Fragrance One
A unique visual signature based on accords, character, and seasonality
The citrus trio hits with surprising punch, mandarin's petitgrain-like bitterness cutting through lemon's brightness, creating an almost solvent-sharp quality that immediately foreshadows the synthetic leather to come. Within minutes, that leather accord announces itself fully formed—not building, just there, like switching on a light in a tannery, with cardamom's green facets flickering at the edges.
The gaiac wood reveals itself as the composition's smoky heart, its resinous, tarry character melding with the leather to create something between burnt rubber and expensive leather car interiors. Citrus retreats but never fully disappears, leaving a persistent brightness that keeps the heavier elements from becoming oppressive, whilst the woody-smoky fusion builds in intensity.
Patchouli and vetiver take over in their earthiest iterations, the former's camphoraceous qualities still evident, the latter providing a dry, almost ashen quality. The leather persists as a memory rather than a statement, the synthetic elements finally softening into something closer to skin, whilst that peculiar smoky-citrus ghost lingers far longer than expected.
Black Tie for Men is Alberto Morillas's study in smoky synthetic leather, wrapped around a citrus-bright chassis that refuses to play by conventional evening wear rules. The opening volley of Brazilian mandarin and Italian lemon crashes into the accord work immediately—this isn't citrus as prelude but citrus as participant, creating an almost industrial tang when it collides with that dominant leather note. The synthetic quality isn't a weakness here; it's intentional, giving the leather a contemporary, almost latex-like sharpness rather than the broken-in suppleness of traditional cuir compositions.
What makes this intriguing is Morillas's restraint with the Paraguayan gaiac wood, which adds a resinous, slightly medicinal smokiness without overwhelming the structure. The woody-smoky interplay creates a charred quality, as if fine leather goods were left near a extinguishing campfire. Cardamom provides fleeting sparks of spice—green and eucalyptic rather than warm—while patchouli and vetiver form the earthy foundation that keeps this from floating off into pure abstraction.
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3.9/5 (289)