° Red for Men

Perry Ellis °Red for Men opens like a citrus press caught in a spice market breeze—lime and bergamot collide with cinnamon and clove in a way that reads more energetic than refined. Jean-Louis Grauby has crafted something unapologetically masculine for 2003, complete with that distinctly early-2000s aquatic shimmer threading through the zesty opening. The citrus quartet dominates initially, but there's a pleasing roughness where the spices jab through, preventing this from becoming another bland fresh scent. As it settles, lavender brings a traditional fougère backbone whilst parsley—yes, parsley—adds an unexpectedly herbaceous greenness alongside coriander seed's peppery lift. This isn't polite lavender; it's got dirt under its fingernails. The base unfolds into a familiar masculine woody-mossy territory: oakmoss and vetiver provide earthiness, whilst cedarwood and sandalwood offer pencil-shaving dryness rather than creamy opulence. Patchouli lurks beneath, never dominating but adding necessary shadow. The musk ties everything together with that slightly soapy, skin-like quality that defined men's mainstream fragrances of this era. This is the scent of a man who still reads the newspaper, who considers aftershave an essential rather than a luxury. It's dated, certainly—that aquatic accord places it firmly in its decade—but there's an honesty to its construction that's become almost refreshing in our current niche-obsessed landscape. Wear this to remind yourself that not everything needs to be artisanal.