After reading @Jonathan Ventura Post about labeling. Everything is about Labels, even in the designer world, where an independent person making clothes and accessories can never compete with the bigger upscale designer houses. Just like in perfumery, where Niche / Artisan is top of the line as far as quality and artistry. In the fashion world, Designers are the Niche and the independents are the designers. So the role reverses. If you look at the designer fragrances, they are mass-produced and most often Generic and safe. If you look at independent clothing brands that sell accesories and clothing and shoes at Walmart and Kmart and go to a store that sells LV or Dior look at the diffrence. Look at the red carpet at a Hollywood event, you cannot even count the Dior, Ysl and Hugo Boss, Chanel Dresses and gowns strolling down the Aisle. Look hat Ralph Lauren how many elite wear this brand. So everything has a label, but they all live in their own worlds. so why do people buy designer frags? People buy designer fragrances, even if they seem "nothing special," for brand prestige, accessibility, trend alignment, and the comfort of familiar, crowd-pleasing scents; they offer an affordable entry into luxury, convey personal style/status, boost confidence/mood, and feature quality ingredients and beautiful packaging, making them ideal for everyday wear or gifts. Key Reasons for Purchase: - Brand & Status: Wearing scents from famous fashion houses (like Dior, Chanel) associates the wearer with that brand's luxury image, offering a sense of status and belonging. - Accessibility & Familiarity: They're easier to find (ubiquitous) and often smell pleasant and familiar to many, making them safe choices for daily wear or gifting. - Mood & Identity: Fragrance boosts mood, reduces stress, and helps create a personal brand or statement, making the wearer feel more confident and attractive. - Quality & Longevity: Many use quality, sometimes natural, ingredients and fixatives for a longer-lasting scent, justifying the cost beyond just the name. - Marketing & Nostalgia: Heavy marketing and association with celebrities create desire, while familiar notes can evoke positive memories, making them feel special. - The "It" Factor: Sometimes, a fragrance becomes popular because it's the scent of the moment, aligning with current trends or creating a sense of shared experience. 

This one came in today and after the gym felt like the perfect time to get it on skin. Genre Parfums When in Puerto Rico was released in a single, highly limited batch in 2024 and has never been restocked. It opens with a burst of juicy pineapple and creamy coconut, laced with salty ocean air and a subtle hint of tobacco that appears quietly in the heart and dry-down, like the gentle scent of cured leaves in the warm evening breeze. That understated tobacco touch lends a refined warmth without ever dominating or taking away from the tropical vibe. Unisex, radiant upon opening, and pure vacation in a bottle, it’s a fragrance that’s going to shine in the heat. Like Virgin Island Water, however, performance is somewhat limited. I get moderate projection for the first few hours, then a nice skin scent that wafts in the air afterwards. It is an extrait, so it will linger on skin, but I do wish it lasted a bit longer up top. The original drop sold out through a handful of small retailers for $50 for 50ml (pre-orders shipped around mid-July 2024) and has stayed gone ever since. Bottles now only surface occasionally on the secondhand market, and what was never an expensive bottle retail now pops up at a slight markup. I’ve had my eye on this one for a while and had passed on one a few months ago before finally picking this up last week. This scent is paradise with a slightly sophisticated twist. I wouldn’t say you need to chase a bottle, but if you enjoy this scent profile, it’s worth snagging at or just above original retail if you come across one.