Fougère d'Argent Tom Ford 2018

Fougère d’Argent was created by Olivier Gillotin and Linda Song. Top notes are Lavender, Ginger and Mandarin Orange; middle notes are Akigalawood and Labdanum; base note is Coumarin.

A slightly floral, warm and soft spicy amber fragrance with a classic 80s backbone accord with lavender. Sexy, sophisticated and modern... I love it!

This is a fragrance I did a complete 180 on. I think because it is one that requires a full wearing to really appreciate. On strip and smelling up-close, it is quite pungent and bitter, but the aura it provides on a full wear is unmatched. Fougère d'Argent perfectly melds the classic and modern, with sharp lavender and oakmoss giving the classic barbershop shaving cream vibe while woody tones and sweet coumarin smooth it out. This makes it distinct from fragrances such as Beau de Jour Eau de Parfum or Viking for example that go all-in on the old-school shaving cream. But it also does not go too far in the sweet direction like Eau Sauvage Parfum (2017). Fougère d'Argent keeps it dry and masculine while still not stuck in the past. The "Smells similar" section is all over the place for this one, I'm not sure why. It is much more similar to Sartorial or Fougère Royale (2010) Eau de Parfum than Memoir Man, Aventus Cologne, or Sauvage Elixir.

I tried a sample once in Nordstrom and didn’t care too much for it initially, but as the hours passed and the dry down progressed I became enamored with this fragrance. I spent months thinking about it and comparing other new fragrances to it, as I remembered it smelling. I would return to Nordstrom to try it again, only to find more evidence that this was quickly becoming one of my favorite scents, without even owning it. Fortunately, I found it recently in Amsterdam at a duty free, where I could finally purchase this at a discount (tax free). The price of Tom Ford’s collection is needlessly expensive, and it is the only drawback to this fragrance. It’s perfect, if it weren’t so expensive.

My relationship with Tom Ford is a difficult one. The brand has had moments of greatness, many of which anre faves for me, interspersed with mediocrity and the odd fail, although rare in my humble opinion. Having eclectic taste and a collection of over 900 I appreciate vintage, artisnal, designer and niche (although this is category working hard to become designer). I’m also a Fougere lover and appreciate the barbershop aesthetic, moreover I appreciate a modern interpretation of a timeless genre. Adding ginger and akigalowood into a Fougere pyramid is genius. It makes it fresh, metallic, sparkling and modern, which then morphs into the familiar. If the sun ever comes out in Blighty this will be this year’s go to for me.

Yes: The above attributes describe Fougere d‘Argent in almost perfect terms.
What follows is a detailed declaration of my love for a newly discovered flame.

At first, I had absolutely no idea about this fragrance, but I found a voucher from a Swiss perfumery that was about to expire, so I found myself in the fortunate situation of having to buy a fragrance "out of necessity." I didn't want another backup bottle of a different scent, so I quickly read a few reviews of Fougere d‘Argent, which just happened to be on sale at that time, and I jumped at the unbeatable price.

My expectations? None. Beau de Jour with a spearmint note. Or something like that.

When I finally held the fragrance in my hands, the big test came and the even bigger astonishment:

OPENING: Flawless.
Mandarin, ginger, lavender. But so perfectly balanced that I was floating in the 7th fragrance heaven. The individual notes would normally be too "punchy" and aggressive for me, but in Fougere d‘Argent, these notes harmonize beautifully, never trying to overshadow one another, but instead lending each other an incredibly elegant and refined character.
At this point, I also perceive a distinct spearmint note, which indeed reminds me of an American chewing gum, but this spearmint note only enhances the mandarin, ginger, and lavender without ever overpowering them.

Between OPENING and HEART, something happens that I would describe as perfection:
Imagine a picnic on a mowed flower meadow - nothing around you but pure Alpine air, the air is hot and dry, and you take in all the herbs and the mown hay of this meadow. Dryness, floral, soothing herbs, and a hint of mint. The lavender is still distinctly present, the mandarin has already receded, and the ginger is only perceptible in the distant background. Wonderful.

In the HEART then comes the twist: Sharp.
After about two hours, a note joins the previously mentioned fragrance notes that I suspected I recognized from somewhere. At first, I thought of Sauvage, but that would be too trivial. No, not Sauvage. But there is something that makes me love the fragrance even more at this point.
Time and again, a delightful note breaks through here. I can't help it: I love you. It’s warm woods, perfectly balanced, never too aggressive or rough, but classic, noble, and accompanied by blooming lavender and rockrose. Sharp. Stylish. Like a tailored Tom Ford suit for a gentleman with perfectly styled hair and an even more perfect three-day beard.

A true gentleman, a rock in the surf in a tailored suit. Never loud, never aggressive, never overwhelming, and certainly not a screamer. But an alpha male as described in the books.
Fougere d‘Argent is a statement of elegance, style, and sovereignty.

The base: Alluring.
In the BASE, the fragrance remains beautifully linear, the dry herbal hay regains dominance, joined by woody notes and a wonderful twist of soft lavender and fresh rockrose.
One could faintly draw parallels to the discontinued Beau de Jour from the Private Blend line, but that would require a lot of imagination.
Both last about the same length of time and both carry this beautiful barbershop program that Tom Ford enhances with a modern and contemporary twist, making it a wearable trend for real gentlemen again. However, they differ immensely in terms of sillage: Beau de Jour is noticeably more present, a bit louder, and perhaps one or two levels stronger regarding the scent trail.
Fougere d‘Argent is quieter, less loud, and becomes much more intimate after a shorter time, which makes it, in my eyes, the absolute favorite for dates and also in the office: At a distance, you only feel a hint of this beautiful fragrance, but this seducer knows how to make the audience want to come closer. And once the 50 cm mark is crossed, it captivates everyone. And with that, it has exactly what so many other fragrances fail to achieve: It is alluring without needing to push itself to the forefront, a charmer that doesn't shout, no, that doesn't even say anything. But it convinces through its sovereignty, elegance, and charisma. It enters the room, and everyone turns to look at it. But not because of its shouting. But simply because of its aura and presence. It is alluring, radiating attraction and dominance - and that without having to say a single word.

Am I in love? - Yes.
Can I understand why this fragrance is being discontinued according to some English-speaking forums? - No, not even close.
Any last words? - I love you, Baby.

Warm regards,
Your Carpintero.