Immense; A Heaven Scent for Men and Women
By Jo Phillips
Were you old enough when the infamous, uni-sex CK1 fragrance was released in 1994? Although not a new concept at the time, the market for uni-sex perfumes was a lot more niche. With the release of the CK1, a new generation of uni-sex perfumes was made. With the rise of blurred gender lines, it is not surprising to see that the market for uni-sex perfumes has made its way to the forefront and over the next 15 years, the commercialisation of uni-sex perfumes has grown.
As with every trend, things in the world of fashion and beauty are constantly changing. In the last five to ten years, there has been a re-divide between men and women fragrances. Many more commercial brands have come back (not that they ever went away), to release a female partner fragrance to their best sellers. Although, they are not the same fragrance or ingredients, they still evoke the same emotion in it’s consumers.
Here we have a look through the vast majority of the new generation of sibling perfumes, by brands that are niche and slightly more commercial.
Maison Francis Kurkdijan Paris has released 4 lines of perfume meant for men and women. With similar undertones, and a specific design, he released 8 different perfumes that smell as good as they look:
Masculin Pluriel, the fragrance by Francis Kurkdijan, is a trademark for mens perfume. Launched in 2014, the masculine fragrance has notes of lavender, leathery accord, red cedar, Indonesian patchouli, and vetiver. Described as many as the perfect gentleman scent, it is sure to be a favourite through the years. Francis Kurkdijan has also manufactured a new Féminin Pluriel, aimed towards women. With gorgeous notes from rose honey, Incense Absolute, Ylang Ylang, Cumin, Atlas Cedar and Sandalwood the woman scent is a lot more subtle, yet it doesn’t lose it femininity.
Maison Francis Kurkdjian’s Lumière Noire another truly sophisticated fragrance for women. Created from roses from Bulgaria, spiced with cumin and hot pepper. With patchouli from Indonesia and an interesting mugwort herb. A sensual yet modern chypre that’s tribute to Parisian refinement and elegance. Whereas, its male counterpart is slightly huskier, but keeps the notes the same.
Creed, released a female perfume Aventus for her, as a woman’s version of their bestseller, Aventus:
Creed perfumes embody a vision, strength and success. Inspired by war, peace and the romance lived by emperor Napoleon, the companies best seller, Aventus, has a symbol of a man riding a horse into battle as an ode to the great fighter on their bottles.
Perfect for the bold spirited, Creed perfume’s Aventus, has diversified its clientele, by manufacturing a sensual, feminine counterpart to the original Creed. Although the male scent is bold, woody and confident, the female is a lot more sensual, opulent and exotic. The Aventus for her has a mixture of fruity, floral scents with subtle green apple blends with pink pepper, and sparkling Calabrian bergamot. They released this scent on the 250th anniversary of the company back in the summer of 2016. With fruity, woody, and citrusy notes, the Sventus for her is an empowering, confident counterpart to its male version.
Created in the 1760s, the brand still embraces its heritage. With an elegant and refines clientele, Creed develops fragrances that are true masterpieces of creativity. Their infusion technique, which is now abandoned by the industry, gives the Creed company a chance to preserve the originality and aura of their creations.
Atkinsons sibling perfume collection was released in 2016:
His Majesty the Oud and Her Majesty the Oud are a royal set of perfumes that have been inspired by true warriors in history. His Majesty, the Oud has been inspired by King Faisal the 1st. He was a natural leader and an important figure in Arabic history. Being a trusted ally of the Lawrence of Arabia, he has been highly regarded as a great fighter. His charisma and his elegance are paired together by an equally epic perfume.
Her Majesty the Oud, was inspired by the bold heroine, Gertrude Bell. The perfume which is a rich spicy-sweet blend embodies the adventures she went on through the burning deserts of Mesopotamia. The delicious, womanly nomadic fragrance has notes of red-berry, and apricot scented flowers. With subtler notes of vanilla and the iris flower, this fragrance is sure to entice and enchant.
L’Homme Prada by Prada is a fragrance of pairs, of doubles, of juxtapositions and layers
The instinctive, highly crafted and boundlessly imaginative approach that Prada uses for both La Femme Prada and L’Homme Prada. Designed to take the wearer on a voyage through place, memory and time, these distinct female and male fragrances have a relationship through experimentation and tradition. The classic codes of the male fragrance are present in Neroli, Geranium and Patchouli. Yet the interchangeable male/female Prada signatures are present, too, in the shape of Iris and Amber, the principal elements. It is a mix that is both airy and yet purposefully, highly sensual.
Paco Rabanne is winning at the game with a victorious scent, for men and women:
Invictus, described as the scent of victory, is an insanely addictive perfume for men. Power, courage, victory are distilled into a daring combination of freshness and heat.
The top notes of this manly perfume are grapefruit, mandarin orange and marine accords. The heart notes are bay leaf and jasmine, while the base is made up of oak moss, patchouli, Guaiac Wood and Ambergris. Presented in an impressive trophy-shape bottle, it’s been designed to make you feel like a winner with every spritz.
The woman equivalent of the perfume is drawing from the realms of Greek Mythology, Olympéa is a fragrance fit for a modern day goddess. A fusion of contrasts, from the salty vanilla undertones to the cashmere wood base, it will catch your attention at first spray. What starts off as sweet transforms into a more sophisticated blend of florals (jasmine, lily) and heady ambergris, which gives the scent more added versatility. Featuring a halo of wings and hints of on-trend rose gold-tone on the bottle, it’s sure to stand out in your fragrance collection.
The Scent by Boss was released in 2016:
Created for the man, The Scent by Boss Perfumes provoke the senses and captures the spirit of seduction. It’s top notes are ginger, paired with exotic manna fruit and leather, the scent lingers on the skin all day. The irresistible, woody fragrance is unforgettable. The bottle, kept dark and manly only adds to the sexiness of the scent.
Boss has also released The Scent for her. The top notes are honey peach and freesia. At the heart is the osmanthus flower with a base note of Cocoa. This perfume that has been crafted by the creative vision of Jason Wu, it is a reflection of the Boss woman who is powerful but uniquely feminine.
Obsessed by Calvin Klein was rebranded and released again:
The re-invention of an ironic fragrance, Obsessed by Calvin Klein, plays with the importance of memory and scent. By mixing memory and desire, the past and present, men and women, the new obsession scents echo’s the same familiarity to the original.
By using traditional scents such as white lavender and musk for women, and a dark vanilla, woody smell for men. While the musk adds a sensuous warmth to the women fragrance, the amber and woods fragrance brings out the key scents of masculinity. With top notes of citrus, middle notes of white lavender, purple sage and a musky undertone – the perfume is sure to entice the modern working woman.
The campaign for the fragrance when it was first released is very well known of its time, the feeling of the advertisement gives the viewer a feeling of euphoria and longing. It was focuses on revisiting pictures and bringing them back as memories. Originally launched in 1985 and then re-released in , the scent oozes luxury and sexiness. Now it has been redefined, and has very separate scents for men and women today, but keeping its roots to their original.
Trussardi:
Released in 2011, the 100 year anniversary of the Trussardi brand released the perfumes called Trussardi Uomo and Trussardi Donna. The perfumes are expressive of the sophisticated elegance, and give a feeling of confidence. Uomo is a bright, lemon infused, scent that has notes of nutmeg and bergamot. The heart of the perfume is sage, geranium and violets while its base are much more huskier, with leather, moss and patchouli.
Donna, counterpart of Uomo was released at the same time as its male counterpart. Its top notes are an abundance of fruits, such as yazu, watery fruits and lemon. Its heart beams with orange blossom, jasmine tea and lotus. The base notes comprise of cedar, sandalwood and vanilla.
Jean Paul Gaultier:
Jean Paul Gaultier’s perfume range impersonates the playfulness of the human body, by embracing natural body form to be the shape of the bottle itself.
He uses a strong, male figure as a tribute to his muse in his perfume, Le Male. He also adds horizontal lines to promote the ruggedness and masculinity that sailors have. A firm favourite since its released in 1995, the perfume opens with a hint of mint, with deeper tones into warming lavender, and undertones of cinnamon and cumin makes it live up to its ‘macho’ image.
Where as for women, Jean Paul Gaultier promotes the sensuality and the beauty of an amazonian woman the Classique fragrance range by adding subtle details of the corset, a beautiful floral fragrance which is warm and smooth. It opens with a rose, and continues it’s scents with orange sweetness and finishes with a mellow vanilla. The bottle emphasises the curves and the beauty of a woman, with a scent to match.
Which pair will you be stocking up on?
photography Jason Yates
