Versace L'Homme Versace 1984 Eau de Toilette

Do you know that moment when you hear the DJ make a transition at a party and you recognize "Narcotic" (Liquido) by the keyboard sound?

Do you know what I mean when you hear that melody and you know for sure that it’s neither singing, nor guitar, nor drums, but definitely that very special keyboard? There’s another example. The DJ makes a transition and you hear that it’s "Jump" (Van Halen). Do you know what I mean when you recognize it once again by that very specific keyboard sound?

Suddenly, it’s not about you or anyone else. It’s about the spark that jumps to everyone. Then movement follows and boredom is gone.

Sometimes it’s the same with fragrances. It only takes milliseconds and you recognize they are there, cutting through the air like those keyboard sounds. They are irreplaceable, they are inimitable. Assertive = present. For connoisseurs, that means "good".

After those milliseconds, everyone’s attention is focused on these fragrances, just as everyone’s attention is on "Jump" or "Narcotic". A few milliseconds later, the cheers begin.

The cries of "penetrance" fade into a party inferno of humming and singing along. There must have been something convincing in the air, and DJs enjoy this moment every time. Conviction can be contagious.

Hey, one could say that both songs are timeless, or that some fragrances, like "L'Homme", are too. There are plenty of reasons why one can say that.

However, for me, the potential timelessness of this fragrance doesn’t matter. Rather: this fragrance has incredible assertiveness.

You can test that. Just spray 10 of today’s trendy citrus fragrances on paper. Place a "L'Homme" strip next to them.

Which of these fragrances stands out?

Test two is historical and selective: Compare…
- Habit Rouge edP
- L'eau D'issey pH
- YSL pH
- Versace L'Homme

What remains? Probably all of them. But which one stands out?

And with similar intentions, the composers at Van Halen and Liquido proceeded: They had more than ten keyboard sounds and one that stands out. This recognizability is the guarantee of success. It was also clear that the others would remain.

In the 1980s, many keyboards were used for this reason. People were already tired of guitar sounds; something fresh was needed. "Jump" appeared, just like "L'Homme" in the year "1984", which is also the name of the band’s album.

Both the song and the fragrance became all-time greats. The emphasis is on GREAT and, as mentioned, less on all-time. It’s about power, about the so-called "lead sound". It was clear that this was synthetic: These keyboards were called synthesizers. And in the fragrance world, they were looking for similarly striking aesthetics.

The keyboard starts the piece, and thus "L'Homme" (the man) begins the dance. Perhaps with a jump, perhaps with a narcotically confident look. This is not meant to be gender-typical: It happens in Nena’s "99 Luftballons" as well. The spark jumps over.

100 people of any gender wear citrus fragrances. One person wears "L'Homme" and thus holds the presence trophy.

It’s quickly decided what we will remember most clearly. In psychology, this is called the "primacy effect". The first impression counts. So it’s the "lead quality" of both the sound and the fragrance that I love from 1984, and in my opinion, this will resonate for centuries to come, and it has less to do with timelessness than with a proper claim to a perfume with signature quality and character.

Here it is.

Guess what? My keyboard teacher wore it even in the mid-90s, and thus it always takes me back to the moment when I learned to play "Jump" on my own synthesizer for the first time. With the original sound - of course.

Update 1:

Fragrance:

Top note: A tart lemon picked from the Italian lemon tree in your hand, you rub the peel and smell the lemon oil in the air. Honestly, I feel sorry for people who can only associate lemon with synthetic-chemical scents and only know it from bathroom products. Chanel Homme Sport Edition Blanche, for example, is indeed much more artificial. There’s even more real citrus acidity in the air here, and no lemon cake batter with vanillin. It’s not about pleasing, but rather about a clear and assertive direction.

Fragrance:

Heart note: The top note continues to blast in a powerhouse manner, while also Italian, tart spices come into play. A subtly hidden leather note remains in the background, and a woody-spicy vibe adds to it, with a slight soapiness. Only now does an aesthetic emerge that also seems unattainable due to a certain coldness. This tart and rough side will soften from now on, as increasingly floral freshness asserts itself (Chypre).

Base note: Depending on skin chemistry, either the citrus spiciness or the fresh woodiness prevails. For me, it’s the fresh woodiness, and thus it reminds me of Lagerfeld Photo, it’s been a long time, but the soapy floral notes refresh additionally, feeling like all day long. The lemon fades, its tart base remains.

Longevity:

Powerhouse, even in the disco and/or a long summer night, this is a dream. All-day candidate. Since the base is so desirable to wait for, just a little re-spraying if necessary. It also works at work, discreetly, but it screams for leisure and beach evenings.

Sillage:

At first, enormous. The intensity of the lemon comes through, which as a top note, however, seems to others from a distance like the heart note does to oneself after 30 minutes. The looks of others express that no compliment is needed here, because it can be assumed that the wearer knows it’s high quality. People come and stay close. Interestingly, some wearers are afraid that others will notice they are wearing perfume? Just dose sparingly, because there’s still something for the price.

Bottle:

A matter of taste, it certainly stands at the front of my collection, right next to #L'Eau d'Issey pour Homme and #Acqua di Gio Profumo, Battistoni #Marte, Yves Saint Laurent #pour Homme… It’s there where I reach for citrus freshies. Even though it’s clearly woody-spicy, I think it belongs less in the spice department than, for example, Aramis Havana, despite its similarly tart tobacco-leather vibes. The Versace has primarily no cinnamon-oriental spice vibe, but rather a tart-Mediterranean one. Thus, the original Aramis #Tuscany also belongs here.

And a Post-it: "Book Italy vacation and pack only one perfume in the suitcase."