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09/01/2020
Farmi
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Farmi
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17
How the failed reformulation dismantled a mainstream classic...
Guys, this is hard. Hard for my heart to take a trip down memory lane. Oh, no! :-(
But first the prehistory:
Who of you doesn't know this - even after many years of "perfume career" with strong evolution, you still often look back wistfully on your younger years, in which typical designer fragrances were often executed to your complete satisfaction. Nearly everyone had "the one", which he probably wouldn't even look at crossly today. With me it was the very first code - now it's out.
Code, then marketed as Black Code, was without question in. While most of the young clubbers with Le Male (and a little later One Million - uargh) polluted the local clubs with a sweet scent, the Armani buyers were - how ironic - with their choice of scents rather the (young) gentlemen who wanted to shine with a little more understatement. Less shouting, more whispering - had they ever managed to stand up to the above mentioned attention guns, the compliments were sure to come. In my 18-20s I have NOT received more compliments with NO fragrance than for Armani Code. I'm surprised, because especially the younger girls are more known for being attracted to colleagues like Le Male, Eros, 1 Million and Co. I enjoyed it - and Code became my long-runner without greater ambitions.
With time, other fragrances come, you develop further, you "rise". After years of break I unpacked the old code bottle again and enjoyed the memories that are awakened again with it.
Before the drydown I'm not quite clear about this yet - the (old) code is still too confused here and leaves (at least me) still confused about what it wants to become. I don't think the bergamot is as pronounced as some people say - but that also applies ONLY to the old code. When it is an hour old, it becomes the fragrance I loved so much. This slightly sweet-tart restraint, this delicate olive blossom, this depth without being pompous.
I always explain it like this:
He is simply not the ripper who honks his horn as he drives past in the Lambo - but the gentleman who prefers to park the Aston Martin around the corner and wants to shine with charm. I think you can still wear the code at the age of 50 - even if there would undoubtedly be a lot of handcrafted and historically superior fragrances here...
Enough raving, now comes the sad part of the story:
From time to time the code was dug out - but then it was empty! The last 125ml bottle stayed empty on the shelf for a long time - until I decided to get it again after some more years...
The anticipation was high, as it was again years of pause. But a hoped-for indulgence in youthful memories turned into an open mouth - what is THAT. A fake? Thinned? Hello? What have they done with MY CODE!?
I don't know what they did - and when the obvious reformulation came, I can't say exactly. But the result is a disgrace! The old code was still a creamy, gloomy, full and exciting "slop" (positively meant) - the new one is a WC-Stein Cologne with a shot of old code. Way too flat, too light, too windy. The durability (already not ideal back then) is also a bad joke. How can you just take away the complete character of a fragrance with a reformulation?
The old code was a fluffy blanket that you felt comfortable with. The new code is a sheet sprayed with toilet duck that someone forgot to put on. I'm sad, Armani!
Yesterday I bought myself an ancient bottle, just to make sure that my memory wasn't playing tricks on me - my head wasn't fooled. There it is again. My code. And I will cherish the 20ml sip left over when my head wants to go on a time travel back to youth.
But first the prehistory:
Who of you doesn't know this - even after many years of "perfume career" with strong evolution, you still often look back wistfully on your younger years, in which typical designer fragrances were often executed to your complete satisfaction. Nearly everyone had "the one", which he probably wouldn't even look at crossly today. With me it was the very first code - now it's out.
Code, then marketed as Black Code, was without question in. While most of the young clubbers with Le Male (and a little later One Million - uargh) polluted the local clubs with a sweet scent, the Armani buyers were - how ironic - with their choice of scents rather the (young) gentlemen who wanted to shine with a little more understatement. Less shouting, more whispering - had they ever managed to stand up to the above mentioned attention guns, the compliments were sure to come. In my 18-20s I have NOT received more compliments with NO fragrance than for Armani Code. I'm surprised, because especially the younger girls are more known for being attracted to colleagues like Le Male, Eros, 1 Million and Co. I enjoyed it - and Code became my long-runner without greater ambitions.
With time, other fragrances come, you develop further, you "rise". After years of break I unpacked the old code bottle again and enjoyed the memories that are awakened again with it.
Before the drydown I'm not quite clear about this yet - the (old) code is still too confused here and leaves (at least me) still confused about what it wants to become. I don't think the bergamot is as pronounced as some people say - but that also applies ONLY to the old code. When it is an hour old, it becomes the fragrance I loved so much. This slightly sweet-tart restraint, this delicate olive blossom, this depth without being pompous.
I always explain it like this:
He is simply not the ripper who honks his horn as he drives past in the Lambo - but the gentleman who prefers to park the Aston Martin around the corner and wants to shine with charm. I think you can still wear the code at the age of 50 - even if there would undoubtedly be a lot of handcrafted and historically superior fragrances here...
Enough raving, now comes the sad part of the story:
From time to time the code was dug out - but then it was empty! The last 125ml bottle stayed empty on the shelf for a long time - until I decided to get it again after some more years...
The anticipation was high, as it was again years of pause. But a hoped-for indulgence in youthful memories turned into an open mouth - what is THAT. A fake? Thinned? Hello? What have they done with MY CODE!?
I don't know what they did - and when the obvious reformulation came, I can't say exactly. But the result is a disgrace! The old code was still a creamy, gloomy, full and exciting "slop" (positively meant) - the new one is a WC-Stein Cologne with a shot of old code. Way too flat, too light, too windy. The durability (already not ideal back then) is also a bad joke. How can you just take away the complete character of a fragrance with a reformulation?
The old code was a fluffy blanket that you felt comfortable with. The new code is a sheet sprayed with toilet duck that someone forgot to put on. I'm sad, Armani!
Yesterday I bought myself an ancient bottle, just to make sure that my memory wasn't playing tricks on me - my head wasn't fooled. There it is again. My code. And I will cherish the 20ml sip left over when my head wants to go on a time travel back to youth.
2 Comments
Kurai
PedroCabral
Demetera
Elysium
MrTee
