This month? We try out John Varvatos XX Artisan EDT
Since we sat across the table in his NYC studio and chatted well over a decade ago, we’ve been big fans of John Varvatos. As a designer, he’s nothing but talented, his menswear a juxtaposition of clean and timeless aesthetic with cool bad boy indifference. As the man behind the eponymous brand, he is authentic, a grounded visionary with a touch of rebellion. The combination is intriguing and genuine and never fails to leave us wanting more. It’s why we’re gravitating towards the brand’s XX Artisan Eau de Toilette.
Fresh, aromatic and uplifting, this eau first engages the senses with a hit of sweet bergamot mixed with bitter orange notes. Like an olfactory Prozac, the blend immediately stimulates feelings of ease and happiness. Spicy Sichaun pepper and green geranium soon waft forward adding complexity, before being consumed by earthy vetiver, leafy woodworm, warm cedar and sensual musk. The overall effect is magnetic, simultaneously lifting the energy and mood of whomever wears it, while pulling those around him inwards, closer.
Like it’s Artisan predecessors, the curved-edged bottle is wrapped in a basket-weave covering. This time though it is in a silver hue to denote the touch of bad boy energy hidden inside the flacon. The look is one part new, another part cool and all parts the heart of the brand himself, John Varvatos, who we once had the honour to sit across from and listen to his stories…
John Varvatos XX Artisan EDT, $115 for 125 ml, available at Hudson’s Bay stores and online at www.thebay.com.
