Masaki Matsushima, the Japanese fashion designer, launched the Mat; line of fragrances in 2000. Mat; Very Male, a surprisingly warm and subtle fragrance from a designer known for his fresh citrus and aquatic scents, is his first oriental, and this time the star of the composition is sambuca. The notes include bergamot, aquatic freshness accord, sambuca, lotus flower, bamboo, precious woods, patchouli, liquorice wood and white cedar…
First, a little history: in 1964, Nina Ricci launched her first men’s fragrance, Signoricci. When the company followed up on the theme with a second scent, Signoricci 2 in 1976, the name of the original changed to Signoricci 1. Upon the sad discontinuation of the original, the “2” was dropped from the name of the newer scent and today we simply have “Signoricci” — are you still with me? Ok… This 1976 incarnation has notes of mandarin, petitgrain, sage, alpine lavender, haitian vetiver, exotic woods, and oak moss…