Aleksandr

I can clearly remember that my first thought when I first sampled this scent was "How bizarre." Then I ended up tipping some of my sample onto a glove. Over the next few days I continued to catch whiffs of it and decided I had to have it. All of the notes are there but I'd argue that this is more of a violet /flower/, not the leaf. On the other hand, it screams sophistication unlike any other scent I've tried. There's just something about it that conjures images of well manicured nails and expensive suits. Fresh, clean, and best of all in my book, different! Not for those who don't want to stand out in a big way. Having applied some on the way back from lunch, I had co-workers physically turning in circles to figure out where the scent was coming from. Most people I've encountered love it but it's worth pointing out that I've found this one to be a little polarizing. However... I wear scents primarily for my own enjoyment with other peoples' opinions being secondary; Cue raspberry. I would venture to say that Arquiste's website is spot on to consider this one unisex. (They claim all of their scents are.) The sillage really dials back after an hour or so but I've caught trails of it coming off my collar six or more hours after applying when I'm moving around. Edit: After a while of wearing this, I have had more than one person comment that Aleksandr smells 'minty' to them. I can't exactly argue now that the suggestion is there in my head.

I recently am riding the wave of Arquiste fragrances. After some shopping, I was rewarded with quite a few samples from their collection, and my overall idea is that their thinking line draws a perfect retro panorama (or this seems to me). Let’s take this Aleksandr (supposedly representing Russia from I don’t know which year). Well, to me, it’s the 70s, and more specifically, those disco clubs where you could smoke inside, on leather couches, drinking fragrant alcohol. It vividly produces what I still have in my mind so clearly. Besides the stated notes, I think Arquiste perfumes are always very well crafted and recreate an atmosphere rather than a smell. Fantastic job, for sure. It’s on my wish list.

This is actually a beautiful scent! And I think completely unisex. It has a minty-camphoraceous feel at the beginning (perhaps reminding us that Alexander Pushkin and Russia are the inspirations). I suspect from the fir balsam. Then violets, intense. The violets are then wrapped up in suede, or leather. Floral, yet has an animalic edge to it. This is not, in my opinion, a casual scent. More formal, reserved. For occasions grand, and to impress with elan. That Yann Vasnier did it, is no wonder! Recommended!

There is something inexplicably sexy in this smell. Dunno if it's the saddle leather, the face against the soil, shrubs, grassy stains combo but it smells like a proper, inappropriate, forbidden, grown up frolic in the woods. My oh my. I'm blushing. This would be the way i'd like my man to smell....

This smells like you just left a leathery indoor smoking club and are laying in a snow pile next to an open bottle of vodka, surrounded by pine trees. love this.