Fierce Abercrombie & Fitch 2002 Cologne

Now Düsseldorf also has an A&F store. Of course, it's on the KÖ and of course, it has everything that you've already heard and read about.

I really don't belong to the target audience of this label, neither by age nor by appearance. However, I dared to go in with a younger companion and ventured into this temple of damp fashion dreams of the pubescent teens and trendy twentysomethings of this world. Passing by the half-naked male model, who somehow didn't seem to enjoy being constantly approached by young ladies or girls for a souvenir photo, and a bouncer, you finally reach the holy halls.

Excluding daylight, with loud trendy music and many bustling A&F employees, you quickly find the fragrance among the masses of coveted high-priced clothes. Just follow your nose! The stuff is really in the air and it's not bad. It has something.

But I don't know exactly what that is. Throughout the entire scent development, there is a synthetic base note that still radiates a certain naturalness. It feels fresh and also has a masculine woody effect. The floral notes are, of course, very subtly used. You don't want to scare off the young clientele with too much unfamiliarity. The whole thing is quite classically structured. The citrusy top note is followed by a very brief light floral note that then ends in a velvety woodiness. Perhaps the almost worn-out word "metrosexuality" can best describe it comprehensively.

It's a nice blend that is perfectly marketed. But it won't be joining my collection. I would feel wrongly scented with it. This is also due to the perfect advertising that I don't feel addressed by at all. I've never experienced a "fashion house" that is so consistently target group-oriented. For this, they also accept that everyone outside of these target groups feels rather out of place.