Signature
Avon (2008)

Three funny facts, first, this is the only time when I ask a coworker what he was wearing, second, I never thought that I can buy an Avon product!!! third, I have been stop, not one but twice, by random folks, in public area, asking me what was my perfume! Then, Avon cancelled it and I found some kind of little satisfaction with XS (Paco Rabanne) and Terre d'Hermes. But those are definitely not Signature... Try to buy some old bottle on E-Bay, complete disaster! If anyone should have a great alternative, let me know!

Avon Signature (2008) came near the end of an expansion and experimentation spree for the Avon men's range under CEO Andrea Jung. Her ambitions sought to take portions of Avon upmarket, add a significant boost to sales for men, place them in brick and mortar retailers for the first time in their history to broaden their accessibility and appeal, to just generally compete more directly with giants like LVMH, Coty Prestige, Puig, Clarins Group, and so on. To this end, a whole heaping ton of Avon-branded men's fragrances hit catalogs and store shelves in select markets, in addition to doubling down on collaborations with designers and celebrities like they tried in the 80's, with a lot of mixed results both interesting and insipid. Avon Signature (2008) is as it sounds: a fragrance meant to be a signature for a "one fragrance man" kind of guy, although with the way Avon quickly launches then discontinues fragrances, such a product would prove ironically impossible, as it was quickly buried after hitting the 2008 catalogs. I guess it's for the best, as Avon Signature excited no one and went no where, which is a shame really, because it is very nice and has a lot to offer. While not exactly a masterpiece, Avon Signature is one of the more memorable things from Avon during this burgeoning period of creativity.

Senior Perfumer at Robertet Christian Truc created Signature for Avon. He was about two years away from retirement and would leave Robertet shortly after producing this fragrance, the last of many fragrances he had made unsigned for various Robertet clients over the years, including some from Avon when they started outsourcing part of their fragrance development in the 80's. Signature therefore has the professional touches of a classic perfumer, despite Truc having almost zero presence as a name in the industry (whether by choice or consequence is unknown). The opening is fresh grapefruit and apple that quickly mixes with spices like ginger and cinnamon plus a fresh bamboo note in the heart. The base is a mix of Iso E Super, a dry patchouli and a bit of tonka-derived tobacco. This mixture feels like a bit of Vera Wang for Men (2004) mixed with the woody tones of Terre d'Hermès (2006), feeling mature and all-season. The tobacco comes in very subtly underneath the "cedar" and patchouli, with bit of tart apple and spice coming and going wonderfully throughout the wear. Wear time is about eight hours and projection poofs in about the first hour but that dry tobacco and woods base continues on pretty confidently until the end. Best use would be pretty much any time but particularly in fall and winter where the aesthetics of spiced fruit and wood over tobacco would suit.

Could this be a signature? Yeah, I suppose it could. Scarcity of most short-lived 2000's Avons would stay my hand at making this a daily driver, and realistically you could just wear both Vera Wang for Men and Terre d'Hermès interchangeably to get a similar vibe. I'm not saying Signature smells like these two mixed together, just that it has bits and pieces of the vibes both these scents contain, even though it is entire a creature unto itself. I really enjoy Signature and feel with better promotion (like actual advertisement outside Avon catalogs), this could have been a hit on the same level as the well-loved Avon Wild Country (1967), Avon Black Suede (1980), and Avon Mesmerize for Men (1992), effectively being the "keeper" in the catalog as they all have become. Alas, this was not to be and here we are talking about a flash in the pan fragrance marked as a signature but unable to actually be one. The designer collab Hervé Léger Homme (2010) would seemingly take ideas found here further and stay around longer in the catalogs, being a richer representation of the core idea found in Avon Signature, and is worth exploring if you like what's here. Avon Signature as it stands is a thing of quiet, restrained beauty, sold for a song in its time. Thumbs up.

A very heavy fragrance for Men. It's like wearing your grandfather's old leather jacket. not for me. I regret having bought it.

A sweet, rich and creamy fragrance which to my nose is very reminiscent of Black XS. It doesn't quite have the projection or staying power of the Paco Rabanne scent; however both are above average and are pretty good when the price is taken into account. A good effort from Avon and a fragrance that punches above its weight.