Viktor and Rolf's SpicebombIllustrations by Tonia Cowan / The Globe and Mail
A follow-up to their hit women's fragrance of 2005, fresh, peppery Spicebomb by Dutch fashion bad-boys Viktor & Rolf is aimed at guys who are real 'live wires.'
The Scent
Spicebomb by Viktor & Rolf
The back story
Pushing off against the blockbuster success of Flowerbomb, a sweet, rose-heavy women's fragrance released seven years ago, designers Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren have launched a companion scent for men that they describe as equal parts "explosive" and "addictive."
What it smells like
Citrusy notes of bergamot and grapefruit react with spicy, warm tobacco, leather and pink pepper to create a pushpull evocative of a velvety, sexy household cleaner.
The nose
Olivier Polge, who also created Flowerbomb. The son of Chanel's in-house master perfumer, Jacques Polge, he comes by his power nose naturally and is known for the scents he has designed for Burberry, Bulgari, Clinique, Balenciaga, Dior, Ungaro, Armani and more. "There is a mystery to his perfumes," Snoeren says.
The look
Created by design overlord Fabien Baron (art director of Interview and, before that, French and Italian Vogue), the smoky grey bevelled bottle mimics the shape of a grenade. The black band around the centre is meant to resemble grosgrain ribbon, a sartorial touch.
The face
Model Sean O'Pry, 22. In the black-and-white print ads shot by Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin, a shirtless, well-oiled O'Pry cushions the grenade bottle's pin between his pillowy lips.
Who it's for
The Spicebomb man (according to Viktor & Rolf, at least) is "reassuring yet dangerously addictive, a live wire. He embraces it all, even the paradoxes."
Cachet factor
While the name alone should have mainstream impact, the fragrance is forceful enough to be a major prestige player.
Where to buy it
The Bay ( www.thebay.com).
Pr ice
$75 for 50 ml, $99 for 90 ml.
Amy Verner