Comme des Garcons Concrete Perfume Review + Urban Jungle Draw

 

Prada Fall-Winter ad campaign, photo by Steven Meisel, 2014-2015

A name that suggests impermeableness, opacity, urban. A bottle that is weighty, spare, and as implacably modern as the wall of the Guggenheim. So, the fragrance waiting inside must be dense and mineral, right? But, as this is the new perfume from Japanese fashion house Comme des Garcons, where nothing is ever literal, the name and packaging are a misdirection, a cue only to the deconstruction and rebuilding themes that served as inspiration for the scent. The central note of Comme des Garcons Concrete has nothing to do with cement and amalgam. It is, in fact, sandalwood.

Photograph of polished surface of a concrete core, photo International Cement Microscopy Association

Comme des Garcons’ newest fragrance, composed by Nicolas Beaulieu is intended as an homage to New York. But, as many have noted, it doesn’t smell much like concrete at all. As the marketing material for Concrete says, the perfume is “an exploration of destruction, construction and creation where material preconceptions are deftly demolished, paving the way for something new.

So, if you were expecting a brutal, ISO super E dominant perfume to go with its name,  Comme des Garcons Concrete will come as a small shock. It’s about as tough inside as a fluffy bunny.

Barbie Crush, photo by Ba@ky (Flickr)

 Comme des Garcons Concrete starts off with a loud snap of bubblegum, that combination of artificial grape and the chewy, chartreuse smell of mastic. A plastic note comes forward and decides to stick around for a while, and a subtle waft of rose weaves in and out. At this early stage, Concrete is the little-girl-lost perfume fragrance of a doll left on a New York City sidewalk.  

Reflections, photo by Mcx83 (Flickr)©

But just when you’ve wrapped your head around the fact that this fragrance is not about cement and asphalt, there is a fleeting moment where the scent of wet pavement is unmistakable; a momentary sense of damp and broken stone. The long first stage starts to give way from its edges to an encroaching woodiness. Sandalwood comes in in disjointed pieces that initially makes it hard to pin down. The first clue is a warmth that enters the perfume slowly. Gradually, the aroma of wood comes into the background. It takes a full few minutes, though, before the smooth, suede-like quality of sandalwood becomes discernable.  Once the sandalwood comes through fully, it stays dominant for the rest of Concrete’s trajectory, with those alluringly weird bubblegum-and-plastic notes dancing around it.

Standing Out In A Crowd, photo by fantasyworks©

Comme des Garcons Concrete is melancholy fun: it’s alluring and very wearable, but you’re not quite sure why. It is not the perfume to grab when you want to feel pretty, butch or even ultra-hip. Concrete is the one you want when you know no one in the room will be remotely like you.

Notes: sandalwood, rose oxide, cinnamon and cardamom.

Lauryn Beer, Senior Editor

Thanks to the generosity of The Perfumed Court, we have a  3m  spray sample of  Comme des Garcons Concrete for 1 registered reader in anywhere in the world. To be eligible, please sign up for The Perfumed Court Newsletter  and leave a comment with what appeals to you about Comme des Garcons Concrete based on Lauryn’s review, where you live and what a modern city smells like to you.  Draw closes 1/9/2017

We announce the winners only on our website and on our Facebook page, so like Cafleurebon and use our blog feed … or your dream prize will be just spilled perfume.

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8 comments

  • Dhruba Dasgupta says:

    Wow what an interesting scent. I love how comme Des garcons covers very odd scents and this is a sure add to the collection

  • This has really captured my interest. I have read a blog or two about it. I so wanted to try it, The Perfume House in Portland got the product in, but the tester bottle hadn’t arrived. So sad, maybe next visit. I recently blind bought this line’s “Sticky Cake”, which is amazing, but not sure I dare want to blind buy “Concrete”. The writing put a smile on my face. Thanks!

  • “Concrete is the one you want when you know no one in the room will be remotely like you”. Yes, thank you. U.S.

  • Sleepylizard says:

    Not the scent I was expecting with the name Concrete!
    Sandalwood is the standout note for me.

    The smell of a city to me is car exhaust fumes, stale pee, concrete, coffee, and wafts of food aromas.
    Thanks

    Australia

  • My idea of urban is Oakland I live in California and this sounds like an interesting fragrance
    Thanks

  • doveskylark says:

    I love how Comme des Garçons fragrance surprise me and sometimes leave me shaking my head. I will never forget the first time I smelled their long-discontinued Shiso fragrance. That was my introduction to the world of fragrance. I absolutely love when fragrances are tributes to cities. I always wonder if I can appreciate the intent of the maker. I think the warmth of sandalwood can match New York City. Certainly, NYC is frenetic and not for the meek….but there is a softness to the city when you have no deadlines or things to do and you can just wander and sit in parks and squares and numerous public spaces.
    The smell of the city for me is the subway mixed with bodega flowers.
    I live in the USA and I subscribe to the PC newsletter.

  • First, I’m really glad ISO E is not the main ingredient–it burns my nose!! I do love CdG perfumes (esp. Ourzazate and Lily) and am really interested in trying this new one. Sandalwood done CdG sounds awesome. My idea of urban smells are hot garbage and exhaust, but also perfume and leather. I’m in the US and have already signed up for the Perfumed Court newsletter.

  • This one sounds so unique and cool! Have never tried anything from this house but would love to try! I’m already a member of the newsletter!

    Canada