CultureVulture

If Geoffrey Beene’s Grey Flannel is your father’s fragrance, then acknowledge his good taste and follow suit.Introduced by Geoffrey Beene in 1975, Grey Flannel was the first American men’s designer fragrance. In the years since 1975, the folks at Geoffrey Beene have not tinkered with or attempted to “dumb down’ Grey Flannel. (Unlike Brut, which used to be splendid, but now bears no relation to the original.) Grey Flannel is distinctive, innovative, and head-turning; but it is also true to its name – it cries out to be worn with a herringbone sport coat you picked up in Burlington Arcade, Piccadilly, and a shirt & tie brought home from Jermyn Street, St. James.

Grey Flannel  begins with a bitter citrus and some green wood. It’s strong, but it moves on to the middle range pretty quickly. Ah. The long-lasting middle range is first and foremost the violet leaf. This is a not-inexpensive ingredient, and Geoffrey Beene has never compromised on it. It is perhaps the most distinctive and well-loved component of the Grey Flannel experience. I myself simply can’t get enough of this elegant herbaceous aura. Finally, the arrival of the base notes finds the violet leaf sitting atop a soapy wood. A generous application in the morning will last throughout the work day.

Any misgivings about Grey Flannel? Geoffrey Beene is simply not as protective of how and where it is marketed as, say, Hermes is. You can go to a fine department store and pay full retail for Grey Flannel if that makes you feel good. On the other hand, Grey Flannel – the real thing – can be found in drugstores. And recently I spotted a single heavily-discounted bottle in Marshall’s, which I bought post haste. Watch carefully: don’t buy Eau de Grey Flannel. For some reason, Geoffrey Beene produced a Grey Flannel “Lite” to no good effect.

Definitely unisex

Stick your head in Sephora and give yourself a good spritz. For a modest sum, you will undoubtedly want to add Grey Flannel to your fragrance collection.