Fashion’s enfant terrible has done it again; crafted a coveted, limited edition, art influenced must-have fragrance. By mix-mastering his inimitable style with his 1995 blockbuster eau Le Mâle(which, rumour has it, has been Europe’s number one selling men’s scent since inception), Jean Paul Gaultier’s latest olfactory sensation Le Mâle Eau Fraîche is as original and exciting as it is familiar and comforting.
Airy and fresh on first spritz, the eau de toilette leads with crisp mint, sunny neroli and ethereal aldehyde notes before being absorbed by aromatic sage, sweet Scalene molecule, warm and spicy vanilla and tonka bean, and sensual sandalwood. The overall effect is, like it’s creator, contradictory with one part feeling magical and the other part mischievous. Equal parts intriguing however, is the eau’s limited edition bottle.
While Eau Fraîche is captured in the signature Le Mâle bust, the masculine flacon looks as though a graffiti artist has taken over and left his mark. Rightly so. French playboy, visual artist and graffiti writer André Saraiva collaborated with Gaultier to create the contemporary line drawing of a love-struck, Popeye-reminiscent sailor who’s, seemingly, barely keeping his head above water, while ironically still flexing his muscle. Another contradiction for use, but apropos for the unpredictable, yet always anticipated Gaultier.
Jean Paul Gaultier, Le Mâle Eau Fraîche Limited Edition EDT is $98 for 125 ml, available at Hudson’s Bay, Sephora, Shoppers Drug Mart and Murale stores across Canada.
