Michael Kors for Men by Michael Kors

One of the latest additions to my collection, and I found it at a price that’s hard to beat. It’s a gentleman’s scent: imposing yet not disruptive. It opens aromatic, complex, and mysterious, commanding immediate respect. After a few minutes, the sweet floral notes emerge and intensify. By the one-hour mark, the powerful, intriguing opening returns and stays until the end. Longevity is average, about 4 to 6 hours (by the sixth hour, it’s barely skin-scented, bordering on faint), and projection is good for the first three hours. If you like dressing in a shirt, wearing shoes, and carrying a carefree attitude, this is definitely a must-have.

Michael Kors for Men: If you love tobacco, anise, suede, and amber, this is a direct hit to the heart. It’s been an olfactory delight, a scent that invites you closer and is addictive. It’s contemporary and, best of all, not trendy. It leaves a mark on the memory the moment you smell it. Very versatile, suitable for any situation or climate. A must-have for the singular man. Performance was top-notch: it projected a lot for the first two hours (noticeable in a medium-sized office), and lasted about 6 to 7 hours on my first wear, ending skin-close. I loved it; excellent purchase. Note: it’s hard to find, but it can be done. It worked like a charm on a date at a bistro, perfect for flirting (my wife gets mad every time I wear it). Scent: 10, Projection: 7, Longevity: 8. Recommended.

I believe things used to be made to last: cars, music, fragrances, appliances. Technology back then didn’t clash with commerce, and manufacturers took pride in their products (inputs were cheap and the land gave enough), but that was a double-edged strategy: people didn’t buy often, leading them to bankruptcy or huge ups and downs, plus it exhausted non-renewable resources. They also used unhealthy substances, like lead in gasoline or paints. Today, technology is better but clashes with commerce and planet care. Marketing studies have advanced, and strategies have changed: despite having the technology to make eternal products, things are designed for short lifespans to drive more turnover, sales, and sustainability. In fragrances, there’s an extra point against this: the prohibited use of certain substances good for quality and longevity because they are harmful to some groups. There are also regulations on planetary resources, leading to the use of lab-synthesized molecules for scent and fixation. Let’s enjoy the ‘vintage’ now because soon it will be just a memory, and quality will be worse. In the near future, decent quality will be for a few rich people; the rest will consume what comes, mainly from China. I’m not against it because feeding billions is serious work requiring sophisticated strategies, huge industry, and turnover, all based on professional studies deciding the direction. We have to make do with what fragrances offer us or save many more dollars to buy something decent. We are in an era where we can still get something good, though it will be expensive.

Back in the day, things were made to last: cars, music, perfumes, appliances. The technology of the time didn’t clash with commerce, and manufacturers took pride in their products (inputs were cheap, and the land provided plenty). But it was a double-edged sword: people didn’t buy often, leading to bankruptcies or ups and downs, plus it drained non-renewable resources. They also used substances harmful to health, like lead in gasoline and paints. Today, technology is better but clashes with commerce and planet care. Marketing has advanced, and strategies have changed: despite being able to make eternal products, we design short-lived items for more turnover, sales, and sustainability. In perfumes, there’s an extra point: certain substances are banned from formulas because they harm some groups (though they provided quality and longevity). There are also regulations on planetary resources, forcing the use of more lab-synthetic molecules for scent and fixation. Let’s enjoy the ‘vintage,’ which will soon be a memory and quality will drop. The near future will be quality only for the rich; the rest will consume what comes, mostly from China. I’m not against it, because feeding billions requires sophisticated strategies, heavy industry, and turnover, all based on professional studies. Remember: whoever doesn’t measure, doesn’t control or decide the direction. We have to settle for what they offer or gather more dollars for something decent. We’re in an era where we can still get something good, if it’s expensive.

Michael Kors for Men by Michael Kors (do not confuse with Michael by Michael Kors, a similar fragrance in scent and packaging) is a pleasantly surprising fragrance of our times that has quite a bit of the past, fortunately in a positive sense of the essence of perfumery from decades ago, though some negative aspects come along too. Created in 2014, it looks on paper as a relatively complex fragrance, and compared to today’s launches, you’ll surely lean towards considering it very complex, though objectively it’s not that much. The work has several important positive points to judge it. First, the type of scent is deep and complex, achieving dignity in both titles. The family is, indeed, woody oriental as the nomenclature indicates, and I would add semi-gourmand, as I perceive a honeyed sweetness that unfortunately barely registers on my skin but more on dry-down. This vein isn’t the most notable but gives it an almost necessary balance to a perfume that otherwise feels a bit wild for today’s noses (on my skin it behaves more so). I deduct some points for certain notes around its life (sage, incense), but it’s subjective and I don’t think it will bother most; objectively, I consider it quite dignified. Regarding performance, it starts loaded with thyme and pepper, which increases with the heart notes of sage and incense. This is the least pleasant stage in my judgment. The dry-down reminded me a bit of Kouros (careful, it’s not alike in everything), not only in the strong, complex, musky, sensual, and raw wild scent (not in the sense of a Million or The One, be careful), but also in presence and personality. This is the last great virtue: the performance. I tested it alongside three others and it surpassed them by far: notable trail and above all longevity. I recommend sparing use and in winter. As if that weren’t enough, it has the virtue of a standout price, compared to the average, which in Argentina is a miracle because all prices are crazy. The 120 ml bottle is around 1600 pesos. Lovers of old perfumes have here a reminder of that phenomenon of the 80s. Michael Kors for Men is a meddling star in the night of current mediocrity. Scent: 7/10 Trail: 7/10 Longevity: 8/10 Versatility: 4/10.

It smells very similar to its predecessor, ‘Michael for Men,’ but without that tobacco. What I notice is anise, thyme, suede, and incenses (sandalwood). Its longevity and trail are moderate, not as potent as the original with its exquisite tobacco and anise blend that made it a beast among tobacco fragrances. Here, tobacco is replaced by suede, making it more for sporty and informal use because it’s not intrusive.

Michael Kors for Men is a delicious, warm, and romantic fragrance, and I believe it’s one of the best woody orientals of the last few years. I’m surprised it has so few reviews and consider it a star launch of 2014. The opening is strong and sweet with bergamot and star anise, but after five minutes, the incense and tobacco blend beautifully, adding warmth and masculinity, later softened by suede. The base is ambered with sweet woods. I feel it in the style of The One by D&G and La Nuit de YSL, perfect for afternoons or nights; while you need to moderate it during the day, it has better longevity and projection than them. Don’t buy it blindly, but it deserves a try. Kudos to Michael Kors for making their only men’s fragrance this good!