With the enigmatic and visionary Rei Kawakubo as creative director of the Paris-based fashion brand (she would never call her creations “fashion”), Comme des Garçons fragrances could never be ordinary. The eponymous EDP (pictured, below) established the company’s unconventional approach to perfumery in a big and spicy way in 1994. More than twenty-five years later, Comme des Garçons Rouge EDP arrived on the market.
IMAGE: comme-des-garcons.com.
Both designer and niche, the company has had its fair share of ups and downs over the decades. This is to be expected when releases range from the downright anti-perfumes such as Series 6: Synthetic Garage EDT (2004), with its kerosene smell, to the more approachable Floriental EDP (2015).
Does Comme des Garçons Rouge live up to the brand’s creative and innovative reputation?
COMME DES GARÇONS ROUGE PERFUMER
Born and raised in Grasse, France, the award-winning Nathalie Gracia-Cetto (pictured, above) has earned praise for her designer and niche creations. These include Fragrance du Bois Oud Jaune Intense Parfum (2013), Ex Nihilo Love Shot EDP (2016), Tom Ford Soleil Blanc EDP (2016), Rochas Moustache EDP (2018) and Paco Rabanne 1 Million Lucky EDT (2018).
The pharmacology graduate also created Radish Vetiver EDP for Comme des Garçons’ Clash Collection in 2019, so is familiar with their aesthetic.
IMAGE: comme-des-garcons.com.
SO WHAT DOES COMME DES GARÇONS ROUGE SMELL LIKE?
Beetroot! Yep, the root vegetable stands out in the opening and pretty much throughout the scent’s progression. Its innate earthiness is given a spicy, rosy, slightly sweet twist with a pink peppercorn note. There’s more spice from zesty ginger. Its freshness is enhanced by the Egyptian geranium leaves, with their minty and gently metallic profile.
The intrigue doesn’t stop there. Incense makes its presence felt, without being overpowering. Its resinous smoke is complemented by the muskiness of patchouli and cistus.
There’s no shortage of fragrances with the word “rouge” in it and packaging to match. But Comme des Garçons Rouge is not just another marketing gimmick and proves the brand has not lost its edge.
While the beetroot is prominent, it’s treated and blended in such a clever way, there’s a good chance, you could love this fragrance even if you normally hate eating the vegetable.
If you’re looking for something different, but not outrageously experimental, this scent achieves a fine balancing act of pleasing long-time Comme des Garçons fans, while not alienating potential new devotees.
Comme des Garçons Rouge EDP is available in South Africa at Skins Cosmetics.
Fantastic overview and shots, Rich. Comme des Garcons can always be counted on to deliver something interesting. This release has me intrigued. I hope our local stockists get tester bottles in, so I can sample it. The last few releases from the brand haven’t graced Australian shores, as far as I’m aware.
Many thanks, dear Daniel. This one is avant garde yet wearable too. CDG Copper is also recommended.
This is one of the brands I’m almost unfamiliar with: somehow I managed to miss it in my in-store sniffs, and I wasn’t attracted to it enough to seek samples online.
I love eating beets, but I don’t think I would appreciate it in my perfume. But will try it though if I come across it somewhere because it is so weird that it is even interesting. Thank you 🙂
I have to ask! How did you achieve the background for the first photo?
Hello, dear Undina, CDG has been a long-time favourite of mine. This perfume is surprisingly accessible, beetroot and all. I used the vinegar from sliced beetroot and had lots of fun splodging it about. Thank you.
Great 👍. Going to track it down to smell. Love the pics too.
Many thanks, dear Aurore. This CDG is well worth seeking out.