What is tom ford perfume?
Tom Ford SA (stylized as TOM FORD) is a luxury fashion house founded by designer Tom Ford in 2005. Its product line features ready-to-wear and made-to-measure offerings, as well as footwear, accessories, and handbags.[3] Tom Ford licensed its name and branding to Estée Lauder for Tom Ford Beauty, offering cosmetics and fragrance,[4] and to Marcolin Group for eyewear.[5]
In November 2022 the Tom Ford brand was purchased by Estée Lauder for $2.8 billion.[6] The luxury group previously owned Tom Ford Beauty and Tom Ford Parfums since 2006. Under Estée Lauder, mens and womens ready-to-wear is licensed to Zegna, who previously held the license for menswear.[7]
Tom Ford departed his position as creative director at Gucci in 2004[8] and founded his own eponymous label in April 2005.[9] The Tom Ford retail brand concept, described as the first true luxury brand of the 21st century, began in 2004 as a venture between Ford and his business partner Domenico de Sole with the launch of a cosmetics line.[10] In the same year, Ford announced his partnership with Marcolin Group to produce and distribute optical frames and sunglasses. In 2005, he launched the Tom Ford Estée Lauder Collection of cosmetics.[11][12]
tomford.com was launched in October 2006, initially only offering descriptions of the brand's products and later on hosting an online store.[13]
In April 2007, the first directly owned Tom Ford flagship boutique opened at 845 Madison Avenue in New York City.
In September 2010, Ford debuted his label's women's ready-to-wear collection at his Madison Avenue store. The event featured celebrity models such as Beyoncé, Julianne Moore, Lauren Hutton, Daphne Guinness, and Rita Wilson.
In November 2015, the house opened its Miami flagship boutique in that city's Design District.[14] In November 2017, it opened its first beauty store in London.[15]
As of 2017, Tom Ford Beauty, owned by Estée Lauder, estimated $1 billion in sales.[15]
As of 2020[update], Tom Ford was the major shareholder of Tom Ford International, holding 63.75% of the shares.[10]
Since its inception, the label has been criticized for using naked women in various advertising campaigns. Various journalists asserted that the ads were vulgar, sexist, or objectified women. One ad featured a nude woman holding a bottle of perfume between her legs. Another featured a naked woman ironing a man's pants while he read a newspaper. A separate ad was banned in Italy.[16][17][18][19]
Responding to criticism that he objectified women, Ford stated he is an "equal opportunity objectifier" and is "just as happy to objectify men". He argued, "you can't show male nudity in our culture in the way you can show female nudity" and pointed out that he did a male nude ad while at Yves Saint Laurent which was pulled from circulation.[20][21]
In 2014, the brand released a product called the "Penis Pendant Necklace". The product caused some controversy, with Christians calling it offensive due to the pendant being shaped similar to a Christian cross or crucifix.[22][23] Ford replied that "it was not meant to be a cross, it was a phallus" and "people read into things what they want to".[21]
The creation of the brand is detailed in the 2021 monograph Tom Ford 002, co-authored by Ford and fashion journalist Bridget Foley. The book is published by Rizzoli International Publications.
In November 2022 the Tom Ford brand was purchased by Estée Lauder for $2.8 billion.[6] On April 28, 2023, designer Peter Hawkings succeeded Ford as the brand's creative director.[1]
Black Orchid was the first fragrance sold under the Tom Ford Beauty banner.[24] During his incumbency as Creative Director of Yves Saint Laurent, Ford had developed a rare black orchid as the brand's new in-house flower.[25] Extract from the flower was used to produce a perfume, body cream and bath soap as part of YSL's Nu line.[26][27][28] Previous to launching Black Orchid, Ford had worked with Estée Lauder, signing a deal in April 2005 and releasing Youth Dew Amber Nude, the following fall, and Azure, in spring 2006.[29]
On 27 February 2006, having already started his brand, Black Orchid, the name for Ford's new fragrance with Estée Lauder Companies was made public.[30] Described as "a women's fragrance...full of surprises" by Women's Wear Daily, its launch was planned for the following November, to be "beyond the parameters of a usual fragrance launch."[31] Black Orchid by Tom Ford Beauty, as officially named, and manufactured by Esteé Lauder Companies, was finally released on 15 November.[32] On 24 July, Ford held one-on-one meetings with editors from elite fashion publications where he presented the fragrance, which was described as "the anchor of what will become the Ford flotilla of fragrance and cosmetics initiatives."[33]
Julia Restoin Roitfeld, daughter of then-Vogue Paris editor-in chief Carine Roitfeld, was chosen in July 2006 as brand ambassador for the fragrance previous to its release.[34][35] Ford had described the younger Roitfeld as "exactly what beauty is to me."[36] Later in the month it was announced that Black Orchid would be initially sold in a few upscale specialty stores and would increase to a maximum of fewer than 300 by the following spring.[37] for the same time a launch of 12 unisex scents to be sold by perfumery store-in-stores inside the upcoming retail stores was also planned.[29][38]
Black Orchid had a reported $20 million global advertising campaign, with 15 million scented impressions produced, with a planned $40 million revenue in its first year,[29] selling between $90[39][40] and $135 for a bottle of eau de parfum,[40][41] and $600 for the perfume.[42] Then president and CEO of Estée Lauder, William P. Lauder, described the perfume as "the cornerstone of Mr. Ford's vision to bring more luxury into the world of fragrance."[43] It was developed by having a grower create the darkest flower possible and then adding black truffle, lotus wood, bergamot and vanilla.[44] Even though a woman's perfume, Ford allegedly told Estée Lauder executives that he wished the perfume smelled like "a man's crotch."[45] Ford tracked down one of four existing black orchids through a Swiss orchid expert and a Santa Barbara grower.[46] While it has been reported that the specific orchid that was used was the recherché dark orchid,[47] Ford himself has stated that he holds the patent for the eponymous Tom Ford orchid, which was developed in Florida and he has described as "[m]aybe not completely black, but a deep, dark chocolate."[48]
Black Orchid was launched on 2 November 2006 at the Saks Fifth Avenue flagship store,[49] where Ford arrived to recommend strategies to the sales associates. Saks, as well as Neiman Marcus and Holt Renfrew stores, limited to a total of 50, started selling the fragrance on Sunday, 5 November.[39] The night of the 2 November, an after-launch party occurred at Top of the Rock, with celebrities such as Damon Dash, Margherita Missoni, Stavros Niarchos, Zac Posen, Julia Restoin-Roitfeld, Carine Roitfeld, Rachel Roy, Donatella Versace, Olivia Wilde and Rachel Zoe in attendance.[46][50][51] For the event, black curtains were installed at the venue and doused with the perfume.[47]
Upon release, Harper's Bazaar described it as possessing a "sensual and woody floral scent."[52][41] As part of Burberry's 150th anniversary, the store sold Black Orchid Eau de Parfum in limited-edition black crystal Lalique bottles for £345.[53] The black, fluted glass bottle and cap and engraved gold plate label were described as reminiscent of black bottles such as thouse used for Narcisse Noir by Parfums Caron, Soir by Perugia, Dans La Nuit by House of Worth.[54] The perfume bottle was photographed by Irving Penn,[46] while the December 2006 British Vogue issue contained a five-page gatefold depicting the fragrance.[55] For her part, Restoin Roitfeld was photographed "in an old-style Hollywood glamour shot, all red lipstick, dreamy hair and bedroom eyes."[47]
Inspired by Ford's private rose garden, Rose Prick, was made from wild roses such as Rose de Mai, Turkish and Bulgarian roses, as well as other elements such as chypre, Indonesian patchouli, and vanilla and Tonka bean.[56] The perfume trademark was filed for registration at the United States Patent and Trademark Office on 30 May 2019, and first used commercially when the fragrance was released on 29 February 2020.[57] Fabrizio Freda, Estée Lauder CEO, described it as "[combining] all rose floral with a little spicy tender."[58] The fragrance, which has hints of "the rare Bulgarian rose, rose de mai, Sichuan pepper, turmeric, patchouli and tonka,"[59] was released in February 2020,[60] at US$335[61] (AU $480,[59] £218,[62] €245,[56] CAN $405)[63] for the 50 mL eau de parfum,[59] while the 10 mL bottle sold for €64[64] and the 100 mL bottle for £325.[65] The perfume is stored "in a matte, opaque, pink [flacon] bottle [with] a matte black metal stamp," which has been described as "[having] the elegant, architectural look of a chessboard."[66] Rose Prick is also the name of a tie-in lip colour set, which was described by the South China Morning Post as "wears effortlessly from day into night,"[67] as well as an eponymous $132[68] (£98)[69] candle, described as having a "spicy floral scent."[68]
When released at Holt Renfrew in Canada, Rose Prick sold out in two days time.[63] The Daily Telegraph recommended it to individuals who usually do not have a preference towards florals,[70] and called it "a lingering evening fragrance."[65] While Women's Wear Daily called it one of 2020's top ten best fragrances.[61] On the other hand, The Globe and Mail critiqued that its name had "more of an impression than the juice...what remains is a faint patchouli incense."[63]
In 2007, the Private Blend collection of fragrances were introduced by Tom Ford Beauty that featured more experimental and niche-quality fragrances at a higher price point. Tom Ford has described Private Blend as his "own personal scent laboratory".[71] As of 2021, the Private Blend collection contains twenty three fragrances. The Eau de Parfum Spray, Lost Cherry, won the allure 2021 Best of Beauty Award.
At his Spring/Summer 2018 collection runway show, held in September 2017 as part of New York Fashion Week, Tom Ford garnered media attention for unveiling a new Private Blend fragrance titled "Fucking Fabulous".[72] Tom Ford faced reluctance from Estée Lauder Companies in naming the fragrance, with Ford himself saying that "First of all, they didn't even want to launch it" and that he had to insist on the name because "I knew it would be a hit with that name".[73]
During the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, Tom Ford refused to join the international community and withdraw from the Russian market. Research from Yale University published on August 10, 2022 identifying how companies were reacting to Russia's invasion identified Tom Ford in the worst category of "Digging in", meaning Defying Demands for Exit: companies defying demands for exit/reduction of activities.[74]
It is no secret that Tom Ford perfumes and Tom Ford clothing have taken over the fashion world in the last decade and a half.
Thomas Carlyle Ford has done it all. One of the most celebrated American fashion designers, and the biggest designer name in the 21st century is associated with luxury, bold and controversial commercials, and most importantly – exclusiveness.
When it comes to Tom Ford perfumes, the story is the same. It is no secret that the Tom Ford fragrances are the most sought and loved fragrances in the world.
The secret – high-quality ingredients, unified and recognizable Tom Ford bottle design, and the right kind of marketing. Even with his clothing, Tom Ford has always played on the card of sexual fantasies or better said, provocation and the desire itself.
The guy has even dressed Daniel Craig in the last couple of James Bond movies. Can you get cooler than that? I guess not.
You simply cannot go wrong with Tom Ford fragrances, and as someone who has always tried to keep this blog on the more personal and grounded level, I’m not gonna hide and openly say that I believe Tom Ford brand is to the fragrance world what Chanel used to be in the 20th century.
Here’s what you will learn in this ultimate guide:
Besides the obvious suspects, I have added a couple of the best-hidden gems from the brand that are often overlooked. Come and see why should you join the exclusive Tom Ford club of sophistication.
Affiliate Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. By purchasing via provided links/banners comes at no additional cost to you. Scent Grail only recommends products and/or services that are insightful and helpful to readers. For more info please read Affiliate Disclaimer.
TOP SCENT GRAIL PICKS
It is hard to include only 10 fragrances and call them the best from a brand that makes such big and bold creative decisions.
I have been rarely disappointed with Tom Ford, and after a serious amount of time of testing numerous Tom Ford fragrances, here are my top 10 everyone should try out.
Tom Ford is an American luxury fashion house founded by fashion designer and filmmaker Tom Ford in 2005.
Along with fragrances, the brand also offers cosmetics, footwear, ready-to-wear and made-to-measure, and other offerings.
Born August 27, 1961, in Austin, Texas, U.S.A., Thomas Carlyle Ford studied at Bard College at Simon’s Rock and art history at New York University from which he both dropped out to focus on acting in television commercials.
He graduated in 1986 with a degree in interior architecture from Parsons School of Design at the New School in New York City.
Ford’s breakthrough in the ’80s and ’90s was working as an in-house designer for Perry Ellis and chief women’s ready-to-wear designer for Gucci before being appointed as Creative Director at the same brand in 1994.
Ford’s work at Gucci during the early 1990s was mostly behind the scenes, and most of his contributions were overshadowed by Dawn Mello who was Gucci’s public face during those years.
Ford’s five-year period as the Creative Director at Gucci was remembered as the brand’s resurgence to lost glory, and by the time Gucci was acquired by Yves Saint Laurent in 1999, the company was valued at more than $4 billion.
During his time as creative director for Yves Saint Laurent(1999 – 2004), where he was also Creative Director, Ford won numerous Council of Fashion Designers of America Awards, introduced numerous new styles such as controversial shaving the letter G in a model’s pubic hair and pulling the classic fashion house back into the mainstream.
Ford was also creatively involved in creating the two brands most famous fragrance releases that are still praised as one of the best fragrances ever released and now discontinued:
Tom Ford departed Yves Saint Laurent in 2004 to start his own brand named Tom Ford SA in 2005 as a venture between Ford and his business partner Domenico De Sole with the launch of a cosmetics line.
During the same year, Ford announced his partnership with Marcolin Group to produce and distribute optical frames and sunglasses.
The first Tom Ford flagship boutique opened at 845 Madison Avenue in New York City in 2007. In September 2010, Ford debuted his label’s women’s ready-to-wear collection with celebrities such as Beyoncé, Julianne Moore, and Lauren Hutton attending the event.
Tom Ford Black Orchid was the first perfume launched under the Tom For Beauty umbrella in 2006. An opulent mix of truffles, orchid, patchouli, and dark chocolate.
A fragrance much praised by women and men all around the world, placing it in the same level of quality as Chanel No. 5 and Guerlain Shalimar.
In 2007, the Private Blend collection of perfumes were introduced by Tom Ford, a line focusing on the niche side of perfumery. More daring and more complex at a higher price point.
Tom Ford has described Private Blend as his “own personal scent laboratory”, suggesting that it is okay to mix two or more fragrances to create your own unique scent.
The three most popular creations from that line are:
As of 2017, Tom Ford Beauty is owned by Estée Lauder while the major shareholder of Tom Ford International is still Tom Ford, holding 63.75% of the shares.
Ford has described “the Tom Ford customer” as international, cultured, well-traveled, and possessing disposable income.
Some of the celebrities that Ford dresses are Beyoncé, Jennifer Lopez, Gwyneth Paltrow, Tom Hanks, Johnny Depp, and Ryan Gosling.
Tom Ford has directed A Single Man and Nocturnal Animals.
Tom Ford’s fragrance line is divided into two distinctive collections. The more creative and expensive Private Blend and more affordable, yet still original Signature Collection.
In this ultimate guide about Tom Ford perfumes, I’ll also cover the sub-collections within those two lines so as to make it easier to choose which Tom Ford fragrance path you wish to tread on.
One thing’s for sure, the price range varies and depending on which fragrance line you choose, the price goes from anywhere from 60$ to more than 900$.
Does it mean that if something is expensive it’s better? Not always, and my number one choice comes from the Signature line.
Please keep in mind that you can wear whatever you want. No matter what it says on the perfume sticker. To put it plain and simple, that’s just marketing. Man or woman, you can wear each and every fragrance from this list.
I don’t think any other fragrance brand has come so close with their scents being unisex, as Tom Ford did. One more reason for you to try them out.
Let’s take a closer look at Tom Ford’s perfume range.
THE PRIVATE BLEND
The Private Blend range was introduced in 2007 in Tom Ford’s own words: “Private Blend is my own personal scent laboratory; it’s where I have the ability to create very special, original fragrances that are unconstrained by the conventions of mainstream scent-making.”
The original collection consisted of the following fragrances:
This unisex range is meant to be layered one with another and thus, creating your own distinguish scent profile.
Highly-priced and targeted to perfume connoisseurs and to all who want to experience true niche perfumery, The Private Blend will amaze you and open your eyes to what can be achieved in modern perfumery.
Praised by fragrance lovers, actors, musicians, and people in all other sorts of industries, Private Blend fragrances just work.
High-quality ingredients, exclusive, sophisticated, open-minded ideas blended into fragrances, superb complexity, and much more. There is something for everyone here.
What’s even better, you can find this range in almost any high range fragrance department store. It is all in the name of the fragrance. Each fragrance begins with the extract from a single note such as leather and vanilla.
If we want to go even further, Oud Wood, Tuscan Leather, and Tobacco Vanille are widely regarded as the best fragrances ever released.
THE SIGNATURE COLLECTIONFragrances from the Signature Collection bring Tom Ford luxury to a wider mainstream audience and are more approachable in some cases.
This doesn’t mean that these fragrances are of lower quality or not worth seeking out, but sit in the designer price range to compete with the other big fragrance brands such as Dior and Hermes.
The compositions are tight, blended to perfection, and punch way above the price point. I recommend starting with this collection if you are new to the brand to get the gist and idea of where to go next.
The first-ever released fragrance from Tom Ford was Black Orchid in 2006 and comes from the Signature line. It was developed by having a grower create the darkest flower possible and then adding black truffle, lotus wood, bergamot, and vanilla.
To this day, Black Orchid stands as the pinnacle of modern women’s perfumery.
EXCLUSIVESThe even highly-priced Private Blend of exclusive fragrances are composed of currently four perfumes, usually found in Tom Ford boutiques, some duty-free shops, and on Tom Ford web site:
No, you are not imagining it. It is a play on words.
NOIRIn the Signature line, the Noir sub-collection has four different seductive fragrances: Noir Eau de Toilette, Noir, Eau de Parfum, Noir Extreme for Men and Women, and Noir Anthracite. Suitable for nightwear, glamorous black-tie events, and business wear.
EDT and EDP are dark, woody, and floral fragrances, while both Noir Extreme’s are sweet and spicy scents. Anthracite is smokier with exotic characters.
OUDSpicy and woody Oud Wood is Tom Ford’s most popular fragrance and the scent with its own line within the Private Blend. Other three fragrances that make the line are Oud Minerale with an aquatic take on the woody formula, and Tobacco Oud, the most daring of the three, focusing on the dark tobacco note and oud. Oud Fleur takes a different approach with the inclusion of florals and focusing on the rose note.
PORTOFINOPurely designed as the option for summer usage, vacations, and those good times when you want to be reminded of the most relaxed part of the year.
Neroli Portofino, Neroli Portofino Acqua, Fleur de Portofino are composed of citruses, herbs, and light musks to made your day sunny and bright. It is also the only range in the Private Blend that’s more affordable.
Tom Ford has released more than 100 fragrances, and you may find yourself overwhelmed to pick the best one from the bunch.
Here are my tips on how to narrow down the list:
Don’t stop exploring, and enjoy the wonderful aromas of each fragrance. None of them are dull, and each brings something new to the table.
At the first glance, perfume may seem like scented alcohol-water you spray onto yourself and that’s it. Still, it takes a little finesse to learn how to wear perfume correctly.
If you have ever wondered why your perfume may only last about an hour or two, the reason may be that you are not wearing your perfume the best way. Here are my favorite tips&tricks on how to wear your favorite fragrances:
1. CHOOSE THE RIGHT CONCENTRATION
One of the most important things to do when you find your favorite perfume is to choose the right perfume concentrations and learn more about fragrance strengths.
These two terms refer to raw material oil concentration. By knowing that, these concentrations vary from perfume to perfume and affect sillage and projection, along with some other subtle things.
All fragrant products fall into some of these main categories:
Thus, you’ll be pleased to know that most of your perfumes come either in Eau de Toilette or Eau de Parfum concentrations.
2. FINDING A PERFECT FRAGRANCE FOR THE RIGHT SEASON AND OCCASIONAnother important point you should consider before buying a perfume is choosing the right perfume for particular occasions and seasons.
This will greatly depend on your lifestyle, workplace, and in which part of the world you live in. Daytime fragrance usually is lighter, citrusy, effervescent, and lasts less. We usually associate these types of scents with Spring and Summer.
On the other hand, nighttime fragrances are stronger and denser with “heavier” notes. Heavier fragrances and usually associated with the Fall and Winter seasons.3. SPRAY THE FRAGRANCE ON CLEAN SKINThe ideal way of wearing the perfume is by applying it directly to the skin. Perfume products are made to best interact with our skin and our body heat.
That’s why I don’t recommend testing fragrances on test strips that don’t show the real picture. The warmest parts of your body will produce the best results and here are six recommended places to spray your perfume:
4. LESS IS MOREYou have found your favorite perfume, and you are enjoying it to the fullest. Spraying liberally surrounds you with the most beautiful scented cloud. You are happy.
But one day, you notice that the scent bubble has shrunk so much that you barely smell your perfume and now you wonder has your perfume has gone bad or what could be the issue.
If this has happened to you, don’t worry you are alone. Many people overspray their perfume, and block their scent receptors. The solution is to not spray more than 2 to 4 sprays maximum.5. MOISTURIZE DRY SKINAs we know, oily skin holds onto fragrance better than dry skin. That’s why it is a good idea to rub unscented lotion onto your pulse point and the rest of the body before applying perfume.
A small amount is enough and preferably, you should apply oily moisturizer after a shower. This takes us to other great alternatives just below.
Read more about how to wear perfumes here.
Fragrance families are a classification system used by the perfume industry in order to place different scents into olfactive groups.
These families have evolved through centuries with ever-going technology discoveries the fragrance wheel has been changed multiple times that help you narrow down your favorite perfume choice and distinguish scents.
FRAGRANCE NOTES AND ACCORDSSimply explained, notes are perfume indigents, and accords are “fantasy” notes made from several other notes to get one distinct accord(note) that couldn’t be recreated otherwise.
Such accords are leather, amber, and marine notes, while notes can be bergamot, rose, and vanilla. But, while it may sound as simple as this, there are some other things to consider as well.
Smelly alcohol-water known as perfumes are made from multiple notes and accords which are made from a mixture of natural and aroma-chemical indigents to form a general scent profile.
These notes and accords are separated into three different classes known as perfume pyramid:
Each of the separate pyramid stages is carefully created by perfumes to evaporate accordingly.
For example, top notes such as citruses evaporate faster than for instance, Sandalwood and Agarwood found in the middle or base stage of the perfume.
In modern perfumery, accords are a vital part of creating a harmonious blend of two or more notes into a distinctive smell.
While this process is more complex than it may sound, it’s always good to know how are your perfume composed and when can you expect more natural indigents rather than synthetics.
So, to conclude the fragrance term referred to as “notes” and “accords” are often used as marketing to explain approximately what consumers may expect when smelling a particular perfume.
These are the four different fragrance families:
FLORALSFloral scents can be either made from single flower notes(soliflore) or many flowers(bouquets). Nature has provided perfumers a number of variety of ingredients, thanks to many different flowers all around the world.
Both classic and as old as citrus(Fresh) family, it leans more to the feminine side, but recently, many floral dominating scents such as Black Orchid have proven that even men can wear floral family scents and smell great.
ORIENTALOriental fragrance family is equally popular among men and women. Orientals have been dominating on fragrance market in the 21st century and they are not going to stop any time soon.
Rich spices such as vanilla, cinnamon, cloves, and balmy resins such as benzoin, myrrh, incense, amber are just some of the prominent notes found in this broad family.
It is not uncommon for oriental perfumes to feature gourmand properties(“edible” notes). Thus, this fragrance family is often sweet, dense, sensual, powdery, and inspired by eastern cultures.
WOODYThe woody family leans more toward men and is usually composed of warm, and rich compositions. If you are a fan of forest, sawdust, earthy, and dry type of smells, this family might be just for you.
Woody perfumes are split into three main categories but have many more variations since it is a fragrance family that tends to overlap with others the most with the combination of fresh and resinous notes.
Woody perfumes also tend to be long-lasting, blended for various seasons, and due to their warm heart, more and more unisex.
FRESHFresh family is the most crowd-pleasing of them all, and the only one that equally leans both on the masculine and feminine side. Perfumes have never been more affordable and accessible than they are now, and fresh scents are dominating the market since the early 90s.
Of all the fragrance families we have covered, fresh family spans across the most varieties of sub-categories of all the different fresh combinations that seem to work like bread and butter with others.
They are easy to wear, often fresh and airy uncomplicated scents. Fresh perfumes are also the only fragrance family group that’s wearable in any season, and in most occasions.
Fresh scents tend to have a mix of sparkly fruits, aromatic herbs, lighter woods and musk’s in their composition.
Read more about the fragrance families and fragrance wheel here.
Here are some answers to the most popular questions asked about Tom Ford perfumes and brand.
With more than 100 scents to choose from, some of the popular Tom Ford perfumes didn’t make the cut. Here are some honorable mentions I believe you should also check out:
Hopefully, you have enjoyed this list and found something new to try out. These are my favorite Tom Ford scents, and I cannot wait to try out new releases as well.
What are your favorite Tom Ford perfumes? Let’s start a conversation and let me know in the comment section below.
In case you are in doubt whether you should consider buying this fragrance or not, it’s always good to take a look at Scent Grail’s S.P.A. Signature Factor Guide.
It is easy to use and the most relevant perfume buying guide on the web. This way, you can check out if a particular fragrance is worth checking out, and potentially find your signature perfume.
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Until next time, have a great time and keep smelling like a million bucks!
Best, Marin!#scentgrail #scentgrailtribe
It is no secret that Tom Ford perfumes and Tom Ford clothing have taken over the fashion world in the last decade and a half.
Thomas Carlyle Ford has done it all. One of the most celebrated American fashion designers, and the biggest designer name in the 21st century is associated with luxury, bold and controversial commercials, and most importantly – exclusiveness.
When it comes to Tom Ford perfumes, the story is the same. It is no secret that the Tom Ford fragrances are the most sought and loved fragrances in the world.
The secret – high-quality ingredients, unified and recognizable Tom Ford bottle design, and the right kind of marketing. Even with his clothing, Tom Ford has always played on the card of sexual fantasies or better said, provocation and the desire itself.
The guy has even dressed Daniel Craig in the last couple of James Bond movies. Can you get cooler than that? I guess not.
You simply cannot go wrong with Tom Ford fragrances, and as someone who has always tried to keep this blog on the more personal and grounded level, I’m not gonna hide and openly say that I believe Tom Ford brand is to the fragrance world what Chanel used to be in the 20th century.
Here’s what you will learn in this ultimate guide:
Besides the obvious suspects, I have added a couple of the best-hidden gems from the brand that are often overlooked. Come and see why should you join the exclusive Tom Ford club of sophistication.
Affiliate Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. By purchasing via provided links/banners comes at no additional cost to you. Scent Grail only recommends products and/or services that are insightful and helpful to readers. For more info please read Affiliate Disclaimer.
TOP SCENT GRAIL PICKS
It is hard to include only 10 fragrances and call them the best from a brand that makes such big and bold creative decisions.
I have been rarely disappointed with Tom Ford, and after a serious amount of time of testing numerous Tom Ford fragrances, here are my top 10 everyone should try out.
Tom Ford is an American luxury fashion house founded by fashion designer and filmmaker Tom Ford in 2005.
Along with fragrances, the brand also offers cosmetics, footwear, ready-to-wear and made-to-measure, and other offerings.
Born August 27, 1961, in Austin, Texas, U.S.A., Thomas Carlyle Ford studied at Bard College at Simon’s Rock and art history at New York University from which he both dropped out to focus on acting in television commercials.
He graduated in 1986 with a degree in interior architecture from Parsons School of Design at the New School in New York City.
Ford’s breakthrough in the ’80s and ’90s was working as an in-house designer for Perry Ellis and chief women’s ready-to-wear designer for Gucci before being appointed as Creative Director at the same brand in 1994.
Ford’s work at Gucci during the early 1990s was mostly behind the scenes, and most of his contributions were overshadowed by Dawn Mello who was Gucci’s public face during those years.
Ford’s five-year period as the Creative Director at Gucci was remembered as the brand’s resurgence to lost glory, and by the time Gucci was acquired by Yves Saint Laurent in 1999, the company was valued at more than $4 billion.
During his time as creative director for Yves Saint Laurent(1999 – 2004), where he was also Creative Director, Ford won numerous Council of Fashion Designers of America Awards, introduced numerous new styles such as controversial shaving the letter G in a model’s pubic hair and pulling the classic fashion house back into the mainstream.
Ford was also creatively involved in creating the two brands most famous fragrance releases that are still praised as one of the best fragrances ever released and now discontinued:
Tom Ford departed Yves Saint Laurent in 2004 to start his own brand named Tom Ford SA in 2005 as a venture between Ford and his business partner Domenico De Sole with the launch of a cosmetics line.
During the same year, Ford announced his partnership with Marcolin Group to produce and distribute optical frames and sunglasses.
The first Tom Ford flagship boutique opened at 845 Madison Avenue in New York City in 2007. In September 2010, Ford debuted his label’s women’s ready-to-wear collection with celebrities such as Beyoncé, Julianne Moore, and Lauren Hutton attending the event.
Tom Ford Black Orchid was the first perfume launched under the Tom For Beauty umbrella in 2006. An opulent mix of truffles, orchid, patchouli, and dark chocolate.
A fragrance much praised by women and men all around the world, placing it in the same level of quality as Chanel No. 5 and Guerlain Shalimar.
In 2007, the Private Blend collection of perfumes were introduced by Tom Ford, a line focusing on the niche side of perfumery. More daring and more complex at a higher price point.
Tom Ford has described Private Blend as his “own personal scent laboratory”, suggesting that it is okay to mix two or more fragrances to create your own unique scent.
The three most popular creations from that line are:
As of 2017, Tom Ford Beauty is owned by Estée Lauder while the major shareholder of Tom Ford International is still Tom Ford, holding 63.75% of the shares.
Ford has described “the Tom Ford customer” as international, cultured, well-traveled, and possessing disposable income.
Some of the celebrities that Ford dresses are Beyoncé, Jennifer Lopez, Gwyneth Paltrow, Tom Hanks, Johnny Depp, and Ryan Gosling.
Tom Ford has directed A Single Man and Nocturnal Animals.
Tom Ford’s fragrance line is divided into two distinctive collections. The more creative and expensive Private Blend and more affordable, yet still original Signature Collection.
In this ultimate guide about Tom Ford perfumes, I’ll also cover the sub-collections within those two lines so as to make it easier to choose which Tom Ford fragrance path you wish to tread on.
One thing’s for sure, the price range varies and depending on which fragrance line you choose, the price goes from anywhere from 60$ to more than 900$.
Does it mean that if something is expensive it’s better? Not always, and my number one choice comes from the Signature line.
Please keep in mind that you can wear whatever you want. No matter what it says on the perfume sticker. To put it plain and simple, that’s just marketing. Man or woman, you can wear each and every fragrance from this list.
I don’t think any other fragrance brand has come so close with their scents being unisex, as Tom Ford did. One more reason for you to try them out.
Let’s take a closer look at Tom Ford’s perfume range.
THE PRIVATE BLEND
The Private Blend range was introduced in 2007 in Tom Ford’s own words: “Private Blend is my own personal scent laboratory; it’s where I have the ability to create very special, original fragrances that are unconstrained by the conventions of mainstream scent-making.”
The original collection consisted of the following fragrances:
This unisex range is meant to be layered one with another and thus, creating your own distinguish scent profile.
Highly-priced and targeted to perfume connoisseurs and to all who want to experience true niche perfumery, The Private Blend will amaze you and open your eyes to what can be achieved in modern perfumery.
Praised by fragrance lovers, actors, musicians, and people in all other sorts of industries, Private Blend fragrances just work.
High-quality ingredients, exclusive, sophisticated, open-minded ideas blended into fragrances, superb complexity, and much more. There is something for everyone here.
What’s even better, you can find this range in almost any high range fragrance department store. It is all in the name of the fragrance. Each fragrance begins with the extract from a single note such as leather and vanilla.
If we want to go even further, Oud Wood, Tuscan Leather, and Tobacco Vanille are widely regarded as the best fragrances ever released.
THE SIGNATURE COLLECTIONFragrances from the Signature Collection bring Tom Ford luxury to a wider mainstream audience and are more approachable in some cases.
This doesn’t mean that these fragrances are of lower quality or not worth seeking out, but sit in the designer price range to compete with the other big fragrance brands such as Dior and Hermes.
The compositions are tight, blended to perfection, and punch way above the price point. I recommend starting with this collection if you are new to the brand to get the gist and idea of where to go next.
The first-ever released fragrance from Tom Ford was Black Orchid in 2006 and comes from the Signature line. It was developed by having a grower create the darkest flower possible and then adding black truffle, lotus wood, bergamot, and vanilla.
To this day, Black Orchid stands as the pinnacle of modern women’s perfumery.
EXCLUSIVESThe even highly-priced Private Blend of exclusive fragrances are composed of currently four perfumes, usually found in Tom Ford boutiques, some duty-free shops, and on Tom Ford web site:
No, you are not imagining it. It is a play on words.
NOIRIn the Signature line, the Noir sub-collection has four different seductive fragrances: Noir Eau de Toilette, Noir, Eau de Parfum, Noir Extreme for Men and Women, and Noir Anthracite. Suitable for nightwear, glamorous black-tie events, and business wear.
EDT and EDP are dark, woody, and floral fragrances, while both Noir Extreme’s are sweet and spicy scents. Anthracite is smokier with exotic characters.
OUDSpicy and woody Oud Wood is Tom Ford’s most popular fragrance and the scent with its own line within the Private Blend. Other three fragrances that make the line are Oud Minerale with an aquatic take on the woody formula, and Tobacco Oud, the most daring of the three, focusing on the dark tobacco note and oud. Oud Fleur takes a different approach with the inclusion of florals and focusing on the rose note.
PORTOFINOPurely designed as the option for summer usage, vacations, and those good times when you want to be reminded of the most relaxed part of the year.
Neroli Portofino, Neroli Portofino Acqua, Fleur de Portofino are composed of citruses, herbs, and light musks to made your day sunny and bright. It is also the only range in the Private Blend that’s more affordable.
Tom Ford has released more than 100 fragrances, and you may find yourself overwhelmed to pick the best one from the bunch.
Here are my tips on how to narrow down the list:
Don’t stop exploring, and enjoy the wonderful aromas of each fragrance. None of them are dull, and each brings something new to the table.
At the first glance, perfume may seem like scented alcohol-water you spray onto yourself and that’s it. Still, it takes a little finesse to learn how to wear perfume correctly.
If you have ever wondered why your perfume may only last about an hour or two, the reason may be that you are not wearing your perfume the best way. Here are my favorite tips&tricks on how to wear your favorite fragrances:
1. CHOOSE THE RIGHT CONCENTRATION
One of the most important things to do when you find your favorite perfume is to choose the right perfume concentrations and learn more about fragrance strengths.
These two terms refer to raw material oil concentration. By knowing that, these concentrations vary from perfume to perfume and affect sillage and projection, along with some other subtle things.
All fragrant products fall into some of these main categories:
Thus, you’ll be pleased to know that most of your perfumes come either in Eau de Toilette or Eau de Parfum concentrations.
2. FINDING A PERFECT FRAGRANCE FOR THE RIGHT SEASON AND OCCASIONAnother important point you should consider before buying a perfume is choosing the right perfume for particular occasions and seasons.
This will greatly depend on your lifestyle, workplace, and in which part of the world you live in. Daytime fragrance usually is lighter, citrusy, effervescent, and lasts less. We usually associate these types of scents with Spring and Summer.
On the other hand, nighttime fragrances are stronger and denser with “heavier” notes. Heavier fragrances and usually associated with the Fall and Winter seasons.3. SPRAY THE FRAGRANCE ON CLEAN SKINThe ideal way of wearing the perfume is by applying it directly to the skin. Perfume products are made to best interact with our skin and our body heat.
That’s why I don’t recommend testing fragrances on test strips that don’t show the real picture. The warmest parts of your body will produce the best results and here are six recommended places to spray your perfume:
4. LESS IS MOREYou have found your favorite perfume, and you are enjoying it to the fullest. Spraying liberally surrounds you with the most beautiful scented cloud. You are happy.
But one day, you notice that the scent bubble has shrunk so much that you barely smell your perfume and now you wonder has your perfume has gone bad or what could be the issue.
If this has happened to you, don’t worry you are alone. Many people overspray their perfume, and block their scent receptors. The solution is to not spray more than 2 to 4 sprays maximum.5. MOISTURIZE DRY SKINAs we know, oily skin holds onto fragrance better than dry skin. That’s why it is a good idea to rub unscented lotion onto your pulse point and the rest of the body before applying perfume.
A small amount is enough and preferably, you should apply oily moisturizer after a shower. This takes us to other great alternatives just below.
Read more about how to wear perfumes here.
Fragrance families are a classification system used by the perfume industry in order to place different scents into olfactive groups.
These families have evolved through centuries with ever-going technology discoveries the fragrance wheel has been changed multiple times that help you narrow down your favorite perfume choice and distinguish scents.
FRAGRANCE NOTES AND ACCORDSSimply explained, notes are perfume indigents, and accords are “fantasy” notes made from several other notes to get one distinct accord(note) that couldn’t be recreated otherwise.
Such accords are leather, amber, and marine notes, while notes can be bergamot, rose, and vanilla. But, while it may sound as simple as this, there are some other things to consider as well.
Smelly alcohol-water known as perfumes are made from multiple notes and accords which are made from a mixture of natural and aroma-chemical indigents to form a general scent profile.
These notes and accords are separated into three different classes known as perfume pyramid:
Each of the separate pyramid stages is carefully created by perfumes to evaporate accordingly.
For example, top notes such as citruses evaporate faster than for instance, Sandalwood and Agarwood found in the middle or base stage of the perfume.
In modern perfumery, accords are a vital part of creating a harmonious blend of two or more notes into a distinctive smell.
While this process is more complex than it may sound, it’s always good to know how are your perfume composed and when can you expect more natural indigents rather than synthetics.
So, to conclude the fragrance term referred to as “notes” and “accords” are often used as marketing to explain approximately what consumers may expect when smelling a particular perfume.
These are the four different fragrance families:
FLORALSFloral scents can be either made from single flower notes(soliflore) or many flowers(bouquets). Nature has provided perfumers a number of variety of ingredients, thanks to many different flowers all around the world.
Both classic and as old as citrus(Fresh) family, it leans more to the feminine side, but recently, many floral dominating scents such as Black Orchid have proven that even men can wear floral family scents and smell great.
ORIENTALOriental fragrance family is equally popular among men and women. Orientals have been dominating on fragrance market in the 21st century and they are not going to stop any time soon.
Rich spices such as vanilla, cinnamon, cloves, and balmy resins such as benzoin, myrrh, incense, amber are just some of the prominent notes found in this broad family.
It is not uncommon for oriental perfumes to feature gourmand properties(“edible” notes). Thus, this fragrance family is often sweet, dense, sensual, powdery, and inspired by eastern cultures.
WOODYThe woody family leans more toward men and is usually composed of warm, and rich compositions. If you are a fan of forest, sawdust, earthy, and dry type of smells, this family might be just for you.
Woody perfumes are split into three main categories but have many more variations since it is a fragrance family that tends to overlap with others the most with the combination of fresh and resinous notes.
Woody perfumes also tend to be long-lasting, blended for various seasons, and due to their warm heart, more and more unisex.
FRESHFresh family is the most crowd-pleasing of them all, and the only one that equally leans both on the masculine and feminine side. Perfumes have never been more affordable and accessible than they are now, and fresh scents are dominating the market since the early 90s.
Of all the fragrance families we have covered, fresh family spans across the most varieties of sub-categories of all the different fresh combinations that seem to work like bread and butter with others.
They are easy to wear, often fresh and airy uncomplicated scents. Fresh perfumes are also the only fragrance family group that’s wearable in any season, and in most occasions.
Fresh scents tend to have a mix of sparkly fruits, aromatic herbs, lighter woods and musk’s in their composition.
Read more about the fragrance families and fragrance wheel here.
Here are some answers to the most popular questions asked about Tom Ford perfumes and brand.
With more than 100 scents to choose from, some of the popular Tom Ford perfumes didn’t make the cut. Here are some honorable mentions I believe you should also check out:
Hopefully, you have enjoyed this list and found something new to try out. These are my favorite Tom Ford scents, and I cannot wait to try out new releases as well.
What are your favorite Tom Ford perfumes? Let’s start a conversation and let me know in the comment section below.
In case you are in doubt whether you should consider buying this fragrance or not, it’s always good to take a look at Scent Grail’s S.P.A. Signature Factor Guide.
It is easy to use and the most relevant perfume buying guide on the web. This way, you can check out if a particular fragrance is worth checking out, and potentially find your signature perfume.
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Until next time, have a great time and keep smelling like a million bucks!
Best, Marin!#scentgrail #scentgrailtribe
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