Exclusive: J.Crew Gets Into the Scent Game with D.S. & Durga
By Matthew Sebra
March 26, 2013
After getting into the closets of, seemingly, every man in America, Frank Muytjens and his team of menswear folks over at J.Crew are now looking to claim real estate on guys' bathroom countertops as well. Working with Brooklyn-based cologne maker D.S. & Durga, Muytjens and Durga's perfumer David Seth Moltz collaborated on the exclusive, original scent that pulls inspiration from a cool, foggy day Muytjens spent at Big Sur.
According to the 'Crew's head of men's design: "The California coast is a sacred place for me, and it's been an inspiration for us in several men's collections at J.Crew. It's undisturbed, understated... it's raw in a way, and you have to search for the beauty in it. The air is rich out there and it's stays with you. I can smell it now." That intensity is translated through notes of wild herbs, predominantly sage and eucalyptus, that blend with coastal woods and kelp, producing a cologne that deftly walks the line between fresh and masculine. The scent's depth is also due to D.S. & Durga's small-batch production and premium raw ingredients, factors that are evident from first spray. We'd go on talking about the crisp cologne and quality for the price, but c'mon, it's J.Crew -- did you expect anything less?J.Crew is currently selling 1.7 oz (50 ml) of the D.S. & Durga for J.Crew Homesteader's cologne (item 01868) for $98. Clearly this is on the pricier side for men's cologne (even for women's perfume).
The description for the cologne is pretty funny too. I can just picture "the hardy men who settled Big Sur among the wild herbs", and I am not sure if they are wearing cologne. Let alone dress preppy in J.Crew's button-down shirts, khakis, and Sperry Top-Siders. (I think it would be more like Patagonia fleeces and LL Bean boots.)
Don't get me wrong, I am definitely curious about the scent in real life. Especially one that "walks the line between fresh and masculine" (...what does that even mean?!?) I just don't know if I will be purchasing it for the men in my life anytime soon.
What are your thoughts on this latest partnership with J.Crew? Have you smelled the scent? If so, please share with us your review! :)
Fragrance descriptions always amuse me. I'll smell like what now? Correct me if I'm wrong but didn't J.Crew used to have a self-named fragrance?
ReplyDeleteI totally agree! The description is the best part. :)
DeleteI thought J.Crew had a scent for Women way back in the day too. But I wasn't sure...
My dream job is to be someone who writes descriptions of perfumes or wine. Just draw some words out of a hat and call it a day.
ReplyDeleteLOL! Sometimes it does feel like they strung some sentences together using a word hat! ;)
DeleteFunny- I used to be a fan of the Banana Republic scent years ago and also the Gap had a few. Don't know if they still do. I'm not really into perfume at all anymore, though, so I don't think I'll trying this out. Way more interested in soaps and hair products these days! =)
ReplyDeleteMr Peterman called, he wants his prose back.
ReplyDeleteHahaha. Seinfeld :)
DeleteI really hope these smell amazing because I want to get my man a new cologne. :)
ReplyDeleteD.S. & Durga has partnered with Anthropologie for the past few years. The scents were always fascinating. I will definitely give this a sniff for a possible Father's Day present for the Hubs.
ReplyDeleteI will definitely take a whiff just so that I can find out what the line between fresh and masculine is. ;)
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ReplyDeleteWay back in the day, J. Crew had a woman's fragrance which I actually still have sitting on my vanity, along with it's companion hand lotion. They got into other products too as I also had a lipgloss from them -- again Eons ago. I just checked the perfume and lotion and both say 'So J.Crew' on the bottle, and the scent is Sea Glass. I remember getting these in college I believe, so we are talking pre-2002.
ReplyDeleteIf you have to "search for the beauty" in the raw California coast, where the hell are you looking! Stop smoking bowls. It's gorgeous upon the immediacy of viewment. Howz that for some prose out of a hat.
ReplyDeleteAlexis you make me laugh out loud. I'm not sure they were wearing cologne either. I will keep in mind that the scent masculinity is not fresh.
Thanks Gigi! The description is pretty funny. I still have no idea what the scent smells like, but it does sound intriguing! ;)
DeleteI held off on buying this for a long time. After hinting for my wife to pay the $98 dollars and gift this to me for Christmas, and failing, I had to pony up. There were no reviews of anyone who actually owns it and my local J. Crew did not have it in stock. I finally purchased online and I can say I do like this fragrance. It's very "piney" and similar to another fragrance who's name escapes me. However, this fragrance is not over powering. I can spray two shots in the morning and the hint stays with me all day. I like it. I only hate that it's a limited edition and I'll eventually run out and never see it again. Maybe by that time, there will be another collaboration.
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