Envy for Men by Gucci

I own the legendary 1998 Gucci Envy, have tried CK One Shock by Calvin Klein, and today I wore a bottle a friend had. They are remarkably similar; just look at the notes and you’ll see that almost every note in Shock is also in Envy. What a delightful surprise.

An absolute gem! Not even a niche fragrance. The totem of Gucci’s golden age. Elegant, sophisticated, sexy… Tom Ford in pure form. After nearly 20 years without it, I have it back and am enjoying it once more. Gucci and their discontinuations: an altar to this wonder.

I remember Envy as if it were yesterday. I tried it in 2003 with my parents at the centre; my father took Opium and Rive Gauche, but in the final shortlist was Envy, which we discarded just before Kouros. I was 17 and loved it: it is opulent, elegant, and has a brazen wink thanks to the ginger and spices, an adult pleasure that didn’t suit my mother, as she wanted me to take the perfume, not the other way round. My father didn’t care, and he’s already a proper old codger. I enjoyed it for everything for a year: going out, going to class, or to parties. No girl would come round because of that, but I felt as secure as Pierce Brosnan ordering a vodka and Martini, anointed with a maturity oil inappropriate for a young lad like my friends. But the day I turned 18, everything changed. We celebrated my birthday wildly, drank too much, and abused our luck, alcohol and perfume. It ended up being a bitter night and I spent my first day as an adult regretting it, kneeling before the toilet. A few days later, when I smelled my bottle again, my stomach gave a turn. Fortunately, there was about 10% left. I let it sleep for a couple of years, then finished it alternating with Rive Gauche and Équipage. I’m glad I met it and enjoyed it, but ours ended abruptly that day. With more experience, I say calmly that I have found scents that satisfy me as much or more; I have a curious and unfaithful nose and should not obsess over discontinued perfumes that are almost impossible to find. That early morning morning, clinging to the toilet, I heard my mother tell my father: ‘Tomorrow he’s going to find out!’ and him replying: let him, in the sin there is the penance.

As the good Svazquez said before, it is a brutal fragrance from one of Gucci’s best eras. I don’t have the original, but I have a perfect clone that cost me $1.50 at Waldo’s; I took two bottles just in case… Tom Ford in one.

Call me crazy, but today I heard Gucci Envy at a collector friend’s house and look, K by Dolce and Gabbana came to mind. I don’t know why, as the notes aren’t similar, but well, if anyone has both, give them a sniff.

I picked up a tester at a good price. It is a delightful fragrance and, certainly, different from what is seen on the market today. Its composition is more akin to niche perfumes, but in my opinion without the quality of ingredients found in those. Is it worth the exorbitant prices they ask? It depends on your wallet. I particularly like it, but within the green, mysterious, and sophisticated category, I still prefer Memoir Man without a doubt.

What of Amouage, Creeds, MFK, Acqua di Parma, or any other niche house that thinks to boast. THIS, gentlemen, no one has thought to surpass this Gucci masterpiece. And Gucci offering us nothing but Guilty downpours or trinkets in 2020…

I’ll be a little bit of a pariah, but… I have no doubt that Gucci was and has once again become a house seeking the difference between its fragrances. Envy is very different from everything I’ve heard so far, which makes it notable. I’ve longed to smell Envy as much as the first formula of Pour Homme. I’ve achieved that with Envy and hope to do so with the Pour Homme. They are two fragrances that fascinate me enormously due to their reviews and the exorbitant prices; perhaps this is a problem because my expectations are huge. Freshly applied (for some strange reason), Envy reminds me a lot of the old Opium EDP, but only for 10 seconds; afterwards, the fragrance turns into something I’ve never heard and don’t quite understand… Spicy ginger, woods, something subtly vanilla, a very light balsamic base… It is frankly different from everything else. There is quality in it, but (fortunately for my wallet) it is not a fragrance I would like to wear; in fact, I don’t know if I like it or if it horrifies me. I understand that its devotees feel orphaned because I can’t find any resemblance to anything. For better or worse, it is unique. I don’t understand why Gucci removed everything to stay for a while with the fragrances they kept, which were, at the very least, mediocre, considering what they already had before.

@arp I wouldn’t pay for them either. They offered it to me from the Canaries for 120 euros, and I said no, because it is not niche enough for that. Nevertheless, if I tell you that I was in love with it. It is very autumnal, in which it shone for me; it didn’t matter whether it was morning, afternoon, or night. I wore it a lot in restaurants and big events, such as at the Opera, and I was always happy with its trail, performance, and longevity. But every person is a world, and you might reject it (for whatever reason). I would suggest trying it from September to October, as that was its key season. Best regards. Otherwise: R.I.P.

After several days of use and without judging it at first glance, I’ll say this: although it has many notes and seems complex, it’s a simple fragrance that basically smells of spicy ginger, slightly incensey and dusty. At the base there’s a green and vanilla touch, but so imperceptible that an untrained nose misses it. It’s linear, only fading in intensity until it disappears. Sincerely, I expected more from ‘Liquid Green Gold’ or ‘The Green Beast’, as its performance is low and the scent isn’t extraordinary; it leaves much to be desired. I expected something more complex or elegant. With this fragrance, what was meant to happen did happen: it didn’t fit its time and disappeared. I bought it five years ago for seventy dollars, an acceptable price, as online they ask up to four hundred, which is madness. Only a fanatic would pay a hundred dollars, because there are better options. One with a similar vibe is Noir de Reminiscence, more natural and elegant, without the ginger sting and more ambered, costing less than a hundred dollars and being a better choice. Is it bad? No, but its discontinuation turned it into a mythical object of desire, when in reality it isn’t. I see it at the level of Guerlain Heritage, Polo, Boss #1 or Paco Rabanne Pour Homme: good, but nothing legendary. It wasn’t an irreparable loss, just the effect of its withdrawal. It’s not worth paying a lot for. It smells formal or semi-formal, for fresh or cold climates and ages 25 to 40. Simply, it was discontinued and that’s it; nothing lamentable, if that’s the case, the disappearance of the Tsar is more regrettable, that one would truly be a loss.

Towards the end of the 90s, with Tom Ford at Gucci, this masterpiece hit the market. It was a mass perfume with excellent quality that today would be niche and cost a fortune. Why did Gucci discontinue it? The ginger is noticeable right after spraying, and so is the vanilla, and as it progresses they become more smoky and earthy due to the tobacco and incense, which give it that unique imprint. Lavender and cardamomo play a minor role but add the classic touch. A spicy sandalwood blends perfectly with everything and elevates the fragrance to an interesting olfactive status. The woody side adds complexity without eclipsing anything. The leather is very subtle but well-crafted. The florals shine more towards the end. What I like is the calibration of the notes: each occupies its place without distorting the other, creating a harmony that stands out. It’s exotic, sensual, ambered, relies heavily on incense/tobacco and is more narcotic compared to the fresh 90s perfumes. Gucci Envy could have come out in the 00s or today and still stand out. A Gucci gem that’s worth it.

I love it. Green-spiced opening, with the ginger noticeable throughout the evolution, while sandalwood and a light incense give it character and masculinity. The vanilla adds sweetness. Ambered finish with a touch of patchouli and leather. It’s a classic that doesn’t clash today. Good quality is noticeable and it’s versatile. Good performance, smells very well throughout the evolution. For spring, autumn and winter, day and night. Long-lasting longevity, moderate trail.

Tom Ford Gucci Misses You! One of the gems from Gucci’s Tom Ford era. A spicy oriental full of ginger, incense, cedar and sandalwood… and a gorgeous scent at full blast! This fragrance has everything you look for in an oriental for men: class, sophistication, an aura of mystery and seduction… this is more than most offer today! I believe without exaggeration it’s one of my best vanilla and ginger-based fragrances. It’s one of the masterpieces of the perfume world, not because of its discontinuation, but for its balanced, high-quality scent that is definitely niche. It’s a green spicy oriental juice; at first you detect the ginger and, of course, the vanilla, giving you a smoky green spicy flavour.

Envy for Men is one of the most famous discontinued scents and I’ve been using it for days. I’ve liked it more than Gucci Pour Homme I, so from that perspective its fame is more justified, without diminishing GPHI. It’s a spicy oriental fragrance; that nature gives it its personality. It’s hard to describe, but the opening is slightly smoky and incensey with a good load of spices: pepper, ginger and tobacco, which at times give way to florals and sandalwood, finally leaving an amber, vanilla and leather scent without losing its spicy nature, mainly the ginger. I think it’s ideal for romantic outings, as others say, the projection is medium-low. I think it looks better on fresh or cold days. Launched in 1997, if it had come out last year it would be 20 years old and it doesn’t feel old, although I think it will appeal more to mature people than young ones, still it’s relatively easy to like. Its longevity is around 8 hours on the skin and another couple on clothes. Although I’ve liked it, I wouldn’t justify paying the outrageous amounts asked in some places, but if you find it at a fair price, it’s one you shouldn’t let go.