Grey Flannel Geoffrey Beene (1975) Eau de Toilette

Grey Flannel (Eau de Toilette) by Geoffrey Beene

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Grey Flannel (Eau de Toilette) (Geoffrey Beene)

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7.3 / 10 473 Ratings

Grey Flannel (Eau de Toilette) is a perfume by Geoffrey Beene for men and was released in 1975. The scent is green-spicy. It was last marketed by French Fragrances, Inc..

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Perfumer

André Fromentin

Fragrance Notes

Top Notes	Bergamot, Galbanum, Neroli, Petitgrain, Lemon
Heart Notes	Geranium, Iris, Mimosa, Narcissus, Rose, Sage, Violet
Base Notes	Oakmoss, Almond, Tonka bean, Vetiver, Cedar

Ratings

Scent

7.3 (473 Ratings)

Longevity

7.7 (332 Ratings)

Sillage

6.9 (320 Ratings)

Bottle

6.9 (318 Ratings)

View Video of Grey Flannel (Eau de Toilette) (YouTube)

Submitted by DonVanVliet, last update on 15.02.2019

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Reviews

02/04/2019

5.5/10

Catch22

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Catch22

The would-be germs

This commentary is based on a whole collection of classically proven perfumes, a phalanx of selected modernists, a pronounced taste, strong opinions and, last but not least, a pair of "Grey Flannel" bottles.

What is noticeable - in contrast to unpopular modernists - is on the one hand the price, and on the other a will to design. "Grey Flannel" is wearable, pleases the outside world many times to always, and truly does not cost the world. But while here we say for 30Eus/100ml at least within the budget of the perfumer (certainly no longer the inventor, André Fromentin), this is no longer found in the mentioned modernists. Not even at ten to 20 times the price. They only want to imitate strong natural odours to give the impression of substantial value. They're not really perfumes anymore. The 'notes' stand next to each other, hardly forming chords, let alone a melody.

"Grey Flannel" dares a dissonant sound of violet leaf, certainly synthetic, which develops from a rather short and artificial, citric echo. It contrasts with a flowery middle section. In the aftertaste contrast continues against the mossy woody base.

In the comparison of two variants of the "Grey Flannel" a certain arbitrariness of the execution is to be noticed. The variants are different as far as the abundance is concerned. The earlier one is considerably more multi-faceted, the newer one rather cuttingly reduced. From this I deduce that even the older version lacks one or the other "twist" of an (unknown to me) original.

"But even in its current form "Grey Flannel" has the absolutely essential advantage of wanting to make something like a fragrance at all. To bring into the world something unlikely, astonishing, and only therefore worthwhile. It's become more than that: Fahrenheit also uses this chemically wrong smelling violet leaf to evoke the effect of something special (in the newer versions it's heavily truncated, by the way).

If one compares/fru "Grey Flannel" with other perfumes of our time, which also want to have a fresh effect, it wins through the means which are no longer in use today. It's just different because it's made of something else. And it dares a contrast, a stylistic device that lacks acceptance today. Despite all the clarity, it still looks friendly. Especially because it doesn't hit the spot. Like the Beatles: simply elegantly thought through, effective but open.

11 Replies

01/04/2019

7.0/10

8.0/10

Camey5000

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Camey5000

Very helpful Review 11

An ancient scent, a scent of the earth...

Finding spring too early is a risk, feeling it almost presumptuous.
But he's in grey flannel.

The cheerful scents of days gone by, captured with drops of bergamot, neroli and lemon, give way to a longing for the new age and a wait for green mats and grass-lying dreams.

Along the way, on our little journey through time, we touch the daffodils, touch the mimosa and sage leaves and drop into an endless field of violets.

We dig our heads deep into these animal scent cushions and think back!
Also to all the violets, withered, blown away, passed and born again and again.

Between violets and oakmoss, we look towards the sky and shiver,
as the sky throws its scent of a distant cedar over us from the bright treetops.

For hours in the barren shade. But spring is coming.

The scent is still a risk.
(January)

5 Replies

08/15/2018

9.0/10

8.0/10

Konsalik

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Konsalik

Greatly helpful Review 22

I'm sorry, I misunderstood you! (or: What happens under the suit)

In the perfume chapter of his book "Der Gentleman" Bernhard Roetzel writes about "Grey Flannel" and others:
"Fortunately, you don't notice that this fragrance came onto the market in 1976, in the middle of a decade not exactly known for its timeless style. It goes best with a more classical wardrobe."
I didn't understand that at first. On the contrary: The impression of the uncomprehensible that was conveyed by many commentators on this page also came up in me at the beginning. The end of the fragrance was still quite obvious: Discreet soap. Quite classic. But what was the purpose of the floral bouquet in the opening and in the heart, which seemed to be artificial and did not want to combine harmoniously with the soap-clean base, but on the contrary smelled almost like an unripe papaya to me in combination? Not at all balanced, rounded, unobtrusive - not all that one would associate with a fragrance that is to be understood as the perfection of a classic (i.e.: old British) wardrobe. So it's the awkward seventies after all? But Grey Flannel" doesn't understand its task in such a striking way!
It is well known that today there is a popular fragrance category within the genus "Freshies" (as the English-speaking Youtuber probably call it), whose representatives are supposed to convey the impression of refreshed ability to go out or visit: Freshly showered, fresh laundry from the line: Everything concentrated in the bottle. "Grey Flannel" basically doesn't do anything else, only in the old and - in my opinion - more interesting way. In concrete terms, this means not taking a shower, but taking a bath. Not with liquid soap and shower gel lubricated, but with curd soap rubbed off (whose parents and/or grandparents did not have this almost endlessly productive piece of curd soap, possibly with pine smell, in the bath lie?). The laundry is not treated with Lenor's "Sommerwaldstrandbergquellzauber" fabric softener (which also damages the fibres), but refreshed with a shot of the herbaceous-floral ironing water additive alone (the housekeeper says her great-grandma already swore on it).
Only from this perspective do the first impressions described above make sense: that is why the fragrance components may seem so unconnected and stand next to each other. That's why "Grey Flannel" is a "spray-on suit" to a certain extent: it underlines, reinforces and extends the essential steps of the morning routine of the gentleman of the old city. No wonder that his habits and preferences for our modern noses at first do not give a harmonious, i.e. immediately and easily classifiable picture. Roetzel was right.

7 Replies

04/16/2018

9.0/10

8.0/10

6.0/10

8.0/10

Mossawir

Great smell.

warning if you smell directly from the bottle cap or atomizer, it will smell like shit. but trust me this is 32 years old product probably reformulated but again you can't go wrong. its smells great and you will get compliments from elder leagues. its very much spicy indeed and has a great vibe when you cross some one. mature women's love it. they will look at you if not ask you about it. great to have it in your collection. but one down side it does not stand long. 4-5 hours tops. its a pure manly perfume.

09/06/2017

Taghi

Classic Masterpiece!

OK, this is a cologne released 32 years ago, so it's predictable that would smell familiar. also there is a Dove soap with this smell, but don't let that fool u. this is not a boring dated smell,in fact it's an incredibly fresh,eternal versatile scent. I like that some notes like almond and rose can be smell vividly. mine is made in USA with that lovely pouch. if u looking for a fresh cool scent with decent longevity and projection and don't care about release date, this is your scent.price is very bank account friendly. the only downside imo is the sprayer which is not controllable and u can not spray small doses. i think it's one of the worst atomizers I've ever seen. and one last thing , as mentioned by others below i think its unisex and women can wear it too.

10/23/2016

Hitchslap

Mr. Beene!

It's the oddest thing......of the colognes I have in my cabinet, this one seems like the most "un-synthetic" of them all.

The opening notes are so "natural" and strong, sort of astringent but never does the thought of a chemical odor cross my mind.

To some noses out there the immediate smell after application might turn them off but if you give it some time it really proves it can settle down and prove its maturity.

If you are under 30 you might not "get this" but if you are truly a nonconformist then you might impress your peers with a daring departure from the normal fragrances Mtv pushes.

01/09/2016

5.0/10

10.0/10

8.0/10

Hajuvana

Helpful Review 4

Dry, herbal, dusty, green

One shouldn't be fooled by its affordable price nor its bathfoam-like packaging – Grey Flannel smells terrific, unique and more expensive than most of today's designer stuff.
I'm having hard time detecting any of the notes featured on the pyramid above, except for the violet leaf, that is. Or at least the pyramid is very misleading. This is not nearly as floral as it suggests. Essentially this is a dry, green masculine built around the violet leaf note, with emphasis on the herbal/camphorous side of the note. Some whiffs of cooking herbs and even white pepper are obvious at times. The art or magic, however, is in how several notes have been forced to play second violin in perfect harmony to the violet leaf. Even the coumarin-like base has somehow been tuned to primarily reveal its greener side. Theres nothing creamy or cloying in there. If there's any sweetness, it's closer to burned sugar.

I won't suggest you to try it before buying, I simply suggest you buy it anyway. Chances are high that it won't become a daily favorite, but very likely something you feel tempted to revisit every now and then. Just to appreciate it's uncannily clever structure.

Be easy on the trigger, though – this is tenacious stuff. Even though its sillage won't kill anyone, you might find 3+ squirts nauseating yourself.

12/24/2014

7.5/10

5.0/10

6.0/10

Keppy

Helpful Review 5

Old time Classic

I was surprised on how many people spoke so well about a scent that was released over 3 decades ago. Many people still found it attractive even when it didn't come from a very popular perfume house.

It was curiosity that made me acquire this old time classic, because I wanted to find out how a gentleman in the late 20th century would smell like. and due to it's fair price tag, I didn't hesitate at all. And the bottle too, it was attractive to me, it was simple and i really wanted to add it to my small collection.

Grey Flannel won't really rub shoulders with some beast our there, but it still pleases me, in a particular way. It works best in the evenings. Sometimes you should dress in a way that will compliment this scent.

1 Replies

12/28/2012

Krmarich

Helpful Review 9

Many miles behind us...

I first encountered Grey Flannel in 1978. It became a trusted companion for the rest of my life. This is the scent I turn to when I feel down and out. It is like that old ragged teddy bear that you just cannot throw away.

I spent a few years tracking down a vintage bottle of the original cologne, as the current EA Fragrance version is too heavy handed. The bottle had a faded label. Its unassuming apothecary bottle is as iconic as a bottle of Old Spice. It was under $10 including shipping. It contains a priceless array of florals and herbs that are no longer in the new version.

The opening is galbanum and citric accords that give way to the chypre accords( oakmoss, vetiver and patcholi) that move in right away and stay for the duration. Then a bouquet of florals gently peek through, like patches of blue sky though a sping storm. They have a crushed wet quality like you have just stepped on them in the rain. Neroli(my favorite note), violet, iris, clary sage, geranium, rose and narcissus are all discreetly there. The drydown is held up by tonka, labdanum and cedar. This is another 24 hour composition. Its unimaginable that a mens floral had become a hit! Much less that it is produced by an American designer. Its refined, masculine and distinct. It smells the same on every man.

All of the notes are real in this vintage have a strength no longer seen in the EA version or anything I know of on the market. This came on the market before the powerhouse. It still can fill a room, yet its real strength is its time elapsed chypre character. Patience is required to fully enjoy it. It like having a crush when you are young, as it gives you courage to carry on. This is perfect on rainy spring days when you have little on your mind.

The current version lacks the chypre notes of course, yet has the violet turned way up. It has the loudness of an EDT. I think the narcissus is a bit loud too. Other than that, its still distinctly Grey Flannel. I cannot wear it on my skin, yet it does make a great wardrobe spray. I think the current version is more Purple Satin by comparison.

2 Replies

12/22/2012

7.5/10

5.0/10

7.5/10

7.0/10

Drseid

Helpful Review 5

A Classic Violet Floral...

Grey Flannel opens with a citrus combination of lemon and bergamot, quickly joined by a floral green orange blossom, galbanum and petit grain undertone that permeates the early citrus development. The floral green accord remains into the early heart where it is then joined by a strong floral violet note that is the real star of the scent and hangs around to a degree through the remaining development. As the petit grain and galbanum begin to recede later in the heart phase, a supporting rose note now joins the violet. During the dry-down, the violet and now heavily diminished rose are sweetened just a hair by the use of tonka bean in the base though never does it sweeten Grey Flannel enough that one could mistake this for a sweet scent by any measure. Projection is good and longevity is very good.

Grey Flannel is pretty unique. It is a masculine floral that uses violet and galbanum very different than I have sniffed in other fragrances. I get an almost aromatic vibe early, with the green resinous citrus combination supporting the florals, then the scent takes a bit of a detour late, steering away from the florals to a degree while never quite entirely losing them. Grey Flannel is not particularly my kind of scent, but the quality of the composition is certainly there and I can easily appreciate what its legions of fans see in it. I would recommend sampling this before purchase, but due to its relatively low price nowadays even a blind buy (as I did) is not particularly risky. The bottom line is the classic scent Grey Flannel is a trendsetter that is a bit polarizing but worthy, earning a very good rating of 3.5 to 4 stars out of 5.

07/15/2012

jtd

jtd

Helpful Review 5

Beautifully seering in a way I associate with a dry floral chypre.

This is a brilliant fragrance that might have traded some degree of acclaim for ubiquity. Well, time has passed and so many current perfume fans weren’t around when this bad boy was released. Time to reconsider it.

I’ve read Grey Flannel referred to as a fougère, but I don’t get much coumarin. Maybe just a touch to lend that particular quiet but high-pitched sweetness that works so well with the violet leaf. And I don’t get any lavender. I find Grey Flannel a citrus woody violet. Or let me make that VIOLET with some orange/petitigrain and cedar. This scent reads as crisp and immaculate; it would make an ideal alternative to the sporty–fresh wing of the men’s perfume market. But you have to like the violet leaf note or you’ll never love Grey Flannel.

Forthright, stark accords tend to appeal to me for their broad legibility and that fact that there’s always some degree of virtuosity even when the notes harmonize. The best potential for synergy is when seemingly different elements are connected by a couple of associative links, as in the seemingly Kevin Baconish degrees between bergamot, oakmoss and labdanum in a chypre. Here the connections are orange twigs to cedar (wood), cedar to violet leaf (a high-pitched camphorous note not unlike eucalyptus) and violet leaf to citrus (astringent.) The thin links connect; the large gaps allow for the inclusion of other notes that makes an accord like this so rich for new ideas.

Grey Flannel ties with Lauder’s Azuree and Private Collection, Balmain’s Ivoire, Gres Cabaret, Rochas Tocade, Kiehl’s Musk and Caron’s Troisieme Homme and Yatagan for best inexpensive fragrance available.

02/05/2012

5.0/10

7.5/10

7.0/10

Missk

Helpful Review 4

An understandable classic

I was very intrigued by this fragrance seeming that I had read so many rave reviews on it. It was surprisingly quite difficult for me to track down, however I managed to find it hidden amongst some lesser known fragrances in a quiet little chemist.

Upon first application I was beginning to question why this fragrance was so popular. The citrusy opening notes were very strong and in some ways, harsh. The scent was also quite green, which is an aspect that I rarely like in fragrances.

I did not doubt Grey Flannel's obvious masculinity, however I expected something more unique and memorable. It wasn't until the scent settled that I understood why Grey Flannel is so likable.

The scent has an almost soapy-fresh quality with subtle herbaceous notes. I can see why this fragrance is hailed as a classic, it is indeed very sophisticated yet adaptable for any occasion.

It actually smells rather nostalgic to me. I swear that my Father used a talcum powder that smelt rather similar to Grey Flannel when I was a child.

The whole powdery, clean aspect of this cologne is both warm and cozy. Unfortunately I find the name of this fragrance rather misleading, as the name Grey Flannel only makes me think of old, smelly men's pyjamas.

When settled on the skin, Grey Flannel smells very natural and musky. It also lasts a good while which only adds to this fragrance's appeal.

2 Replies

01/05/2012

5.0/10

7.5/10

10.0/10

Flaconneur

Greatly helpful Review 10

GREY FLANNEL by Geoffrey Beene

Introduced by American fashion designer Geoffrey Beene in 1976, Grey Flannel was the brain child of perfumer André Fromentin. Beene started his fragrance collection in 1975 working in collaboration with Ron Winnegrad, André Fromentin and Michel Gouges. Many of Beene's fragrances are still in demand today.

Geoffrey Beene was a native of Haynesville, Louisiana and a revered designer in the fashion industry. Beene didn't start his career in the fashion world. As a matter of fact, he originally started his studies in medicine but dropped out after discovering his interest in fashion design. He enrolled in the Trap Hagen School of fashion in New York in 1947. After finishing his education, he worked for fashion houses like Teal Traina and Harmay, in New York and Paris.

Beene started his own company in 1963 under the name of Geoffrey Beene, Inc. Many famous celebrities in the entertainment and political arena were some of his greatest fans. He was also well known for designing the wedding dress for Lynda Bird Johnson.

Grey Flannel is a classic fragrance and very different than other designer fragrances that were offered up in the mid 1970's. A woody oriental with a hearty violet and iris heart. I remember this fragrance well and was a bit surprised when I decided to take a little walk down memory lane. Just how well would my sense of smell really work. Grey Flannel was probably my second or third fragrance purchase. I remember the packaging, a deep green bottle with a clean and crisp silver and white label. The little flannel shroud that covered the bottle with a rope like pull string. Everything about the packaging was masculine and somewhat proper.

I decided to purchase a bottle just to see what has been done to this classic men's fragrances. When I first sprayed the new version of Grey Flannel onto my skin, it was like being reintroduced to an old friend. It still had that wonderful dry dense forest like green smell. It also had a fragrant herbaceous quality in the opening in combination with small bits of citrus. This combination made the opening of Grey Flannel quite a powerhouse, very invigorating and very sharp to the nose. I noticed the violet leaf, iris and sage working it way up through the thick green notes and again, remembered how interesting this scent still is. Violet leaf gives off a slightly bitter metallic note that can be sharp to the nose. The oak moss, cedar base reinforced all of the forest green notes that subsided after the opening but somehow these base notes matured the scent. Nice warm woody notes with light sweet floral notes of iris and sharp violet leaf hovering above. I do feel that this reformulation, while unpopular with many, has a better balance between the overwhelming top and base notes with their interaction with the floral notes.

I feel that the violet leaf and iris are respectful of their positions in the note structure and not misbehaving in this new reformulation. The projection on Grey Flannel has attitude but in an austere way. I firmly believe that it was the overbearing florals in the original version that most people reacted negatively to. I'm glad to see that Grey Flannel was tamed just enough to allow full enjoyment of all of the great note combinations this fragrance has to offer. Many feel remorse over the new reformulation because of the disappearance of the heavy forest like green note in the opening. That note somehow managed to last almost right to the end. I personally loved this note but thought that it was overbearing and smothered the violet and iris notes that were probably the most vibrant in this fragrance.

Grey Flannel is still a great addition to anyone's fragrance collection. It is masculine, wearable, inexpensive and great for any time of the year but probably best suited for fall, winter and early spring. It appears that Geoffrey Beene has finally tamed the green monster.

2 Replies