Tag Archives: Dolce & Gabana

iPerfumer by Givaudan

When I was speaking with Chad Murawczyk of Min New York, one of the things I told him I admired about his store was its openness and how it was refreshing given the fragrance industries close door policy and the snootiness of retailers. I truly feel social media has begun tearing these walls down and consumers are becoming more educated about their preferences. It is for this reason I’m excited about the launch of Givaudan’s iPerfumer.

So how does it work? Users, down load the app and are run through a series of questions ranging from gender, age, geographic location, etc and then rate their favorite fragrance families, Oriental, Chypre, Citrus, Woody, Floral, and Fougere.

I’m curious who will download this app more, men or women. Women have no problems sampling but guys still seem to have issue with walking into stores and openly spraying themselves or engaging anyone from the sale staff without being nudged. Perhaps this will change that.

For a first hand review of iPerfumer, check out Harry Sheff over at Cocktails & Cologne.

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Meet Dennis Cahlo

It has been about a year or so since I reached out to Dennis Cahlo. I came across his blog and really liked what he was bringing to the blogosphere. Madetomeasureny is a style blog offering men great tips and advice on how to look great on a budget. How can you go wrong with that? I love that he offers looks of the day, talks about great finds like tweed blazers he’s found on eBay or takes his viewers through the redesign of his apartment. So often we such things in magazines and think we can’t do that sort of stuff ourselves. If Dennis can do it, why can’t you? Anyhow, meet Dennis Cahlo:

Where do you get your sense of style from?
My style is a culmination of everything I have seen through my years as a musician and my love of classic movies. Those two elements help me shape my own personal style greatly from suit cuts to watches. I tend to lean towards the slim 60’s look very much. There is something so clean about it that I cannot deny.

What made you start the blog?
I remember I was flipping through GQ one day and got really frustrated at the pricing of the pieces (I’d like to clarify that I really admire the work GQ puts out there). So I just took what I’ve learned about photography and started shooting my inexpensive clothing in the vein of GQ and Details with information of where to get them and how much they are. From that seed of an idea my own journey into menswear, fit, and measurements started and Made To Measure, NY started to take shape.

What’s the secret to finding clothing bargains?
While I don’t think there is a big secret, I think there is a good amount of research one has to put into to hunting down a bargain. It’s also good to do things like having measurements for your suits and shoes handy at all times in a notebook or on a card. If you do that it’s way easier to shop on places like E-bay and other online outlets. It’s also good not to focus so much on brand but rather on fit. Imparali tailors here in New York will make you a fully canvassed made to measure suit for about $500 at start with full on customization. Places like that are not hard to find if you really dig.

What’s your feelings about fragrance?
Fragrance is one of the essentials in any man’s wardrobe. I think it’s really necessary for a man to have AT LEAST two colognes in his arsenal: one for the day and one for the night.

What’s your earliest recollection of fragrance?
I remember my dad and grandfather always smelling great. My dad would pick me up and give me a hug before he would go to work and I can recall how great he smelled and looked after a proper grooming. He didn’t use very expensive colognes but I always get nostalgic when I smell British Sterling or Jovan Musk.

What fragrances are currently in your rotation?
I have six in my rotation at the moment: John Varvatos Artisan (for Spring/Summer), Dolce And Gabanna Light Blue, Banana Republic Classic, Clean Shower Fresh for Men, Curve Crush, and Demeter Pure Soap. Demeter you can find for $15 at Duane Reade and it smells just like you got out of the shower. It’s probably my favorite out of all of them.

How often do you go out looking for something new? What specifically do you look for?
I look for something new every 6 months or so. My next acquisition will be Yves St. Laurent Pour Homme. That is one of the best scents to wear with a Tux.

Have you ever purchased the same fragrance more than once? If so, what was it and what about it made it worthy of a repeat buy?
Dolce And Gabanna Light Blue is my more than once fragrance. I love its crisp notes and every time I put it on my fiancee loves to bury her head on my neck. It’s also the one that I get the most compliments on so I know it works with my natural body chemistry.

How would you finish this statement? “My most memorable fragrant moment would be…?
I was 18 years old and in the Big Bear Mountains of California. Due to jet lag I woke up way before the rest of my group and walked outside to greet the most amazing sunrise and smell of fresh mountain air I have ever experiences. I think that moment really influenced what I look for in a scent. I may even be trying to recreate it every time I look for one.

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Kristiansand

Britt Hovde Ross and Elisabeth Steen, two Norwegian expatriates living in New York, collaborated on Kristiansand New York after meeting each other at a SoHo store opening. Both were fragrance enthusiasts, and Steen had experience in fragrance and cosmetics marketing. The two women decided to create a men’s scent, and approached Drom Fragrances.

Drom perfumer Pierre-Constantin Gueros, who also created watch company Nooka’s recent fragrance (reviewed by Barney here), was asked to create a scent for men that embodied both Norwegian coastal beauty and New York sophistication. The scent is named for Ross’s home town, Kristiansand, which is on the southern coast of Norway.

Does Kristiansand New York smell anything like urban sophistication and Scandinavian nature? I don’t know. As easy as it is to write about this inspirational imagery, it doesn’t really tell us anything about the scent. That said, I was predisposed by my Norwegian ancestry and New York residence to like this fragrance. Imagine my surprise when, upon first scent, I did not.

I tested it on a tissue, spraying it liberally. The top notes were strangely indistinct, with no single note dominating. It was a muddled, generic scent, something that just smelled “safe.” I went back to it after it dried down and was still unimpressed. Some critics compare it to Dolce & Gabbana Pour Homme, another woody fragrance with mandarin top notes. Why, I thought to myself, would an upstart fragrance be so bland? Wouldn’t you want to stand out?

The next morning I decided to give it a fair chance and sprayed it on my skin. Good thing I did. The top notes—which the company describes as “crisp greens, mandarin and exotic spices”—were still muddy to me, but the dry down, which started after about 15 minutes, is quite nice. The fragrance becomes a warm, slightly woody, slightly powdery amber. And it has staying power. Although the bottle says “eau de cologne,” Kristiansand’s publicist tells me that it’s a 15% concentration, making it closer to an eau de parfum (typically 15-20% oil concentration).

I like this fragrance, and I’m not sure what it was that turned me off initially. It’s worth the wait for the smooth, masculine basenotes.

Kristiansand New York ($65 for 50 ml) is sold in stores across Norway (including the town of Kristiansand, of course), in New York City’s Cry Wolf and at Beverly Hills Perfumery in California. Buy online at www.kristiansandnewyork.com.
–Harry Sheff

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Meet Darryl Robinson

I met Darryl a few weeks ago after a night of drinking with some of my colleagues lead us to The Hudson Hotel. He was bartending that night and mixing some excellent cocktails I might add. One in particular, the Obamanation, caught my attention for obvious reasons.

We were introduced by a mutual friend who knew of our love of fragrances and we began talking right away. We decided to continue our conversation at a later date and did so this past Tuesday in Union Square Park.

What’s your earliest recollection of fragrances?

Definitely as a 3 -5 year old kid, my mother wore what I thought at the time was a very intense fragrance from Estee Lauder, and my father enjoyed Zizane, Aramis, Polo, and a few others which I can’t recall. My father had way more fragrances than my mother and tended to be more experimental. My mother was more of a loyalist to one brand.

What fragrances are currently in your rotation?

YSL, Kiel’s Musk, Davidoff’s “Silver Shadow”, Gucci, and most recently Aedes De Venustes

How often do you go out looking for something new? What specifically do you
look for?

I’m more spontaneous about shopping for fragrances but on average will say I test 10-12 fragrances a month, and sometimes do a repeat test to confirm an opinion I may have had about a scent.. I like a combination of scents to include bold, sexy, calming, and all of these do not have to be present in one scent.

Have you ever purchased the same fragrance more than once? If so, what was
it and what about it made it worthy of a repeat buy?

Throughout my fragrance purchasing history I have always repurchased a core group of fragrances. Fahrenheit, Issey Miyake, Polo sport, Dolce & Gabana and Joop were more trendy induced purchases as I was younger and more impressionable. I wanted to be with the “In Crowd.” Today, my only steady repeat is Kiehl’s Musk. Kiehl’s has been a staple for the past 4 years. I find
it sexy and receptively friendly.

Because you’re known as the “mixologist” explain how you apply your cologne?

I have very dry skin, so I don’t apply any fragrance until after I’ve thoroughly moisturized my entire body with shea or cocoa butter. Then the party’s on!!! I start with 3-4 mists of Kiehl’s as my base. Then I reach for any one of my current scents in rotation and add another 3-4 mists and I’m ready to go.

How would you finish this statement. “My most memorable fragrant moment would be…?

Wow!!! I’d have to say, when a friend and I walked into the fragrance store that you suggested, Aedes De Venustes. At first I was a little overwhelmed, maybe even intimidated by the volume of fragrances that were all new to me. I recognized almost nothing. What a thrill!!! In the hour that I spent browsing, sniffing, sampling, and questioning the staff, I felt almost as fulfilled as I would from an enjoyable sexual experience. It was almost climactic like!!! A day later I’m still salivating!!!

As Darryl mentioned, I suggested he take a trip over to Aedes to experience the store. Not only did he do so, but he purchased their new signature scent, Aedes De Venustas.

Here are Darryl’s thoughts about it: I’m growing even greater love for this fragrance. It possesses an almost incense like undertone that is soothingly deceptive and calming. It’s far from over powering and has a sexiness that is obtainable at short range, ie: I’m glad it doesn’t over power a room and make me a human room deodorizer. Throughout the day I smell my wrists and arms to ensure that my senses maintained it’s consistent and flattering receptiveness to my new scent. Conclusion, it’s a winner and certain to be a repurchase.

The Dynamic Duo of Mulberry St.

Meet Shane & Shawn

I was recently invited to attend a “Gentlemen’s Night” at the Mulberry street store for the dynamic shoe designing duo Shane & Shawn. It was a great event, the drinks were flowing and they even had a pool table in the store. I managed to get in a word with the very down to earth twosome and we chatted for a bit about “guy” stuff but I managed to get some fragrance questions in there.

After downing a few drinks, I went into the restroom, which was nicely laid out for a retail store and noticed a bottle of Marc Jacobs Ivy. Is it to be used for air freshener or to freshen up?

The Marc Jacobs is to freshen up! It’s a pine smelling cologne, so, it’s good for work/day. Also, the bottle matches the decor, and adds to the atmosphere.

Any plans to develop your own fragrance?

Not in the next year, but, when the time is right, and with the right partner, we are definitely looking to get into it. It is a part of our business plan. It will be a very sexy scent that transitions from the office to play, just like our shoes.

What fragrance are you currently wearing? Why?

Dolce&Gabbana. I am on the road a lot and this is the fragrance I have that lasts the longest..Very potent and manly.

Do you have a “go-to” fragrance? If so, what is it?

Yes! Jean Paul Gaultier.

How often to you purchase a new one?

I have a lot, so, only when I need a refill, or my girlfriend likes something, and I’ll jump on it. As long as she has another reason to cling to me, I am good!

When you’re on the hunt, what do you look for?

I like smooth/soft/sexy scents…Like the old school Obsession.

How would you finish this statement, “my most memorable fragrant moment would be..?

Obsession! I became a a MAN in high school when I began to wear this. Really, It was my first time ever having a women complement me in a way where it broke the ice…’you smell soooo good Shawn’.
After that, it was easy to meet girls.

Its so nice when the ice is broken for you…

FragrantMoments x Givenchy…something novel

I am having fun in Paris. There’s a saying, “when in Rome do as the Roman’s do,” and with that, I had to stop off at Sephora for France is where it began back in 1969. I was curious to see if they carried anything over here that couldn’t be found at home. For the most part, they had just about everything. Mathew McConaughey was being well promoted for his endorsement of Dolce & Gabana’s The One and the music pumped just as loud. What I was surprised to see was Serge Luten…that did bring a smile to my face. I am currently wearing Santal Blanc and am loving it.

As I perused the men’s section and was picked off by a sales attendant, he began telling me of a Givenchy promotion. Apparently for their 50th anniversary, they re-released their original men’s scents in France only. (Ok…now we’re getting somewhere.) On top of that, with the purchase of any Givenchy product, you could have your bottle engraved. As cheesy as that may sound, it was enough for me to jump. I picked Vetyver…masculine in its own right, its subtly sophisticated. I will admit, the promotion took it over the top. I engraved my bottle with none other than Fragrant Moments. I’m not sure if this will be making its way to the states, you know sales people will tell you just about anything to get you to make that purchase. However, a few of the original re-releases can be found online at Sephora.