Versace l'Homme
Versace (1984)

I am so glad this 80's Italian stallion is still alive and kickin'. First of all... can we all just take a moment to appreciate that simple, yet stylish, art deco bottle? Love it! As for how it smells, I doubt I could get into too great of detail as I cannot imagine I could possibly say anything that hasn't already been said, but read on.

It starts off to me very Chanel-like--fizzy and aldehydic with hyper citrus and greens--this is where I believe the cleaner description comes from. Then, it pretty much settles into a carnation-sprinkled, slight cinnamon-spiced, cedar and sandalwood combo. I know the woods are the star of the show as my brother always calls those two woods out specifically every time I wear it.

Versace L'homme is almost what I refer to as a "Swiss army knife" fragrance. You can use it in almost any season, just reserve it for mild days or night wear during the summer. It's good for everyday wear provided the wearing doesn't tool around town sloppy. Staying power is excellent, but projection is not as bomb-like as 80s scents are known for, so chances of offending anyone is low. Strong-willed guys 20 and up I think can pull this off. I've been wearing this since age 23 and I think I pull this one off quite nicely at 25. I recommend this one to lovers of niche oddities.

This is a review of the modern formulation. The opening is lemony with a slight green tinge, possibly from the basil. It almost comes off as a lemon cleaner, feeling harsh, astringent, and strong. I don't think the scent profile is necessarily dated, but the combination of lemon, leather, and oakmoss gives it a vintage vibe. When I first sprayed it, I was briefly reminded of Grey Flannel. The green DNA is very similar; the main difference is in the lemon opening.

It's suitable for most seasons except for the summer. I think the opening will be a bit too piercing for the summer heat. I have a feeling that the original was way better with the use of natural oakmoss. This one just reminds me of a lemon cleaner with some light florals and mossiness. I believe people wear this for the nostalgic factor, but I don't see anybody from the younger generation picking this one up.

Simple as well extraordinary;
Ancient as well a timeless beauty;
Powerfull as well gentle as a leather handglove;
Pure macho as well a gentleman;
Raw as well sophisticated;
I my humble opinion far out the best there is.
This one is the only one you need.

This is one of those classics that flies under the radar and you wonder how it’s still in production. The astringent opening reminds me a lot of Armani pour Homme (sadly recently discontinued), but Versace l’Homme takes a slightly dirtier soapier direction in the drydown and seems to have more of a leather vanilla base than the clove and woods in the Armani. Still, it’s a very dry chypre (the cedar hanging in for much of the wear) and you have to be patient and enjoy the ride to the rich drydown. A lot going on with this scent—I like that it’s not easy or predictable. Reminds me of the “Magnum P.I.” era, and complex tough masculine gents that work (and play) hard but still clean up good. Elegy for the ‘80s. Still great in the current formulation and very affordable.

Versace L'Homme is a beautiful masculine, warm, woody aromatic scent. It is a classic barbershop scent of the 1980s and is still very wearable and able to garner compliments today. The opening is great and catches my attention with strong wood and moss elements tampered with patchouli and the labdanum bringing it together and giving it some warmth. There is a soapie accord in the opening that gives a very nice clean feel. As Versace L'Homme begins to dry down the soapiness gives way to a more leather scent with some nice herbal elements. I'm a fairly recent user of Versace L'Homme and I wish that I had discovered it years ago. This is becoming one of my favourite fragrances in this genre. Very enjoyable, great longevity, good sillage and good value. I find Versace L'Homme to be a fairly versatile fragrance and would be a good signature scent for a man over 50. Younger men (30s & 40s) can get away with it too on occasions where they want something masculine and elegant; something different from the typical sweet vanilla scents that are so ubiquitous today. Versace L'Homme is an excellent chypre and I'm very happy that I added it to my collection.