Obsession for All (1986)

by: Dr. Marlen Elliot Harrison

This is another in a series of fragrance reviews that asks, “How does fragrance transcend gender?” Leave a comment below for your chance to receive a sample, shipped anywhere in the world, free!

Hello and welcome to “Gender Bender,” an exploration of aroma, gender and scented freedom. Though by no means do I personally prescribe to fragrance having a gender, sociocultural stereotypes about masculinity and femininity often prevail at the fragrance counters and are viewed as important distinctions for many fragrance fans. Join me as I explore some of my favorite 20th century masterpieces of perfumery in my quest to challenge marketing rhetoric and address the question, “How does fragrance transcend gender?”

Summary: Calvin Klein’s second men’s fragrance offered an inspired and not too dissimilar counterpart to the oriental bestseller, Obsession (for women). Having once seemed out of style compared to the clean marine and ozonics of the 90s, the current oud and spice trend brings Obsession for Men very much back into fashion. With the popularity of brands like Comme des Garçons, L’Artisan and Serge Lutens who generally avoid gender distinctions, Obsession for Men’s cinnamon-tinged incense and amber is arguably a perfect gender bending scent for women, as well.

Perfumer: Bob Slattery

Try this if you like: Cinnamon, amber, incense, or spicy scents; fragrances likeYouth Dew, Aromatics Elixir, YSL Opium, Rabanne La Nuit, Paloma Picasso, DK Black Cashmere, 10 Corso Como, or Costes.

Pros & Cons: Obsession for Men surprisingly maintains its integrity after numerous reformulations over the last 30 years; excellent longevity and sillage; easily available and highly affordable. Many may remember this as the best friend’s, boyfriend’s or father’s scents and as such, might find it difficult to overcome the scented associations. A perfect choice for women looking to ditch the gourmands and florals and experiment with a fragrance offering a bit more spice and backbone. The drydown is my favorite part, offering an ambery warmth that is decidedly different from the spicier opening. Many reviewers describe it as “heavy,” “outdated,” “stifling” and “old” while others find it to still be a fragrance masterpiece and perhaps the most mature and serious of Calvin Klein’s men’s offerings. To be sure the scent is in keeping with others of its time when carnation and cinnamon were still widely employed.

Notes: “Mandarin, bergamot, lavender, myrrh, sage, spices, amber, musk, sandalwood, vetiver, patchouli.”—CalvinKlein.com. “A fresh citrus explosion at the top notes (tangerine, grapefruit, lime and bergamot) is harmonized with a floral sharpness of lavender, nut, spiced notes of coriander and warm cinnamon. Carnation (along with jasmine, rose tree and pine) is restrained with warm patchouli, sandalwood, vetiver, benzoin, vanilla and amber.”—Fragrantica.com

Reminds me of: Perry Ellis for Men, Obsession for Women, Santa Fe for Men,Lauder Cinnabar, Chanel Egoiste, KL Homme (Lagerfeld), Comme des Garçons(original).

Designer’s Description: “Compelling. potent. powerful. an intensely provocative scent created as a counterpoint to the original Calvin Klein a masculine blend of botanics, spices, and rare woods reflect the determination and fire that drives men's passions.”—CalvinKlein.com
 

Number of times tested: 500+ over the last 30 weeks.

Number of sprays applied for this review: One spray to the back of hand from a new bottle I purchased online at a discount site (has the transparent amber cap; ca. 2015).

Fragrance strength: Eau de Toilette (was once a “Cologne”).

Development: (Linear / Average / Complex): I chose “complex” as I find the opening and the drydown to be a little bit different: While the topnotes pack a punch with evident citrus and spice, the lingering basenotes are ambery, vanillic and smoky. I’d describe the opening as bracing while the close is smooth and comforting.

Longevity: (Short / Average / Long-lasting) Obsession for Men has great longevity; I get a good 8+ hours on my skin from only a few sprays.

Sillage: (A Little / Average / A Lot) This one needs to be applied with care; might not be the best choice for an office or close quarters.

Note about the packaging: A flat, oval, transparent, glass bottle with a (currently) transparent, dark amber cap housed in a cream colored, paper box. Bottles with a translucent, lighter brown cap ringed in gold are older, dating from the time when Unilever owned the CK license and before (it is now owned by Coty).

Where can I buy it? Found online for as little as $20 USD for a 100 ml tester.

The Bottom Line: My first real fragrance love and the first full bottle of men’s fragrance that I owned, I was unable to enjoy Obsession for Men for a good 20 years due to it representing an antiquated fragrance paradigm. Recently, however, I revisited the spicy oriental both in its vintage and reformulated  versions and found myself as enchanted now as I was back in the late 80s. Isn’t it funny how we can come back to aromas that we once thumbed our noses at? I remember Obsession eliciting many positive compliments and along with fragrances likeDrakkar, Polo, Stetson and Kouros, it was everywhere one sniffed. Now that CK scents can be found at bargain prices on the web, I’ve revisited many of them and have found that they’ve fared rather well over the years (although Escape for Women seems to be a bit different than I recall).

To be honest, I always felt that the opening of Obsession for Men, much like the opening of Oscar de la Renta pour Lui, was a bit harsh as the spices and citrus notes are quite bold. However, what I’ve always adored are those basenotes. In fact, I used to spray Obsession on a facial tissue or paper towel and place it inside my air conditioning vent in my bedroom to create a fragrant aura that I always found incredibly comforting.

If, dear readers, you have no previous knowledge of Obsession or strong scented associations with it as an “older” scent but want an aroma full of spice with great longevity and an ambery drydown, look no further! And for those with fond memories of Obsession for Men, take heart, my 2015 bottle is just as wonderful as my vintage version. And while I’m on the topic, Obsession for Women, with sniffalikes such as Krazy Krizia and Must de Cartier, is just as gender bending with its almost complete lack of florals—the major difference between the two?Obsession for Women is sweeter with more prominent vanilla and (synthetic) animalics.