Envy Perfume For Women, 60Ml

Product Information

I wouldn't say this is the best example of the mini-genre it created, nor that the genre itself was very remarkable; but having the clout that the brand Gucci affords obviously didn't hurt it in the least. The aforementioned light sweetness is caused by some mandarin orange, and adds a surprise oriental touch to the opening of Envy for Men, something which is followed up by jasmine hedione and a bit of rose before carnation - another old-timer favorite - shows up to continue the mature theme of the top. Gucci Envy for Men was created by Daniela Andrier, the woman who would shape the smell of house Prada until 2020, and the start of a short-lived revival of green woody/tobacco-based masculines that rode the cusp between the 90's and 2000's. The big floral notes--Hyacinth and Muguet--could easily take the bit between their teeth and make a run for it, but in Roucel's hands they are so well blended and harmonious that they are real team players.

This and Gucci Rush are the only two fragrances I have backup bottles of, and that in and of itself is an incredible statement for me. I suspect the lavender, coriander, ginger, anise, and rosewood profile really helped establish this perception of Envy from guys used to things like Liz Claiborne Curve for Men (1996) or Eternity for Men by Calvin Klein (1989); for older Gen-X guys or even Boomers still in the market for new fragrances at that time, this might have been a godsend away from all that "fresh" nonsense. And of course it was a big success, which goes to show that a safe perfume isn't always the most lucrative one. I don’t consider myself to be a hype man by any stretch of the imagination, which makes the next statement all the more profound. It's still pretty, but it's very white-flowery on me – I don't get any pineapple or rose or sandalwood or pretty much any of the other notes.This throwback to the 70s, that Tom Ford does so well, should be evident from the first glimpse of his spare, chrome-capped bottle. Where they are too aggressive, this is too complaisant; a green, gingery Amber, it's so sweet and eager to please you wonder if there's any character at all behind it's manicured stubble and designer chinos. Calvin Klein Contradiction for Men (1999) would go in a slightly-sweeter and more resinous direction, mostly omitting the fougère elements but staying very much green, while Aura for Men by Jacomo (2000) would be more resinous like the Calvin Klein, but doubling down on the tobacco and isobutyl quinoline leather at the cost of both fougère and oriental elements. Ginger, incense, sandalwood and vanilla isn’t a combination you’ll find in many fragrances, and certainly not a combination you’d find in any of today’s offerings. It's like green l'Eau d'issey, which is set on a base of scorched earth that clearly derives from Sinan.

And I think I've figured out why it irritated me – a) the white flowers take over after half an hour or so, b) it barely lasted four hours and c) what was left took on a rather sharp, almost-but-not-quite sour green edge. I also like that it is like an echo, growing smaller and more distant, as hour by hour the bittersweet petals are stripped away, layer after layer, until all that is left is a cool and pleasant iris, like the core of an old Guerlain.If you'd rather not get your wallet eaten by carnivorous cave bunnies you can instead try the rest of what came in the wake of Envy for Men, but the further down the line you go, the less of a resemblance there is as the style is played with more by other perfumers. This sweet, soft green floral is from 1997 but if you changed the '97 to '79, it would totally make sense. Back in 1997, it seems the public had an unhealthy appetite for 'mean and nasty' as well as pink fluff and candyfloss, and we see the same thing happening today with the Spiky Woods. I wouldn't say Envy for Men smells exactly like a mix of the two, but if you're going for a vibe and made a Venn diagram for it, Envy for Men could sit in that little elliptical part between both circles representing each fragrance. Compared to all the fresh fougères, aquatics, gourmands, and ozonics flooding the designer market at this stage, it is easy to see how Envy for Men might be perceived as mature, old-fashioned, overtly masculine, or dated.