|
The catchword for men's fragrances for 2011 is bull. Bull to the lemony, flowery smells of last year, and on to this year's more masculine appeal. Woody, solid, masculine - that's the new way. Are men truly athletic, or do we just wish that they were? Either way, the latest trend in fragrances for men is toward that ideal of man, the athlete, the outdoorsman, the individualist. Translating these themes into fragrance trends leads the designer toward the traditional. The one traditional scent that designers have long relied on and are moving back to today is wood. Wood seems to dominate the market in men's fragrances this year, with Bang, Bvlgari Man, and Bleu de Chanel all jumping aboard. Seemingly few designers have not yet added wood-based fragrances to their men's line. Not just wood itself, either, but also the colors that wood evokes. Brown, olive, tan. These shades, too, spring from menswear, and it is so often the menswear designers who are also the designers of men's fragrances. The scent of wood as a fragrance theme harkens back to the turn of the twentieth century. Then, often, wood was matched with floral, although today they are juxtaposed. Floral was so last year. Citrus came much later, in the 1980s, and, in fact, was simply catalogued along with wood and floral as a mix of competing fragrances. Now they have all broken apart, and wood leads the day. Wood, leather, manly, masculine, bold. This is the men's fragrance trend for 2011. It's a fun one, too. So often wood fragrances have agar, sandal, or cedar woods at base, with patchouli as a frequent add-on. Add to this mix leather, amber, and even perhaps tobacco or smoke scents, plus spice. This raises nearly an icon of masculinity, and rings of a current in men's fragrances not seen in fifty years. Broad observers of fragrances see in this trend a reflection of the male struggle for identity. Questioning himself and his persona, a man might be expected to latch onto the proven and already acknowledged. That insecurity in men might also be seen to result from and further reflect the nature of our troubled times. In a failing economy, it is normal to want to seek recourse in those things that have been proven durable and lasting. Moreover, where the enemy is afoot, we are likely to seek protection from allies and comrades. This is truly a fascinating conception of the interplay between fashion and society. Of course here, we are thinking largely of the United States and other English-speaking markets, and ignoring other lands where even though English is not the primary language, fragrances are still bought and sold. Thinking of those, though, actually only further confirms our underlying supposition. In China and Russia, for instance, where demand for fragrances is vast, preferences have essentially never strayed from wood, and they remain strong today. No shift is needed or to be expected as in the United States and nearby lands.
If you're looking for the latest trending men's fragrance or aftershave, visit Perfume Fairy, the dedicated perfume price comparison website.
|
