Here are the bottles you’ll want to reach for all summer—and all year.
If you already have a go-to scent, then it might be time to build out a “fragrance wardrobe”—one that allows you to switch between scents based on mood, occasion, or even season. Take the best colognes for men to wear in the summer, for example: They’re a terrific way to keep an upbeat, cool mood that complements weekends spent on the beach, at the lake, or by the pool.
But these scents won’t just boost your mood when the mercury rises. “I love wearing summer scents all year round, especially in winter,” says Leila Zagwolsky, co-founder and CEO of perfume discovery platform LUXSB. “When I wear a refreshing ‘happy scent’ of aquatic or citrusy notes, it instantly triggers an uplift of energy reminiscent of summer holidays.”
What you deem a “summer fragrance” might differ from your friend’s definition. But one thing is universal, and that’s the feeling the scent gives you, says Clayton Ilolahia, evaluation and communications manager at Fragrances of the World, an organisation that helps set the standard for how scents are categorised. “I choose fragrances that put me in a literal summery mood, and these notes may vary from person to person,” Ilohalia says. “I lean towards a lot of fresh, light fragrances with notes of citrus, sea salt, green leaves, and clean musks.”
To find such scents, look for notes classified as green, aquatic, aromatic, or citrus. But remember, it’s all subjective. You might find a heavier, woody, or spicy scent that has certain summery notes to it, which can also make it feel right for the season.
While few perfumers will label their work as “summer scents,” a fragrance’s accords will typically suggest seasonality (if it’s not something otherwise down the middle, like a nice woodsy number). For example, just as something overtly leathery or spicy may seem best suited to cold weather, the following combinations are more common in “happy” summer expressions.
Citrus and floral: “This combination provides a sophisticated freshness with a luxe olfactive style,” says Zagwolsky. “It’s great to wear on a hot or humid summer day.” Infiniment Coty Paris’s Entre Genres, with its blend of musks, white flowers, and tangerines, exemplifies this notion.
Earthy and woody: “Woods are perceived as heavy, but a blend of earthy notes balances the woody notes, creating a masculine freshness,” explains Zagwolsky. “This makes them appropriate for the warmer summer weather.” A great flag-bearer for this idea is Maison Francis Kurkdjian’s Masculin Pluriel, which uses grapefruit, vetiver, and vetiver to balance out patchouli, cedar wood, and a leather accord.
Aromatic, fresh, and citrus: Zagwolsky says this combination smells clean thanks to its blend of greens and zestful citrus notes. “It’s usually on the lighter side, evoking the vibrancy of summer with an aquatic energy. It is an instantly uplifting rejuvenation, like a holiday.” A textbook example of this is Chanel’s best-selling Allure Homme, with its notes of mandarin oranges, oakmoss, and patchouli.
Read on for our picks of the best summer cologne for men—plus some favourites from Zagwolsky and Ilolahia.
Castley is decidedly urbane, striking a fascinating balance between fresh and spicy. It opens with ginger, pepper, and citrus before settling down into a resinous, woody selection of base notes that make it appropriate for year-round wear. But the bright burst of zingy scents you get when you first put it on will make it an essential addition to your warm-weather rotation.
Each Imaginary Authors scent takes a made-up literary giant (and one of their novels) as inspiration for its scent profile. In this case, that means a heady 1916 tome about a privileged, college tennis champion turning away from life with a silver spoon in his mouth.
In practical terms, that results in a verdant scent rich in oakmoss, camphor, and woods, with just a hint of yellow flowers to keep things balanced. There’s also a distinct scent of fresh tennis balls, so if you notice something synthetic, that’s what it’s meant to evoke.
With a tinge of liquorice, this scent threads an interesting needle. It’s right on the line between woody-spicy and verdant, a mix it achieves by blending pistachio, star anise, matcha, leather, and violet leaves. It’s also surprisingly long-lasting, which means you can enjoy it well into the afternoon.
It’s impossible to write about summer colognes without mentioning Louis Vuitton. The even harder task is narrowing down which of its summery scents merits inclusion in a list like this one, because the company and its master perfumer Jacques Cavallier Belletrude have built an entire roster around the season. The enduring winner, though, is a 2023 launch, Pacific Chill, which is pure effervescence and optimism. It uses black currant and cedar to create the olfactory equivalent of a freshly mixed paloma.
The ever-cheeky sunscreen brand Vacation has summery scents across all its products. But this travel-friendly eau de toilette evokes the smell of the aloe vera gel you might apply after tanning. Think aloe, melon, resort towels, and a tray of cold gin highballs. It’ll make you smile the second you spritz it on, and its verdant qualities can even help calm the mind on the hottest of days.
Zagwolsky adores this scent’s fresh green crispness and earthy notes. “Fig leaves and sage are balanced with royal French oak and cedarwood, to evoke a walk through a forest at sunrise on a summer day, but with a misty cooling morning dew,” she says.
This enduring scent has a clean, refreshing dizziness, which awakens the senses like a bubbly summer cocktail. (Its top notes of melon and grapefruit zest play a big role here, and pair well with its juniper heart notes and a woody, musky base.)
This scent is a rousing musky-woody cologne, and an olfactive love letter to paper. The blonde wood, steamed rice, and white musk notes put a soothingly youthful pep in your step. There’s a sophistication to it, too, and an almost gourmet finish—something to savour like a slow summer weekend.
This is a terrific pick for your signature scent, thanks to its balanced and layered recipe. As an ode to the earth’s many elements, it hits many of the major fragrance groups: woody, floral, spicy, aromatic, ozonic, and amber, just to name a few. What makes it particularly suited to summer, though, is its liveliness, like everything is in full bloom, the sun high in the sky, and all of your senses are stimulated. Wear it in winter as a sunshine supplement, even.
This long-lasting extrait is among the most highly concentrated fragrances on the market. That means it’ll burn as bright as the sun on the summer solstice, no matter the time of year. It’s a feverish blend of broody patchouli, bitter neroli, fresh jasmine, powdery orris, crisp bergamot, earthy oakmoss and rousing musk. It’s a break from the mundane, from work emails, from your Zoom calls or commute and from all other responsibilities.
What’s a summer scent roundup without an ode to the Italian coast? That’s what this herbaceous, floral, and citrusy scent is selling to all those who encounter its transportive powers. There’s a cleanliness to it, too, almost like a soapiness that helps reset the senses and relax the nerves like a long shower after a stressful day. Of all the scents on this roster, many of which are unisex, this is the best one for those couples who like to share a his-and-hers pick; it stays squarely middle of the road, even as it hugs the curves along those Amalfi cliffs.
H24 has been one of Ilolahia’s go-to summer scents for the past few years, since the new pillar fragrance launched in 2021. However, it started as just an eau de toilette offering, and this eau de parfum was 2022’s more highly concentrated “punch up”, with a greener finish and some more prominent bitter undertones. “This green aromatic fragrance makes me feel energised, but there is also an elegant serenity about it,” Ilolahia says. “It ticks many boxes and is a real pleasure to wear.”
Escentric Molecules is continuing with its “remixes” of its classic, velvety, barely there Molecule 01 fragrance. First came individual pairings with patchouli, iris, and (our then-favourite) mandarin, and the most recent additions are another trio: guaiac wood, black tea, and this exceptional ginger-tinged spin. It adds a pinch of spice to the classic Molecule 01 formula, almost like you’re slicing fresh ginger for an afternoon tea.
This scent is a great play on bitter-floral neroli. It combines this alluring citrus with vetiver, one of the most universal and perennial notes in perfumery. This is a terrific spring-summer companion for the person with a fragrance wardrobe. It is among the lighter options on this roster, though, so don’t expect it to last much longer than lunchtime. That’s to its benefit, though, for anyone who wants to cast a refreshing but non-polarising aura will appreciate it. If all your work meetings are before noon, try this one and see how many compliments it gets you at the office.
L’Eau Rêvée d’Hubert is that cool kid from summer camp—the one who somehow shot the winning layup and starred in the play. It’s got an incomparable minty-fresh kick that opens the scent, and graduates into a citrusy-green place that plays out for hours. Of all the picks on this list, it is also the best for layering—just as you might layer clothes on a frenetic weather day, you can layer scents to help embolden certain aspects or draw out new moods altogether. Sisley-Paris calls it an “enhancer” for that reason, but it stands alone beautifully, too.
Rose is a chameleon in perfumery, and a terrific floral note that more men should consider. In certain scents, like this one from Byredo, rose rightfully gets the spotlight, and those Turkish petals are countered beautifully with spicy pink pepper and alluring amber. This one is uplifting, yes, but its heftier notes keep it planted. You could wear this one year-round, too, given its balance between lightness and gravity.
Imagine standing barefoot on a balcony above the sea, with salty wind carrying up through the garden. There’s a crispness to Lys Méditerranée, and a warm, polished one at that. Its equilibrium is most impressive: never too aquatic, never too floral. It’s made for days when you want to feel worldly and unaffected, even if you’d prefer to sit tight.
Acqua Gardenia greets with a prominent cucumber-water entry, and it makes a splash. It then unfolds into what is, in my sniffed-out opinion, a perfect example of “male floral.” Its namesake gardenia never wilts, but it also never yields its authority to the white-musk and resinous base notes, revealing a truly textured and unique expression. A real “breath of fresh air,” this one.
The invigorating Mantes La Jolie patches together all the best parts of its green-citrus-spicy contrasts: It is unhurried and grounded, while also being sharply confident. With this range, it wears especially well during those shoulder seasons when the weather doesn’t know what it wants to be. The irony being, the man who wears Mantes La Jolie has long made up his mind: He is the best version of whoever he decides to be, each day. How refreshing and freeing!
As a former and longtime Berliner, I have to admit, this Gallivant love letter recalls the city much fresher and sunnier than I ever would. For me, I can’t shake those never-ending, dark, and windy winters. But there was always an angelic April on the other end of things, and this EDP reminds me of the end of winter’s dregs. Its sharp grapefruit opening spills into notes of tea, woods, and pepper—a reminder to frame things more positively, to remember the good and not the bad. I do love Berlin, especially those hard-earned sunny days.
Even after all these years and a recent remix, Light Blue still delivers. Zesty citrus, herbal greens, heady patchouli: these elements elevate the longtime crowdpleaser into a more aromatic and green plane. It’s a bit less citrusy than its predecessor, and I never thought I’d say this, but… It’s better off for that recipe change!
You don’t sport a scent called “Crush Balls” to blend in. It’s grassy, ozonic, a little weird, and absolutely refreshing, like tennis balls and static cling. And yet, what surprises me most about this recent relaunch of the tennis-inspired scent is how surprisingly wearable it is for every single day. Crush Balls doesn’t fall on its cheekier notes; rather, those accords give it character, but the sum of its parts is beautifully “down the middle”. I’ll start the FYC campaign for “Your Next Signature Scent” right here.
A transportive scent, this one right to the heart of Leblon and Ipanema. The Brazilian Bossa beats with juicy mandarin, fresh sea breeze, and cool-but-confident musks. Its secret weapon is a coconut-milky current that oozes “Carioca”—that is, the carefree and beach-sprawled residents of Rio de Janeiro.
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The line-up shows up a bevy of metals and colours, too, as well as two new calibres.
Omega’s latest watch is in a universe of its own.
The Swiss watchmaker just unveiled its new Constellation Observatory Collection today, the next step in its Constellation lineage and the first two-hand hour and minute timepieces to ever earn Master Chronometer certification. And if you were paying attention to any of the dazzling watches spotted at the Oscars this year, you would’ve caught a glimpse of the new line already: Sinners star Delroy Lindo rocked one of the models on the Academy Awards red carpet, giving us a pre-release preview of the collection.
Developed at Omega’s new Laboratoire de Précision (its chronometer testing lab open to all brands), the collection houses a set of nine 39.4 mm watches. The watches underwent 25 days of scrutiny there, analysed via a new acoustic testing method that recorded every sound emitted from the timepiece to track irregularities, temperature sensitivities, and more in the name of all things precision. (Details such as water resistance and power reserve are also thoroughly examined.) This meticulous process is all in the name of snagging that Master Chronometer label, meaning that the timepiece is highly accurate and surpasses the threshold for ultra-high performance. The Constellation Observatory Collection has now changed the game, though, thanks to its lack of a seconds hand.
“Until now, precision certification has required a seconds hand,” Raynald Aeschlimann, president and CEO of OMEGA, said in a press statement. “The development of a new acoustic testing methodology has made that requirement obsolete. It is this breakthrough that has enabled us to present the Constellation Observatory, the first two-hand watch to achieve Master Chronometer certification.”
In addition to notching its place in history, the collection also debuted a new pair of movements: the Calibre 8915 and the Calibre 8914, each perched on a skeletonised rotor base. The former’s Grand Luxe iteration will appear on the 950 Platinum-Gold model in the collection, which offers up that base in 18-karat Sedna Gold alongside a Constellation medallion in 18-karat white gold with an Observatory dome done in white opal enamel surrounded by stars. The second Calibre 8915, the Luxe, will find its home on the other precious-metal models in the line, either made with the brand’s 18-karat Sedna, Moonshine, or Canopus gold seen across the case, the hand-guilloché dial, and, of course, the movement itself. (Lindo chose to rock the Moonshine Gold on Moonshine Gold iteration, priced at approximately $86,000, for Sinners‘s big night at the Oscars.) As for the Calibre 8914, it can be found in the collection’s four steel models.
Each model is a callback to myriad design features on past Omega models. That two-hand dial, for one, comes from the 1948 Centenary (the brand’s first chronometer-certified automatic wristwatch), while the pie-pan dial (seen in various blue, green, and golden hues throughout the line) and that Constellation medallion caseback both appear on watches from 1952. The star adorning the space above 6 o’clock also harks back to 1950s timepieces from Omega. And to finish off the look, you can opt for alligator straps in a variety of colours, or perhaps a gold iteration to match the precious-metal models; the brick-like pattern on the 18-karat Moonshine bracelet was also inspired by Omega watches from the ’50s.
We’ll have to keep our eyes peeled for any other Constellation Observatory timepieces (or any other unreleased models from the brand) at the rest of the star-studded events headed our way this year—perhaps the Met Gala?
A modern classic in the making, combining naturally aspirated power with elegant restraint to deliver performance that feels as refined as it is visceral.
In a year when carmakers of all persuasions sheepishly extended hyperbolic electric targets, it’s fitting that the monastic puritans of Maranello—who, lest we forget, won’t finally yield to the sin of battery power until October with the Elettrica—opted to make combustion their major power play.
As an uncertain future of AI omnipresence barrels towards us, the 12Cilindri—an analogue, open-topped tribute to Ferrari’s late-’60s/early-’70s grand tourer, the Daytona—represents a defiant fade into the past, a pause for breath, a fleeting return to The Good Times when nascent technology provoked excitement rather than existential dread.
Guiding this automotive nostalgia trip is, as the nomenclature suggests, a naturally aspirated 6.5-litre V12 engine, generating an unceasing wave of power as it sears towards the 9,500 rpm redline with relative nonchalance. That’s because the 12Cilindri is not a mouth-foaming attack-dog. It scales performance heights with the refinement of the finest Italian works of art; its “Bumpy Road” mode facilitates comfy al fresco GT cruising, and even the imperious powerplant is mannerly at most speeds.
For all the yesteryear romance, progressive technologies and engineering, such as a world-class 8-speed transmission, advanced electronic aids and independent four-wheel steering, are baked into the deal. The 12Cilindri’s clean, stark design somehow toggles between retro and modern; and while vaguely polarising, one can’t ignore its magnetic road presence.
In terms of aesthetics, Ferrari describes the 12Cilindri as being “ready for space”; in many ways, a fantasy vehicle that transports users to another dimension is probably what the world needs right now.
The Numbers
Engine: 6.5-litre V12
Power: 610kW
Torque: 678 Nm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch auto
0-100 km/h: 2.95 seconds
Top speed: 340 km/h
Price: From $886,800
A first Australian address brings the Italian house’s textile-led approach to retail full circle.
On the fourth floor of Westfield Sydney, near the Castlereagh and Market Street entrance—in the space formerly occupied by Chanel—Loro Piana has opened its first Australian boutique. It is a significant address change for that corner of the mall, and a meaningful one for the Italian house, which has sourced Australian merino wool for decades but until now had no retail presence here.
The facade is understated—creamy, tactile, more about texture than theatre. Inside, the store unfolds across a single, expansive level divided into distinct men’s and women’s wings. The separation is clear without being heavy-handed: womenswear leads from soft accessories and leather goods into ready-to-wear, while menswear occupies its own assured territory, with tailoring and outerwear given proper breathing room. Footwear (supple loafers, luxurious slides, pared-back sneakers) is particularly strong, and the sunglasses are a quiet standout: mineral-toned frames with a disciplined elegance that feels entirely of the house.
That same restraint carries into the interiors, where the surfaces do much of the talking. Walls are wrapped in the company’s own linen and cashmere; carpets are custom, dense underfoot, softening the acoustics and the pace. Oak and carabottino wood add warmth without fuss; marble accents introduce a cool counterpoint. The effect is a composed space calibrated around material, proportion and restraint.
The Spring 2026 collection now in store underscores that sensibility. Silhouettes are elongated and fluid; cashmere, silk and featherweight merino move in sandy neutrals, creams and muddied earth tones, with flashes of marigold and pale turquoise breaking the calm. Tailoring is softly structured and projects confidence without aggression. Leather goods arrive in buttery skins that feel almost pre-lived, as though time has already worked its magic.
What distinguishes Loro Piana, particularly in a market that has grown noisier by the season, is its refusal to perform luxury in an obvious register. There are no oversized insignias telegraphing allegiance. Instead, the status is encoded in fibre count, in hand-feel, in how a coat hangs from the shoulder. It assumes the wearer knows and, crucially, does not need to announce it.
Sydney’s luxury landscape has matured in recent years; global houses no longer test the waters but commit to them. Yet Loro Piana’s arrival feels different. It is not trend-driven expansion but material logic. For a country whose sheep stations have long contributed to the house’s fabric story, this boutique reads almost as a thank-you note written in cashmere.
Photography: Courtesy of Loro Piana.
Patricks’s limited-edition wash bag is designed to keep liquids in and out, so it can come along wherever your travels take you.
If all you’re going to do is look at it, a leather Dopp kit from a fashion house is a fine choice. But if you take travelling seriously—and do it often, for business, pleasure, or both—such a bag will inevitably end up blemished with droplets of water or stained by errant flecks of toothpaste. Get stuck with a cavalier team of baggage handlers, and it can even get soaked in your favourite fragrance or anti-ageing serum.
But Patricks, the high-performance Australian grooming brand stocked in Harrods and Bergdorf Goodman, has a solution. Its limited-edition bathroom bag, called BB1, is purpose-built to protect everything inside and out. Conceived by industrial designer George Cunningham with brand founder Patrick Kidd, the cuboid design is executed in a water-resistant recycled nylon you can rinse clean. It’s lined with a thin layer of shock-absorbing foam to safeguard your products, but if a bottle somehow gets cracked in transit, the two-way water-resistant zippers and sealed seams (which keep liquids from seeping in or out) ensure that whatever leaks won’t ruin your cashmere. Inside, two dual-sided zippered compartments are ideally sized to fit toothbrushes, razors, and other small essentials.
And though its clean lines and rugged construction make it undeniably masculine, its greatest feature is borrowed from women’s makeup bags. Like the best of these, BB1 unzips to lie flat, giving you unobstructed access to everything inside. Well, you and the 999 other gentlemen who move fast enough to snag one. $289
Courtesy of Patricks
1. Hanging Loop
The G-hook system isn’t just a stylish handle: You can also use it to hang the bag from a hook or secure it to your carry-on.
2. Two-Way Zipper
The closures are water-resistant in both directions, meaning liquids won’t get in or out.
3. Fold-flat Construction
BB1 opens to 180 degrees, letting you scan its 4.2-litre capacity at a quick glance.
4. Technical-Fabric Shell
The durable recycled-nylon is easy to maintain and woven to survive splashes and leaks from your go-to products.
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