We see juniper and angelica join a dry lemon, with the former replacing pepper and lime of olden varieties, but delivering that same dry bracing opening, but with a touch more floral character. This is honestly the best part of Voyage d'Hermès, and lasts the longest. Once all of an hour passes, we go into a rather reference-grade cedar smell, which isn't quite "hamster cage" level, but very evident. The final phase gives us some pink pepper, Australian sandalwood, and the expectant dry white musk filler. Thankfully, this is devoid of any norlimbanol or ambroxan abuse shenanigans, but if you know anything about Jean-Claude Ellena, you'll know that sort of bludgeoning sillage isn't his style. After four hours this is all but a memory on skin, albeit a pleasant memory, I'd call this a casual all-season scent as well, so wear it anytime, anywhere you please, outside maybe formal occasions. I'm also not sure how you would refill the supposed refillable bottle, as the only thing I see sold at the Hermès counters most places is the bottle and stand together, so there's that to consider as well. The nine plates tell the loose story of a wondrous journey in which a glowing, rainbow-coloured bird leads an explorer across vast, uncanny landscapes. Many of Moebius’ lifelong visual preoccupations are here: austere deserts with limitless horizons, the melding of architecture and landform, flying machines and flying beasts, crystals and spheres. These nine images construct a world as beautiful and coherent as any Moebius ever created. Above: Plate 8. As for the age range, it’s perfectly wearable for anyone in their late twenties but is probably more suitable for someone who is established. Therefore, it’s a great fragrance for those in their thirties, forties or above. However, in 2010 and at the age of 72, the master of French sci-fi comics released a nine plate folio that might be viewed as a culmination of his entire career, Voyage d’Hermès, subtitled “ Les Mondes Élémentaires: Un Voyage Imaginé et Dessiné par Moebius” or “ The Elemental Worlds: An Imagined and Drawn Journey by Moebius“. Above: Plates 3 and 4. Being a very deep and sensual fragrance, it was better received by more mature people from their thirties and above. However, it’s a very contemporary if classy blend. Conversely, it came across as a little too prominent for younger people. Nevertheless, it’s a fragrance that both men and women find attractive and this universality is probably the secret to its success.

However, it’s probably too heavy and musky for a summer’s day. Instead, it’s the perfect companion for balmy summer nights. Thanks to its paradoxical fresh and warm notes, it complements the heat and offers something that is both unique an alluring. With a rich floral heart over a woody and musk base, Voyage d’Hermès is a proud member of the Woody Floral Musk olfactive sub-family. Head Notes It is, as advertised, perfectly unisex: anyone could wear it. It isn't my absolute favorite of what Jean-Claude Ellena has done at Hermès so far, but I loved it at first sniff and went right on loving it over the course of subsequent tries. I think fans of his work will be pleased. My guess is that non-fans will not be converted. After having used Voyage d’Hermès for a number of months, it was time to give it a full review using the Fragrance Formula to see how it fares. I also agree with grapefruit and something slightly mineralic but do you also get something like ( very clean) vetiver? Maybe it’s the combination of other notes that’s creating the illusion.

I haven’t noticed any difference between city and suburban SA’s but my shopping experiences are pretty much limited to the city I’m in. That doesn’t surprise me at all, though. I do think my age factors into it; I probably seem pretty young for someone into perfume, especially for a man. Even when I say, “Oh, that must be the rhubarb I read about,” they tend to look around like I’m beneath them. Sometimes I feel like screaming, “I like perfume and I’m actually willing to pay what you’re selling it for. Would you please at least ACT like you’re paying attention?” Ok, that was my little side rant. The bottle (designed by Philippe Mouquet, an in-house designer at Hermès) looks brilliant but I have not seen it in person, if you have, please comment! Following the success of the 2010 eau de toilette of the same name, Hermès released the parfum edition in 2012. Also created by the in-house nose, Jean-Claude Ellena, the parfum promises an enriched experience with a composition of citrusy aromas, spicy blends as well as herbaceous green notes and precious wood. These images have achieved a sort of internet fame in the years since his passing, and are often used as prime examples of the masterful art style he used throughout his career. One thing that is rarely noted however is that these images were not typical of his work, but were instead a bold, late-career experiment. Moebius crafted the entire set digitally on a Wacom Cintiq, a technology he adopted only a couple of years prior, after a lifetime of pen and paper. Elderly and ailing, Moebius was still experimenting with his craft, and with Voyage d’Hermès reaching new heights. Above: The 9th and concluding plate in the Voyage d’Hermès folio.

Finally, Voyage d’Hermès is a strange beast when it comes to the masculine. On paper, its notes are rather masculine and sound like something best worn by men. However, it’s very much a unisex fragrance that can be bought by anyone or even shared by a couple.

What Do People Think Of Voyage d’Hermès?

Although deep and heady, Voyage is far from overpowering. The notes cycle through their dry-down with a few transitional notes extending others along the way. As mentioned above, the cardamom is really what makes this fragrance sing and is omnipresent throughout its lifespan. And I totally agree with you about the overall direction that Hermes are taking with their fragrances. The obvious choice for them would have been to go down the old-fashioned, stuffy route to go alongside the ornate scarves but instead they are clearly heading in the more chic and understated luxury direction. Good on them, I’m always interested in what they are doing.

Voyage d'Hermès is the latest from perfumer Jean-Claude Ellena at Hermès. Reportedly he wanted the unisex fragrance to say "It's calling to me" rather than "It reminds me"; that is, Voyage d'Hermès — unlike the Jardin series — is not intended to evoke any particular place or time. Hermès is calling Voyage a fresh musky woods, but so far as I know they have not released a list of notes — presumably in keeping with the intention that "this perfume would not smell of a kind of wood, a flower, a particular raw material, but of the unknown in all its glory". 1

Date

In terms of occasion, it can be quite versatile. As much as it’s a respectable office fragrance that isn’t overpowering for small workplaces, it’s best reserved for the nighttime. Therefore, whether you’re just going out, staying casual or enjoying your evening, it’s a wonderful companion. We’d even suggest it as a unique alternative for dating! Voyage d’Hermès features a very interesting and unique flacon. Said to be designed for travelling, the glass swivels inside a metal frame so that it can’t be accidentally pressed when in your luggage. However, I’m not quite convinced that it’s a practical solution. Hermès Voyage d'Hermès is available in 35 and 100 ml refillable Eau de Toilette spray and in 125 ml refills. It can be found now at Hermès boutiques, and is expected to go into wider distribution in April.