Bel Ami

complex opening with layers of beautiful accords working in harmony. dries down to a clean and soft woody/leather base that is somehow familiar at this point in time.. this works well for me, I am at a phase of my long fragrance journey where I would rather smell good and somehow "predictable", I want my fragrance to complement my presence not take over it..

Woody, barbershoppy, Chypre. Not a winner. Boring and not my style. Old school.

8.4/10 Really nice chypre. Lighter than Anateus and Eucris.

I didnt even get a vintage, just a 2022 bottle. This is PAINFULLY beautiful...i cant believe i waited so long to get this one. im going to need some time with it before i write one of my novel length reviews, this is so artful and perfectly blended. Simply amazing, and im not sure how Roger Bird could have improved this much, even this new bottle i got: this smells 100% as good as a roja already and also has that hardcore strict french style alot of rojas have. Somebody said "old money x bad boy"....Yup 100%

Very raw petrol and mechanic shop smell. Not a soft leather or suede. Bel Ami Vetiver is similar but a bit lighter ^Free Palestine^

old money x bad boy

I tried the 1988 and 2026 versions today, and there's an incredible difference. The vintage version is beautiful; you can feel the difference as soon as you squeeze it. The oakmoss leather is much more prominent. The stretch is 10/8.5, while the 2026 version is 10/4. The 2026 version is much more delicate, much more subdued; the orris and amber tones are more prominent. 1988 10/9 2026 10/5

I have a shaker bottle and the modern version. I prefer the modern Bel Ami; it's smoother and easier to wear, while still retaining the original's essence.

I purchased a modern decant. It starts reminding me of Aramis and turns into Anteaus. It's really nice and makes me wonder what a vintage version would wear like.

I really don't understand how designer fragrance makers manage to make these smell so... designery. It's a very beautiful scent, well rounded, but it gives you the impression of a common smell (even though it's not). Maybe it's just me. Extremely beautiful and timeless frag, nevertheless. I see that some people compare it to Roja Fetish. But that's not the only Roja creation that was inspired by Bel Ami. Roja Apex Parfum takes something from this DNA, removes the leather for those who don't like the note, and makes a much greener composition. I personally enjoy Apex Parfum more than Bel Ami. Hopefully Fetish will come back in stock so that I can compare all three.

If I wasn't lucky enough to find Roja's Fetish pour homme recently available on his site I would 100% get this. Old formulation I never tried but this current one smells really good and I can clearly see where Roja got his inspiration from. Love this DNA.

I notice that nostalgia comes into play with a fragrance like this. No, the new is not as powerful as your 80s bottle. It's not 40 years old and it's been replaced partially with synthetics. Like my nonna's Shalimar or even my most recent LADDM vs my original from years ago ... I've owned both the shaker bottle of old and a new full bottle. They smell almost the same. Time plays tricks on us, convinced the old editions of things are always better... The first time is always special and we're always going to chase that feeling. Cope.

I had an old shaker bottle and sold it about 9 years ago. I liked it, but wasn't into leather so much. Vintage Equipage is my signature. But after enjoying my 8 ml shaker mini, my taste has changed, and I just order a vintage partial. Hope it hasn't turned. It seems to age well as I recall. Mixed reviews about the current form, mostly not good. PS: I received a 2001 vintage. It smells richer and deeper than those 8 ml minis being sold. It smells like an Areej le Dore classic. 2002 was the last year of the shaker bottles. Rating: 9.5/10 God bless. John 3:16

Classy, mature, masculine. A bit spicy, a bit floral. I swear there is coriander in this, but it's not listed anywhere. I like it a lot. Reminds me of Le 3e Homme de Caron.

About the vintage miniature shaker. The obligatory citrusiness at the beginning lingers in the background like the ghost of a man's cologne. I love the subtle bitter smokiness of this scent (castoreum) combined with the subtle spicy sweetness of reddish wood, red woollen cape and the soft white flesh of cold, fatty nuts. You won't smell such a fragrance in a crowd now, which makes it doubly valuable. It gives a real rest from vulgar perfumery. Very good for the cold snap at the end of summer, cloudy days, for cold seasons. Warms and soothes in autumn and winter storms like a true friend. This scent is like a saving den for the brown bear of my soul during the Wild Hunt. I curl up and warm myself by the fire and remember someone's school album with a questionnaire that was passed around. There was a question: what should a real man be like? A classmate, the daughter of a sea captain and who started many things early, answered like this: "With a hairy chest."

Here we have a nasty leather accord, the same as in Vetiver, but with less smokiness, which evokes the realms of Noire A L’Extreme or Dior’s elevated flankers. A sweet-and-sour leather, for those who absolutely want this variation.

Got a 100ml bottle today. Very good fragrance but actually i do not get leather. To me it smells citrusy,green and herbal. Maybe there is a touch of leather but overall it's a herbal fragrance. Most of this brand's fragrances have that same green and herbal quality. IMO a bit overpriced but it smells quite unique. Performance is ok.

The Chronicles of Kapow or The Ultimate Fragrance Buyer’s Guide Until I Find a More Pompous Title: Entry Number 18 A timeless elegance. A rich, warm, perfectly blended leathery chypres by Hermès. It is not sweet and I like that. It is woody, aromatic with oakmoss and animalic. It is both addictive an easy to wear. It is also more versatile than what its reputation suggests. It works well for younger and older men and a woman could make good use of it. I had prejudices towards this fragrance. It was too old school, not modern enough in my mind. It is old school, for sure, but it still works, it defies time. It is almost too good for its own good. In my book: A+ Summa Cum Laude. One of the very best in my very personal book.

I am so up in the air about this fragrance. I don't need another bottle in my collection. That said, I very much like Bel Ami (decanted sample) and it puts me in the mind of a clean, spicy, masculine barbershop-type scent. I find it similar to Antaeus (believe that comparison) and in the neighborhood of Fendi Uomo. Highly recommend. UPDATE: I was on the fence about this one, nursing a decant, but finally went full-sized bottle, and very happy about it.

I have the vintage fragrance available. With matching # on box and fragrance. Pm if interested, thx.

Oh yeah. This one hits the spot. The opening is surpassingly weird; funky, rotten-sweet, fruity, almost earthy or mushroomy? I like it, because I’m weird, but it’s definitely a trip. In a few minutes, though, what you’ve got is a great leather chypre. To me, this is a feel-good scent. Rich and rollicking. Not far from Azuree, I think; except Azuree’s accents are citrusy and Bel Ami’s accents are spiced and earthy-warm. The far drydown is creamy, dusty, sweet-ish; I get orris root (in the low doses that give buttery texture without screaming “Carrots”) and a warm brown resin, maybe the styrax. Cozy. If there’s a defining distinction between “feminine” and “masculine” leather chypres, I don’t know what it is. In my opinion, if you like the genre, try em all, independent of gender. Bel Ami gets reviewed as really “masculine” but I truly don’t see a hard line between it and Azuree. Bel Ami is definitely on the warmer side, as leather chypres go; yes, there’s oakmoss, but there’s not much else in the green/bitter column. Definitely friendlier than Bandit, Cabochard, Brood, or (shudder) Le Sillage Blanc; on the other hand, not as mellow as Habit Rouge (which is much more vanillic and resinous). And definitely not in the sweetened-leather category that includes, like, Cuir de Russie or Tuscan Leather or Cuir Mauresque. Bel Ami is friendly — not unctuous. You ever had a study buddy? Like, actually sit next to someone translating a text together in real time, so that when you figure out a word, or he does, you both laugh out loud kicking yourselves that you didn’t get it sooner? It’s surprisingly intimate because you’re letting someone inside your thought process; and that means when it *works*, it’s the second most fun thing you can do with another human.

I have mixed feelings for this one myself. I refer to the current version. I've tried it on paper at the local Hermes boutique and loved it overall. I pictured an oily, floral leather, so refined and sofisticated. My bottle came from an online discounter and everything seems valid to me. However the fragrance is significantly different with only the middle notes resembing my experience at the boutique. The opening is harsh with boozy accords, transitioning to a nice oily leather, but only to dry down a few minutes later to a dry cedar, both on skin and on paper. I think my experience is similar to what @Mr. Boston described below. Unsure if that's a different formulation from the one at the boutique or just got a bad bottle. Will give it some time though to macerate and see how it goes. Will update again if anything changes.

I don’t have much experience with Bel Ami, I’m familiar with the current formulation which I love but have only just gotten around to smelling a decant from a vintage bottle - and it’s absolutely enchanting. Truly one of the greatest leather scents of all time, the epitome of masculinity. The leather itself is very dry and somewhat vegetal, from the inclusion of Vetiver, patchouli and basil, and yet it also comes off notably warming and spicy due to that powerful carnation note. Of course, alongside all this, a gentle harmony of bitter citrus rinds, crisp woods and bitter oakmoss give it a wondrous dated elegance; something very clearly from another generation, yet smells timeless. I have always been a huge fan of Roja’s Fetish Pour Homme, which is obviously heavily inspired by this. Whilst I do think Fetish improved upon the scent profile, Bel Ami deserves all the credit for being the first to embody such a unique and iconic compositions. This is a must-have for all leather fans.

To me it's a & spicy coriander leather scent . Old school masterpiece but not for everyone . Decent sillage and longevity

Something about this fragrance is so mysterious, sensual, enticing and mature. Leather with a burst of fresh spiciness upon first spray, once the notes land you are left with this aura of confidence that hits your olfactory senses. Love it.

I have the modern reformulation version only. Smells great. I will buy a small vintage splash versions to compare this too. As is , it is great. It's a nice citrus leather combination. So is Caron Yatagan.

I think the latest formulation is wonderful. I bought the newer version first and loved it. I loved it so much I thought it might be a great idea to splurge on the vintage shaker and was disappointed it didn't project. I actually sent back that shaker and bought another shaker on ebay and experienced the same thing. That last one appears to be a mint condition bottle. I decanted both into a 5ml atomizers. The newer version is stronger to my nose and more pleasing. The vintage is not the beast I was promised in all the reviews below. To have to this opinion cost me approximately $520 USD. Let it be a cautionary tale. I'm wearing vintage copper cap Eau d'Hermes and it's massive compared to vintage shaker Bel Ami. If you read the reviews of EdH you'll see all this info about it being a subtle perfume. I don't know what to tell you. Maybe go for the 2nd iteration of Bel Ami instead if you think you really need a vintage. Personally, I wish I could have 4 bottles of the current Bel Ami instead of owning the vintage shaker. I should also add that I like the flanker Bel Ami Vetiver, although not as much as the current Bel Ami. I do like it more than the vintage shaker. I also like Moschino Pour Homme more than the shaker, but not as much as the current version. Bel Ami Vetiver and Moschino Pour Homme are pretty strong. I can't quite smell the connection between Moschino and Bel Ami.

This smells like a cough medicine for me, I can't shake it off. Very spicy, warm, cozy. One of the classics for sure. It is always interesting how fragrances evolve and how different the tastes used to be earlier.

If anybody selling a full vintage bottle and is willing to ship to Canada/USA, please send me a message in fragrantica, or [email protected]

Spiced oranges with a vaguely leathery background , can pick up on a touch of styrax giving it a reassuring animalic feel. On initial sniff it's quiet breathtaking my only qualm is the depth is very light by modern standards, lots of scents like this though could easily be ruined trying to amp everything up to obnoxious levels, hating on this is like hating on the beatles , absolutely genius level perfumery