FM 226 Federico Mahora 2009

My (ladies and) gentlemen,
this fragrance is a revelation. I am not someone who has been in this for particularly long.
But this scent is easily in my top 3, if not even top 2.

Everyone can judge for themselves how meaningful they find my statements based on my collection or other reviews here. I rarely give such a high score and choose this carefully.

What Zara has offered here for little money is, for me, insane. I got the fragrance for a mere 8 € and could not have imagined how well these EIGHT euros are now invested.
As I mentioned in my brief statement, I cannot pick out individual notes... it is simply fresh, woody, and citrusy to me.
Also, in my opinion, it does not change in scent development.

The longevity and projection are not really present; you can't have it all, can you? This fragrance can be worn by any man - from young to old.
Lastly: Price-performance - well, incredibly great scent, but little longevity/projection.

You have to decide - as always ;)

A masterpiece [at its level], which evokes memories of past perfumes without clinging to the past. Enthusiasts of classic fragrances are likely to find resonance in Boisé Vibrant Leather.
This perfume exudes a mood akin to that of an aromatic fougère without wanting to be overtly vintage and without having taken a long path to becoming a classic, but rather endowed with the charm of a classic. Something that fully activates my olfactory memory.
For some reason, the late 1920s and early 1930s come to mind. I imagine that this is how perfumes of that time must have smelled. Fritz Lang's futuristic Metropolis is premiering in the cinemas of the republic, I apply Boisé Vibrant Leather and head there.
It is versatile enough to represent the neat casual, but also suitable for somewhat elevated occasions. So after the cinema visit, one can directly head to the evening opera, should one have transferred some into a pocket-sized container. The projection and sillage are certainly set and discreet enough.

Red velvet in subdued light comes to mind, although it may be due to the burgundy bottle. Fine fabrics, stylish clothing, heavy curtains. Boisé Vibrant Leather is soft to the touch.
At the same time, it is modern, with its minimalist and aesthetically simple design. Deep dark, almost black dry wood on white ceramic. Dark blue-wine red marbled.

Herbaceous and aromatic, one sinks softly onto hesperides, soon to quote the orientals, fruity-sweet wood with saffron-like accords. It steadily becomes resinous-smoky. Labdanum, my best friend! Aromatic leather finishes subtly powdery.
Everything is tastefully accentuated, beautiful!

The burgundy bottle fits the theme well. A ruby-like hand charmer.
And hey, for the first time I see a magnetic cap at Zara. The sprayer leaks unpleasantly, yet still skillfully emits a fine mist. The letters applied are not very well recognizable depending on the lighting conditions, but that fits. Understatement.

Jérôme Epinette often wanders between niche and cheapie. He has created almost the entire Vibrant Leather line for Zara, as well as classics for Guess. He has crafted many for Byredo and for niche brands I don't even know yet. You can tell that a perfume benefits when a perfumer knows how to skillfully use the means at their disposal and can navigate between high-quality and less high-quality oils, as is evident with Boisé Vibrant Leather. Well done, Monsieur Epinette! A cheapie that doesn't smell like one at all.

For me, the Boisé from the currently available Vibrant Leather series is the absolute favorite. The blend of wood, leather, and fruity citrus notes makes it the most special of the series. It is almost universally applicable, and I always look forward to when the scent wafts towards my nose.
Sillage and longevity are okay. A few more sprays help :)

Outfit recommendation:
- white polo shirt, dark blue chinos
- simple T-shirt, short chinos, Havana sunglasses