Versace Blue Jeans (1994)

by: Dr. Marlen Elliot Harrison

This is another in a series of bargain fragrance reviews, scents that may be found online or at discount stores for US $25 or less. Leave a comment below for your chance to receive a sample, shipped anywhere in the world, free!

Summary: One of Versace’s biggest hits of the 90s, Blue Jeans celebrates its 20th birthday this year and shows no signs of aging. Still as intriguing and relevant today under the more affordable Versus label as it was at its launch, this citrus, powdery woods and vanilla/lavender composition offers kitschy packaging, a unisex amber aroma, and a completely affordable price tag.

Perfumer: Jean-Pierre Bethouart.

Try this if you like: Lavender, vanilla, powder, light amber aromas, citrus, Play-Doh, sweet scents.

Pros & Cons: Blue Jeans has been around for a while at major discount shops and as such, some might easily pass it over due to price, packaging and age. But its packaging is half the fun: a blue, glass, cola bottle adorned with lions’ heads and housed in an aluminum cylinder. And as amusing as this is, don’t let it suggest that the scent housed inside is not quality. Most reviewers seem to enjoy the aroma but those wary of vanilla/lavender aromas and powder might want to sample with caution. Despite reformulation, I still find the longevity and sillage to be well-above average. Easily unisex by today’s standards.

Notes: “Bergamot, lemon, anise, basil and palisander tree. Geranium, rose, lavender, jasmine, sage, heliotrope and lily are at its heart. The drydown contains the notes of iris, sandalwood, vetiver, musk, patchouli, Tonka bean, vanilla and amber.”—Fragrantica.com

Reminds me of: It’s funny—there are no fragrances listed under “reminds me of” on its Fragrantica page. This underscores the originality of Blue Jeans. I find it somewhat similar to Kenzo Power (a much later release) and Versace Man in the purple bottle thanks to a mysterious, sweet tobacco note (though tobacco is nowhere to be found in Blue Jeans’ composition). I also pick up saffron inBlue Jeans, but again, this note is not listed in the composition. There is something at the core of this scent that regularly calls to mind Winnegrad’s original 1978 Lagerfeld for Men (Lagerfeld Classic). And finally, in the scent’s final stages, is that a hint of Mugler Angel for Women? Designer’s Description: N/A. Number of times tested: 100+ over the last 20 years.

Number of sprays applied for this review: 2 sprays to the back of hand from a bottle I purchased.

Fragrance strength: Eau de Toilette

Development: (Linear / Average / Complex) Although I wouldn’t necessarily describe Blue Jeans as a complex aroma despite that long list of notes, the composition does have a bit of movement as it relaxes from citric to sweet to powdery.

Longevity: (Short / Average / Long-lasting) I can get around 5-7 hours.

Sillage: (A Little / Average / A Lot) Aromatic enough to be noticed by those around me during its first hour; no one could really detect it while around me after that. Likely office-safe.

Note about the packaging: See Pros and Cons above.

Where can I buy it? Found online for as little as $20 USD for a 75 ml EDT spray new in box, er, rather, new in can.

The Bottom Line: Love at first sniff, I first encountered Versace Blue Jeans in 1994 while traveling in Europe. In fact, the same Brussels shopping trip also introduced me to another similarly sweet and longtime favorite—Roma Uomo by Laura Biagiotti, review coming soon. I was fortunate enough to have received a deluxe mini of Blue Jeans with my Roma purchase and almost immediately emptied it, knowing that it would be only a matter of time until I owned a full bottle.

For me, Blue Jeans is the scent of a youthful winter in London spent clubbing, theater going, and sightseeing. More importantly, there is nothing jeans-ish about the aroma for me, rather it paired perfectly with my Spanish Navy pea coat bought at Covent Garden market. Every time I wear that coat I am immediately reminded of Blue Jeans, chilly evenings, and riding the train to and from Waterloo Station.

Blue Jeans is a little oddity in that it is really an amber fragrance with some unusual twists and turns. First of all, Blue Jeans has a remarkable lemon/geranium/bergamot accent that keeps it surprisingly fresh. Next, there are plenty of herbals to anchor the middle range such as basil, sage and juniper. The florals—jasmine, rose, carnation, lily of the valley, and heliotrope—are also there in abundance, but not in such a way as to dominate any part of the development. I’d say that the florals and herbs meld into an almost singular character. Finally come the woods and oriental basenotes—rosewood, tonka, vanilla, amber, sandalwood, patchouli, vetiver, and cedar. This finish is not quite as rich nor as dark as one might expect, and despite this long list of notes, the fragrance rarely offers the wearer evidence of such complexity. The overall effect for me is of an ambery, slightly chocolatey Lagerfeld with fresher topnotes and sweeter (hard sugar candy vs creamy chocolate) basenotes. Does anyone else get that comparison?

I know you’ve seen it a million times, I know it’s “cheap,” I know it comes in a glass cola bottle with lions, and I know the packaging reads “for men,” but for such a mainstream offering, the juice inside is anything but! When nearly every major label launch these days, especially in men’s perfumery, seems to be limited to ad hoc copies of Spicebomb and Dior Homme, or the perpetual citric sport cologne,Blue Jeans is a now-vintage and completely affordable option that just might surprise you!