Paco Rabanne - 1 Million

Paco Rabanne fragrances have had a certain edge compared to other mainstream designer offerings during the last two decades: from the excellent XS pour Homme - which many consider Creed's Himalaya to be a copy of, the milky, avant-garde but disappointing Ultraviolet Man to the overlooked but decent crisp lavender of Eau de Paco Rabanne pour Homme. Not always with completely successful results, this house at least has made an effort to put out original stuff.

The most recent masculine launch, 1 million, is no exception. Apparently the perfume - and obviously the flacon, was inspired by Paco Rabanne's famous metallic fashions. The fragrance is however not particularly metallic. Instead, 1 Million is a very modern take on leather.

The composition strikes me as very simple, but quite effective and interesting - not something I remember to really have experienced before. The topnotes are dominated by a beautiful blood orange that makes way for some cinnamon, mint and subtle rose. The drydown, which arrives way too quickly, is an attractive light leather - more suede cloth than biker jacket. The overall impression of 1 Million is very positive, intensely wearable and just right in its contemporary vision.

However there are two slight problems... First of all: the bottle... What were they thinking? The thing looks like a bar of gold from Uncle Scrooges Duckburg mansion. The reference to Mr. Rabannes love for incorporating metal in his designs was perfectly done in 1969's Calandre, this packaging is just beyond tacky.

The bigger issue though is the extremely short longevity of the fragrance. Fading from the skin in less than two hours ruins a bit of an otherwise great experience. Hopefully a concentrated version will follow. Either way 1 Million is a very nice surprise and will hopefully do well.

Year of Launch: 2008

Gender Classification: Masculine

Reminiscent of: Jean Luc Amsler Privé, Hugo Boss Baldessarini

Longevity & Sillage: Both unfortunately below average

Overall rating: 7/10