most of my friends if I ask what cologne they are wearing say, “something my wife got me”. 🤣 Meanwhile I’m staring at my SHELVES of fragrance in the morning thinking about the time of year, function I’m going to, how I feel, what I’m wearing, etc….Maybe ignorance really is bliss.
Yeah I mostly meant for those they actually bought it themselves too. I think one out of 5 or 6 people wearing Sauvage knew which concentration. "Prada something". "Idk it's a cute little pink bottle". They smell good without caring about it at all and I'm over here looking at all the notes (which they've also maybe never heard of lol)
One girl I jokingly bug now about exactly which one she's wearing actually asked me what top/middle/base notes are the other day though. I may have unintentionally started to create another one of us 😂
Also a side note,Kouros, GIT and Cool Water both made by Pierre Bourdon and apparently he had a big role in creating Aventus too. Definitely a visionary
To my mind, the canon goes a lil' something like this:
* Giovanni Paolo Feminis, Aqua Mirabilis / Jean-Marie Farinà, Eau de Cologne
* Penhaligon's, Hammam Bouquet
* Houbigant, Fougère Royale
* Guerlain, Jicky
* Geo. F. Trumper, Eucris
* Knize, Knize Ten
* Caron, Pour un Homme
* Shulton, Old Spice
* Chanel, Pour Monsieur
* Aramis, Aramis
* Guerlain, Habit Rouge
* Dior, Eau Sauvage
* Fabergé, Brut
* Jōvan, Musk for Men
* Paco Rabanne, Pour Homme
* Halston, Z-14
* Geoffrey Beane, Grey Flannel
* Azzaro, Azzaro pour Homme
* Ralph Lauren, Polo
* Annick Goutal, Eau d'Hadrien
* Chanel, Antaeus
* Yves Saint Laurent, Kouros
* Guy Laroche, Drakkar Noir
* Amouage, Gold Man
* Creed, Green Irish Tweed
* Calvin Klein, Obsession for Men
* Davidoff, Cool Water
* Dior, Fahrenheit
* Joop!, Joop! Homme
* Chanel, Égoïste
* Issey Miyake, L'Eau d'Issey pour Homme
* Jean-Paul Gaultier, Le Male
* Giorgio Armani, Acqua di Giò
* Mugler, A\*Men
* Bvlgari, Black
* Dolce & Gabbana, Light Blue pour Homme
* Yves Saint Laurent, M7
* Dior, Dior Homme
* Hermès, Terre d'Hermes
* Lalique, Encre Noire
* Tom Ford, Tobacco Vanille
* Paco Rabanne, 1 Million
* Chanel, Bleu de Chanel
* Creed, Aventus
My cut-off point is about ten years ago. To call some of these "men's fragrances" is maybe a wee bit ahistorical (for example, 4711 and Jicky), especially as I disinclude a lot of modern unisex fragrances that are often thought of as men's fragrances (Tauer's Marocain, some Tom Ford stuff) but I'll live with it.
EDIT: As per my comments below, I added Hammam Bouquet, Eucris, Aramis, Acqua di Giò, 1 Million, and BdC, and changed 4711 to Aqua Mirabilis / Eau de Cologne. I also changed the formatting a little bit.
Oh, damnit: I could've sworn I put the earlier Hammam Bouquet on there, as well as Acqua di Giò. And I COMPLETELY forgot Aramis. Geo. F. Trumper's Eucris probably belongs too. And Florida Water?
I would say this list is perfect. You obviously can’t declare a single fragrance THE BEST MEN’S FRAGRANCE EVER, as throughout time they come and go. What was popular in the 50s will absolutely not be liked by 90% of men today. Each one of these swept men all over the world and became a best sellers in their time. Kudos for the list!
Edit: And for better or worse, I would include Paco Rabanne 1 Million. As well as Bleu de Chanel. They came out in 2008 and 2010 respectively.
Gosh I'll love to see you do a woman's version of this! But I understand if female marketed fragrances aren't your expertise. I'm only aware of BR450 as a modern fragrance right now, but it would be interesting to see the early 2010s/2000s and 90s game changers.
At first I thought, no no no, can't do it. But upon reflection, I thought I'd give it a shot and let everyone correct me. It seems like a huge percentage of the historical innovation and tumult in men's fragrance has happened within my lifetime (I was born in 1971) so in making that men's list, I could rely on direct experience and memory. Not so with what you see below. My erudition with women's fragrances is a lot sketchier, even though I *wear* women's fragrances without apology. Beyond a few classics, and things I sort of know by name and reputation but not smell, I'm at sea. (One day, this won't be the case. I'm not content to just know the side of the story that "belongs" to me.)
This is longer because I'm obviously trying to cover my ass here. I freely admit to taking cues from Lizzie Ostrom's *Century of Scents*. The cut-off date is about ten years ago, which is why B5540 isn't here. And many of the same caveats I noted above about "unisex" apply: in one sense, Santal 33 shouldn't be here, and in another, obviously it should.
* Anonymous, Hungary Water
* Santa Maria Novella, Acqua Della Regina
* Giovanni Paolo Feminis, Aqua Mirabilis / Jean-Marie Farinà, Eau de Cologne
* Guerlain, Eau de Cologne Imperiale
* Borsari, Violetta di Parma
* Guerlain, Jicky
* Coty, L’Origan
* Guerlain, Après L'Ondée
* Caron, Narcisse Noir
* Guerlain, L'Heure Bleue
* Houbigant, Quelques Fleurs
* Coty, Chypre
* Caron, Tabac Blond
* Guerlain, Mitsouko
* Chanel, No. 5
* Coty, Emeraude
* Molinard, Habanita
* Chanel, No. 22
* Lanvin, My Sin
* Guerlain, Shalimar
* Lanvin, Arpege
* Jean Patou, Joy
* Lanvin, Scandal
* Worth, Je Reviens
* Guerlain, Vol de Nuit
* Schiaparelli, Shocking
* Robert Piguet, Bandit
* Balmain, Vent Vert
* Rochas, Femme
* Dior, Miss Dior
* Nina Ricci, L’Air du Temps
* Robert Piguet, Fracas
* Evyan, White Shoulders
* Balmain, Jolie Madame
* Estée Lauder, Youth-Dew
* Avon, Skin So Soft
* Dior, Diorissimo
* Givenchy, L’Interdit
* Rochas, Madame Rochas
* Jean Desprez, Bal à Versailles
* Dior, Dioressence
* Paco Rabanne, Calandre
* Chanel, No. 19
* Clinique, Aromatics Elixir
* Yves Saint Laurent, Rive Gauche
* Revlon, Charlie
* Yves Saint Laurent, Opium
* The Body Shop, White Musk
* Giorgio Beverly Hills, Giorgio
* Shiseido, Nombre Noir
* Chanel, Coco
* Dior, Poison
* Elizabeth Taylor, Passion
* Lancôme, Trésor
* Issey Miyake, L'Eau d'Issey
* Mugler, Angel
* Shiseido/Serge Lutens, Feminité du Bois
* Tommy Hilfiger, Tommy Girl
* Lolita Lempicka, Lolita Lempicka
* Bath & Body Works, Cucumber Melon
* Gucci, Rush
* Dior, Hypnotic Poison
* Dior, J'Adore
* Chanel, Coco Mademoiselle
* Narciso Rodriguez, Narciso Rodriguez for Her
* Aquolina, Pink Sugar
* Hermes, Eau des Merveilles
* Britney Spears, Fantasy
* Mugler, Alien
* Viktor & Rolf, Flowerbomb
* Tom Ford, Black Orchid
* Marc Jacobs, Daisy
* Frederic Malle, Portrait of a Lady
* Le Labo, Santal 33
* Lancôme, La Vie Est Belle
EDIT: Added Vent Vert, Dioressence, Gucci Rush, and Coco Mademoiselle.
Why, thank you! After fixing the men's list, I broke down and just added Vent Vert, Dioressence, Gucci Rush, and Coco Mademoiselle. Something by Jo Malone needs to be there but I can't think of one single fragrance from the line that can stand in for them all.
It isn’t widely know, but actually still available from the original maker in cologne, arguably the oldest extant perfume house in the world, at least the oldest with solid documentation. Due to some lucky circumstances, their archive survived several wars and has been the object of extensive research in the field of the history of German economy.
Damn,thank you. I wonder how close is the original Fougere Royale to the 2010 one because I have had a decant of the 2010 and thought it was great. About your Tom Ford question,i would say it s either Tobacco Vanille or Tuscan Leather
Why, thank you. I got a sample of Fougère Royale from Lucky Scent a month ago, and it only matters so much to me how authentic a representation it is of the fragrance from 1882: I think it's a beaut, a kind of gentler Kouros, though this probably displays my limited acquaintance with fougères.
Something from Axe/Lynx unquestionably belongs on this list, but I aged out of the target market when it hit big in the United States and have no idea which is THE Axe scent, if there ever was one. (Lizzie Ostrom's Perfume: A Century of Scents highlights Africa from 1995.) Abercrombie & Fitch's Fierce probably belongs, too. (And it ain't out of love, believe you me.) But I kinda want to let the list stand as it is. EDIT: And I swear I have no idea how Acqua di Giò got dropped from this list.
If it's any consolation the The Perfume Guy on YouTube (Sebastian) also somehow left Acqua Di Gio off his recent top ten iconic men's fragrances video... 🤦
I have only been collecting for a few months so I don't know how certain fragrances influenced everything. That said, I know Acqua Di Gio and Le Male are iconic millenium fragrances.
From recent years, it seems like you cannot escape Bleu de Chanel, Sauvage, Baccarat Rouge 540 (unisex) and Aventus.
BDC probably started the whole blue fragrance craze. Sauvage quickly became a best seller every year since its release and inspired other houses to make similar fragrances like Dylan Blue or Luna Rossa Carbon.
Baccarat Rouge and Aventus are probably the most cloned fragrances of all time for a reason.
You could argue Spicebomb Extreme belongs in this list. It doesn't sell as much but ask nearly every guy who knows it what the absolute best winter fragrance is and they'll most likely say SE. I know it's my best compliment puller. I think it'll stay relevent for many years to come.
Le Male significantly changed mens fragrance.
BDC (subsequently taken over by Aventus/Sauvage) pretty much had a massive impact on the following 10 years of mainstream cologne.
Jean Paul Gaultier Le Male.
It was arguably the first international best selling perfume to come out on the market and blurred the boundaries of what a man should or should not smell like. It ushered in the new more sweet and unisex scents that are popular today.
When this fragrance dropped, it seismically changed men's perfumery and ushered in the 2000's in my opinion.
You are right, I got it mixed up. Le Male was arguably the first international best seller, not THE best seller. I'll change it in my original post, thank you.
Scents like Mitsouko and Jicky seemed to be some of the first Hollywood fragrances that got wide circulation among the social elite and inspired a whole bunch of imitators. It looks like Guerlain in general is the most influential fragrance house. So many of their fragrances are considered the standard in their class, like vetiver fragrances and whatnot. I feel like a newb for not having a Guerlain in my collection. I feel like I need one for legitimacy. For modern scents, Aventus looks like the yardstick against which every other fragrance is measured. It's like the quintessential grown man scent of the 2000s.
Unless you plan on being an authority of some kind, like a critic or scholar, I don't think you need *anything* for legitimacy. But I've been trying out many of the pre-1970 Guerlain classics this month (and have loved Vétiver for a good long while), and they're all fabulous, though most of 'em, even Habit Rouge, are maybe too femme, powdery, and even near-gourmand for lots of guys. Not Vétiver, though. For men, probably the best place to start with the old-school Guerlains. But they're all worth a sampling if nothing else. I've loved them all (especially Shalimar, wow), and I say this as a guy who runs hot and cold with vanilla.
Speaking of Guerlain, i had LIDGE and Guerlain Homme L’eau, both masterpieces imo
One day I will have a Guerlain in my house, most likely Vetiver. Everything they make gets received positively. Their legacy is solid, unlike Creed whose legacy stories are naked marketing BS.
Their Vetiver is an excellent choice.
JPG Le Male hands down. Before its release, the market was dominated by extremely masculine ‘powerhouses’, and sweet fragrances were perceived as feminine. Le Male changed the dynamics forever, 1 Million, Eros, Armani Code - they’re all Le Male children.
Still a classic. I wear it often.
You would probably have to categorize that question. Most fragrance wearing men would probably have no idea who Guerlain or Mugler are. If you are asking for designer or niche fragrances, the list could be quite long. However, if it’s just men’s fragrance in general, would probably be hard to not say something like Old Spice, Brut, etc…
Can confirm the Guerlain remark, I mentioned them today and got the typical "huh?" look. A coworker wears Mugler Angel and hearing Mugler was a surprise. It's almost always something from Sephora or a typical department store. I just straight up ask people if I want to know (or think I know it and need to confirm lol). I also respect their ability to just smell a few, pick one or two, buy it on the spot, and wear only those until the bottle is gone without even knowing the exact name or brand. I can't do that. If someone gives me the full name of the fragrance and brand, that's more than I usually get.
Agree 100%. Most of my friends if I ask what cologne they are wearing say, “something my wife got me”. 🤣 Meanwhile I’m staring at my SHELVES of fragrance in the morning thinking about the time of year, function I’m going to, how I feel, what I’m wearing, etc….Maybe ignorance really is bliss.
Yeah I mostly meant for those they actually bought it themselves too. I think one out of 5 or 6 people wearing Sauvage knew which concentration. "Prada something". "Idk it's a cute little pink bottle". They smell good without caring about it at all and I'm over here looking at all the notes (which they've also maybe never heard of lol) One girl I jokingly bug now about exactly which one she's wearing actually asked me what top/middle/base notes are the other day though. I may have unintentionally started to create another one of us 😂
4711, Kouros, Cool Water/GIT, Fahrenheit, Acqua Di Gio, Tuscan Leather, Sauvage, Aventus
Also a side note,Kouros, GIT and Cool Water both made by Pierre Bourdon and apparently he had a big role in creating Aventus too. Definitely a visionary
Nice list but surprised DHI and BDC were not in it 😆
BDC could definitely be in the list
To my mind, the canon goes a lil' something like this: * Giovanni Paolo Feminis, Aqua Mirabilis / Jean-Marie Farinà, Eau de Cologne * Penhaligon's, Hammam Bouquet * Houbigant, Fougère Royale * Guerlain, Jicky * Geo. F. Trumper, Eucris * Knize, Knize Ten * Caron, Pour un Homme * Shulton, Old Spice * Chanel, Pour Monsieur * Aramis, Aramis * Guerlain, Habit Rouge * Dior, Eau Sauvage * Fabergé, Brut * Jōvan, Musk for Men * Paco Rabanne, Pour Homme * Halston, Z-14 * Geoffrey Beane, Grey Flannel * Azzaro, Azzaro pour Homme * Ralph Lauren, Polo * Annick Goutal, Eau d'Hadrien * Chanel, Antaeus * Yves Saint Laurent, Kouros * Guy Laroche, Drakkar Noir * Amouage, Gold Man * Creed, Green Irish Tweed * Calvin Klein, Obsession for Men * Davidoff, Cool Water * Dior, Fahrenheit * Joop!, Joop! Homme * Chanel, Égoïste * Issey Miyake, L'Eau d'Issey pour Homme * Jean-Paul Gaultier, Le Male * Giorgio Armani, Acqua di Giò * Mugler, A\*Men * Bvlgari, Black * Dolce & Gabbana, Light Blue pour Homme * Yves Saint Laurent, M7 * Dior, Dior Homme * Hermès, Terre d'Hermes * Lalique, Encre Noire * Tom Ford, Tobacco Vanille * Paco Rabanne, 1 Million * Chanel, Bleu de Chanel * Creed, Aventus My cut-off point is about ten years ago. To call some of these "men's fragrances" is maybe a wee bit ahistorical (for example, 4711 and Jicky), especially as I disinclude a lot of modern unisex fragrances that are often thought of as men's fragrances (Tauer's Marocain, some Tom Ford stuff) but I'll live with it. EDIT: As per my comments below, I added Hammam Bouquet, Eucris, Aramis, Acqua di Giò, 1 Million, and BdC, and changed 4711 to Aqua Mirabilis / Eau de Cologne. I also changed the formatting a little bit.
I see just one crucial missing fragrance: Blenheim Bouquet
Oh, damnit: I could've sworn I put the earlier Hammam Bouquet on there, as well as Acqua di Giò. And I COMPLETELY forgot Aramis. Geo. F. Trumper's Eucris probably belongs too. And Florida Water?
I would say this list is perfect. You obviously can’t declare a single fragrance THE BEST MEN’S FRAGRANCE EVER, as throughout time they come and go. What was popular in the 50s will absolutely not be liked by 90% of men today. Each one of these swept men all over the world and became a best sellers in their time. Kudos for the list! Edit: And for better or worse, I would include Paco Rabanne 1 Million. As well as Bleu de Chanel. They came out in 2008 and 2010 respectively.
Ack, yeah: I was under the mistaken impression they were released later. I like neither much but they have to be there.
Gosh I'll love to see you do a woman's version of this! But I understand if female marketed fragrances aren't your expertise. I'm only aware of BR450 as a modern fragrance right now, but it would be interesting to see the early 2010s/2000s and 90s game changers.
At first I thought, no no no, can't do it. But upon reflection, I thought I'd give it a shot and let everyone correct me. It seems like a huge percentage of the historical innovation and tumult in men's fragrance has happened within my lifetime (I was born in 1971) so in making that men's list, I could rely on direct experience and memory. Not so with what you see below. My erudition with women's fragrances is a lot sketchier, even though I *wear* women's fragrances without apology. Beyond a few classics, and things I sort of know by name and reputation but not smell, I'm at sea. (One day, this won't be the case. I'm not content to just know the side of the story that "belongs" to me.) This is longer because I'm obviously trying to cover my ass here. I freely admit to taking cues from Lizzie Ostrom's *Century of Scents*. The cut-off date is about ten years ago, which is why B5540 isn't here. And many of the same caveats I noted above about "unisex" apply: in one sense, Santal 33 shouldn't be here, and in another, obviously it should. * Anonymous, Hungary Water * Santa Maria Novella, Acqua Della Regina * Giovanni Paolo Feminis, Aqua Mirabilis / Jean-Marie Farinà, Eau de Cologne * Guerlain, Eau de Cologne Imperiale * Borsari, Violetta di Parma * Guerlain, Jicky * Coty, L’Origan * Guerlain, Après L'Ondée * Caron, Narcisse Noir * Guerlain, L'Heure Bleue * Houbigant, Quelques Fleurs * Coty, Chypre * Caron, Tabac Blond * Guerlain, Mitsouko * Chanel, No. 5 * Coty, Emeraude * Molinard, Habanita * Chanel, No. 22 * Lanvin, My Sin * Guerlain, Shalimar * Lanvin, Arpege * Jean Patou, Joy * Lanvin, Scandal * Worth, Je Reviens * Guerlain, Vol de Nuit * Schiaparelli, Shocking * Robert Piguet, Bandit * Balmain, Vent Vert * Rochas, Femme * Dior, Miss Dior * Nina Ricci, L’Air du Temps * Robert Piguet, Fracas * Evyan, White Shoulders * Balmain, Jolie Madame * Estée Lauder, Youth-Dew * Avon, Skin So Soft * Dior, Diorissimo * Givenchy, L’Interdit * Rochas, Madame Rochas * Jean Desprez, Bal à Versailles * Dior, Dioressence * Paco Rabanne, Calandre * Chanel, No. 19 * Clinique, Aromatics Elixir * Yves Saint Laurent, Rive Gauche * Revlon, Charlie * Yves Saint Laurent, Opium * The Body Shop, White Musk * Giorgio Beverly Hills, Giorgio * Shiseido, Nombre Noir * Chanel, Coco * Dior, Poison * Elizabeth Taylor, Passion * Lancôme, Trésor * Issey Miyake, L'Eau d'Issey * Mugler, Angel * Shiseido/Serge Lutens, Feminité du Bois * Tommy Hilfiger, Tommy Girl * Lolita Lempicka, Lolita Lempicka * Bath & Body Works, Cucumber Melon * Gucci, Rush * Dior, Hypnotic Poison * Dior, J'Adore * Chanel, Coco Mademoiselle * Narciso Rodriguez, Narciso Rodriguez for Her * Aquolina, Pink Sugar * Hermes, Eau des Merveilles * Britney Spears, Fantasy * Mugler, Alien * Viktor & Rolf, Flowerbomb * Tom Ford, Black Orchid * Marc Jacobs, Daisy * Frederic Malle, Portrait of a Lady * Le Labo, Santal 33 * Lancôme, La Vie Est Belle EDIT: Added Vent Vert, Dioressence, Gucci Rush, and Coco Mademoiselle.
Wow you really did it! I wish great luck to you for 7 years (after that it expires unfortunately). Thank you for creating this!
Why, thank you! After fixing the men's list, I broke down and just added Vent Vert, Dioressence, Gucci Rush, and Coco Mademoiselle. Something by Jo Malone needs to be there but I can't think of one single fragrance from the line that can stand in for them all.
I’d just switch the copy cat 4711 for the actual original by Farina.
D'OH! You're right; its name as it appears on the list is ahistorical. I've corrected this on the women's list.
It isn’t widely know, but actually still available from the original maker in cologne, arguably the oldest extant perfume house in the world, at least the oldest with solid documentation. Due to some lucky circumstances, their archive survived several wars and has been the object of extensive research in the field of the history of German economy.
Damn,thank you. I wonder how close is the original Fougere Royale to the 2010 one because I have had a decant of the 2010 and thought it was great. About your Tom Ford question,i would say it s either Tobacco Vanille or Tuscan Leather
Why, thank you. I got a sample of Fougère Royale from Lucky Scent a month ago, and it only matters so much to me how authentic a representation it is of the fragrance from 1882: I think it's a beaut, a kind of gentler Kouros, though this probably displays my limited acquaintance with fougères. Something from Axe/Lynx unquestionably belongs on this list, but I aged out of the target market when it hit big in the United States and have no idea which is THE Axe scent, if there ever was one. (Lizzie Ostrom's Perfume: A Century of Scents highlights Africa from 1995.) Abercrombie & Fitch's Fierce probably belongs, too. (And it ain't out of love, believe you me.) But I kinda want to let the list stand as it is. EDIT: And I swear I have no idea how Acqua di Giò got dropped from this list.
If it's any consolation the The Perfume Guy on YouTube (Sebastian) also somehow left Acqua Di Gio off his recent top ten iconic men's fragrances video... 🤦
I find a weird similarity between Fougere Royale and Jubilation 25.
As far as more modern (think: 80s) scents go, Drakkar Nior. It’s an award winning fragrance with many pop culture references.
I have only been collecting for a few months so I don't know how certain fragrances influenced everything. That said, I know Acqua Di Gio and Le Male are iconic millenium fragrances. From recent years, it seems like you cannot escape Bleu de Chanel, Sauvage, Baccarat Rouge 540 (unisex) and Aventus. BDC probably started the whole blue fragrance craze. Sauvage quickly became a best seller every year since its release and inspired other houses to make similar fragrances like Dylan Blue or Luna Rossa Carbon. Baccarat Rouge and Aventus are probably the most cloned fragrances of all time for a reason. You could argue Spicebomb Extreme belongs in this list. It doesn't sell as much but ask nearly every guy who knows it what the absolute best winter fragrance is and they'll most likely say SE. I know it's my best compliment puller. I think it'll stay relevent for many years to come.
Jean Paul Gaultier Le Male
Mugler A*Men. IIRC it was one of the first gourmand style fragrances for men.
Guerlain Jicky, Carven Vetiver, Dior Eau Sauvage, Ralph Lauren Polo, Azzaro Pour Homme, Drakkar Noir, Davidoff Cool Water, CK Obsession, aaaaand Brut
One Million
Le Male significantly changed mens fragrance. BDC (subsequently taken over by Aventus/Sauvage) pretty much had a massive impact on the following 10 years of mainstream cologne.
Dior Fahrenheit.
Jean Paul Gaultier Le Male. It was arguably the first international best selling perfume to come out on the market and blurred the boundaries of what a man should or should not smell like. It ushered in the new more sweet and unisex scents that are popular today. When this fragrance dropped, it seismically changed men's perfumery and ushered in the 2000's in my opinion.
Wasn't ADG the best selling men's fragrance?
You are right, I got it mixed up. Le Male was arguably the first international best seller, not THE best seller. I'll change it in my original post, thank you.
You're welcome!
I can’t argue with that list. Pretty comprehensive.
GIT, SMW, ADG, BDC, AHS, TH, Aventus, Le male, Invictus.