Tom Ford: a brand synonymous with confidence and unbridled sensuality. We’ll be blunt – generally, Tom Ford cologne isn’t really suited for work, unless your work happens to be in the open air, or perhaps you’re in fashion and have a light hand. They’re big, uncompromising scents that no one can miss, but no one could forget, either.
These minimalist (yet deliciously retro) bottles are best reserved for nights on the town, second dates, wine tastings, and sunny getaways. But which goes best where? Consider this your engraved invitation to delve into the refined, wild world of Tom Ford (TF).
Café Rose
Café Rose is a re-release, and the new juice is a spicy, dark coffee-spiked floral with notes of cardamom, patchouli, woods, and sweet resins. Turkish rose is a central player here, but Café Rose occupies the no-rules realm of the unisex fragrance.
Reach for this exotically flavored fragrance in its rose-brown bottle when you want to exude mystery and power. It’s right at home at small live music venues, burlesque shows, and intimate evening gatherings. Like Billie Eilish’s Happier Than Ever, Café Rose is a multifaceted gem. One side reveals a seductive pout, and another, a wicked grin.
Grey Vetiver
Tom Ford fragrances are renowned for their glamorous yet restrained bottles that exist in perfect harmony with the scents they contain. Grey Vetiver, cast in a now-iconic TF shape, calls to mind both a skyscraper and a flask, with all the ambition and mischief that it may imply. Cleanly spicy, sharply woody, and drenched in sunny citrus, Grey Vetiver exists to challenge and pay homage to bygone era colognes.
Like traditional spicy colognes, this fragrance is a shot of confidence, but it can be a little domineering. It won’t leave the office well after the cleaning crew. Skip direct application and try spritzing and passing casually through the mist as if you own the place. For this, only Duran Duran‘s eponymous album (Deluxe Edition) will do.
Myrrhe Mystère
Imagine a professor at a university — a little reserved, but with refined taste, eclectic interests, and a tweed jacket — OK, we’re just describing Indiana Jones in his capacity as archeology prof. Well, that’s Myrrhe Mystère. Only recently announced, Myrrhe Mystere (MM) promises to be a plush cocktail of rich vanilla, sandalwood, precious resins, and musk.
If you’re looking for a comfortingly spiced fragrance with a rich base for the impending fall and winter months, MM is the one to watch. Spritz it on before a crisp evening walk, a date at a used record store, or a low-key night in with someone special. Don’t forget to put on Billie Holiday’s All or Nothing at All.
Black Orchid Parfum
An intoxicating blend of plum, truffle, ylang-ylang, rum, black orchid, and patchouli awaits the adventurer who tries Black Orchid Parfum. Neither feminine nor masculine, yet distinctly seductive, this fragrance is a heady dream of far-flung locations. Several different interpretations exist of the first TF Black Orchid (named for Tom Ford’s personal obsession with finding the perfect flower), exploring its many shades.
The Parfum is seen as the most luxurious take. Long lasting, deep, and powerful, it’s best uncorked on the most formal evening of your tropical vacation, the last night of a voyage, or the evening you choose to propose. We’ve paired this glorious golden bottle with David Bowie’s immortal Let’s Dance.
Cherry Smoke
No one wants to smell exactly like the next guy down the hall. By blending the uber trendy sour cherry note with saffron, Chinese osmanthus, leather, smoke, woody notes, olive, and apricot, it’s safe to say TF knew it was creating something so original that it could become iconic.
Take Cherry Smoke for a test drive and revel in its strange glory — its smoky, leathery fruit-accented notes may intrigue. The poisonously appealing apothecary style bottle (another classic Tom Ford bottle shape) will most certainly call to you. As with all Tom Ford, spritz sparingly and avoid close-knit professional environments. Cherry Smoke sings best in art galleries and dicey nightclubs. As you get ready, set the mood with Lust for Life by Iggy Pop.
Costa Azzurra Parfum
We’ve mentioned Costa Azzurra before, but there’s a good reason. Costa Azzurra is just a fantastic Tom Ford cologne for men, full stop. Consider it an approachably traditional mix of woody notes, zingy citrus, and fresh spicy notes set against a backdrop of deep amber. Cypress, oak, and labdanum give the Italian lemon a bit of bite and staying power.
This sunny golden wonder is perhaps too vacation-minded for the office, but we’ll leave that up to you. It compels the wearer to try their hand at sailing or throwing an all-night beach bonfire party. Pair Costa Azzurra with the eternal I’m Still in Love with You by Al Green.
