Polo Supreme Leather Ralph Lauren 2015

There is a type of man (or young man) who appears uniformly and extensively and has changed surprisingly little over the decades (let's call him Marcel for simplicity). (If any Marcel is reading this - you are of course not meant!) Normally, Marcel is studying law or business administration or doing a law or business administration-oriented career-boosting internship at a bank or large law firm. Consequently, the density of Marcels is particularly high in traditional university towns (with fraternities) and those with many prestigious internship or working student positions.

Marcel slicks back his wavy hair with gel and likes to wear quilted jackets with corduroy collars in dark green or blue, paired with chinos and Timberland boots. In summer, he flips the collar of his polo shirts up and knots a thin sweater around his shoulders. If Marcel's father is wealthy, he wears his first expensive wristwatch (a graduation gift). If Marcel's father is not that rich, Marcel still strives to look as if he is. By the way, it’s quite possible that Marcel is dating Ann-Kathrin, whom I mentioned in my Jour d'Hermès comment (and her mother).

Marcel's favorite brand, along with his friends, is Ralph Lauren, or rather its younger line Polo. Most of his light blue and pink shirts with the embroidered polo player on the chest are from an outlet, but with the boat shoes and the sweater around his shoulders, it still looks like he just came from the yacht club - and not just from the re-examination of Civil Law I. And because such a conservatively timeless preppy outfit is not complete without a fragrance (and Ann-Kathrin never knows what to give him), he received Ralph Lauren's Polo Supreme Leather for finally passing the Civil Law I exam.

Polo Supreme Leather can hardly fulfill what its pretentious name promises. Its top note - present and self-assured, just as Marcel intends to be in the assessment center for the McKinsey summer camp - is almost more spice than leather. However, this top note is - quite unlike Marcel - not enduring and quickly gives way to a gourmand heart and base note that thrives on hints of vanilla, honey, and cocoa, which is actually more to Ann-Kathrin's taste than Marcel's. But the bottle looks valuable and fits well with his other things - and if it makes her happy...

Conclusion: a soft and rounded preppy cuddle scent with a short spice/leather intro. 'Hmm, you smell good again!' Ann-Kathrin exclaims, and he quickly replies: 'Hey, careful - just don’t mess with my hair!'