Eau de Cologne

I was 22 years old when the bottle for Helmut Lang EDC caught my eye. Its minimalism was what drew me to it, as minimalism, unless you were Chanel, was not all that common in commercial perfumery perfumery at that time (exhibit A: Givenchy's Pi bottle). So yes, my eyes followed me and I had little regard for how it smelled until I started wearing it and it became my signature scent, and the only one I knew who was wearing it. I felt pretty classy, and aspired to afford Helmut Lang menswear one day. This seemed like a good start. Ahh, to be 22 again and go out on a Wednesday night, dance and carouse, then wake up the next morning and put on a necktie no less, arrive to work slightly hung over and still somehow muster my way through menial entry level admin work. All while smelling like the plushest, huggable musky scent I've known (Les Indemodables Musc de Sables comes in at a close second). It opens like little fluffy clouds (clue the Orb song with the Rickie Lee Jones sample) courtesy of gleaming aldehydes, then comes the original lavender haze, Taylor, with the purple-flower pie of heliotrope fleshing out a lily of the valley glisten and rosy blush. But its the musk that is the showstopper, shaded with labdanum, and its evident Maurice Roucel foreshadows Musc Ravageur and Labdanum 18 here, but I favor this due to its dreamy, voluminous heart. I bought a second bottle which I neglected for a long time, and I still have that bottle today, half full and still smelling staggeringly beautiful, but I can't speak for its EDT rerelease in 2014 or EDP, so proceed with caution, as apparently the original EDC seems scarce and pricey nowadays. Clearly, I have a fond, long-standing association with Helmut Lang EDC so bear in mind that bias, but this is a clean, freshly groomed comfort for me, with many memories tied to it.

Helmut Lang EDC have always been a very special fragrance for me. Since the first time I bought a bottle back in 2000, it was love at first sniff. Helmut Lang was a visionary stylist who was far ahead of his time and, during the late nineties he have been one of the most innovative designers on the planet (just like Comme Des Garcons and very few others). His style was very minimalistic and austere but, at the same time, it never restulted aseptic, cold or even simplicistic. It was the most simple example of innovation. In this context, Helmut Lang EDC prefectly reflects the brand's style with an apparently simple blend of clean musk, woods and soft florals. What makes of it an outstanding composition is an overall powdery, sort of buttery vibe, that while giving it an incredible amount of personality, it never results overdone, heavy or challenging. Soft lavender and minimalistic floral patterns serve as perfect refinements while herbs preserve the fragrance from becoming overly sweet. Slightly leaning towards the barbershop type of fragrance yet incredibly and unquestionably modern. Simple with a twist. Just like Helmut Lang's clothes, EDC wears comfortably, easily and feels incredibly versatile but it's tremendously distinctive. Recalls of freshly laundered white shirts with tiny collars and hidden buttons, unbottoned suits wore with no tie, well trimmered beards. A tribute to minimlistic elegance as opposed to vulgarity, ostentation and unnecessary frills. Want to smell clean? There's nothing like Helmut Lang EDC. Unfortunately, since the Prada gourp involved Helmut Lang, they immediately discontinued this gem and devoided the brand of its former brilliance. Now, if you want a bottle of EDC, you have to be ready for a big ticket splurge. Rating: 9/10

bought this quite a few years ago at a perfume shop looking around for a cologne to wear, at that time did not have many.stumbled across this, loved it right away ..just a really nice musky sweet smell so clean and pleasing..never realized how special this really was..never wore it much..my father in law loved it and so i gave him what was left, i was on to the newest stuff..just wish now i would have hung on to it, got some samples on ebay..enough to make a small atomizer..i still have it in my drawer and take it out spritz it on some paper..love it still...cannot find this unless you are willing to pay over a 150.00 dollars on ebay, so i never want to waste it..such a pity....unbelivably not in production any more..i wish it were what a beautiful scent. i will keep looking for it..maybe i can find it one of these days for a reasonable price...awesome juice.what i think a musk fragrance was supposed to be,another musk to check out is lorenzo villoresi's musk...that one is amazing also but i would still have to say this is the best musky type that i have found..nothing better so far....

I bought this a decade ago, largely due to my love of Helmut Lang's sense of style. It works for me as a daytime scent, augmenting my day, reminding me I'm interacting with the world around me. Perhaps it has a bit of a barbershop cheek-slap aftershave thing happening, but a refreshing one, and it connotes that fresh, clean shaven tight haircut essence with style, class and verve. My wife loves how this evolves on my skin throughout the day and it keeps her close and cuddly. I keep very few scents of my own, this is one of them. Love the simple, Chanel-esque packaging. So fresh and so clean...

Its crazy to compare this to Musc Ravageur. This a slightly candy-glazed heliotrope, light musk that is very gentle and well behaved. Does for heliotrope what Hermes' Vetiver Tonka did for Vetiver.