The traditional bottle of cologne used to be a staple in every household, but it fell out of favour in certain countries when the eau de toilettes and eau de parfums overtook it in popularity. There was the obvious comparison of strength and longevity, the cologne being more fleeting than its rivals, but in the new push for “quiet fragrances” the humble cologne is fighting back. France never abandoned this celebrated splash, and it's one of its oldest companies that is trumpeting the return. Jean d’Aigle has a history stretching back to 1945, and its Chypre Eau de Cologne is ideal for autumn as it celebrates its 80th birthday.
The subject of sustainability and safety is one that goes far beyond just the perfume industry, but that hasn’t stopped it being a major topic of discussion amongst both high street and niche fragrance customers. We’ve all become much more conscious in recent years about what goes in and on our bodies, and companies have tried to address this with both spin and science. It’s often thought that “sustainability and safety” comes at a financial cost, at least that's what we usually see when we get to the checkout, but Müller have smashed this idea with their new hej:pure trio of clean and environmentally-friendly fragrances.
Every perfume company longs to create a fragrance that stands the test of time. Recent releases are considered timeless if they last ten years, but a scent that manages to reach its two hundred and thirtieth birthday is most definitely legendary. A favourite of soldiers returning from Germany, and possibly the ultimate refreshing cologne, I’m talking about 4711. Originally launched in 1792, the difficulty of following up a worldwide hit is the double edged sword that comes with success. 4711 tackled this head on and when they started their Remix collection, and this year’s grapefruit explosion is destined to continue the tradition.
Fragrance fans are constantly searching for the next “big hitter” or “must have” scent and, because of this, often forget to look backwards as well as forwards. There are very few genuinely new trends in perfumery, they’ve all been seen before, it’s just the way that they’re presented that is different. However, we seem to be locked into the eternal quest for “newness” and, because of this, can find ourselves overlooking the faded and forgotten gems from another time. One such treasure must surely be 4711 by Mäurer & Wirtz. Arguably the world’s most famous cologne, it’s time this classic was rediscovered by a new generation.
Summer is the time of the year when we all hunt out the latest effervescent spritz to accompany us through another beachside holiday or weekend getaway. This year might see our vacation being considerably closer to home, but that doesn’t have to stop us creating our own little bit of sunshine. The fragrances that come out at this time of the year are all traditionally designed to uplift and energise us, and there is one company that has once again absolutely delivered on this promise. Now in its third year, Mäurer & Wirtz have released their latest 4711 Remix Cologne, and this time it’s a twist on the classic lemon.
Reinvention is something that we all must secretly wish that we could do at some time or another but it’s a concept that can be very dangerous for a perfume company. Many brands survive because of the loyal following of its fans and, if you start to alter things, they can easily start to look elsewhere for their fragranced fix. One company that has successfully managed to reinvent itself, and still kept hold of its followers, is 4711. The idea of modernising their classic scent may have seemed like sacrilege to many but, once again, this year’s Remix Cologne has been handled with a lot of tender loving care.
The word “cologne” has become a little misunderstood in recent years with the term being used to describe anything from strength to gender. As companies played fast and loose with this classic style of fragrance, customers no longer realised just how wonderful this bottle of freshness could be. In an attempt to unscramble the confusion I asked four perfumers to give their opinion on the style, and also to reveal their favourites. Marina Barcenilla, Pia Long, Sarah McCartney and Andy Tauer have all gathered a loyal following with their mix of creativity and knowledge, so could they help us to revisit the classic cologne?
If you were asked what the most famous cologne in the world is then the chances are that 4711 would probably come to mind. This classic cologne has been a favourite since it launched back in 1792 and it became a regular gift for soldiers returning from Germany to give to their wives, even well into the 1970s. Originally created by Mülhens but now owned by Mäurer & Wirtz, 4711 has had numerous companion fragrances in the past but this year sees the beginning of a new seven-year series called 4711 Remix Cologne. Described as “tangy, loud and fresh”, let me introduce you to this year’s orange inspired interpretation.
Samantha Scriven started writing about fragrance as a challenge to see if she could review one scent every day for a year, and that was back in 2013. Since then she has continued the blog, gone on to write freelance and was also nominated for a 2017 Fragrance Foundation Jasmine Award. After reviewing thousands of scents, what would Samantha choose for herself during “Stephan’s Six”?
