Gentleman Society Givenchy

Gentleman Society Eau de Parfum presents itself as a fragrance caught between two identities—neither fully committed to either. Karine Dubreuil-Sereni has constructed something deliberately muted, where the Guatemala cardamom's initial warmth collides with French sage's herbaceous coolness, creating an odd tension that never quite resolves into genuine intrigue. The heart attempts rescue through three distinct vetivers (Haitian, Madagascan, and Uruguayan), yet they blur together into an indistinct, earthy whisper rather than a compelling composition. What emerges instead is relentlessly powdery—that 88% accord dominance transforms French narcissus into something akin to talc-dusted skin, a aesthetic choice that feels dated rather than intentional.

The Bourbon vanilla and Australian sandalwood base should anchor everything, but they arrive too softly, too late, offering only a creamy smudge of sweetness that evaporates almost before you register it. This is fragrance as background noise: pleasant enough when you catch a whiff hours later, but entirely missable in the moment. The 2023 release feels oddly retrospective, channelling a muted masculinity that neither excites nor offends. It's the olfactory equivalent of a well-pressed shirt that nobody remembers you wearing.