Hidden Gems vol. 10: Costume National Soul, Niche Quality, Designer’s Price

When we talk about hidden gems, some houses can be considered hidden gems in their own right. One such house is Costume National.

Costume National is a Niche house that delivers one of the most avant-garde and powerhouse performing fragrances in the current market. You would expect such releases to flaunt a high price tag. On the contrary, you will end up surprised when you land your sight on their fragrances’ price tags.

Today, I want to give you my take on the first Costume National release that I tried, Soul. I first tried Soul after a friend of mine recommended it, seeing how much I adore Yves Saint Laurent’s M7. Looking back now, I am really grateful to that friend for introducing such a remarkable perfume from an equally unique house.

Soul was launched back in 2015 with the renowned Dominique Ropion, whom I regard as one of the greatest perfumers in history, behind the helm. It is a warm, spicy, and oriental scent which is primarily marketed as a unisex fragrance.

Soul starts off with a citrusy blast of fresh bergamot, paving the way for the smooth cardamom and the sexy pink pepper which add manly vibes to the fragrance. The heart notes are really the “soul” of Soul, where the elegant leather combines with the exotic oud wood and some spicy geranium to bring about a whole new creative dimension to the perfume.

Although not officially listed in the heart notes, in this stage, I start detecting the Ambergris before it becomes more prominent in the drydown. The drydown puts all the emphasis on the ambergris along with some nuances of a not-so-sweet vanilla and earthy patchouli. The fragrance has the same feel as Yves Saint Laurent’s M7, but only if you judge it on a surface level. In the actuality, Soul proudly displays its own character and signature style.

Soul performs in an amazing manner in terms of longevity. The sillage and projection are pretty decent as well, and you can expect people to notice you and ask about what you are wearing. The perfume perfectly suits older males more than any other gender or age. You can wear Soul in most outings and I personally prefer to wear it in the winter and fall seasons.

Tell us what you think about Soul and Costume National’s releases if you have tried any. Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below, and suggest any fragrance that you would like us to review.