Why Not a Cologne?Fruity Woody Eau de Parfum

Why Not a Cologne? by Mark Buxton is a unisex fruity floral woody eau de parfum, created by Mark Buxton. A cologne without a single citrus note.

The man behind Comme des Garçons

Mark Buxton is one of the leading contemporary perfumers, and his house bears his name. He created the very first Comme des Garçons fragrance, followed by 2, 3, Man, White and Cologne, and has created for Givenchy, Versace, Van Cleef & Arpels, Cartier, Burberry and Le Labo. English, he moved to Germany at the age of eight, trained in Hamburg, settled in Paris, and founded his house in 2008. One anecdote sums him up: at 21 years old, he appeared on the German game show Wetten, dass…? betting that he could identify any perfume by scent — he correctly identified all five presented to him. His formula: “a perfume should be like a good jazz song — vibrant and harmonious.” The Freedom Collection was composed with David Chieze, his right-hand man; the house claims three signature ingredients in common across its four launch fragrances — vetiver, ambergris and davana.

An opening of pineapple, red apple and magnolia

Pineapple and red apple open on a ripe, sweet orchard fruitiness rather than an acidic one. Magnolia adds a light, lemony floral note without being a citrus.

A heart of a bouquet of flowers

The heart is a floral bouquet, held together as a single accord rather than ingredient by ingredient: it is the bridge between the orchard of the opening and the wood of the base.

A base of teak wood and leather

Teak wood brings an exotic, dense, and slightly oily woodiness, while leather adds an animalic dryness. Only two ingredients, but they are what make the perfume last for hours.

The house's signature touch

A cologne that contains no citrus and ends on teak and leather. This is the principle of the “Why Not…?” series: take an entirely codified genre and turn it upside down. Cologne is perhaps the most standardized form of perfumery — lemon, bergamot, neroli, rosemary, and a deliberately quick evaporation. Here, none of that: an orchard fruitiness, a floral bouquet, and a base of exotic wood and leather that does not evaporate. The name is a question, the formula is the answer.

For whom, for what occasions?

For those who love fruity woody fragrances and bold, unapologetic choices. All year round, by day as well as by night. Why Not a Cologne? by Mark Buxton is the most contradictory of the five.