Calvin Klein
A unique visual signature based on accords, character, and seasonality
Lime and grapefruit surge forward with aggressive brightness, immediately softened by melon's peachy-green sweetness. The citrus trio feels genuinely three-dimensional, with lemon adding a final zesty spike that tingles rather than dominates.
Tequila's peppery warmth emerges alongside cypress's dry, slightly woody quality, whilst freesia blooms with white floral softness—the combination feels almost cocktail-like, as though you're smelling the spirit itself rather than a fragrance approximation. The citrus begins its retreat, replaced by something more herbal and earthier.
Cedar and coconut water form a barely-there base that smells more like a memory than a fragrance—creamy, slightly salty, utterly fleeting. By the fourth or fifth hour, CK One Summer has essentially evaporated, leaving only a faint impression of beachy warmth on the skin.
CK One Summer arrives as a bracing splash of poolside optimism, though one tempered by a curious synthetic undertow that prevents it from achieving true freshness. Richard Herpin has constructed something deliberately fleeting—a fragrance that prioritises immediate sensory impact over longevity, which feels entirely intentional for a summer release.
The citrus opening is genuinely compelling: lime and grapefruit collide with melon's juicy sweetness, creating a three-dimensional brightness that doesn't flatten into generic "fresh." There's actual dimension here—the lime's astringency plays beautifully against the melon's rounded softness. But within minutes, the heart reveals Herpin's most interesting choice: a whisper of tequila that adds an almost peppery, slightly alcoholic warmth. It's unexpected, slightly askew, paired with cypress that lends a subtle herbal dryness and freesia that softens the edges with white floral delicacy.
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3.6/5 (121)