Abercrombie and Fitch Cologne Review

In a very successful attempt to appeal to the high school demographic, Abercrombie and Fitch released a line of colognes in 1996. This was followed by the release of more popular scents as well as seasonal varieties two years later. It has been speculated that A&F sought to create a sense of belonging with their followers; in so doing, they were able to connect with their target demographic and sell them $70 cologne.

The goal is simple: drink it. Yes, well... drink it. A&F may be different from their competitors, but their product is not nourishing. In fact, there's really nothing in their cologne that can cause you to fall with the desire to bathe in the stuff – which makes this a very bizarre marketing strategy.

Frankly, I found that A&F's cologne was too powerful for me to enjoy wearing it for more than about 20 minutes. It was nice and strong, well-scented... but that was about all I could say for it at this point. After washing away my own smell from my skin and clothes, I'd encounter the same problem: no solid aftertaste or lingering sensation of any kind.

After a few minutes (a few hours at most), I'd forget what I was wearing and end up back in my regular fragrance – which is pretty sad when you think about it, because A&F has proven that you can smell like an Abercrombie model at the drop of a hat.

An Internet poll conducted by The Guardian in January 2002 showed that about two thirds of people who tried the cologne were put off by the odor. Many believe that this is because it smells like cheap cologne to begin with, but others say that it's too strong for them and puts them off their purchases.

Abercrombie & Fitch is proud of their cologne and are sticking to their marketing campaign, but even they're having a hard time making that connection with the customers. It's like you do everything right: a good offer, niche fragrance market, but you can't make it work. And then it just goes away.

For a scent that seems to speak more to the pre-teen market than the men it's trying to reach, I can't say I'm too surprised. Actually, there's really nothing here that makes me think of Abercrombie & Fitch at all; I think they've done better in the past.

Overall, this cologne is just like Abercrombie & Fitch itself: not bad, not great, but a little overrated. It doesn't smell bad or anything – and if you're looking for something strong enough to cover up your own stench for an hour or two... then it might just do the trick.

Abercrombie & Fitch Cologne Review - [Click here to jump back to the start of this article]

NOTES: Coriander, Tobacco Leaf, Amber, Oak Moss and Sandalwood.

FINAL THOUGHTS:

WARNING: Do not wear this cologne if you are prone to heart attacks. This is not a broad-spectrum fragrance; it's designed for the tall, lean and lanky. Plus, if you do wear it, be careful where you apply it – don't make yourself smell like a girlie gym locker room.

TESTERS' OPINION SCORE:

The Fragrance: 1/5

The Scent: 1/5

The Smell: 2/5 (for a scent that's supposed to be strong enough to cover the stink of the gym locker room, I'd have to say this is just not very strong)

Overall: 2/5

Cost*: $7.00 for a 4.4oz bottle (from Macy's in July of 2001). I bought a couple bottles from Abercrombie & Fitch in August of 2001. As of 2006, you can expect A&F cologne to cost about $6-$8 for a large bottle.

* (revised 3/17/06)

IMAGES:

^ Absolut A&F Cologne Review from MyShopping.com

^ Abercrombie & Fitch Cologne Review from FragranceX.com __________________IMAGES: Click here ^ Absolut A&F Cologne Review from MyShopping.com Click here ^ Abercrombie & Fitch Cologne Review from FragranceX.com Last edited by Ultimate; 07-24-2014 at 1:50 PM .. Reason: Added more images, added link to article and tweaked my notes as requested. Last edited by Ultimate; 07-24-2014 at. Reason: Added more images, added link to article and tweaked my notes as requested. 03-17-2014, 02:23 AM #2 (permalink) Ultimate Member

Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: UK Age: 41 Posts: 1,079 Review of Absolut A&F Cologne 8/10

I found this one to be a solid aromatic fragrance from Abercrombie & Fitch. I'd say that it wears close to its target market of pre-teens and does a very good job of smelling like pine tree air freshener for about half an hour after application. I was able to catch whiffs of it throughout the day but not really any noticeable lingering threads. I've seen this one for sale on Amazon, Perfumania and various other places for about $10 - 15 depending on the size of the bottle.

I think people who are into these type of fragrances will enjoy it as a bit of a novelty purchase and young men and pre-teens looking to take their first step into the world of aromatic fragrances might like it as an introduction. I would suggest that anyone in their late teens or older should probably pass on this one though.

Conclusion:

Overall: 8/10

Value for Money: 7/10 (medium sized 4.4oz bottle)

Scent Strength: 8/10 (strong but not overpowering)

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