Classic by Van Gils
Men 1988
Main accords
Description
Classic by Van Gils is an aromatic woody fragrance for men. Launched in 1988, the nose behind this composition is Pierre Wargnye. The top notes are lemon verbena, lemon, and bergamot; the heart notes are thyme, cardamom, and coriander; the base notes are patchouli, amber, orange, cedar, and vetiver.
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When to wear it (votes)
Key notes
-
Top
Lemon Verbena
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Heart
Thyme
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Base
patchouli
Community
268 votes
- Positive 81%
- Negative 13%
- Neutral 6.0%
The olfactory pyramid
A guide to the opening, heart and lasting trail of the fragrance.
The community speaks
Compare the results and tap an answer to add your vote.
In the collection
Leading answer I want it
741 votes
What do you think?
Leading answer Like it
268 votes
Season
Choose severalLeading answer Autumn
273 votes
Time of day
Choose severalLeading answer Night
148 votes
Each question has its own vote count. You can choose several seasons.
Fragrance profile
About Classic
Classic by Van Gils is an aromatic woody fragrance for men. Launched in 1988, the nose behind this composition is Pierre Wargnye. The top notes are lemon verbena, lemon, and bergamot; the heart notes are thyme, cardamom, and coriander; the base notes are patchouli, amber, orange, cedar, and vetiver.
Green, herbal and fougère Spices Woods and mosses Musk, amber and animalic
It may remind you of
Ranked by what the community voted.
More from Van Gils
More from Pierre Wargnye
How it wears
Compare the results and tap an answer to add your vote.
Longevity
Leading answer Long-lasting
123 votes
Sillage
Leading answer Strong
132 votes
Character
Leading answer Traditionally masculine
67 votes
Value perception
Tied for the lead Fair price / Good value
54 votes
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Community reviews
2 reviews
Share what you noticed: opening, drydown, sillage and the moments when it works for you.
I know many people don’t like old-school fragrances and probably don’t understand why so many adore them. Van Gils Pour Homme’s opening is brutal—it’s not as citrusy as the bergamot and lemon grass suggest; it’s quite bitter with a vegetal, slightly tar-like touch that’s hard to get used to if you’re not familiar with it. The start isn’t new, but remember it’s an 80s classic. After about 40 minutes, it calms down, becoming spicier and softer as it dries on the skin, though it’s still not entirely friendly. Occasionally, a hint of musk and amber drifts from the base, but thyme and rosemary clearly dominate on my skin. Give it time to become rounder and ‘beautiful,’ with that soapy, dark vibe reminiscent of Lapidus Extreme. It’s still wearable today if you dare to go fully old-school masculine, whose herbaceous and spicy edges no longer seem so harsh. It’s a bottle of bottled testosterone.
VAN GILS CLASSIC POUR HOMME: Back to the 80s. This fragrance from Dutch brand Van Gils, launched in 1988 and no longer in production, has been a lucky find. I managed to get a vintage mini in perfect condition, and a few sprays on my arm revealed a sillage and potency I didn’t know existed. It’s one of those classics that blends chypre, fougère, and leather families with an overwhelming aldehydic wrapper. The depth of the 80s erupts from this mini, flooding my body with an uncontrollable force of dry, bitter, rough herbs like thyme, verbena, and cilantro. Over them grows an omnipresent oakmoss—in fact, it’s the very definition of oakmoss, in its purest form. Wet, earthy, moldy, like lichen degrading on cedar and cypress bark. The aromatic arms rise, invading the neurons with a resinous, lustful grandeur, while aldehydic drums beat in the air. It’s the leather jacket guy with studs, a messy pompadour, and shoulder pads; immensely masculine and ambiguous, behind mirrored sunglasses that command respect. The vampire’s embrace, the punk shiver, the suspense in a Hispanic Philology class, a Saturday in a mechanic’s garage, leather stinging the skin, and a black trench coat. The full moon over Paris has transformed Van Gils into a man.