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The Scent of Power: Colognes of History's Most Infamous Men
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items We know what the heroes wore, but what about the villains and anti-heroes? I did a historical deep-dive to find the verifiable or reliably reported fragrances of some of history's most infamous and powerful men. From dictators to gangsters, these are...
In the roaring 20s, a man of Al Capone's ambition and flashy style needed a fragrance to match. While he frequented Chicago barbershops for Bay Rum, a scent that truly fit his persona was Knize Ten. Created in 1924, this powerful, uncompromising leat...
Al Capone - Knize Ten
A complex figure of immense power, Churchill's scent was custom-commissioned from Creed. Tabarome is a rich, warm, and spicy fragrance built around the finest tobacco leaf, ginger, and sandalwood. It smells of leather armchairs, fine cigars, and bran...
Winston Churchill - Creed Tabarome
This is a perfectly fitting and well-documented pairing. Launched in 1964, Aramis became the quintessential masculine power scent of the era. It's a potent, spicy leather chypre that is bold, assertive, and unmistakably of its time. It’s a no-nonsens...
Richard Nixon - Aramis by Aramis Eau de Toilette
The infamous gangster twins who ruled London in the 60s were known for their sharp suits and meticulous grooming. Their reported signature scent was Floris No. 89, a classic English barbershop fragrance. In a fascinating twist, this was the same frag...
The Kray Twins - Floris No. 89
In one of the most famous and ironic fragrance pairings, the controversial Libyan dictator was a loyal wearer of Green Irish Tweed. The scent itself is a beautiful, fresh, and uplifting smell of a walk through the green Irish countryside. The contras...
Muammar Gaddafi - Creed Green Irish Tweed
The Italian dictator was said to wear this classic fragrance from Guerlain, created in 1904. It's a very traditional and complex scent—a powdery, aromatic, and animalic fougère. It represents a kind of old-world, aristocratic masculinity that he soug...
Benito Mussolini - Guerlain Mouchoir de Monsieur
Reportedly a favorite of the Russian leader, Gold Man by Amouage is the definition of opulence and power. It's a massively potent and complex floral aldehyde scent, rich with civet, musk, and incense. Created to be the "Rolls-Royce of men's fragrance...
Vladimir Putin - Amouage Gold Man
The "Dapper Don" was obsessed with his public image, famous for his expensive Brioni suits and meticulous grooming. To complete his persona as a sophisticated and powerful man-about-town, he reportedly wore Green Irish Tweed. It was the scent of the ...
John Gotti - Creed Green Irish Tweed
The wealthiest drug lord in history was known for his obsession with cleanliness and luxury. While his tastes were varied, a frequently reported signature was Eau Sauvage. This 1966 classic was a global symbol of masculine elegance and power during h...
Pablo Escobar - Christian Dior Eau Sauvage
This is the scent of a horrifying facade. Bundy's clean-cut, handsome appearance was his greatest weapon, and he used the grooming products of his time to perfect it. Brut was the ubiquitous scent of the respectable American man in the 1970s. It was ...
Ted Bundy - Brut 33 by Fabergé
Public Enemy No. 1 in the 1930s was also a charismatic figure known for his sharp style. A staple of the era's barbershops, where a man like Dillinger would go to get cleaned up, was the classic talc and spice scent of Clubman. It’s the scent of a fr...
John Dillinger - Pinaud Clubman Aftershave
The famously hot-headed and ambitious gangster was obsessed with Hollywood glamour. As he tried to build his empire in Las Vegas, he emulated the style of the movie stars he idolized. Acqua di Parma was a favorite of actors like Cary Grant, and a man...
Bugsy Siegel - Acqua di Parma Colonia Eau de Cologne
The "Mob's Accountant" was the opposite of flashy; he was a quiet, calculating force. His scent would have been similarly understated and established. Jockey Club, one of America's oldest colognes, was favored by the East Coast elite, including figur...
Meyer Lansky - Caswell-Massey Jockey Club
This is the scent of cultivated trust and luxurious deception. Launched in 1986, at the height of Wall Street's "greed is good" era, Bel Ami is a rich, warm, and assertive leather fragrance. It smells of old money, private clubs, and unshakeable conf...
Bernie Madoff - Hermès Bel Ami
The architect of the modern American Mafia was known for his ambition and love of the high life. After being deported to Italy, he mingled with European high society. His scent would have reflected this aspiration. A fragrance like Royal English Leat...
Lucky Luciano - Creed Royal English Leather