I've seen people mention this as being similar to Balenciaga Pour Homme. This has no business being mentioned even in the same sentence as Balenciaga. It is horrific. It starts with a obnoxious overdose of honeyed pineapple and lavender which is as jarring as it is loud. And it's very loud. It settles down and becomes more bearable in the same way that I suppose chewing broken glass might become bearable as one acclimatises to the perfect pain. It is vile. It is dated and old school in all the very worst ways. It's less Burt Reynolds and more Jimmy Saville. Terrible.
Weirdly when I had this it was one of the few perfumes I owned that got decent feedback from people I know. I liked it a lot but I ended up having to get rid of it because I think I developed an allergy to it because I got myself down to a single spray and it still somehow gave me a headache. And I’ve been lucky there, I’ve only ever put three fragrances in The Headache Club.
This perfume if freaking FUN. After wearing it for a day at work I think I can say it smells best on skin. On my sweater while in a walk in cooler, the lavender came through and it sat down and folded its hands politely. On skin in the heat, it smells like a fun sunny day at a family picnic horsing around outside with your cousins, brothers, dad, and uncles. It smells like celebration. It’s confident and likable. On skin it’s like warm rich honey’d pipe tobacco, a little incense, pineapple, smoke, soft clean lavender and sun. I freaking love this. I got a (newer) vintage bottle with the actual grey glass (not the painted grey glass). I don’t get animalic or pissy notes. I also don’t consider this to be a nuclear room filler, or a beast mode whatever. It’s absolutely worth a blind buy, especially if you are exploring the world of fragrance, and can appreciate different scents from different eras. This is so distinct and unique. It changes a lot too throughout its life. It’s got character and is totally original. Nothing like this is being sold today, and that makes it all the more special. Absolute 10/10 Update: It’s probably in my top three or four faves of all time. I bought a backup bottle and I never want to be without it. It’s pretty addictive. My mother in law gave me a hug and turned to my wife and said “You let him wear this to work?!?” I think it’s a banger, but I 100% wear it for myself and I don’t get any compliments on it. Miles ahead of crap like YSL Y, JPG Le Beau, MYSLF, and Burberry Hero Parfum, and basically any vague safe boring mall frag with no personality that costs way too much. Two sprays under the shirt on the bare chest and I dab my wrist on the freshly sprayed area. Update: I did yard work while wearing it a couple times and kind of regretted it. It can get a little too powdery for me at times.
Cannibal patchouli, brimming with honey and bravado strutting its attitude for hours on end; hello there handsome! Lapidus pour Homme serves as one of the last macho powerhouses of the 80’s. Furyo followed a year later and closed the circle of the mighty sillage for men. But Lapidus bridges 3 worlds; the cocky arrogance of Antaeus, the suave brutality of the soon to come Ténéré and the animalic patchouli of Furyo. It lacks the locker room p*rn factor of Kouros, who I easily see as a young Falcon Studios blond hunk, instead showing off a more mature roughed sensuality. Lapidus is as brutal as they come but doesn’t need to flash it like my beloved bulging Kouros does. Review of 1987/1989 formula, various bottles with no barcode, no modern symbols. Lapidus pour Homme opens strongly. The patch is heavy from the onset but the star for now is a wonderful pineapple heavy lavender. You smell it if you know it’s there. Lapidus soon follows a familiar territory; the patch starts taking center stage, the honey shows its full on glorious pissiness and the floral notes in the heart create a smooth canvas for the rest of the notes to shine. There are animalic notes even if not listed; as the drydown approaches, they are easily discernible, most notably civet. The basil in the opening brings it close to Furyo’s bay leaf in that herbal spiciness. The smoothness of sandalwood and woody notes make it more grounded than others in the genre and eventually, despite its animalic character, it shows a smoothness that is very Italian in style. It’s a well bred and suit wearing animal. Some, like Furyo and Kouros emit debauchery and excess while others like Antaeus and Ténéré emit a more balanced naughtiness. Lapidus takes queue from the latter genre and eventually shows a certain arrogance that comes with age and knowledge. He is their daddy! Kouros and Furyo could easily be Savage Streets and The Warriors, as well as any actor in Falcon’s Out of Athens (😈). Antaeus, Cruising and Ténéré, American Gigolo (even though Richard would absolutely rock Antaeus too, this suave hustler!). Lapidus pour Homme is harder to fit a profile but today I’m going with Rocky in Rocky IV; more mature than 1976, more adorable with his puppy eyes, still a total hunk. I love and wear all 5, having a soft spot for Kouros and Furyo but needing all of them. Truly, one of the last greats. Sillage and longevity is atomic with just a couple + 1 sprays in the neck and chest. A total 10/10!
Freaking fun. My only qualm is in the final stages of the dry down it becomes a bit powdery. Otherwise the honeyed tobacco/incense is really great.