Hermès’ First Men’s Scent in 15 Years Is an Innovative Break From Tradition

The French luxury company Hermès is nothing if not always on brand. A silly aside… A few months back, I received a gift card for my birthday with an undisclosed amount. As this was during COVID lockdown, I called customer service. A chic French voice shared that one of their operators would be with me shortly — followed not by muzak, but by the clippity-clop sound of horses hooves. In my mind’s eye, they spent their time in isolation brainstorming new products, and sure enough, there’s a new fragrance: H24, the first men’s cologne since Terre d’Hermès debuted 15 years ago, launches today.

H24 was created under the watchful eye (or rather nose) of Swiss perfumer Christine Nagel, who, prior to her tenure at the luxury house, had created fragrances for the likes of Narciso Rodriguez and Jo Malone. With a fresh green scent blended from clary sage, narcissus, and rosewood essence, along with the innovative addition of sclarene (a synthetic molecule with a sensual aroma), H24 veers from traditional men’s eau de parfums, which often rely on woodiness.

“This fragrance embodies the attitude of the contemporary man: that of being firmly of his time, in motion, a man of convictions, free and agile but aware of his roots. He is an instigator, a pioneer with strong convictions and a sense of responsibility,” Nagel shared with PaperCity. “Yet he remains in touch with his origins and builds his life on firm foundations. It is a style that defies time: of his time yet timeless.”

Given the battle cry for sustainable fashion, Hermès has also unveiled an eco-friendly refillable bottle for H24 designed by Philippe Mouquet and housed in a 100 percent recycled box.

Visit hermes.com to purchase H24 ($105 for 100ml), which officially launched on Wednesday, February 24.