[unpaid/sample/affiliate/ad] Michael Kors has been pretty quiet over the past year or two. Part of the Estee Lauder Companies Aramis & Designer Fragrances division for twenty years, having previously been owned by LVMH, the division closed in 2021. A new license with EuroItalia has been signed for 15 years so Michael Kors is now back in the spotlight.
I’ve got to admit that you could not have surprised me more when I opened those somewhat, er, generic (aka boring) boxes and pulled out what I can only describe as a pair of love letters to Mr T. BA Barracus would have been all over these. I had a brief moment of fandom for Goldy Lookin Chain (when I say brief, I mean about one whole day) and a fleeting few weeks of a tooth diamond (yes, really – don’t say I’m not prepared to try anything! That parent’s evening was the most awkward of my life as two primary teachers could not look at anything else while attempting to discuss which areas Max needed to work on in maths…).
But, if you think the fragrances are as punchy as the bottles, you’re in for (another) surprise. Michael Kors Pour Femme begins on an ultra-creamy vanilla note – it’s a base note but it’s what came first for me – wrapped with jasmine and rose. There’s also a big hit of mandarin that takes the edge off the musk and patchouli. If I’m being picky, I could have done without the blackcurrant that feels like one note too many, but if you like a fruity floral with extra sexy, it’s for you.
The tail of Michael Kors Pour Femme is smooth and gentle but takes a couple of hours to settle into something comfortable and enticing. The funny thing is that it’s exactly reflecting the French trope of fragrance (always) being for the woman with a strong, determined and ambitious mind but also with the inner softness of a chocolate crème yet (perpetually) simmering with desire. I mean, there you have it. Those press releases used to drive me nuts. I like this fragrance, I really do – it’s a kind of (designer) white shirt and bright suit kind of a scent.
I am all over Michael Kors Pour Homme like a rash. Lemony, spicy and rich with an aquatic twist (a sea wave accord no less) – I would very much like to kiss the neck of the wearer! My nose struggles to pick out pink peppercorn – I can rarely identify it in anything – but in this arrangement, I can. Clary sage is bringing herbaciousness and geranium its predictable softness. The base is amber surrounded by vetiver and patchouli but overall, I’d describe it as fresh. Just add man. They’re both £60 for 30ml HERE.