Colours for Men

I found this by accident 20 years ago, walking into a department store in Albuquerque (!) and asking for "Colors" expecting the Benetton variety. The saleswoman produced this bottle, I took a sniff, and was hooked. For some reason the EDT came with a set of four heavy green coffee mugs. Colours was the top player in my rotation at the time but unfortunately, the woman I married soon thereafter had serious allergies to many of my scents, so I used it only sparingly, and it went bad before I could finish the bottle. It was discontinued and never reformulated or re-released, as near as I can tell. Fast-forward to last month. Quite by accident I spotted a vintage bottle sitting on the shelf behind the counter at a perfume boutique in Portland, Oregon. I snapped it up without hesitation (no mugs this time!). The scent itself is a well-blended creamy, powdery floral. There's woody sweetness in perfect balance with musk. I have a very hard time discerning individual notes in Colours, maybe due partly to my amateur nose, but I suspect it's more because of its exceptional blend. It doesn't evolve much past its opening but that opening is so smooth and so pleasant, you don't really care! I get about eight hours of arms-length projection out of Colours. If you can find a bottle of this stuff, grab it! The online prices are high but I found my 3.4 oz EDT for 40 USD, so there are some good deals still out there. Well worth it, and one of my favorites for days when I'm feeling like wearing a quieter but still lovely scent. Oh, and the coffee mugs were durable and dishwasher-safe, and I still have them. Props to Alexander Julian for affixing his name to quality goods!

I remember when Colours first came out it had a wonderful clean smell to it.

The flowers listed are likely iris and "dirty jasmine" with a little lavender, because this is quite powdery. However, it is drier and therefore more bearable than other "old school" fragrances of its type. The drydown features that fairly common accord that includes a bit of patchouli, sandalwood, and an ambery/vanillic quality. A touch of spice also seems likely. It comes across as a kind of hardened cream to me. It's high quality all around but as far from fresh/sport/aquatic fragrances as is imaginable. The balance is excellent and it's got enough dynamisn to keep it interesting. Perhaps it is best thought of as a drier version of vintage Royal Copenhagen, but the ingredient quality is significantly better in Colours, I'd guess.

I was 19 when I was given this as a gift from my mother. That was 1994. I have well over 100 bottles of various scents all stored in drawers in my bathroom in original boxes. Yesterday I wanted to wear something different and I grabbed Colours. The memories that flooded back. The warm smell. I get patchouli and the main note. A coworker commented on how unusual it was because it was so unique. I am very glad I wore it as I woke up this morning and could still smell it. When I took my laundry to the hamper it was still lingering in a very good way. Very few have that longevity especially a 22 yr old bottle

Colours smells like it could've been released 25 years prior. It's a creamy, powdery floral (mostly jasmine), very sandalwood -forward with moments that remind me of a somewhat more refined Zizanie. It dries dry and mossy, quite soothing I must say, but I have this style covered and while its quite lovely, it doesn't warrant my going full bottle.

Had this back when it was initially released. Loved it! I have one small 10 ml Bottle left that I sniff every now and then because I don’t want to use it up. Looking for a great dupe if anyone knows of any? For now I use Thé Matcha 29 as the closet I can get to it but only the dry down is similar .. any suggestions