01/31/2014
Apicius
222 Reviews
Apicius
2
A Man From Italy
The longer VIP's are dead, the better the perfumes named after them. This rule definitely applies to Antonio de Curtis aka Totò – an Italian movie actor (1898 – 1967). He was successful in Italy but I have to admit I know his picture only from the wall decorations of one or the other Italian ristorante.
Let's suppose that Mansfield's Antonio de Curtis is meant as an olfactory monument for this actor, and that the fragrance reflects the personal character of this gentleman. For a gents' cologne released in 2008 Antonio de Curtis is quite a surprise: The hype about JPG's Le Mâle and its follow-ups was gone, yet Mansfield decided to place a sophisticated, discreet and maybe a little posh fragrance right into this olfactory group. For me, the core of the Le Mâle type of fragrances is that strange oriental approach with notes that always remind me at the scent of fuel. And – by the way - one particular remarkable Le Mâle follow-up I have to mention here was the now discontinued Body Kouros by Yves Saint Laurent!
Body Kouros had a darker style that its role model, but it was quite robust and also very sweet. It had this appeal of leather, resin and tar that Le Mâle has not. If you remember Body Kouros, please try to strip it of most of its sweetness and you come out near Antonio de Curtis.
Antonio de Curtis starts with a well done herbal and citric top note that soon gives way to the aromatic base accord. The base gives me the well-known pictures of fuel but also of old-fashioned black shoe polish. Without any listed notes, I do not dare to say more. Other than Le Mâle and Body Kouros, Antonio de Curtis is very discreet and thus misses the main aspect that Le Mâle and the like have been blamed for: an opulence that some people find cloying.
There are not many niche perfumes in that olfactory group. The only ones I know of are Antico Caruso by Profvmvm Roma which I found a bit boring. Then, there is the beautiful François Charles by Rancé: charming and uplifting with its beautiful citruses. The darker Antonio de Curtis puts a little more distance between you and the people around, and it is more respectable or even posh than the Rancé fragrance.
I own the Aqua di Toilette version, and indeed if applied normally it only lasts for a few hours. Some faint traces will remain and might again draw your attention at the end of the day but possibly not that of other people.
All three perfumes have proved that one can create high quality niche perfumes in the neighbourhood of Le Mâle. I recommend Antonio de Curtis to all who are interested in a classy alternative, or who cautiously want to approach the Le Mâle spectrum – again.
Let's suppose that Mansfield's Antonio de Curtis is meant as an olfactory monument for this actor, and that the fragrance reflects the personal character of this gentleman. For a gents' cologne released in 2008 Antonio de Curtis is quite a surprise: The hype about JPG's Le Mâle and its follow-ups was gone, yet Mansfield decided to place a sophisticated, discreet and maybe a little posh fragrance right into this olfactory group. For me, the core of the Le Mâle type of fragrances is that strange oriental approach with notes that always remind me at the scent of fuel. And – by the way - one particular remarkable Le Mâle follow-up I have to mention here was the now discontinued Body Kouros by Yves Saint Laurent!
Body Kouros had a darker style that its role model, but it was quite robust and also very sweet. It had this appeal of leather, resin and tar that Le Mâle has not. If you remember Body Kouros, please try to strip it of most of its sweetness and you come out near Antonio de Curtis.
Antonio de Curtis starts with a well done herbal and citric top note that soon gives way to the aromatic base accord. The base gives me the well-known pictures of fuel but also of old-fashioned black shoe polish. Without any listed notes, I do not dare to say more. Other than Le Mâle and Body Kouros, Antonio de Curtis is very discreet and thus misses the main aspect that Le Mâle and the like have been blamed for: an opulence that some people find cloying.
There are not many niche perfumes in that olfactory group. The only ones I know of are Antico Caruso by Profvmvm Roma which I found a bit boring. Then, there is the beautiful François Charles by Rancé: charming and uplifting with its beautiful citruses. The darker Antonio de Curtis puts a little more distance between you and the people around, and it is more respectable or even posh than the Rancé fragrance.
I own the Aqua di Toilette version, and indeed if applied normally it only lasts for a few hours. Some faint traces will remain and might again draw your attention at the end of the day but possibly not that of other people.
All three perfumes have proved that one can create high quality niche perfumes in the neighbourhood of Le Mâle. I recommend Antonio de Curtis to all who are interested in a classy alternative, or who cautiously want to approach the Le Mâle spectrum – again.
