36
Top Review
Strange Setting...
Bhutan. The small South Asian country, with its famous Gross National Happiness and supposedly breathtaking landscapes, is said to smell like this? From ethereal-fresh to animalic-woody-earthy?
Hmmm... Probably a 'Figment', a product of imagination, a figment of the mind.
No matter. Unlike many others, I can't quite relate to the associations with musty forest floors, ponds, and marshes here. For me, 'Figment Man' does not smell particularly earthy, muddy, or even rotten. No, nothing of the sort. However, I can definitely recognize sandalwood and incense. It reminds me a bit of those infamous incense sticks we used to burn in our shared apartments instead of properly airing them out.
This central sandalwood accord is framed by an initially quite sharp, unsweetened fresh breeze that lasts for quite a while, and a woody-resinous base that lingers for hours.
So far, so good. Almost too banal, if it weren't for another extremely distinctive accord slumbering in the heart of the fragrance, which soon begins to bloom after spraying and only slowly fades away many, many hours later: a potpourri of animalic notes. Whatever their origin may be: some suspect an overdose of civet, others a mix of various musk compounds, some bring up costus, a fragrance ingredient that smells like damp (animal) hair, and 'Animalis' from the company Synarome is also mentioned: a perfume base that was already used in Jean Carles' 'Visa', as well as in the highly controversial 'Kouros', and is described as follows:
Odor: An animalic, musky, sensuous odor with costus-like connotation. Can be described as unwashed human hair, goat smell and dirty socks.
Sounds tempting, doesn't it?
It is, at least for some, myself included.
What stinks disgustingly to some is, for others, perhaps even a narcotic aphrodisiac, definitely a pleasant scent. However, the tolerance threshold has noticeably decreased in recent decades, particularly since 'Cool Water' and the triumph of fresh foug猫res, so that once-heroic figures of the animalic fragrance world like the aforementioned Kouros, or Montana's 'Parfum de peau' have mutated from nearly ubiquitous mainstreamers to rarely encountered exotics. That Amouage comes around the corner in the never-ending era of clean scents with such an animalic, boldly flaunting its sexual charms fragrance has a certain chutzpah, or at least defiance. Exorbitant sales figures certainly weren't on Mr. Chong & Co.'s minds: this scent is definitely not a bestseller, but one might have suspected that: works like 'Figment Man', or Dior's 'Leather Oud', are not launched nowadays in the hope of making a big profit. They are launched to show that one can also be dirty, that one is willing to go to the limits of the unbearable (and beyond), probably to avoid falling under suspicion of being mainstream, to stand out, to remain in conversation.
Having such a fragrance in the portfolio means: look here, we dare to do something, we create art, perfume art, even if it is art for art's sake.
Which raises the question: is this fragrance even wearable?
I would say: maybe not.
No, since we are social beings who move among each other and - at least tendentially - want to please one another. Since this fragrance, according to most comments, is likely perceived as somewhat unpleasant by the majority, public wearing is largely excluded.
Yes, if one appreciates fragrances with a broader spectrum than fresh-clean-floral-vanilla and can find a certain 'skin scent' of dubious origin stimulating, without immediately feeling the urge to vomit. However, this is likely to take place in a very private setting, I mean: between my arm and my nose. Because I really appreciate this 'Figment Man', just like 'Kouros' or 'Leather Oud', Mazzolari's 'Lui', Dior's 'Jules' or Piguet's 'Oud', as well as the original 'Rose poivr茅e', before it was tamed on the animalic side, but wearing it in public and exposing myself to the suspicion of possibly lacking in personal hygiene, no, I wouldn't want that.
I'll let this Bhutanese (scent) tiger waft around beautifully at home, or take it only on tiny little outings...
So, in contrast to the pond-mud-toad, I would be in the following association chain: a Buddhist temple wafting with incense, in a predator zoo shaded by lemon trees.
Weird scenario.
Hmmm... Probably a 'Figment', a product of imagination, a figment of the mind.
No matter. Unlike many others, I can't quite relate to the associations with musty forest floors, ponds, and marshes here. For me, 'Figment Man' does not smell particularly earthy, muddy, or even rotten. No, nothing of the sort. However, I can definitely recognize sandalwood and incense. It reminds me a bit of those infamous incense sticks we used to burn in our shared apartments instead of properly airing them out.
This central sandalwood accord is framed by an initially quite sharp, unsweetened fresh breeze that lasts for quite a while, and a woody-resinous base that lingers for hours.
So far, so good. Almost too banal, if it weren't for another extremely distinctive accord slumbering in the heart of the fragrance, which soon begins to bloom after spraying and only slowly fades away many, many hours later: a potpourri of animalic notes. Whatever their origin may be: some suspect an overdose of civet, others a mix of various musk compounds, some bring up costus, a fragrance ingredient that smells like damp (animal) hair, and 'Animalis' from the company Synarome is also mentioned: a perfume base that was already used in Jean Carles' 'Visa', as well as in the highly controversial 'Kouros', and is described as follows:
Odor: An animalic, musky, sensuous odor with costus-like connotation. Can be described as unwashed human hair, goat smell and dirty socks.
Sounds tempting, doesn't it?
It is, at least for some, myself included.
What stinks disgustingly to some is, for others, perhaps even a narcotic aphrodisiac, definitely a pleasant scent. However, the tolerance threshold has noticeably decreased in recent decades, particularly since 'Cool Water' and the triumph of fresh foug猫res, so that once-heroic figures of the animalic fragrance world like the aforementioned Kouros, or Montana's 'Parfum de peau' have mutated from nearly ubiquitous mainstreamers to rarely encountered exotics. That Amouage comes around the corner in the never-ending era of clean scents with such an animalic, boldly flaunting its sexual charms fragrance has a certain chutzpah, or at least defiance. Exorbitant sales figures certainly weren't on Mr. Chong & Co.'s minds: this scent is definitely not a bestseller, but one might have suspected that: works like 'Figment Man', or Dior's 'Leather Oud', are not launched nowadays in the hope of making a big profit. They are launched to show that one can also be dirty, that one is willing to go to the limits of the unbearable (and beyond), probably to avoid falling under suspicion of being mainstream, to stand out, to remain in conversation.
Having such a fragrance in the portfolio means: look here, we dare to do something, we create art, perfume art, even if it is art for art's sake.
Which raises the question: is this fragrance even wearable?
I would say: maybe not.
No, since we are social beings who move among each other and - at least tendentially - want to please one another. Since this fragrance, according to most comments, is likely perceived as somewhat unpleasant by the majority, public wearing is largely excluded.
Yes, if one appreciates fragrances with a broader spectrum than fresh-clean-floral-vanilla and can find a certain 'skin scent' of dubious origin stimulating, without immediately feeling the urge to vomit. However, this is likely to take place in a very private setting, I mean: between my arm and my nose. Because I really appreciate this 'Figment Man', just like 'Kouros' or 'Leather Oud', Mazzolari's 'Lui', Dior's 'Jules' or Piguet's 'Oud', as well as the original 'Rose poivr茅e', before it was tamed on the animalic side, but wearing it in public and exposing myself to the suspicion of possibly lacking in personal hygiene, no, I wouldn't want that.
I'll let this Bhutanese (scent) tiger waft around beautifully at home, or take it only on tiny little outings...
So, in contrast to the pond-mud-toad, I would be in the following association chain: a Buddhist temple wafting with incense, in a predator zoo shaded by lemon trees.
Weird scenario.
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11 Comments
And unfortunately, I will probably clash with Figment Man.
But as a Kouros fan, I stay true to myself.
Deliciously written!