WHEN IS A ROSE NOT A ROSE?

When it's a hybrid fragrance for men, designed by innovative perfumer Francis Kurkdjian
BY SARA DARLING

Men's scent is a tricky business. Go too earthy or woody, it can be suffocating, and anything “traditionally manly” like leather, tobacco, whiskey, tar, ocean spray, or desert bonfires is far too contrived. 

The modern man encompasses a lot more than the stereotypes of his predecessor, and perfumer Francis Kurkdjian along with Marc Chaya, Co-founder and President of the fragrance house, Maison Francis Kurkdjian has developed a fragrance for chaps which incorporates the scent of roses. 
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Working closely with Fabien Ducher, from one of the world’s most famous rose-breeding clans, Kurkdjian tracked him down in his farm near Gier, outside of Lyon to begin a quest for the perfect, multi-facetted perfume for the modern man. 

Considering how important the rose is to fragrances- in some scents it is the central facet, Kurkdjian was on a mission to create an undetectable elixir in a combination that was appealing to the modern man.  Selecting delicate May buds, the combination  of absolute of Centifolia rose from Grasse, grapefruit accord, amber woods, essence of cistus from Spain, essence of Damask rose from Bulgaria, essence of sage from France have been blended to create a sensual scent with fruity notes and a woody accord on the bottom.                            
With a mission to eliminate the antiquated ways of thinking and smelling, L’homme a la rose is animalistic yet earthy, and is set to to test masculinity by jarring traditional gender values of rose is only for women. 

Any man who appreciates the finer things in life will appreciate this new emblem of self-expression, which is encapsulated in a mysterious, sophisticated, indulgent fragrance that will last all day.

Purchase the perfume at Harvey Nichols for £180.