Versus Uomo

Versus Uomo was the first fragrance created for Gianni Versace’s Versus line - urban chic prêt-à-porter for the Club Med demographic (18-35), conceived when Versace’s star was rising, coinciding with his transition from the ghastly pastels and colour blocks that had been his trademark during the 1980s, to the iconic Barocco, Animalia and Floralia prints of the 1990s - epitomised by the legendary Miami Collection - that would make Versace a celebrity and immortalise him after his tragic and untimely death in 1997. 1991 was the year that Gianni Versace's Fall/Winter collection made fashion history, starring supermodels Linda Evangelista, Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell, and Christy Turlington all on the catwalk at the same time to the soundtrack of George Michael's "Freedom". An innovative, iconic collection (radically different to anything he'd done before), that propelled Gianni Versace to global superstardom. 1991 also saw the creation of multiple new lines in a kind of corporate restructure: alongside the prestige haute couture label "Gianni Versace Couture", there was "Versace Jeans Couture" (the "budget' casual line), "Versace Sport', 'Istante" - and "Versus", whose target demographic was young people and whose aesthetic was fresh, urban sophistication. The eponymous fragrance, Versus Uomo, was also released in 1991, its creator Gianni Versace. Versus Uomo is elegant and sensual, a multifaceted blend that opens with a salvo of citrus and aromatics, an olfactory mosaic of Byzantine complexity - with citrus, florals, resins, vanilla, amber and tonka bean - of which the most noticeable impressions I get are like a yin and yang duopoly with an aromatic-green-citrus yin and a creamy, coumarin-amber-woody yang. The dry down is a sublime resinous woody amber. Performance is reasonable, at around six hours plus - after the first it sits fairly close but creates a discreet trail as you move. The overall impression is very niche and natural, like one of those Italian blends of a million different components. Versus Uomo is an expression of style over fashion, true to the aesthetic vision of Gianni Versace who definitely marched to the beat of his own drum - albeit with the occasional catastrophe, like his infamous (and hideous) pairing of tartan and baroque. Versus Uomo is a potion of superlative quality - niche quality - that leaves an oily residue on the skin when applied. Versus Uomo is unconventional and quite unlike anything else, although the style reminds me of its contemporary, Joseph Abboud, which also presents as a bold, very niche, composition. So much so that if you like the original Joseph Abboud I’m pretty certain you will like this - both smell more like an artisanal blend of essential oils rather than a mass market aroma-chemical-cocktail of a designer fragrance. Versus Uomo is enjoyable to wear but not necessarily a crowd pleaser as it's a bold fragrance that, although elegant, is quite unusual and even challenging (FlirtBoy's description below, "a mix of Quorum and lemon cheesecake", is surprisingly accurate) - one of those things people tend to either love or hate. Nevertheless it is a collector’s item, a legacy of the late, great Gianni Versace, and the flacon is a work of art in its own right. Versus Uomo would suit a man who - like Versace himself - marches to the beat of his own drum. A gentleman who dresses to please himself, not others. Style is the eternal chic that transcends the pedestrian, ephemeral vicissitudes of fashion - and Versus Uomo is supremely stylish.

When this cologne came out on the market, I just started working full-time for a couple of years. At that time there was no way to look up the different notes to understand and appreciate the complexity of this amazing juice. I own a 100ml bottle and use it occasionally during the winter/spring months which it's best suited for. After spraying it on my wrist I pickup a real sweet vib from the amber, Oris and especially benzoin with a hint of warmth from the carnation and vanilla. I don't know why but my nose meter doesn't pick up any lime or citrus type of notes. After awhile I'm able to pick up some sandalwood/cedar notes as well tonka bean. There's a smig of lavender to balance the sweet notes. For whatever reason, I also can not pick any green notes or fir? Longevity and Sillage is amazing, you only need to spray it once and it has staying power well past 5 hours when I wear it. Thou this juice didn't come until early 90s, but I would categorize this juice as part of 80s when colognes like Trussardi pour homme, Gucci Noble, Drakkar and Number One Boss just name a few. I really enjoy this classic...9.5/10

As I wear it on this hot summer day, Versus Uomo has me eager for autumn. I imagine it being an early October day, and I am dressed in a decidedly more distinguished manner than a t-shirt, camo shorts, and New Balance sneakers. I imagine that it may even be a different time, different decade even. It's a bit more cloudy, but not overcast. The neighborhood in my neighborhood has lots of wrought-iron fences and large beech trees. I am walking to a library to read, and the internet either doesn't yet exist or exists no more. Versus Uomo smells of large creamy, limey-lemony magnolia blooms that are just starting to wilt and brown at the edges; fleshy pulpy, papaya mixed with fresh lavender; a spiced carnation that was experiencing its last gasps in men's fragrance at the time of its release; a lot of soft-peppery-fruit linalool that recalls my beloved Habit Rouge. The dry down somewhat echoes that dusky base of Zino, slightly more smooth and soft-woody. The synesthesia in me feels like this is the way an oboe sounds: a wistful, keen pungency with a soft interior.

as BrianFamous88 said below, this is niche quality. Soapy citrus lavender opening, and the lavender stays present, though not as prominent through the drydown. The mid brings forth the rosewood, carnation and jasmine and just a touch of fir. The drydown is an amazing creamy, woody, blend of amber, cedar and vanilla, while the lavender tries to hold on to the end. The projection is moderate and the longevity is long-lasting on my dry skin. I get wafts of the creamy soapy goodness for 5-6 hours and another 3 hours of projection just off my skin. I blind bought this for $14 for a 3.3 oz., and had no idea it was discontinued. After I tried, and fell in love with this gem, I started looking for backup bottles only to find out it was discontinued. Luckily, I found another bottle still in the box. Needless to say, I paid more than $14 for that one, but it is worth every penny. This is such a unique masterpiece. If anyone knows of a fragrance that is very close to this, I would love to try it. My Signature Scent for the foreseeable future!!

Oh man, this is the stuff of my youth....it’s been discontinued I had my first bottle from 1997 till about 2005 in my stable and it was my GO-TO date scent....it was the kind of scent (and still is if you can find it) that drove women crazy at the time, it was unique and I feel like I didn’t know many people that wore it at the time, but such a compliment getter.... it’s very dark, mysterious, citrusy, jasmine, incensey a bit, perfectly balanced hint of sweetness, never got cloying, even if you spray too much it mellows out and leaves this aura... it’s freakin sexy, in my opinion it’s a 90s masterpiece and it’s worth getting prices aren’t too bad, found one on FragranceNet recently and man....it still smells good, I wore this and my wife (who never smelled this on me as I never had it with her till recently) to her it may as well be love potion number 9...she says it’s my F* me fragrance and she can’t help it.....we’re in our mid 30s.... this is classic stuff

I remember when i first used this one in 1993, i was finishing my engineering bachelor degree and was doing a lot...and i mean, a lot of clubing and partying. This was my go to fragrance, and was always a big hit with the ladies. It always reminded me of a softer and brighter Zino by Davidoff. About 3 month ago, and to muy surprise, found 2 bottles at a local perfume distributor. 24.99 us each...so obviously, got them without thinking it twice. It is exactly as i remember it, no change whatsoever. This opens with a sour and tart lemon popsicle burst...but mixed with spices, and i can almost swear it is cinammonn. After 30 minutes, the lavender dominates, but mixed perfectly with the woody, ambery and creamy vanilla base. The lemon is still there, but in the background. This is very....very masculine, long lasting and projects like what it is....another 90s masterpiece. Now, does it still reminded me of a softer and brighter Zino....you bet it still does.

i think this is the most modern discontinued fragrance i ever smelled.it's strange because it has something from the 90's but a young guy of today can wear it easily. it's a young bad boy fragrance, a fresh mandarin slap in your face, with a fantastic combination of lavender and floral notes. you want to wear a leather jacket or show your muscles when u're using this scent!there's nothing so unique for the young crowd on the shelves nowadays, versus uomo is a truly masterpiece and im so happy to have it in my little collection. season: all, better in spring or summer nights. occasions: rock concerts, pub or nightout. un profumo dall' animo giovane ed energico! scent:9,5 longevity:7,5 sillage: 7,5 bottle:7 versatility:8 uniqueness: 9 my vote: 9,5 in one word: young ps: special thanks to MR SMELLY and in particular SCENTLAND for this gem!grazie!

I just purchased three bottles of the EDT. I love it! It's a man's man fragrance. I'm very surprised by Dan Naughton's (Mr. Smelly) review because my bottles display heavy scents. Very strong. Not fresh at all but that's fine by me. Hard to describe but I pick up a rough-soapy opening moving to a resinous tobacco smoky dry-down. Something else very deep and strong in this one like an ingredient one would find in a Roja Dove fragrance. Nothing sweet about it to my nose. Definitely a cold weather scent. When sprayed out in the cold weather, I get a distinct pipe tobacco scent during the opening. I loved it from the first sniff so I quickly bought another bottle. My 20-something year old daughter said it smelled dated so you may want to test it out before parading around in the office with it .

Back in 1991 I was visiting the old country from the US and met this beautiful little thing called Brigitta. She gifted me this amazing creation of the genius Gianni Versace. I was shocked and madly in love with both. Our lives went different directions. Brigitta became a successful and happy Mom in another land. I am still roaming the Earth, but whenever I come across this amazing masterpiece of a fragrance, I wear it, sit back with a nice cup of coffee and remember the days when life was a different place. I smile and the fragrance does its job to accompany me to a brief time travel into the sweetest memories of my brain. I don't think perfumes have such power these days. Versace Versus Uomo is a class of its own, there is absolutely nothing like it ever created ever since.

Amazing!! You can immediately tell Versus Uomo lives in the realm of the 90's glorious scents (YSL Jazz, Opium, D&G By Man, Herrera For Men...) back when strong, fresh spicy and aromatic scents ruled the game. Fragrances are not done like this anymore. It has one of the best openings I've smelled in my life: a blast of citrus, florals and woods. It is indeed hard to put it in a category, it is a fresh-spicy/aromatic/floral/fruity, truly a wonderful composition. Has a barbershop/old school feel and somehow just a little medicinal vibe. It is not similar as anything I can think of. Fresh, aromatic, powdery and slightly woody and sweet in the drydown. If you have the opportunity of grabbing one don't loose the chance! A true masterpiece from the Versace's 90's era.

I have nothing in my collection directly resembling Versace's Versus Uomo. A watered-down way of describing it would be a "dirty-dusty-blue" take on Guerlain's Habit Rouge EDT. Versus Uomo is a tough one to categorize. These types of cross-genres that do not have a specific categorization are never my "dumb grabs" or "in the front of the rotation," rather, they're usually waiting to be selected. Yet I really appreciate this fragrance, it's not my favorite scent in my collection, but one of my most cherished due to it's uniqueness. Score: 8.5 out of 10 Would I purchase a replacement bottle? Yes, if I can still find a bottle.

Just got this one today, it is fantastic. This is unique, like nothing you have ever smelled. Absolutely a classic scent, Gianni Versace a true genius. So much complexity on this one, and its class comes from the old days of Italy when fragrances where complicated to make and designers strived for excellence. Opens very fresh, and quickly transforms into a dark, aromatics scent. The base reminds me of old, dry, pine with a sub-layer of floral that creates an aromatic display. It is basically the outcome of chaos and peace together, also very sexy. If you can grab a bottle of this, youw won't be disappointed.

This is how every major designer release should be. Smells amazing, smooth, elegant. No bubblegum or woody ambers here, just pure heaven. If all designers were like this, the niche producers may never have had a chance to occupy a profitable space in the market. That’s not to say this smells niche, because it doesn’t. Instead it is decidedly designer in how it smells, it’s just that Versace have delivered the best that a designer ingredient palette can produce. As for a description, the note pyramid is fairly accurate but it is all delivered in a very people pleasing manner.

I had this back in high school in the 90's. I felt very unique wearing this as everyone else had either drakkar, CW or ck one/be on. I got so many compliments back in the day and this will always hold a warm spot in my heart as my junior year signature scent and proms and all that stuff. Now for the fragrance. this is so hard to describe as I've never smelled anything like it before or since. All I can say is that it had a very European vibe to it. Very sophisticated and sexy smell. I really need to revisit this one.

Before the horrid ambroxan and other nasty smelling cheap fixatives, there was this. Honest, amazing, pioneering perfumery. When all perfume houses competed by trying to be different, unique, and better. Designer perfumery back then was the niche. The 80s and the early 90s were the golden days in perfumery for me. Everything that came after that became less and less interesting, boring, and overpriced. Unfortunately most of these legends became discontinued or reformulated into something mehh.

I have to disagree with Mr Da-veed and say that this legendary men's scent smells nothing like the new (2008) Versace Pour Homme. Versus Uomo has a distinctive smooth lemony-piney smell with outstanding sillage whereas VPH smells almost identical to Armani's Acqua Di Gio to my nose. I'd say this is an all seasons' scent that performs excellently in all temperatures and lasts for months when sprayed on clothing. VU is definitely recommended if you can find it.

I used to wear this one bottle after another when i was around 15-25 years old. It was my go to fragrance along with Eternity. I still wear Eternity and every time I spray it on me I remind those beautiful years. Sadly this one is gone, and I memory of it are images of those times, this is a perfect example of Synesthesia, I just saw the image of the bottle and I imagine smelling the spray and I smell memories.

Great barbershop fragrance. Lemon lime opening but doesn't scream to loud. I forget I have it on and then, next thing you know I'm looking to see who smells so damn good. Oh, it's me😍. Reminds me of Rive Gauche in the mid and dry down. Only thing is, it's better to my nose and lasts way longer. If you're into the barbershop Fougere this is a must try I have 3 bottles. Pity it's discontinued.

Got a bottle today, i don't know what year this bottle is produced but when i opened the box, tried and i don't resist. It smell exactly like the one i purchased in 1992. If i have to describe it, there's no words would describe and from scale 1 to 10, i'll give it 11. Great and just great... This is the era of Versace's top of the ladder in the fashion industry, years prior to his death.

I didn't smell anything like this. The spirit of Gianni Versace is presented in this fragrance. Through the notes it seems like classic fougere from the '90s but it's not, this scent has an enormous complexity. Cold lavander and citrusy mix are blended with some kind of soft spicy musky underthones. It's very complex and sexy as hell. Real gem!