Dolce & Gabbana - Dolce & Gabbana pour Homme
After recently reviewing Eternity for Men, it's now time to introduce another iconic men's classic from the fougère family. While I don't personally own a bottle of Dolce & Gabbana pour Homme, I once recommended it to a friend, and it remains one of his favorite fragrances to this day. I also just learned that my father used to wear it. I'm particularly fascinated by the fact that the inspiration for this scent was the elegance and style of the Italian man. As a great admirer of Italian style myself, I was eager to try Dolce & Gabbana pour Homme. Below, I present the results of my several days of testing this composition created by Max Gavary.
The first thing that immediately captures your attention when using Dolce & Gabbana pour Homme is the incredibly fresh and clean scent that persists from the opening notes all the way to the final base notes. This freshness is established right from the start with the help of neroli and a generous blend of citrus. Among these, you can detect the sharp and bitter notes of lemon and bergamot, complemented by the sweeter, but slightly heavier, mandarin and orange. This combination gives the fragrance a delightful, soapy quality. As the heart notes begin to develop, this impression is further enhanced. The citrus notes mellow, making way for herbs and spices to take center stage. Lavender is particularly prominent, significantly shaping the character of the composition. In my view, it’s the lavender that gives D&G pour Homme its distinctive, almost apothecary-like quality. Here, this is a compliment, as the resulting aroma is truly captivating. Sage quickly becomes noticeable as well, amplifying the fresh and clean effect. Meanwhile, cardamom and tarragon add a spicy dryness to Gavary's creation. Finally, black pepper introduces an airy spiciness, adding an extra layer of complexity to the blend.
Interestingly, the base of Dolce & Gabbana pour Homme, while still fresh, markedly differs from the top and heart notes. Despite the presence of tobacco, which underscores the masculine character of the fragrance, it is not heavy at all. In my opinion, it is primarily dominated by light, pencil-like cedarwood that is both dry and somewhat soft. Complementing this are the sweet notes of musk and tonka bean, further enriched by coumarin. These elements significantly influence the overall character of D&G pour Homme, ensuring that the composition gracefully avoids any retro accents common in many fougère fragrances.
When evaluating the usability of today's featured perfume, there is nothing to fault. The scent projects noticeably but remains subtle enough not to be overpowering. This balance is appreciated by most, and I am no exception. Its longevity is also impressive, with Dolce & Gabbana pour Homme, an eau de toilette, lasting on the skin for 8 to 10 hours. In my opinion, this is an excellent performance.
I am particularly fond of the bottle for this fragrance. It is minimalist yet elegant, with a pleasing, streamlined shape. Compared to the 1990s version, the label has been updated; in fact, it has been completely removed, and the name of the perfume is now printed directly on the bottle. The substantial cap on the silver neck also makes a very positive impression. The design is finished with a dark navy color, which is one of my favorite shades. This bottle is indeed one of my favorite designs for men's fragrances.
In my opinion, Dolce & Gabbana pour Homme is a fresh and transparent scent. It's simple yet complex. One of the great advantages of this perfume is its noticeable evolution over time. Additionally, Gavary managed to maintain a neutral and completely non-intrusive character in the composition, which is another plus. I wondered, however, whether D&G pour Homme can truly be described as elegant. If so, it embodies a very nonchalant version of elegance, a true Italian sprezzatura. If this is what Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana had in mind when they spoke about being inspired by the style of Italian men, then I definitely agree with them.
Dolce & Gabbana pour Homme
Main note: Herbs
Author: Max Gavary
Year of creation: 1994
My rating: Recommended. (6/7)