Picture the scene: you're 15, just had your braces taken off, and are en route to New York for a family adventure. Your mum wants to go to the top of the Empire State Building. Your brother can't wait to check out Grand Central Station. And you? Well, there's only one destination on your bucket list. As you bustle down Fifth Avenue, you catch sight of them. The most beautiful (and topless) men you've ever laid eyes on. Your mum insists on taking a photo of you next to them. You're mortified but secretly thrilled. Yep, you guessed it: it's your first experience in an Abercrombie & Fitch store, circa the mid Noughties.
Needless to say, Abercrombie & Fitch has mostly disappeared from our wardrobes as well as our high streets. In the wake of criminal charges and serious allegations against former CEO Mike Jeffries, the brand, by association, has largely become persona non grata over the last decade.
Now, with legal proceedings still ongoing for Jeffries and his associates, it seems the brand is attempting a recovery and staging a comeback by reviving its most iconic Noughties asset: Fierce.
The brand's signature unisex eau de parfum, Fierce has the near-magical ability to completely transport you back to 2006, namely due to the fact it was pumped through every store across the world (so much so, you could always smell an Abercrombie store long before you could see the doors––or the topless men).
And while I'm not sure I'll be spritzing Fierce this time around, it did get me thinking about fragrance's unique ability to conjure memories and evoke a poignant sense of nostalgia. With that in mind, take this trip down memory lane with me, why don't you?
1. Ambercrombie & Fitch Fierce
Potent, visceral, and screaming of the late noughties, Abercrombie's 'Fierce' defined a generation - for better or for worse. The smell so many may still find synonymous with a stereotypically sexy man, this iconic elixir boasts a hearty mix of zesty citrus notes at the top (think: orange and lemon), exotic florals at its heart (sage, jasmine, lily of the valley) and grounding woodsy hints at the base (oakmoss, rosewood, sandalwood).
2. Clinique Happy Perfume Spray
So often a key introductory brand to young millennials back in the day, Clinique was for many of us, our first experience of real, 'grown-up' beauty. So it makes sense that the brand's 'Happy' scent, first born in 1998, feels so nostalgic to those of us in our late twenties to mid thirties. 'Happy' is as it sounds: light, zesty and easy to wear. It focuses on bright citrus notes and feminine florals like orange, mimosa and lily.
3. Ghost The Fragrance
I have so many memories tied to this one, which was one of my absolute favourite teenage scents. I also believe it paved the way for a new era of skin scents – such as Phlur Missing Person and Glossier You – which we're enjoying today. It's super powdery, sweet and musky, but still in a grounded way that feels somewhat sophisticated – despite the fact I was wearing it at 16! You'll definitely notice the rose and jasmine initially, followed by the vanilla and musk as it dries down slightly.
4. Calvin Klein Ck One
A trailblazer in its own right, Calvin Klein broke the mould when they introduced the first gender-neutral fragrance in the form of CK One. From the cool, unassuming bottle with its clouded glass and sleek logo to the forward-thinking (for its time) marketing campaign, everything about this was pivotal for the direction of gender fluid olfactory experiences. This is the ultimate fresh nostalgic fragrance, perfect for summer months when you want a little something without feeling weighed down. It somehow feels just as relevant and beloved today as it did back then.
5. Marc Jacobs Daisy
We all remember receiving a Marc Jacobs Daisy gift set for Christmas when we were teenagers, right? It feels like it was a right of passage for millennials who were gradually developing their passion for all things beauty. This super sweet, vibrant scent isn't for the faint-hearted: it's youthful, potent, and anything but 'barely there.' You'll smell the sweet violet leaf, gardenia and jasmine first, with slightly more mellow notes of musk, vanilla and white woods hitting afterwards.
6. Jean Paul Gaultier "Classique"
I always remember seeing the television adverts for this perfume as a young teen and thinking they were just about the sexiest, most salacious thing ever (remember, I was 14). Every time I walked past a bottle of the stuff in my local Debenhams, it'd take everything not to blush. The marketing and iconic bottle are not the only things sexy about this scent though: it's packed full with notes of iris, ylang-ylang and amber, amongst others, resulting in a feminine, decadent spritz.
7. MUGLER Alien
I will die on the hill that proclaims Thierry Mugler 'Alien' is quite possibly the most divisive mainstream scent in modern history. As a 16-year-old, I absolutely loved it; the heavy, musky weight of it made me feel like I was 30, flirty and thriving. My mum, I remember, detested it: see, it even has the power to divide families. Whether you love it or hate it, you have to agree it's super nostalgic: one sniff and you'll be greeted with notes of jasmine sambac, amber and cashmeran, guaranteed to throw you back to your 'coming of age' era.
8. Vera Wang Princess
Vera Wang 'Princess,' launched in 2006, was the ultimate playful, feminine scent that captured the hearts of many-a-young millennial. I remember seeing the bottle and not really caring what it smelt like inside: purple, heart-shaped and with a dainty crown atop its applicator, this was the stuff of adolescent dreams. If you're wondering what it smells like, it's probably as you'd expect: super sweet and packed full of white florals and fruits, along with a hit of dark chocolate.