Our take
What does Pour Homme smell like?
Van Cleef & Arpels, the jeweller of Place Vendôme, released Pour Homme in 1978. It was the age of the big masculine chypres, and this one has the full frame. The opening is aromatic: sage, basil and rosemary, lifted by bergamot and lavender. Think of a herb garden after rain. The heart warms up from there. A dark rose meets clove while iris adds a powdery touch you rarely find in men's perfume. The base is where it really speaks. Patchouli and vetiver join a leather accord and oakmoss for a dry, slightly earthy finish. It lasts a long time and projects hard in the first hour. Next to Chanel's Antaeus, released three years later, it feels less animalic and more herbal. Fans of classic chypres will find a style that almost nobody writes anymore.
When to wear it
Wear it in autumn and winter with wool or a suit. One spray on the chest is plenty for the office.
It belongs to the Chypre, Aromatic family. Pour Homme is one of 20 creations by Van Cleef & Arpels in our encyclopedia.
