Jil Sander
A unique visual signature based on accords, character, and seasonality
Aniseed and galbanum collide with bright bergamot, immediately establishing something green, almost medicinal, whilst peach and plum try unsuccessfully to sweeten the proposition. You're hit with a spiced, herbal intensity that demands attention.
Tuberose emerges with unexpected rawness, its creaminess constantly interrupted by myrrh's smoky depth and tarragon's savoury green edge. Nutmeg and carnation intensify the spice further, while violet and heliotrope add a soft, powdery counterpoint that feels slightly incongruous against the fragrance's inherent intensity.
Civet's feral animalic presence reshapes everything that came before, grounding the florals into something earthier and more sensual. Amber, tonka, and vanilla provide sweetness, but it's restrained—oakmoss and patchouli keep things grounded and woody, with coriander providing one final spiced exhale.
Jil Sander Nº 4 is a fragrance that refuses to whisper. Michel Almairac has constructed something deliberately theatrical—a spiced floral that announces itself with aniseed's licorice-tinged sharpness and galbanum's green, almost bitter verdancy, immediately challenging any notion that this is a demure scent. The peach and plum arriving in the top notes don't soften the blow; instead, they add a peculiar fruitiness that sits askew against the spice, creating an almost savoury opening that belongs more to a medieval spice market than a conventional beauty counter.
What emerges is a tuberose-led heart of genuine complexity. Rather than the creamy, somnolent tuberose of many fragrances, here it contends with myrrh's smoky resin and tarragon's herbal bite—notes that create friction rather than harmony. Nutmeg and carnation amplify the spice accord further, whilst violet and heliotrope provide sweetness with an old-fashioned, powdery character that evokes vintage cosmetics and amber-hued glass bottles.
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3.9/5 (87)