Versus Uomo
Versace (1991)

As I wear it on this hot summer day, Versus Uomo has me eager for autumn. I imagine it being an early October day, and I am dressed in a decidedly more distinguished manner than a t-shirt, camo shorts, and New Balance sneakers. I imagine that it may even be a different time, different decade even. It's a bit more cloudy, but not overcast. The neighborhood in my neighborhood has lots of wrought-iron fences and large beech trees. I am walking to a library to read, and the internet either doesn't yet exist or exists no more.

Versus Uomo smells of large creamy, limey-lemony magnolia blooms that are just starting to wilt and brown at the edges; fleshy pulpy, papaya mixed with fresh lavender; a spiced carnation that was experiencing its last gasps in men's fragrance at the time of its release; a lot of soft-peppery-fruit linalool that recalls my beloved Habit Rouge. The dry down somewhat echoes that dusky base of Zino, slightly more smooth and soft-woody. The synesthesia in me feels like this is the way an oboe sounds: a wistful, keen pungency with a soft interior.

A spicy, soapy, mature scent in the opening. As it dries down, becomes more agreeable, very pleasant and smells like a classic shaving cream/barbershop scent. The drydown definitely changed my mind on this one, going from something I wanted to wash off in the opening to something I wanted to keep smelling all day.

Good projection during the first hour and then settles down. I kept getting hints of it all workday, so decent longevity.

Its a absolute masterpiece.no other scent resemble it.
Very hard to categorize it cause its a odd unique fragrance.lavender flowers and vanilla have a significant role in it.
9.5/10

A strange mix of notes, perhaps a floral oriental, but what puzzles me is the fact It reminds me of chocolate wafer! Definitely different from nowadays ultra sweet chocolate syrup. A bit odd, a neutral for me.

Versus was a prêt-à-porter brand originally launched by Gianni Versace as a street-smart and slightly lower-cost alternative line to the standard Versace label in the same way that Chaps differentiated from Polo in Ralph Lauren's ready-to-wear divisions. The launch of Versus in the 90's coincided with the increasing popularity of the main line with rock stars (then later Hip Hop moguls), and the general zeitgeist with the brand which reached a head during Gianni's tragic murder. During his time alive, he would eventually put sister Donatella Versace in charge of the Versus label, then roll the Versace Blue Jeans line into the Versus line to simplify things, renaming the marquee Versace Blue Jeans (1994) and all other "jeans" perfumes as Versus scents. But before all that, a his and hers pair of eponymous Versus perfumes were created to celebrate the launch, with Versus per Uomo (1991) being the male counterpart. Versus per Uomo was only the second masculine from the house, with the very stately and Mature-themed Versace L'Homme (1984) being the only other one at time of lauch, so the idea was for something much younger and more casual in nature. The truth is the scent is neither young nor particularly casual to modern noses used to predominantly aromachemical bases full of ozonic, sweet, or shampoo-fresh notes, but Versus per Uomo was at the time a lighter option in the face of outgoing mossy chypres, powerhouse animalic orientals, or dandy-like musky floral fougères which gave a bombastic neon glow to the 1980's.

Versus itself belonged to a floral semi-oriental fougère class began in earnest with releases like Chanel Égoïste (1990) and eventually fading from view with scents like Penhaligon's Endymion (2003) once woodyambers started filling the same purpose, but in its day was a nice midway between a full-on moss bomb or a vapid early aquatic. The opening to Versus per Uomo is rather classic and somewhat "fresh" for the segment, using peach lactone and lavender over a light bergamot and petitgrain citrus that gives a lemony impression. This stuff really reminds me of a midway between a heavier oriental like Avon Mesmerize for Men (1992) and a lighter floral fougère such as Anthracite Pour L'Homme by Jacomo (1992), although Versus presages them both and also reminds me of an early blueprint for Allure Homme Edition Blanché (2008) in the opening. Coriander and carnation add smooth sweet spice while rosewood and orris continue on into clean fougère tones, playing semi-oriental tug-of-war into a creamy sandalwood and amber base with oakmoss touches and a pinch of rounding vanilla. Astoundingly this works in warmer weather thanks to the vibrant fruit and citrus top, and a base gentle enough not to swelter in heat. The excruciating precise balance on display is niche in tone but sadly performance is the one hangup of Versus per Uomo, which becomes a skin scent in a matter of hours even if longevity as such is all-day beyond that. I'd say this is almost a year-rounder, and an oddball but pleasant scent for weekends or jeans and T-shirt days at the office.

Casual but classy is the feeling I get, although it goes against the branding aesthetic which is adorned with hard looks and leather jackets. The 1960's James Dean wannabes on the original box art make one think Versus per Uomo is going to be another forgotten 80's/90's cusp powerhouse that washed upon the shores of the "fresh revolution", but the smell is far too subtle and nearly artisanal for that, being closer to a "beige age" fresh fougère like Paco Rabanne XS Pour Homme (1993) or Liz Claiborne Curve for Men (1996) than anything else, just with more quirkiness and a smattering of oriental richness to boot. I like Versus per Uomo and am aware that it has its fans who sorely miss it, but like everything else in the now-defunct Versus label (perfumes included), it comes across slightly incongruous to me as the very concept of "designer streetwear" seems in the first place, which is probably what Donatella also thought when she killed the brand and merged the Blue Jeans perfumes back into the Versace stable. All told, if you're able to come across this cheaply I'd recommend a sniff, but paying anywhere near retail prices let alone collector's coin for it is silly, because the 90's was rife with gentle floral semi-oriental and/or fresh fougères just like this, with the greatest standout features of Versus being the interesting opening and a total lack of sharp edges in the execution thanks to impeccable blending from its unknown perfumer. Thumbs up.

There is no doubt in quality of classic perfumes and this one is no exception.thid is materpiece