ETAT LIBRE D’ORANGE
TOM OF FINLAND

2007

PERFUMER
Antoine Lie

Aldehydes
Lemon

Birch
Pine Tree
Cypress
Geranium
Pepper
Galbanum

Suede
Vanilla
Tonka Bean
Iris
Musk
Styrax
Vetiver
Ambergris

Tom Of Finland was discontinued in 2023. It (or a very similar scent) was re-released as Clean Suede.

‘The water slips over him as if sliding down a marble rock, sinking into the grooves of his muscles, vanishing into his pores. This is fresh, pure water, with top notes of aldehydes and lemon, a water that washes away the sins of the night and leaves the skin luminous. Tom of Finland feels clean, like a shaving from a cake of soap. It is an ode to the beauty of the male body and to the radiance of the natural self. For this man, clothing becomes a jewel-case that serves to reveal the true erotic power of the flesh. Tom of Finland is a breath of fresh air, offering unrestricted access to the immense outdoors, the depths of the forest, with notes of birch leaves, cypress, galbanum and pine at its heart. Straight, gay… These words are irrelevant here. Tom of Finland is beyond sexuality — he is sex, in all its fullness and magnitude, open and erect. Fantasy clings to him like his leather jacket, with suede, musk, and ambergray in the base notes. His belt is fastened with an accord of pepper and spicy-fresh saffron, tangled with a blond suede sensuality on a vanilla bed of tonka bean and iris. This is a man who wants to play, to love, to die and be reborn, again and again. Tom of Finland is a tribute to tomorrow’s glorious possibilities.’- Etat Libre d’Orange

Tom Of Finland was one of the the fragrances from the house that was recommended to me most after my previous Etat Libre d’Orange impressions and I can see why.

I can’t even begin to describe what this fragrance is like; it feels like it’s 10 styles mixed into one. I get mainly a musk and pencilshavings, woody essence, with quite a bit of sweetness in the drydown. Then again, it has a clear suede leather accord, and even a hint of plastic. I’d even go as far as saying the aldehyde’s in the opening give it a slight metallic edge, next to an initial blast of citrus.

There’s a smokiness at first, but that doesn’t last long on my skin. And texture-wise it’s a mixed bag as well, with some powdery aspects, but it definitely gets to a creamy drydown. I was surprised this doesn’t contain heliotrope, because to me the woody drydown has more of an almond or coconut sweetness.

Giving a description like this might not be all that helpful and I think Tom of Finland is a fragrance that has to be sampled first. However, despite all the different aspects I get, it’s relatively easy-going; none of the styles are jumping out and it’s quite a sophisticated blend that I think most people could appreciate. I believe that most people view this as a very masculine fragrance, but I could see this being unisex without a problem.