Canali for Men is created by Pierre Bourdon on behalf of the men’s apparel company Canali. It is not always successful but many fashion houses have decided that they would like to make accompanying fragrances for the outfits that they make. I am particularly impressed that this time the gentlemen are getting a look in.

The Brand

Canali is a well known fashion house for men. They tend to produce good quality stuff without the need to make some of the more showy gestures of the bigger fashion houses. It is wonderful to see them venturing into the fashion business and I for one would recommend it. I believe that their fashion sense is well brought into the perfume and they do work together.

The Fragrance

The fragrance notes list for Canali reads like a who is who of the perfume industry.  We start off with the customary  bergamot. This then goes all fruity into tangerine, pineapple and apple. We then go spicy with nutmeg, cardamom and coriander. The floral theme is provided by lily of the valley, jasmine, violet and orange blossom. There is then an attempt to make the perfume masculine with leather, suede, iris absolute, guaiac wood and cedar wood. The standard ingredients are not forgetten such as sandal, vetiver, tonka bean, amber and oakmoss. I have to say that there is such a thing as too much of a good thing.

The Packaging

The packaging is strangely boring. It has that horrible brown bottle with the green top and I really cannot see any color or vibrancy. However this is a personal preference and you might like the packaging. Besides if they are trying to make the perfume safe then boring is the right way to go.

General Customer Feedback

Unfortunately for the perfume the customers were rather scathing about the fragrance itself. They felt that it was too floral and did not give them the masculinity they craved. I for one thought that this was a decent perfume. Perhaps you might like to try it and make up your mind.

We are now talking of the very high end of perfumery when we refer to Allure Homme by Chanel. It was launched in 1998 but it is still going strong and is revered by those gentlemen who prefer their fashion to be somewhat showy. You only buy Allure Homme if you have the clothes and style to carry it off or else it will end up wearing you. Some people have been brave enough to wear the perfume in the office with no untoward results.

The Brand

Chanel is the brand that brought us the famous Chanel number 5 and thereafter became the doyen of all that is to do with fashion. The brand has continued to remain strong despite the competition that has inevitably sprung up from the would be pretenders. The brand has retained its place by not copying the prevailing trends and retaining its unique identity.

The Fragrance

The overall effect is aggressively masculine but if you look at the composition of the perfume you will find subtleties that are not immediately clear.  The oriental themes is represented by a rather strong scent of bergamot which is tempered by overtones of spice. I suppose the easiest way to make a perfume masculine is to refer to the oriental themes as long as it is done with good taste. The oriental theme continues with some jasmine and cedar. The tempering femininity of vanilla is added to break some of the aggressiveness of the masculine tones. The fragrance list finishes with the smoky flavors sandalwood and amber.

The Packaging

A very classic bottle with just the transparent glass and the light yellow fluid that is the treasure within. I absolutely adored the packaging on this perfume. It is not surprising given the ability of Chanel to deliver again and again even under the most extreme pressure from competitors. The packaging in this case does not overwhelm the perfume but rather gives it a certain elegance that is quite within the overall impression that one gets.

General Customer Feedback

The vast majority of customers were extremely pleased with the perfume and pointed out the classic nature of its overtones. They felt that it lasted longer during the working day and that they did not mind the relatively high costs because the end product was just exquisite.  There were just a few murmurs of discontent from those who would have preferred that the perfume was more subtle.