Friday 6 June 2014

GUERLAIN L'Homme Idéal + GIVEAWAY!


On the whole, I can't say I'm a fan of marketing campaigns that surround a fragrance launch. Of course they can be incredibly successful in attracting a captive audience, but I ask myself "when is enough enough? When does the consumer get savvy? A good campaign can never be underestimated though: look at what Guerlain have done with La Petite Robe Noire for instance - some duo-coloured brushstrokes in fanciful poses have perfumistas clambering over one another to buy the latest bottle. A clever tactic to ensure multiple purchases, but let me ask you: in all honesty, how many more bus stops or billboards depicting little Miss Black Dress can you pass before *actually* considering topping yourself?
Still, the success of the La Petite Robe Noire campaign will be hard to duplicate, and now, as the world anticipates the launch of the first new commercial Guerlain masculine in 6 years; L'Homme Ideal, we have great expectations. And the marketing gurus chez Guerlain know it.

Without writing reams, Guerlain's marketing dept have had something cooking in the pipeline for months... that is the idea of L'Homme Ideal (The Ideal Man) - the man of legend... does he actually exist? Well, frankly this author doesn't care. I don't care for the myth, nor the name, nor the insipid visuals supporting the launch with images of women (all of carefully-considered ethnicities) each wearing black dresses with sensible hemlines. I'm not attracted to it in the least, but then maybe I - with my obvious 'appendage' - am not the demographic they're targeting. Its all lost on me, I'm afraid.

Anyway, I'm not here to grumble... there is a silver lining to this story, and that is my opinion of the packaging and the perfume. Hats off! High fives! Fist bump! (Insert awkward hip-hop handshake here). To my delight, Guerlain have delivered a product that is new and interesting and remains faithful to the brand. Perfumer Thierry Wasser has manifested a fragrance which feels contemporary, but without losing sight of the masculine ancestors that came before it. Presented in a beautiful faceted glass flacon with matte black painted edges, the bottle feels like a natural evolution of the original square Habit Rouge flacon. The graphics on the box look stylish and contemporary, and evoke thoughts of QR Scan barcodes - very much in keeping with modern technology.

From the bottle, L'Homme Idéal has a somewhat unorthodox flight... a zesty citrus note interwoven with oily aromats that are slightly sour in nature. A cursory moment of coniferous berries and crushed rosemary leaves lingers over a curious component that feels slightly plasticy, but not altogether unpleasant. Just as one registers quite a departure from other Guerlain fragrances of the same ilk, this 'fabricated' facet recedes and a slightly milky almond / tonka quality presses up from below. It brings with it a more familiar slightly saccharine accord which feels like sumptuous praline. As the scent takes a turn toward something more rich and complex, a woody/tobaccoey note spreads like a blanket through the composition. It warms well on the skin and is both cedar-like and cigar-like. The bitter/sour notes in L'Homme Idéal's flight never seem to altogether disappear, and this adds an enjoyable, unexpected dimension. It is perhaps amplified as the scent dries down, by a bitter leather note upon which the composition is perched. L'Homme Idéal is sensual and endearing. It feels contemporary, yet somehow customary... very Guerlain, in that regard.


If one is pressed to trace it's ancestry and draw comparisons, where I feel L'Homme Idéal resides in the Guerlain lineup, is somewhere between Heritage and L'Instant Pour Homme. The trio share the same olfactory temperature... it borrows crisp autumnal woody aromatic nuances from the former, and creamier, saccharine tones from the latter. This being said, L'Homme Idéal is sufficiently individual to be enjoyed irrespective of the other pair.

The new Guerlain is due to launch on June 23rd 2014 - just as the European summer takes flight. This is curious to me, as I find L'Homme Idéal er, ideal in the autumnal southern climate right now. It will be presented in 50ml and 100ml sizes with ancillary products offered at select retailers.

GIVEAWAY!

Three Sorcery of Scent readers will each win one carded spray sample of L'Homme Idéal. To enter the draw, simply leave a comment in the comments form below, telling me why you would like to try L'Homme Idéal. 

For an additional chance to win, leave a comment on the Sorcery of Scent facebook page too.

Winners names will be published both here and on Facebook on Friday June 13th.

Good luck!



27 comments:

Just AlexandeЯ said...

Hello. Great review. I've been searching for a new gem from Guerlain in a very long time. My all time favorite L'instant is a beautifully composited and nothing is too much. I really enjoy a good fragrance, like you, where you can smell the touch of a professional, and not like all the new crap from Valentino etc...

Paolo Gomez said...

Thank you for that brilliant review! I have always loved the house of Guerlain. And for that, I would love to win the sample of L'homme Ideal.

Anonymous said...

Great and honest review. Can't wait for its release in perth!!

pipefan said...

Thanks, good review.

I have and I love Heritage and L'Instant Pour Homme, and I think that I will like L'Homme Idéal.

frostiblack said...

I've been exploring the Guerlain universe and have fallen in love with many of the classic this past winter; Heritage, Habit Rouge, Shalimar, Mitsouko, Jicky, Mouchoir - and this sounds like a logical, modern extension of these classics. I'd be thrilled to sample!

Anonymous said...

Wow, this sounds fantastic. As an avid lover of Guerlains Instant Extreme I cannot wait to try this one ! Thank you for the chance :)

Eric said...

Great review. I'd be curious to try it, as I am not a fan of Heritage or LIDG, but many of the notes are favorites of mine.

LarryB said...

I love both Habit Rouge and Chamade pour Homme, and I think it would be great to try another Guerlain. Alas, no trip to the flagship, but the fragrance would be more than enough.

matildaben said...

I'm always excited to see what Guerlain comes out with - I prefer the boutique lines and the classics, but the mainstream releases are better than most mainstream stuff out there. I'm female but I wear some men's fragrances, and if it turns out to not be for me, I've got plenty of guy friends to give it to.

Manuel K. said...

Thank you for the excellent review. Guerlain nows how to combine their rich heritage with the taste of modern perfumery. Each new fragrance they created lately has proven this. I would love to try L'Homme Ideal. Why? Well, I don't know if the perfect man exists, but maybe L'Homme Ideal is the perfect fragrance for me! Thank you for giving people the chance to try this new Guerlain.

yatagan said...

Thanks for the excellent review. As a fan of many things Guerlain, I would love to win a sample.

AGML said...

Great review! Guerlain always pleases...famed parisian perfumery designed for modern man. Am really looking forward to trying.

Unknown said...

Great review, I'm starting to believe the hype.I cannot wait to smell this one. Hopefully by your good graces in a sample. Either way I will be adding L'homme Ideal to my collection. It would be my first as well.Keep up the good work!

Anonymous said...

Excellent review! Habit Rouge is my favorite male scent ,but I´m inlove with so many parfums de Guerlain... my own favorites being Aprés l´ondée and Mitsouko. I´m so curious about L´homme idéal and would love to know what it is really about. If I like the feeling,I will present it to mon amoureux as a gift!
Eva

Yuki said...

I have finally started to understand (and enjoy) Guerlains recently. I would love to try this one!

Unknown said...

I really love Shalimar and Samsara, but none of the Guerlain masculines have quite done it for me. Would love to win a sample of this to see if this could break that streak. Thank you for the giveaway!

Warit said...

Ahh! I love Guerlain! I cannot wait to try this new scent, as a Guerlainophile and a crazy collector it would truly be a privilege to have a sniff of this wonderful sounding sent (based on your description & professional presentation as ususal)....because I am not sure when I would get the chance to smell it in Melbourne.

I am just a massive fan of Guerlain, their breathtaking bottle designs, their scents, and most of all their history ! I also appreciate the reviews you have been writing about the scents that this house had / have on offer whether it would be the from the past or present over the years, they are insightful and inspiring.

Lynne1962 said...

Can't wait for the release in the USA! Great review!!!!

freeestyler said...

A Great review! I love Guerlain and all the scents thy have created and I'm sure this will be a wonderfull scent!

Mariam said...

I would love to win it for my husband! He would love it!

Anonymous said...

Would you sign me up for the contest? Father's Day is coming up, and it would be perfect for my dad!

God bless!

Doris
mamansmart at yahoo dot com

Anonymous said...

Man, thanks for the giveaway and for a very eloquent review. Now, I need it in my hands!

Eric R.

email: musdrum12(at)gmail.com

Anonymous said...

Because my boyfriend would be very happy to try this fragrance ! Both of us are fans of Guerlain creations !

redolentnationalist said...

Thanks for a great review, it has me excited for this release. id like to win a sample too because I have a big summer of travel ahead and Im looking for a cologne that will remind me of my vacation. I already wear L'Instant and love it.
Nicolas

Ľubaša said...

I am fan of Guerlain s fragrances and to tell the truth I ve tried only those for women. But I would like to sample this one too as I am sure that all their scents are worthy of attention. Thanks. Lubka K.

Cherie M said...

I would like to try L'Homme Idéal because I heard it smells wonderful.

Unknown said...

Hello, excellent review and thank you for the opportunity.

I'd love to try L'Homme Ideal mainly because I absolute love the house of Guerlain. I've tried most of them, and I still have to find one I dislike (although, being honest, La Petite Robe Noire wasn't impresive...). Samsara (vintage), Shalimar, Vol de Nuit, L'Heure Bleue, Habit Rouge... All of them have such a distinct smell and an incredibly inspiring story.

I really hope L'Homme Ideal doesn't disapoint me: if it's between the woody wonder of Héritage and the velvety citric-cocoa of L'Instant, then I'm sure I'll love it.

:)