Tom Ford - time to give up on this brand completely?

[freewheelingvagabond]

I wore a lot of Grey Vetiver 5-8 years ago and I still think it's an excellent scent. But there's no denying that something like Vetiver Extraordinaire is cut from finer cloth, as is Guerlain. Recently I've been reflecting on my personal experiences with the brand and the following stood out -

I was never into them, especially the Private Blends, except for 2019-2022, and now my interest is waning. The more I wear a TFPB, I get less enthused about the scent. In contrast, the more I wear a Chanel Les Exclusif, the more I want to wear it. I recently re-sampled Coromandel, Cuir de Russie, and the whole line is pretty much on a different level. I concede that this is personal taste, but it is what it is. If you're looking for complexity and abstraction, traits I highly value in perfumes, you aren't going to find it in Tom Ford.

Even wearing Sahara Noir today morning, I was contemplating that it is great, but its reputation far exceeds its substance, and I'd guess for the following reasons

- discontinuation -> scarcity -> desirability -> hype.​

- there are other incense scents (Casbah comes to mind) that are just as good​

Most perfume enthusiasts would agree that they are "front-loaded", especially the PBs. I'll concede that they have some of the best top notes, but what follows almost never lives up to the initial promise. The main difference in PBs opposed to "Signature" line is that the dry-downs are better blended. One standout is Beau de Jour, but still the "Signature" line one is sort of a bit synthetic, and the PB original release was better.

At the end of the day it's all very subjective, but I'm just not finding the groove with TFs and would find it hard to recommend them either to anyone seeking out fragrances. Especially when one can get something from Chanel, Hermes, Malle or even Dior. To me they are sort of "high end fast food" of the perfume world. I can see why some like them, but I eventually haven't found much substance here.

 

[hednic]

I gave up on this fragrance brand from its inception. Now their formal suits - that's a different story.

 

[Scentologist]

I am not one to ever give up on personal ambitions, but insofar as Tom Ford Fragrances, I have given up. All the good ones including Beau de Jour Private Blend, Italian Cypress and a few others that should be house staples, are quickly discontinued and are the best. Most of what he offers now is either unwearable, unlikeable, etc. Except for Oud Wood. I still love that one.

 

[Dandydude]

For what it’s worth I own 3 of the Vetiver fragrances you mentioned:
Guerlain, Vetiver extardinaire, and Grey Vetiver.
While I’ll agree that Vetiver Extaordinaie is more complex, I would argue that Grey Vetiver is much more wearable and suitable for a much larger variety of situations. Its versatility, wearability, and the overall uplifting feel I get from it makes it a more enjoyable scent overall (To me). “Complexity” doesn’t always equal “smells better”. I just find that Grey Vetiver smells damn good, works for me, and that’s good enough for me….ymmv.

I own a bunch of the “Private blends” as well and Ive been up and down on many from this line. A few hits….even massive hits, a ton of misses, absurd pricing, and the disappointing and unrelenting discontinuation of some of their best fragrances.

that Said, I still feel they are worth at least sampling for all, and most, are likely to find at least one they love. For me, it’s still Grey Vetiver

 

[The Cologne Cabinet]

I enjoy Beau de Jour, but yeah, not holding my breath for what may be coming soon on the men’s side. I didn’t care for Noir Anthracite…

 

[gerbick]

Give up on Tom Ford fragrances? They've not had a hit to me for quite some time. And I admit that I own quite a few Tom Ford fragrances, will continue to test, but I've all but given up hope that they will return to their former, adventurous glory. Here's to hoping.

 

[Brooks Otterlake]

Well, the house certainly isn't what it was. It had begun to shift from its original impulse in 2013 or so, and now, a decade later, its founder and primary editorial voice is no longer guiding it. Most of its best fragrances have been discontinued.

There's something to be said for dramatic effects - some kinds of fashion are admired for their elaborate craftsmanship, others for their bold statements. If nothing else, I think it's important to understand how Tom Ford changed the nature of the way luxury fragrance is composed. The whizz-bang showmanship of the house's more notable fragrances broke away from the more delicate approach of houses like L'Artisan and Diptyque and Serge Lutens, and a good chunk of the luxury world followed Tom Ford's example. Contrary to a popular expression, style *is* substance, and Tom Ford made its mark.

That said, it's hard to make a case for the appeal of the brand in 2023. Tobacco Vanille and Tuscan Leather were original concepts when they hit shelves, but they've been relentlessly imitated (and, in a fair number of cases, improved on).

The one Tom Ford offering that still qualifies as a full-on "love" for me is the original Noir EDP. It's a gorgeous, sensual update of Habit Rouge that puts Guerlain's own attempts to modernize it to shame.

 

[GoldWineMemories]

Tom Ford is an American (Texan) who makes American fashion for Americans around the world. American fashion isn't European fashion, and thus his fragrances are not like classic Hermes, Guerlain, or Dior. They are often brash, loud, and most importantly, American luxurious. There's no problem not enjoying this type of fashion, but it gets a bit old comparing the same tired comparisons over and over.

Guerlain's new lines are as vulgar as anything Tom Ford has put out. Dior is worse. Malle was a fragrance auteur who let artists locked in cages out to show their work -- it's not something you can compare to other brands. Hermes is one of the only brands who owns their fashion, and in the past has taken actions such as turning down a fragrance they knew would become incredibly popular (I believe it was Cool Water), because that wasn't the Hermes image*. You can hardly compare a brand who's end goal are so diametrically different.

Tom Ford's fragrances are fine -- and as Hednic says, they do make lovely men's fashion.

*Source of this is a video interview of Pierre Bourdon the thread about the Creed expose that came out in recent years.

 

[CeeTee]

I just can’t bring myself to shell out for TF. I still want Rose Prick. The cherry flankers struck me as a little gimmicky. That makes me wary of the brand, in general. Nothing against flankers, but it just seemed a little off.

 

[cheapimitation]

I gave up on this fragrance brand from its inception. Now their formal suits - that's a different story.

This for me (although I don't wear his suits). I was following his career and remember trying the fragrances since they launched and never found anything that interested me. I think it's just not my vibe, a lot of them either scream "date night" "office worker" or "suave man in a suit in dimly lit wood paneled bar drinking scotch" none of which are me. I always thought they're a few notches below my holy trinity Malle/Chanel/Hermes yet shockingly often priced higher.

I do like Beau de Jour the few times I sprayed it at Sephora and I recently discovered Noir de Noir is pretty nice, but a bit boring and sweet on the dry down. Never tried one I really hated besides Santal Blush, but my reaction to most of them is "meh that's nice".

If I was a fan, the constant releases and discontinuations would be enough to drive me away. If only I had the foresight when the brand launched to buy all the ones that would become discontinued unicorns, they're basically like a trading cards now.

 

[Nastka]

I think what the Tom Ford lacks is sensible curation. When the brand came out initially, it only had a handful, relatively well done selection of scents, each with a distinct place in the line. Same with the private collection.

I think the brand lost its way at some point after the 'Vert' collection, and with the release of Fucking Fabulous. It seemed to lean into vulgarity a tad too much, and whilst one might argue that this is just part of that 'American brashness', it doesn't make it any less crass. There's a multitude of flankers now, and honestly, I haven't tried most of them because I know for sure I wouldn't buy them at their price point (which, as a different matter, is as absurd as most of the other private collections from other brands).

As an aside: Now, I know I'm going to come across as very snobby, but the brand also seems to attract a very specific... audience, at least in my neck of the woods. Let's just say that my airport has a good range of the private collection at the duty-free, and the people browsing (and usually overspraying...) before a flight are more likely to head to Benidorm rather than Cannes.

I wonder how much time Tom Ford himself spends on running his fragrance line, or if he just leaves it to the people in charge. I remember watching a BBC documentary where they were following the launch of a Ralph Lauren (or was it Tommy Hilfiger?) fragrance, where the founder seemed to have absolutely zero interest in it. This is a shame, but somehow also expected since I suspect that a fashion designer's primary passion is fashion and clothing, and that the fragrance part is just an extension of this, albeit a very lucrative one.

All that said, Tom Ford is a gifted fashion designer, and comes across as a passionate person. I wish some of that passion would trickle down to his fragrances, because at the moment it just feels like a money printing machine, and not much more.

 

[ripjean]

I remember watching a BBC documentary where they were following the launch of a Ralph Lauren (or was it Tommy Hilfiger?) fragrance

I think it was Tommy Hilfigier Loud.

 

[Nastka]

I think it was Tommy Hilfigier Loud.

Yes! That was it. Thank you.

 

[Martin__]

I gave up on this brand quite a long time ago.

- discontinuation -> scarcity -> desirability -> hype.

That's what Tom Ford brand is famous of - to me.

 

[DoctorM81]

Still love many of their fragrances, but my general interest in the house receded several years ago. In my opinion, and in common with one or two other houses I could mention they over-saturated their own market, seeming to prioritise quantity over quality. I barely give their new releases a second look these days, and haven't for a few years now.

 

[Paddington]

Tom Ford as a brand to me is absolutely crass and barbaric believe me, fomo and non deserved praise only due to being discontinued elevate many scents above there actual smell it happens every time and no one ever learns

 

[Brooks Otterlake]

I think what the Tom Ford lacks is sensible curation. When the brand came out initially, it only had a handful, relatively well done selection of scents, each with a distinct place in the line. Same with the private collection.

I think the brand lost its way at some point after the 'Vert' collection, and with the release of Fucking Fabulous. It seemed to lean into vulgarity a tad too much, and whilst one might argue that this is just part of that 'American brashness', it doesn't make it any less crass. There's a multitude of flankers now, and honestly, I haven't tried most of them because I know for sure I wouldn't buy them at their price point (which, as a different matter, is as absurd as most of the other private collections from other brands).

As an aside: Now, I know I'm going to come across as very snobby, but the brand also seems to attract a very specific... audience, at least in my neck of the woods. Let's just say that my airport has a good range of the private collection at the duty-free, and the people browsing (and usually overspraying...) before a flight are more likely to head to Benidorm rather than Cannes.

I wonder how much time Tom Ford himself spends on running his fragrance line, or if he just leaves it to the people in charge.

He's always been very engaged in fragrance (it's a passion for him), but it was really Khoury at Estee Lauder who was responsible for devising many of the line's most iconic releases (including having the idea of combining what was originally two distinct formulas to make Tuscan Leather). She had a very close relationship with Ford and could predict his tastes very well.

The drop in the quality and imagination of TF releases more or less coincides with Khoury moving on to do other things. I can't recall the name of who took over after Khoury.

 

[Ifti]

I think it was Tommy Hilfigier Loud.

Recently spotted in Savers/HomeBargains. Surprise face emoticon.

 

[Akahina]

I have just three Tom Ford scents (if you don't count M7). All were purchased years ago. Black Orchid, Sahara Noir, and Plum Japonais. I am so sad that Sahara Noir was discontinued. It's so good! The only reason I bought Plum Japonais is my obsession with plum. I was impressed with Tuscan Leather but opted to save a lot of cash and bought the similar but more fruit forward La Yaqawam.

Tom Ford's pricing structure makes them costlier than Amouage rarely as inspired. If they can sell 1000 bottles at $100 but sell 500 bottles at $300, they will mark them at $300. Prices will continue to rise. It's a forced exclusivity and a no-brainer for corporate elites in the marketing department.

The Tom Ford brand seems to seek the high end of pricing based on this illusion of quality and forced exclusivity. Rapidly growing cataracts during the pandemic caused legal blindnes and required surgery and new spectacles. I sought new designer frames and trusted a reviewer to guide my brand selection. Tom Ford frames were rated as average quality, average to uninspired design with a big "T" logo, so everyone knows what you are wearing, at a high tier price.

As for the perfumes by TF, they release too many too quickly and discontinue them (the good ones) too quickly. I visited Nordstrom a few weeks ago for the first time since the pandemic. I saw all the Private Blends tightly lined up near the store exit stragectly placed to be the first thing seen when entering. Very cleverly done. There were so many little bottles! I sprayed one I had not heard of and F-ing Fabulous. I was unimpressed and left without any samples.

It just feels like Tom Ford products are average or slightly better at a luxury price. I personally seek out quality at a price that does not insult my sense of value. Our paths rarely cross...

 

[Paddington]

tom fords target market is the new money type, tacky with little actual taste more money then sense a bottle to brag about it being higher priced stops the poors from buying

 

[DoctorM81]

It just feels like Tom Ford products are average or slightly better at a luxury price. I personally seek out quality at a price that does not insult my sense of value. Our paths rarely cross...

Not to disagree with you, but in 2023 I see this as a much, much wider issue than Tom Ford.

 

[N.CAL Fragrance Reviewer]

I've stopped pursuing any Tom Ford fragrances all together years ago.

At one time I owned 8 private blend fragrances now I'm down to my Amber Absolute bottle.

 

[DoctorM81]

At one time I owned 8 private blend fragrances now I'm down to my Amber Absolute bottle.

That's definitely one of the best, maybe even the best, IMO. To be fair, the early Private Blend line-ups were mostly very strong. I agree with @Brooks Otterlake that the turning point occurred somewhere around 2013. I think the only one I bought after that was Ombre Leather 16.

 

[maxwell_]

I’m not a fan of anything by TF other than Oud Wood. So many harsh, polarizing, and bizarre fragrances.

At least the first ones created were interesting but the newer ones like lost cherry and bitter peach priced at $400 for 50ml? The quality doesn’t match the price tag

 

[tspencer]

Hmm,

There are some interesting ones from Tom Ford that might lack complexity but have a novel simplicity that works such as Oud Minerale, which smelled like "stone/rock" to me. I want to eventually buy it someday. Another novel and simple one that I think nails a mood is Tuscan Leather, which is an excellent fragrance...and yet another is Tobacco Vanille. I think Beau de Jour is TF's best fragrance overall for artistry and complexity on a high level. Although I think Shanghai Lily is a close 2nd and it's sadly no longer sold (but I backed up and have 4 bottles of it). Another discontinued gem was Plum Japonais, which I want to eventually hunt down and I regret not buying it back in the day.

Tom Ford's brand has a penchant for killing off some of their very best fragrances. Neroli Portofino Forte was a fantastic 4711 flanker with more punch and I still have some juice left, but come one Tom Ford. Why kill off the best fragrances? I think it's about sales obviously, but if this was about keeping the best "art" in their library, man some of the discontinued ones were amazing.

 

[N.CAL Fragrance Reviewer]

That's definitely one of the best, maybe even the best, IMO. To be fair, the early Private Blend line-ups were mostly very strong. I agree with @Brooks Otterlake that the turning point occurred somewhere around 2013. I think the only one I bought after that point was Ombre Leather 16.

2013 was when I started to notice the change in many of their original lineup scents losing their strength. They also started to focus more scents towards a more mainstream audience which previously not so much.

My favorites were
- Moss Breches
- Japon Noir
- Amber Absolute
- Italian Cypress
- Noir de Noir

Never tried Purple Patchouli but I gave up trying to look for it.

 

[Salumbre]

Rapidly growing cataracts during the pandemic caused legal blindnes and required surgery and new spectacles. I sought new designer frames and trusted a reviewer to guide my brand selection. Tom Ford frames were rated as average quality, average to uninspired design with a big "T" logo, so everyone knows what you are wearing, at a high tier price.

A little OT, but this happened to me as well. My early-onset cataracts matured fully in a couple of years, apparently triggered by my nasal spray --plus a pterygium on my right eye had a growth spurt and covered the pupil.

It was a devastating process. I postponed surgery as much as I could due to the pandemic, and by the time I got it I could not even drive at night.

Now the challenge is finding wraparound sunglasses that are stylish.

 

[Ken_Russell]

Fell free to take (or not) any decision regarding this house that makes you happy.
Although not personally owning yet any TF scents-at least not as full bottles-would likely not give up this house completely, likely not before owning either as full bottles or at least as larger size decants, especially but not only the following ones: Beau de Jour, Tobacco Vanille, Tuscan Leather, at least some scents within the Neroli Portofino range.

 

[baklavaRuzh]

I find the popularity of the fashion brand and in particular the menswear even more mind-boggling than the fragrances, but to each their own.

I haven't tried many of the fragrances, mostly because as a whole, the TF brand is not appealing to me. That may be superficial, but as there are so many fragrances to try, I can't prioritize everything. Louis Vuitton is another brand in this category for perfumery. I do enjoy Velvet Orchid which was a blind buy, so who knows maybe I should really try more of them.

 

[Brooks Otterlake]

I agree with @Brooks Otterlake that the turning point occurred somewhere around 2013.

The house had a pretty clear notion of what it was about up until 2013, and not long after that it felt like the braintrust at Tom Ford was just throwing things at the wall to see what stuck (which, incidentally, mirrored what was going on in the fashion side of things; the brand hit it big and then started to spin its wheels, showing a dearth of new ideas).

2013's Tobacco Oud was received by some as redundant when it came out, but in retrospect it felt like a bookend to that original run: an almost uncompromisingly Tom Ford-y expression of the brand's ethos.

I think the only one I bought after that was Ombre Leather 16.

Which I still maintain is nicer than Tuscan Leather (and, like Beau de Jour, was thinned out when it was put in the Signature line).

 

[RedRaider430]

I never "give up" on a house completely, as that would make no sense. If Ford creates a fantastic scent and I sample it and love it, that's a good thing.

That said, as many fragrances as Tom Ford has sold, I have only purchased 5 of them. I currently only have 3 of them, and 2 of those are only small decants.

His scents generally just don't click with me.

 

[Opiate]

The one Tom Ford offering that still qualifies as a full-on "love" for me is the original Noir EDP. It's a gorgeous, sensual update of Habit Rouge that puts Guerlain's own attempts to modernize it to shame.

Same.
That perfume is magnificent.
It’s shocking to me that it didn’t get more traction in the fragrance community, particularly amongst Guerlain fans. smh.

I have a few vintage Shalimar extraits & pure parfums and there’s a stage in those slow moving beauties that I call “the black envelope”.
It’s the darkest moment in that perfume, when all the notes are still compressed, before they begin to unfurl.
In my troubled mind, I imagine this moment as a black rubber envelope, holding everything that is shalimar tight and compact, before the notes begin to escape the envelope and billow out like smoke.

Noir Edp smells like this darkest moment in Shalimar, isolated.




Aside from Noir Edp, I guess I like most of the designer line as well. Sahara Noir is pretty awesome. TF for men extreme is cool too.
I even like Noir Extreme, surprisingly. It’s probably the closest thing I own to a gourmand. I wore it to work quite a bit last fall.
The only Private Blend I still own is Fougere D’Argent.

As a house, I think their significance and impact as a brand can’t be questioned, especially if you were around back then.
But that’s past tense.

These days… *shrugs* to me they’re just another brand that I don’t really follow anymore, but I wouldn‘t be surprised if they released something solid.
Which I guess puts them a rung higher than than so many other brands, that I have no confidence whatsoever in them putting out something really good.

 

[Olympe de Gouges]

For me I think more than anything what lead to The Change circa 2013/14 was that Tom Ford/Estee Lauder took a very cynical L'Oreal/YSL approach to IFRA reformulations and rather than trying to take a more difficult and nuanced approach that other brands like Chanel or Guerlain/LVMH took, they just embraced the weaker, more synthetic, less well composed L'Oreal approach. Not that LVMH Guerlain does not have its problems, I just think the change at Tom Ford was a particularly sharp about face.

It is not just that they axed a significant portion of the perfumes that seemed to be well received, it was that those that remained changed. Tobacco Vanille and Noir de Noir are still around, but they just do not smell the same anymore. Whatever reformulations happened, Estee Lauder just seems to have taken a very cynical approach. To me at least they both lack a richness and depth they used to have. I remember being bowled over when I first encountered Tobacco Vanille and immediately bought a bottle, it was so rich and complex. Now it is just so...flat. It still has decent longevity, but just so very very flat.

 

[slpfrsly]

To be tired of Tom Ford is to be tired of contemporary designer perfume.

They are one of the brands/houses that sit near the very top of the pecking order when it comes to selecting new aromachemicals, accords, fragrances etc. They're very rarely the best but they're often the first to release a scent 'type'. Where they go, others follow (except in the case of Ebene Fume, which is a greatest hits version of boutique niche orientals since 2010).

There's clearly a distinction between their original 2007 releases and what they've put out since, say, the early 2010s. Whether you see it as other companies catching up, or Tom Ford becoming less creative, either way they started releasing (and discontinuing) more duds around that time than they did at the launch.

To my nose (and mind), all Tom Ford fragrances are basically of the same 'quality' - that goes for signature and private blend, old and new. Reformulations have hurt certain fragrances, definitely, but by and large I don't think they smell any 'cheaper' - just more boring/run of the mill. There's definitely a difference between private blend and signature but it's mostly in the hard-to-describe elements, not the notes (the former has a burnt plastic smell in the base, the latter tend to have a chemical hairspray aspect). On the whole, however, considering the wide range of fragrance types they have released, they remain surprisingly consistent. Naturally, some scents are more appealing than others, but I don't think they're getting 'worse', per se, as a house; like all brands, they are pivoting away from a Transatlantic (US/Europe) customer, to a Eurabic or simply Asian customer as their primary target. Their recent Cherry fragrances certainly seem more specifically Asian-focused than any previous releases (which is saying something, considering how many Ouds TF have released). Does that mean they're getting worse? I'm not so sure. For instance, on the whole TF has never really had a high percentage of (straight) male-friendly fragrances in his catalogue: the Noirs are all more feminine than masculine apart from Anthracite, the blue bottles are at best unisex, and the more masculine private blends tend to be either dirty/animalic and therefore hard to wear (Oud Wood Intense, Bois Marocain, Pathouli Absolu, Tobacco Oud) or just (very) expensive synthetic-smelling reworkings of older masculine templates (Lavender Extreme, Beau de Jour, the Vert series). To my mind, the best value/enjoyment to be had from TF is the signature masculine line - the original TF for Men EDT, Beau de Jour, Noir Anthracite etc.

I suppose there's some annoyance when you compare the hit to miss ratio of Gucci under Tom Ford (Rush, Envy, Pour Homme is some trio) to what the Tom Ford brand is now. But I can't see too much distinction between what Tom Ford fragrances used to be to what they have become in recent years. At least, that's when judging their fragrances as fragrances - ignoring the changes in pricing, which is another area to grumble about.

I was never into them, especially the Private Blends, except for 2019-2022, and now my interest is waning. The more I wear a TFPB, I get less enthused about the scent. In contrast, the more I wear a Chanel Les Exclusif, the more I want to wear it. I recently re-sampled Coromandel, Cuir de Russie, and the whole line is pretty much on a different level. I concede that this is personal taste, but it is what it is. If you're looking for complexity and abstraction, traits I highly value in perfumes, you aren't going to find it in Tom Ford.

I know we're living in speedy times, but 2019-2022 is not exactly the ancient past. It's worth remembering that Tom Ford released Beau de Jour in the signature line just 3 years ago. To my mind, that's still a (relatively) 'new' release and will stand the test of time. It'll be up there with Rive Gauche in terms of (legitimate) enthusiast hype if/when it gets discontinued in the future.

I think it's worth noting that comparing TF to Chanel is a bit like shooting fish in a barrel. One is a pretender, the other has nothing to prove (within reason). TF fragrances work best when worn - they're not 'sniffers', they're not delicate and complex fragrances for personal enjoyment; instead, they smell good at a distance, with their big, broad, synthetic brush strokes. If you accept what they are, and what they're not, then that should cut down on disappointment. I fully agree with you/others who think this way about TF. It's just not really fair to expect them to compete with Chanel - far better to compare to something like Louis Vuitton instead.

Even wearing Sahara Noir today morning, I was contemplating that it is great, but its reputation far exceeds its substance, and I'd guess for the following reasons
- discontinuation -> scarcity -> desirability -> hype.
- there are other incense scents (Casbah comes to mind) that are just as good

Fully agree. Tom Ford was a great starter niche brand for me and I think that's the same for a lot of people. Availability is important, and they're not hard to find or try. But to stop at Tom Ford without going any further is to miss out on everything that's up ahead. On Sahara Noir, it's very good as an aroma, but basically unwearable. It becomes cloying in no time at all - a problem I have with many of TF's fragrances, as the bases bring on headaches and nausea. There are several other vanillic incenses from Armani and D&G that provide something similar - maybe not quite as bombastic, but without any of the issues SN brings. I don't know how many people wear TF fragrances on a regular basis - I would suspect not many, as they are more likely to sit in a larger collection it seems - but wearability often goes unmentioned and it's somehing TF falls short on compared to its competitors.

At the end of the day it's all very subjective, but I'm just not finding the groove with TFs and would find it hard to recommend them either to anyone seeking out fragrances. Especially when one can get something from Chanel, Hermes, Malle or even Dior. To me they are sort of "high end fast food" of the perfume world. I can see why some like them, but I eventually haven't found much substance here.

Agree with your fast food analogy. TF will presumably still have his 70s/mid C20th retro throwbacks for some time to come (the Vert and Fougere series must have been a risk to take considering how much they cut against the grain of when they were released). But other than that, they will follow the market and the money - this means appealing to newer customers, who are not connected or as receptive to that era as prior customers were.

And that basically means globally homogenised fragrance: just like Guerlain are doing with their cherry oud fragrances, TF does with their cherry and rose orientals. If the tentacles of homogeneity for the sake of profitability can even engulf a company like Guerlain, what hope does Tom Ford have?

On that final point, it's not just a Tom Ford problem. It's a perfumery problem.

 

[Martin__]

To each his/her own. To me Tom Ford never was and still cannot be classified as a niche. It’s a high end designer with niche prices, that’s what it is to me.

 

[slpfrsly]

To each his/her own. To me Tom Ford never was and still cannot be classified as a niche. It’s a high end designer with niche prices, that’s what it is to me.

What's a "niche" price? 😉

 

[Brooks Otterlake]

Same.
That perfume is magnificent.
It’s shocking to me that it didn’t get more traction in the fragrance community, particularly amongst Guerlain fans. smh.

I have a few vintage Shalimar extraits & pure parfums and there’s a stage in those slow moving beauties that I call “the black envelope”.
It’s the darkest moment in that perfume, when all the notes are still compressed, before they begin to unfurl.
In my troubled mind, I imagine this moment as a black rubber envelope, holding everything that is shalimar tight and compact, before the notes begin to escape the envelope and billow out like smoke.

Noir Edp smells like this darkest moment in Shalimar, isolated.

What a gorgeous description.

The only Private Blend I still own is Fougere D’Argent.

This is still my favorite of the TF fougeres. If I had a bottle, I think I'd wear it quite a bit.

These days… *shrugs* to me they’re just another brand that I don’t really follow anymore, but I wouldn‘t be surprised if they released something solid.
Which I guess puts them a rung higher than than so many other brands, that I have no confidence whatsoever in them putting out something really good.

Yeah, and with retail as high as it is, it's no longer a compelling option (unless you're shopping in the Signature line, which has generally contained the best of TF anyway).

 

[Mythrol]

Fragrances are extremely subjective so I don’t fault anyone who doesn’t mesh with a particular brand. I personally find other brands that some have big praise for to not be worth the money or the fragrances average and not outstanding.

People’s age, location, environment, upbringing have such huge factors on what they like that it makes sense what I like might not match others. For Tom Ford I like a decent number of their fragrances and they work well for my location and environment.

 

[rum]

- discontinuation -> scarcity -> desirability -> hype.

I gave up on this brand quite a long time ago.

This is my view of the TF brand as well, except for me they were never really had a flair of exclusivity or anything unique. Tom Ford (as an individual) came up with (or influenced) some fantastic fragrances at YSL. After he left, YSL went downhill very fast, with many of its iconic scents being discontinued or reformulated.

The TF brand however was only ever good at marketing (mostly due to TF himself being portrayed on the advertising, or showing as much skin as is possible - e.g. some of the earlier adverts for TF for Men and NP) and this was helped by the parent company's good presence in the right places (typical department stores in city centres and beyond). It was an instant hit with younger customers (as others have mentioned in this thread), but alas not enough to convince the average BNer for example.

All the good releases ended up on the discontinuation list way too quickly and what is left is a cacophony of scents that I simply cannot bare. Failures all round.

In my opinion, and in common with one or two other houses I could mention they over-saturated their own market, seeming to prioritise quantity over quality.

Quite right. A victim of their own success.

 

[johnnyutah]

Yeah, and with retail as high as it is, it's no longer a compelling option (unless you're shopping in the Signature line, which has generally contained the best of TF anyway).

Too true. I’ve never paid attention to their expensive line, but have always checked out whatever pops up on the Signature line. Do own and love Grey Vetiver.