Escada Casual Friday

Stupid name but a remarkable fragrance - a complex, elegant blend of aromatic, floral, resinous, woody, coumarin, amber and patchouli - intoxicating in its beauty and uncompromising in its masculinity. The patchouli is so subtle that it enriches the composition without asserting its own identity Blind bought this years ago when it was heavily discounted (because of Magnetism for Men and Escada Pour Homme) and it lingered at the back of my wardrobe for years. It was only after my fondness for Escada Magnetism for Men was reawakened that I first wore Casual Friday and what began as a like rapidly became a love. Every single time I wear this, random strangers ask what I'm wearing. Maybe it's because it's almost Christmas and people are buying gifts for their loved ones, but today I had FOUR people ask me what it was. The only other fragrances that ever elicited so much curiosity are Magnetism for Men, Molecule 01 and Egoïste. The overture features a bold lavender that made me re-evaluate my feelings about a note I used to hate because it reminded me of unpleasant old women. In Casual Friday the lavender is rich and woody, totally different to every other iteration of that floral note with the exception of Mauboussin Homme. It used to baffle me why anyone would put a phytoestrogen (a botanical analog of the female sex hormone oestrogen) like lavender in men's fragrances. Until recently. In the old days, essential oils were sold at pharmacies, and, for my dilettante dabblings in perfumery I collect old essential oils. Earlier this year, bought a hundred year old bottle of Magnus, Mabee & Reynard American Cedar EO from the estate of an old pharmacy and the auctioneers included a complimentary bottle of lavender oil of the same vintage. The lavender was like nothing I had ever experienced- rich, woody, resinous, camphoraceous, more like a wood than a flower. It was this experience that shattered my prejudices about lavender. Apologies for the digression, the point I was trying to make is that Casual Friday is unconventional - a rich, sophisticated sensory experience that harnesses a sumptuous panoply of botanical notes in the style of Habit Rouge and Pontaccio 21, resulting in a complex fragrance that is unmistakably masculine. Not sure what Casual Friday means to others, but for me, the name "Casual Friday" has negative connotations - reminds me of being a corporate wage-slave in the heady days before the Global Financial Crisis, when obscenely prosperous investment banks would feign humanity by granting their serfs one day a week of illusory freedom from their expensively-tailored uniforms of indentured servitude for "Mufti Day". See how fun it is to work here? We have a gym and an espresso bar and on Fridays you can wear anything you want - so long as it's a button-down shirt and chinos. And brogues. No jeans, no cargo pants, no shorts, no t-shirts, no sneakers, no boat shoes. Margaretha Ley and Escada always marched to the beat of their own drum (eg Moon Sparkle ) but God only knows what they were thinking when they gave such a beautiful fragrance such a stupid name. In any case, Casual Friday is a real gem that seems to have eluded the iconic status of its more famous sibling Escada Pour Homme. Quite unlike anything else I'm familiar with - a seductive, multi faceted blend that combines the best aspects of its ingredients, aromatic-floral-coumarin-woody-amber with the subtle warmth of patchouli, and the dry down is sublime. One thing I admire about Casual Friday is its versatility - you could wear this to a job interview or on a date, to a wedding, a funeral or a big night out. Work or play, formal or informal - it works. It's intoxicating and even sexy, but it's so classy that the sexiness is present as an aspect of its beauty, like a blazer. Wear it with a t-shirt and it's playful, relaxed and sexy, but the same blazer with a shirt and tie looks sharp. Okay, maybe that wasn't the best example.

Super enjoyable fragrance. It opens a little bit generic - if you've smelled a 90s masculine before, you'll probably recognize that telltale blend of lavender, bergamot, tarragon, and other vague aromatics. However, it quickly fades away to a delicious anise-lavender combo on a luscious bed of vanilla, spice, florals, and wood. Carnation is prominent in the mid, as is a light fruitiness that's almost reminiscent of something tropical - maybe even banana? As the fragrance develops, it gets spicier, woodier, boozier, and almost smoky. Smelled close to skin, it has kind of a "granular" texture, with the cedar, oakmoss, carnation, and patchouli very present along with the vanilla. In the air, though, it smells lush, soft, and "fluffy" as many have mentioned, a delicious mix of lavender, anise, vanilla, and spice. On smell alone, this is an absolutely wonderful scent that smells NOTHING (imo) like Le Male or Au Masculin. Performance is outstanding - 10+ on my skin with great projection. I also love the bottle. It feels heavy, weighty, and premium, plus how many ceramic bottles do you have in your collection? The design is weird, but personally I really dig that weird late 90s Taco Bell aesthetic it's got. Overall, the only real complaint with this is the price. $300-400 is simply ridiculous for a fragrance which probably cost around $30-40 when it was first released. It is a wonderful, even niche quality kind of scent by Dominique Ropion, but it ain't worth $300. I was lucky to get it for about $120, NIB, and that was a steal. More than that, I would honestly say just forget about it. If you can find it for an okay price, though...Get it. I don't agree with a lot of comments saying this is not special or only for people who wore it back in the day. I am 26 (going on 27) and I absolutely love this scent. My 26 year old girlfriend loves it too. So clearly there is something to it. Overall, this is yet another amazing discontinued fragrance that is lost to time. Pour one out for a real one. 9/10

There are a whole lot of fragrances out there that deserve to be discontinued, but certainly not this gem. I'm a woman and I love wearing it. It gets really sweet on my skin and the hint of aftershave keep people guessing. Top notes smell typically of men's cologne, but wait till you get to the dry down where the woody notes mingle with chocolate, creating something sweet, bitter and aromatic all at the same time. The perfect fragrance for when i want to be taken seriously ;)

hi Lucky me , finally i put my hand on this scarce masterpiece yesterday , i couldnt believe my self , why people say it is discontinued . This is a very sophisticated scent you just cannot stop smelling it , what a wounderful combination of bergamot,lavender and patchouli. very good longevity specially on clothes and sillage is also gr8. Really amaazing. This one should be a must have for any perfume lover. definetely it is one of my favourate.

I spray it to my arm and................WOW!!!!!!! it's just different scent for day and night times, it's a treasure. Good job Dominique Ropion. Update: C'mon don't make me dissapointed because I hear this fragrance Discontinued, I tell you, if you have a chance find this fragrance at online store or retail, pretty sure bring this home and take another bottle for backup, I guess you'll never regret it. Sillage 9/10 Longevity 8/10 Scent 9.5/10

My personal favorite fragrance of all time. Just bought 75ml for £300 after buying a 5ml bottle for £50. For fans of Prada fragrances. Clean, powdery and sweet. Lavender/Vanilla fougere that smells like marshmallows whilst being classically masculine. You can get pretty close by layering Mauboussin Homme and Lempicka Homme. Use more Lempicka though and spray it in the same places to prevent smelling the different profiles separately.

Fluffy heaven!! A true masterpiece and it break's my heart that this is no longer available. 2-3 sprays of this and it would fill your nose all day with non stop evolving scents of pure delight. Sometimes I want to give up on the frag game when I remember how good these scents of yesterday performed compared to today's sissys. The Ebay pricing on this is stupidly insane.

Yet another wonderful scent that got discontinued! Do scent makers ever listen to what people love and want??? It has everything I love in perfume: sweet, spicy and woody notes. Very versatile - good to be worn during the day as well as - contrary to what the name suggests - on very formal occasions! It's delicious! If only I could lay my hands on it..

While I don ́t like Escada Pour Homme, I adore Escada Pour Homme Casual Friday. It ́s one of those scents which came above its time. Casual Friday is a delicious fragrance. What I get is spicy vanilla. It might smell like a couple of fragrances but I couldn ́t find anything like it. If it would come out these days it would be a hit.

This is one of the understated and relatively unknown perfumes out there and it's a pity it has been discontinued (unless you want to pay a three-digit figure on ebay). It's subtle and fresh, while it has a comfortable and relaxed warmth - an ideal day fragrance in my opinion.

Hi UPDATE This is really OUTSTANDING fragrance i cant stop my self using it every day & night i think im in love with this one. I dont know why this is not so popular becoz its just far better from many other popular fragrances . Now i can call it a MASTERPIECE from SCADA.

My all time favorite, I was so sad when it was discontinued. This fragrance worked so well for me and I would always get complements. I’ve been searching for years for something to replace it but sadly still haven’t found anything like this one.

Amazing! I used to use when came out was really strong and long lasting and longevety! I bought again fews years ago by ybay but I can't remmember is smell the same or something different but original one when it came out was superb! Top one

Am desperate for this fragrance, but no way on Earth is it worth what people are trying to get, no wonder they haven't sold. Back to this tho, do I remember smells of Chocolate, cinnamon and vanilla?

I love it but Unfortunately discontinued.. :( I couldn ́t find anything like this, very sexy and lovely.. What do you think about something like this fragrance? Do you know fragrance like it?

To all you people reading it, whom are selling it online for a price +120 dollars a botle; ****You should be ashamed of your self!****

I really don't understand all the people comparing this one to JPG Le Male, it defiantly has it's own thing going on.

A masculine lavender scent. Just downright pleasant from start to finish. This goes to the top of my rotation. 7/10

It's a chame one of the best fragrance i ever smeld and discontinued :((((

Great fragrance , i have 2x 40ml for sale..

چه بوی عجیبی داشت.یادش بخیر.دوستش داشتم

one of the best... wonderfullllll....

As much as this is a beautifully articulated composition from Dominique Ropion, the long discontinued Casual Friday fetches a hilariously egregious sum ($350+?!) given that this Ropion's take on quite a common brief of the late 90s: a dihydro-myrcenol kissed aromatic-lavender, spicy vanilla. It epitomizes the zeitgeist of its time much in the same way as Givenchy Pi or PG Le Male, and while it isn't a facsimile of either, the elements are so similar. It attests to this curious fetishism for the discontinued fragrance. It simply didn't reveal any new twist of innovation; on the contrary, it was quite direct and mainstream for its time; essentially Escada's attempt to cash in on what was already an established successful trend. If one wants to discover a true twist on this theme, they need not look further than Ted Lapidus Pour Lui, from just four years later, where Maurice Roucel and Norbert Bijaoui collaborate to push this style into a muskier, more ambery direction. While that is also discontinued, it currently goes for what seems to be no more than 80 bucks. Otherwise, if one is to spend upwards of 300 US, they might as well bypass lower echelons and go right for the sublime Fourreau Noir, which elevates the "lavanilla" amber fougere theme with a dusky almond and a certain moody and complex cachet that can only come from Serge Lutens. In summary, Casual Friday is quite nice, but overrated.

A throwback fragrance when held up against current releases'. Complex, masculine...a reminder of what fragrances were, prior to the current regulations that created reformulations...as well as what the current trends in male perfumery demand. It's slightly sweet but not gourmand, slightly floral but not the least bit feminine. Some patch but not used in the way that seems ubiquitous nowadays. A big hit of lavender and a touch of oakmoss to connect it to the classic male fragrances of days gone by. I agree with the post below that the combined effect does create a slight licorice accord, which can be hit or miss, based upon individual tastes for that polarizing note. I get 10 hours longevity with this one and surprising sillage for the first 3 - 4 hours. Standing projection is moderate once it dries down. As I said, this is a throwback. No designers are creating anything like this today. Accordingly, a young person may not find it appealing. This is worth trying if you can get some for a reasonable price, if only for reference and comparison to todays offerings.

scent : 7/10 sillage : 8/10 longevity :7/10 80% night / 20% day fragrance

يك ادكلن مردانه و مجلل و شرقي - چوبي - ادويه اي است. با شروعي كمي تند ، به رايحه اي گرم و مطبوع ادويه اي و نتهاي خوراكي و مخلوطي از رايحه مشروبي و شكلاتي تبديل مي شود. نتهاي ادويه اي گرم به همراه ادويه هاي تازه ، بسيار خوشبو و معطر، لذت تجربه رايحه اي منحصر بفرد را بوجود آورده است . در مرحله اول رايحه هاي ترنج و گشنيز و لاوندر و مخصوصا انيس و پچولي كاملا مشخص هستند و سپس در مرحله بعدي رايحه اي ادويه اي گلي ، شامل نتهاي ميخك و گل برف و دارچين و ياس و هل ، رايحه را به مرحله آخر در نت پايه ميرساند كه در آن طراوت چوب سرو به همراه نتهاي خاكي خزه بلوط و پچولي و وانيل و كهربا ، مخلوطي قوي و لطيف و نيمه شيرين ، با بيسي از تونكا را بوجود آورده است. رايحه اي كه از نت دوم به بعد به مشام ميرسد ، بسيار شبيه رايحه ادكلن Givenchy pi است . اين ادكلن براي فصول بهار و پاييز و زمستان و مخصوصا براي مصرف در روز پيشنهاد مي شود. ماندگاري اين ادكلن حدود 6 ساعت بر روي پوست است كه پس از يك ساعت رايحه آن به پوست ميچسبد و از پخش بوي متوسطي برخوردار است. شيشه مات و خاكي رنگ اين ادكلن با برچسبي چهار رنگ بر روي آن از طراحي ساده ولي قوي برخوردار است. عليرغم رايحه زيبا و دلنشيني كه اين ادكلن دارد، متاسفانه توليد آن سالهاست كه متوقف شده است و به اين دليل، قيمت بسيار بالايي در بازار دارد.

I know so many people don't wear this fragrance or even don't know about it,but it's under-rated. it starts with sharp,soapy and a bit bitter smelling.lavender is dominant.it starts the same way as Escada into the blues and like that perfume,this one has a much better middle notes. it becomes delicious,yet manly with a hint of tropical fruits that I like more than anything in it. it ends with spicy notes mixed with bitterness of oakmoss. by the way,Dominique Ropion is very famous and has made so many of my favorite perfumes.I'm surprised that this one is not as successful as some of her legendary perfumes(alien,tresor,euphoria,very irresistible..)but I can say that it deserve trying if you can find it in stores.

This is decent stuff. I smelled the fragrance when it was available and actually own a couple 50ml of the after shave balm. Good - but not spectacular. It is its name in a bottle - I see this as a nice warm weather scent that is semi-sweet. The olfactory notes here are not overwhelming...for me, mostly tonka bean mixed with a little anise and some citrus. A dash of cardamom and cedar, but there is very little woodiness - just an aromatic note. I will refrain from bashing it, because it isn't bad. But - a masterpiece? No, but Monsieur Ropion's name is behind it...so, perhaps a little hyped? Decent, but for a casual Friday on holiday at the beach or on a patio...7/10.

I don't know...it's just nothing special to write home about. Perhaps in the early 2000's this was bangin, but now I easily look past it when searching for SOTD. I would only own this from a collector's standpoint, but that doesn't mean I'm going to stop searching for the reason so many find this to be greatness. PS: As always with these older fragrances I consider the possibility of quality degradation of the original juice from the sample I received... 1 Year Update: This is a fantastic fragrance! My nose has matured over the past year after smelling hundreds of fragrances. If you come across this for a decent price it is worth the price of admission.

I wanted to try Casual Friday for over a year and finally bought a bottle. Nice! It reminds me of Jean Paul Gaultier's le Male (but more mainstream/safe), mixed with YSL Body Kouros (but less lineair and somewhat fresher) and maybe a bit Lempicka's l'eau Masculin (but less sweet). The drydown has this lush smell, like it a lot! 8/10 Edit: Unfortunately my experiences took a turn for the worse. The last few times CF wash harsh and bold, not in a good way. Lineair as well. Maybe I have become pickier about scents! 6/10

This fragrance is not for people that haven't used it during the early 90s, I think there's a certain amount of nostalgia associated with Casual Friday , its like Aramis 900 or marmite you either love it or hate it.. I adore it, I love the lift it gives me, and I love people telling me how lovely I smell when I wear it. Those who haven't experienced it before, I don't recommend it, if only to stop all the very rare bottles being snapped up by collectors. This is a user fragrance, not a collector frag.

I have got 2 of this (125 mls. 4.2 oz), I picked them up yesterday, in a going-out-of-business sale, here in Córdoba, México, I have to admit it's a delicious scent, not properly I expected, but works more than perfect. Today I aplied just 2 sprayings (nape and chest) and the compliments that I received by co-workers were remarkable; moreover, the personal enjoyment that this fragance gives is outstanding! If someone of you is interested in buying the other one bottle, send me a private message...

@Papi: I just saw one (125 ml) sell on ebay for $349.99! I've never tried it and have no interest in it, but something seems to be going on, because there are too many ebay sales at high prices for this to be some sort of attempt to drive up prices (and it's similar for other scents that I think are nothing great, like V Valentino Men). This seems to be the "new reality," whether we like it or not.

it's exactly what a man should smell like.at first smell I though,God,it's repetetive,even similar to Axe eau de colognes!but after some minutes it becomes more warm,with some woody and fruity undescribeable notes.what catches my eye about this fragrance is that it never becomes overwhelming.it's very light,though it can not be ignored.that's the point and did I mentioned that it's sexy too?!

First time I received the sample from a friend, I like it.. that was 3 months a go and now I have 5 bottles of this gem. I think it was sold out anywhere here in my country now... :D Lol. 3 days a go I tried 1 spray of Givenchy pi fraische... they're like twin sisters! For those who looking for escada c friday try it. Get a sample of givenchy pi fraische.

If you miss this discontiued perfume. Try "Fahrenheit Absolute". It smells just like this but with a splash of the original Fahrenheit. Note: They wouldn't let me take a real sample at the store, only on paper.

This was such a wonderful fragrance as we're all Escada male fragrances. Why on earth, along with Escada Magnetism beggars belief. This smells nothing like the Moubassain or Xhristobal mentioned.

I found a new bottle at Goodwill,as a worker we could pick from toiletries they don't resale them.This is the cologne a man should wear.I would wear it in place of Ralph Lauren Safari.

I've found something like Yves Rocher Hoggar but dont how close or how far it might be from ECF. I dont remember ECF, could you help me if you can compare both of them ECF and YRH?

One of the most unforgettable scents in the world, from a time when there were no repetitive, nauseating niche fragrances full of oud, leather, and smoky notes.

Scored a vintage 125ml. bottle of this frag and I am so happy it smells similar to the vintage Xeryus in that fancy metallic bottle minus the ash/incense vibe.

This smells like a classy gentleman. Very nice, soft, subtle, and masculine. This is a top 10 fragrance of all time. 10/10 Mr. Miami Cuddles on youtube.

من 75 میل این کار اسکادا رو دارم و مقدار خیلی کمی ازش استفاده کردم.کسی از دوستان برای خرید یا تعویض اگر خواست با من تماس بگیره

chocolate anise. Reminds me of soft australian liquorice. Polo double black is the new age version of this but more fruity.

I still have 20ml left in my old bottle, I would like to buy it again, but it seems impossible to get it back.

Tried this one hand on hand with m7.. M7 much better for me...this one just good for me... No more no less

I still have 20ml, I'm having trouble buying it again, it's a shame this perfume is gone on the market.

I remember this fragrance. It was just a Le Male copy from that bunch.

Very similar mauboussin homme, match the notes !!

It's a very, soft, sexy and masculine smell