On first sniff she detected "amber," and a few sniffs later she declared it a "sexy" and "very sensual" fragrance.
She was right on the mark. But it turns out Pour Homme is distinctive enough to bypass my short-circuited sinuses: I can actually detect its subtle yet masculine notes even under the influence of antihistamines.
From Christian Dior’s Hedi Slimane, one of the more androgynous fashion designers, comes a new scent in a striking new bottle, this time for the guys.
The container itself is boldly modern yet classic in appearance: a manly, solid block of glass with sharp lines and crisp corners. On top is the trademark "CD" logo set against a black atomizer. Inside, a sleek steel tube descends – or is "plunged," as the ribald ad copy puts it – into the whiskey-colored fragrance itself. Indeed, it’s the kind of masculine container you would be pleased to have around, like a half-full tumbler of Johnnie Walker.
Part of the fun of discovering a new scent, I suppose, is unlocking its secrets. We’re all olfactory detectives to some extent. Even if human evolution has de-emphasized our sense of smell, it’s still deep inside us, a remarkable sleuth that guides us toward the attractive and away from the not-so-attractive.
The first thing to say about Pour Homme is that it smells unlike any other male cologne I’ve tried. The first impression is spicy, with pervasive hints of wood and musk. This subtle impression give way to other, more floral notes underneath.
And therein lies the big secret of Pour Homme: it’s a man’s scent that actually uses flowers – concrete of iris from Italy, in fact – as the basis of its powdery harmony (known in the trade as the "middle notes"). This is unusual for a male fragrance, which is usually based around spices and woody or citrus scents. But leave it to Christian Dior to come up with a unique, paradoxical mix to go with the house’s one-of-a-kind fashion. Mixed with cocoa and amber (my wife was right, naturally), this powdery harmony creates a lasting impression that is never cloying or less than manly.
The iris is key to Pour Homme, according to Dior, because the flower is "symbolically linked to the male realm." It forms part of the French fleur-de-lys emblem, after all, which is the sign of royalty there. In Japan, too, the shape of the iris is suggestive of a sword, and the flower is associated with the "boy’s day festival," a celebration of the passage to manhood.
Along with the secret iris, Pour Homme blends in more traditional spices and scents to provide the aromatic harmony: there’s essential oil of sage and lavender from France, and essential oil of bergamot from Italy. The aromatic harmony is detectable for about 10 seconds or so after spraying: it accounts for the "top notes,"our first impression of a scent that quickly gives way to the more lasting "middle" and "base" notes.
For its woody harmony (the base notes), Pour Homme is all over the map, using essential oil of vetiver from Haiti, essential oil of patchouli from Indonesia and a hint of leather, too. This anchors the fragrance, but also gives it a fleeting, restless quality. Not surprising, since these scents conjure up so many different places across the world.
In Pour Homme, CD has created a pared-down men’s fragrance that hints at mystery, and invites discovery. To the male, it offers "a duality where powdery accents respond to the force of its roots."
Another memorable thing about Pour Homme is the way it blends in, never overpowering your natural scent. It’s called a "skin scent," meaning it wears close to the skin, creating a transparent "aura." This is good for guys who don’t want to loudly announce they’re wearing cologne from 30 feet away. Rather, Pour Homme invites you to discover it. And that’s when the questions begin.