MCM Onyx

MCM Onyx is the house's first fragrance for men, arriving in 2023, and Clement Gavarry has built it on the fresh aromatic template that dominates the men's counter rather than trying to reinvent it. Grapefruit leads, sharp and slightly bitter, with pink pepper and ginger adding a spicy fizz that gives the opening more bite than a straight citrus would. It is bracing and immediately legible. Lavender runs the heart and is the note that pushes it into fougere territory, cool and clean rather than herbal or old fashioned. Violet leaf brings a green, faintly metallic edge alongside it, and basil reinforces the aromatic direction without tipping into kitchen herb. The composition stays deliberately transparent throughout, which is both its strength and the reason it can feel anonymous. Haitian vetiver anchors the base with a dry, rooty earthiness, while Clearwood provides a smooth modern patchouli derivative and tonka adds a light sweetness that keeps the drydown from turning austere. The formula is vegan and made largely from biodegradable ingredients. Comparisons to Dior Sauvage come up constantly, and while the spicy citrus opening does invite them, Onyx is herbier and less ambery in practice. Wear it in spring and summer, to work, to the gym, casually. A reliable daytime workhorse rather than a signature.