BR’s New Fragrances Are Early-Fall Perfection

Yes, September is here. That means summer is essentially over — but don't pack away your sundresses just yet, because Banana Republic is celebrating the dog days with its latest fragrances: Wildbloom Rouge and Wildblue Noir (for women and men, respectively).

In true BR fashion, the scents are crisp and classic, with a hint of urban edge. In the case of Wildbloom Rouge, perfumer Marypierre Julien of fragrance house Givaudan created a vibrant fragrance that opens with sparkling notes of clementine and bergamot, dries down to a magnolia and jasmine heart, and finishes with a moody sandalwood base — bringing what at first appears to be a youthful-citrus fragrance into more mysterious territory.

In the case of Wildblue Noir, perfumer Jean-Claude Deville was inspired by a vacation in Maui to create a scent that mixed subtle aquatics and herbs with the fresh scent of sequoia trees, which are abundant on the island. Says Deville about the fragrance: "Despite the coffee and cocoa notes, it's not cloying at all — and the dewy, aquatic, citrus, and herbal notes bring out a moment of energy." The result is a perfectly balanced fragrance, free from the heavy woods and aggressive aquatics typically found in men's colognes. Instead, cool vetiver, sequoia, spicy nutmeg, and coffee interact to create a fragrance that's warm and inviting yet fresh — in other words, exactly what you'd like your man to smell like.

Both fragrances are stylish and luxurious, yet grounded in an all-American, clean-cut appeal — with the dreaminess of late-summer evenings at the beach (see the ad above if you need any more convincing). Wildbloom Rouge and Wildblue Noir are available only in BR stores, and not online — but, trust us: You'll want to get your noses onto these sophisticated scents at your local store ASAP.