Discount Diamonds: Versace The Dreamer- Oriental Barbershop

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One of the concepts of this series is to point out there is a lot of great perfume available for modest prices. When I set out to do it my list included the bargains I had run across myself which is what populated the early versions of this column. What has become a nice by-product is readers will sometimes write me and say, “did you know this can be found for some nice price?” A few months ago, I got one of these about Versace The Dreamer. It went right to the top of the list of future subjects.

When I tried Versace The Dreamer at my local mall for the first time it was different from most of its brethren on the men’s fragrance counter. There were angles, edges, and spines sticking out of a classical architecture. In 1996 this was dangerous territory and I can remember people dropping the strip on the counter with a grimace. What made this perfume designed by Jean-Pierre Bethouart interesting was the most obstreperous facets were right there out in front. It was early days of the internet and there was significant love it/hate it divide on the perfume internet bulletin boards. I remember thinking The Dreamer would wake up and disappear because of its difference. Except those in the “love it” camp supported it giving it more time to gather new fans; which it has. Now that it has been around for over twenty years it has found some space on the perfume discount shelves. After re-acquainting myself with it in 2017 it doesn’t read as odd. It still carries a sharp early edge but there are others who also share this quality. The rest of the perfume is an exquisitely constructed Oriental accord that is why The Dreamer is a Discount Diamond.

Jean-Pierre Bethouart

The opening is the place where The Dreamer is at its most challenging. It is a post-modern riff on a classic lavender barbershop accord. M. Bethouart then uses a combination of tarragon and clary sage to provide a rough herbal envelope for the lavender. This is where many of the sharp elbows can be found. The people who don’t like it will say “too synthetic”. Those who like it realize this is a new type of lavender accord. It leads to a soothing geranium and rose heart which feels more expansive for having arisen from the spiky top accord. The base accord is raw tobacco also containing some rough edges. Most tobacco notes go for a deep narcotic effect. M. Bethouart goes for the effect of a green tobacco leaf partway through drying. There is some sappy greenery over the restrained aspect of the more familiar tobacco smell. It smooths out eventually with the warmth of tonka.

The Dreamer has 10-12 hour longevity and average sillage.

Smelling The Dreamer again has made me realize that it is more than a Discount Diamond it is a New Classic well worth the cheaper price it can be found at.

Disclosure: This review is based on a bottle I purchased.

–Mark Behnke

Discount Diamonds: Armand Basi Homme- The Softer Side of Oriental

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When I was early on in my perfume wearing life Calvin Klein Obsession for Men was one of my stalwarts. YSL Opium pour Homme would also become one of my go-to Orientals. My only issue with wearing these was I was very conscious of putting too much on. These were powerful perfumes and I didn’t want to be that guy who had the reputation for wearing too much “cologne”. My solution was to add a couple spritzes to my moisturizer which helped keep the vapor trial to a minimum. I was having this discussion with a perfume friend and she asked me if I had tried Armand Basi Homme. In her opinion it was a softer Oriental with all of the things which make an Oriental appealing. She would later gift me a bottle. She was also correct. Armand Basi Homme is one of the most well-mannered Orientals I own. Which makes it one of my favorite perfumes to wear when I am heading out to Holiday parties as I can still smell good without dominating the room.

Armand-Basi-Homme

Armand Basi is a European designer brand which arose out of his work with Lacoste. In 1987 he spun off his own company producing menswear and womenswear. Like all successful brands the expansion into accessories and fragrance would come in 2000. In that year they released two very confusingly named fragrances Armand Basi Homme and Basi Homme. The former comes in a rectangular black and white bottle. The other one comes in a solid black bottle in the shape of a cube. Throughout the years when I talk about these there is always this critical moment when I try to ascertain which fragrance is being referred to.

jean-pierre-bethouart

Jean-Pierre Bethouart

Armand Basi Homme was composed by Jean-Pierre Bethouart. M. Bethouart opens Armand Basi Homme on a cool breeze of cardamom and cinnamon through a lavender field. The cinnamon plays a supporting role to the cardamom. The lavender source is lavandin which makes it a cleaner version without many of the greener herbal facets to make it heavier. M. Bethouart keeps it light and airy. The heart is another mixture of primarily one floral, muguet, and two spices, nutmeg and tonka. This is a display of contrasts as the green floralcy of muguet is sweetened with the nutmeg and tonka. Again this could have been more boisterous but it is instead a whispering version of the push and pull between the floral and the spices. The base is a combination of three woods: cedar, sandalwood, and gaiac. It is a delightfully transparent version of these woods and it fits in with the overall tone of the fragrance as it comes to rest here.

Armand Basi Homme has 12-14 hour longevity and moderate sillage.

This is a perfect choice when you want to wear something which is interesting for you but not necessarily projecting outward. It is one of my favorite unobtrusive perfumes I own. You can find a 100mL bottle on most of the discount sites for under $30 US. If you want to find the softer side of Oriental Armand Basi Homme is where to start.

Disclosure: This bottle was received as a personal gift.

–Mark Behnke