Fragrance Reviews

Wings for Men by Giorgio of Beverly Hills (1994)

06/15/10 17:51:38

By: Marlen Harrison

This is the first in a series of bargain fragrance reviews, scents that may be found online or at discount stores for US $25 or less.

The third men’s release from Giorgio of Beverly Hills, launched in the era of Cool Water and Eternity, Wings for Men is a modern, sweet, marine-aquatic with tremendous longevity and sillage. Notes: “Top notes are lavender, green notes, neroli, bergamot and lemon; middle notes are coriander, clary sage, jasmine, lily-of-the-valley and geranium; base notes are tonka bean, amber, musk, oakmoss and cedar.” (Fragrantica)

First of all, I’m pretty surprised I’ve never mentioned this one before. By now, I’m sure everyone and their TJ Maxx-loving-mother has seen this Eternity sniff-alike for deep discounts at closeout shops and drugstores, but it’s time I brought a little love its way.

A couple of months ago I was sitting in a Vancouver restaurant with a newish friend (we had both been in Japan at the same time, had the same friends, but had never met!) and as she leaned in and sniffed me she exclaimed, “You smell amazing! What is that?” I explained that it was Wings for Men by Giorgio of Beverly Hills. She continued, “I’d love to get my boyfriend wearing that…He wouldn’t need to wear much else.” Ok, so I made that last part up, but she said something along those lines and made me promise I would write down the name and send her a sample when I got back to Pennsylvania.

But this love affair really goes back much,
much farther. It was in 1995 when I first got my first
sample of Wings for Men from Harrods (I was living in London at the time),
it was the same era of Angel, L’Eau d’Issey pour Homme, and the sadly discontinued Nicole Miller for Men. The first time I wore my sample I was touring Stratford-upon-Avon (yes, that Stratford) with an American lesbian and a Greek college student. I actually had a few samples with me and both of my companions asked for one of my spares. Knowing I could get more the next time I went to Harrods (a regular haunt for me), I happily complied. We all wore the scent that weekend and somehow, despite my enjoyment of the sweet, almost fruity aroma, I failed to ever own a bottle of it.

Fast forward to 2006—I’m at the TJ Maxx across the street from my Dad’s house in Boca Raton, Florida. I’d been ignoring Wings for Men for years but this time decided to pick it up, spray it, and sniff it. I liked it. I sniffed again. Again, pleasant, comforting, familiar….what was it that it reminded me of? As I inspected the shelves of fragrance and bath products, it suddenly hit me! Wings smells like Outdoor Fresh Bounce (scented dryer sheets), or perhaps it was the other way around. Anyhow, the scent smelled to me of freshly cleaned clothes, and to me, that is a soothing, comforting aroma. When I wore it later that evening, my step-mother remarked how great I smelled and I’ve never been without a bottle since. In fact, since then I’ve bought three more bottles, always needing to pick one up if I’m on a long vacation somewhere and have no real comfort scent with me.

The aroma of Wings is sweet and loud, a little bit like me (wink, wink). The deep aquamarine blue of the bottle is a good hint at what’s inside—an inspired blend of hesperidic, marine topnotes highlighted by floral midnotes and light musky, mossy basenotes. Calling to mind fragrances like Cool Water, Eternity, and other '80s/'90s aquatics, Wings is decidedly deeper and more complex. Created by Jean-Claude Delville, the nose of such superstars as Clinique Happy and Victoria’s Secret Very Sexy for Him, Wings has a similarly sweet, fruity, and slightly green feel. Though men’s marine fragrances seem to be a dime a dozen these days, often fleeting, watered-down versions of previous launches, Wings has presence. Both longevity and sillage are fantastic!

Now, I’m not sure if you’ve really given this one a proper try, or if you even care for citrus, lavender and jasmine aromas, but for an average price of about $16.99 US for a 50 ml spray (and often even cheaper at discount stores and online), it’s a surprising choice— nearly 16 years old, totally non-niche, and incredibly common…yet I’ve never met anyone else who wears it, and that might be the best part of this story!

Author: Marlen Harrison (perfumecritic)
Fragrantica Writer

Creator and Editor of PerfumeCritic.com (2006-2010), Marlen Harrison was also author of Basenotes.com's ADDICTED column and was a regular contributor to NowSmellThis blog, BeautyAddictMag, and The Washington Blade. Having lived in Europe, Asia, and North America, he is currently a researcher and professor of composition and sociolinguistics, and currently resides in the United States.

brianplace

I love the idea of finding very inexpensive fragrances that are actually quite good - I would buy a whole lot more full bottles if the ones I liked didn't all cost north of $80. :)

But some of the "cheap" fragrances tend to get overlooked because they aren't taken seriously, so please keep the reviews coming!

Jul
17
2010

applemint

Thanks for the enchanting review. I've just sent a bottle of this to my dad, just because I like the women's version. I was a bit worried if it would be more shallow than that but now I'm encouraged.

Jun
20
2010

gypsy parfumista

I have always assumed since I see it at TJ Maxx, WalMart and RiteAid that the price would equal the quality of scent. I was just at TJ Maxx today and got a 1 oz. Arpege pour homme @ a real steal price. Now I know quality and location of purchase are not mutually exclusive!

I think this new line of articles is a great idea; so many of us lack the disposable income to keep up with our fragrance addictions and every new seasons luxe and niche releases. Its like the poor man's guide to smelling swell.

I have four of the five Playboy frags and I assumed from the olfactive pyramid of notes this was almost the same as Malibu. I guess it is not just the notes but their concentration and HOW they are mixed.

I remember spraying a tester last Christmas of Wings by GBH on a paper tester strip and thinking GOD...HOW AWFUL!!! but judging from your review and the subsequent comments I wish I had come back in 15 min. to an hour and experienced the lush middle and sweet mossy drydown. On my next trip to WalMart I will definitely snatch this up. Thanx Marlen!!!

Jun
17
2010

perfumecritic

@endymion - It IS sweet, isn't it, especially at the opening? But I find it quickly begins to warm (oakmoss!) and mellow.

Jun
16
2010

Endymion

Well, I'm not bothered with the name, I kinda like it. However, the scent is one of the sweetest male scents I have ever encountered. I remember it was like smelling sugar!

ps. "What are you wearing?"- "Wings!" LOL :DDD

Jun
16
2010

perfumecritic

@varondandy - I agree the name is sometimes a little embarrassment-inducing when people ask me what I'm wearing...they follow up with snarky comments such as "Are you a pilot?"...LOL

@bludreamer7806 - The scent is so inexpensive it should be easy to track down a bottle without much pain to your credit card!

Jun
16
2010

BluDreamer7806

I remember this bottle of juice. I have many, many fond memories of this. I used to love to smell this on my guy friends. My twin and I were lovesick girlies for guys dousing their bodies with this delectable, masculine scent. Haven't smelled it in eons, but just thinking about it now takes me back to my wonder years. Gotta get some of this for my Novio!

Jun
15
2010

varondandy