Spicy
Woody
Notesakigalawoodblack peppercedarwoodincensetonka beans
Tags
#fresh
#savory
#sexy
Style
unisex
An electric collision of molecules: the effervescence of spicy pepper seeds suspended within darkness. Dry, fizzing Madagascan pepper cracks open against fiery cedarwood. Rich Akigalawood (upcycled patchouli with a peppery/woody profile) blends in blazing harmony with the caramel powderiness of tonka bean. A musky accord softens any sharp edges.
Perfumer: Antoine Maisondieu
All about this fragrance
Vibe check
Blackpepper suits an evening with a quick conversational tempo but little ceremony. Its dry, crackling spice gives dark, textured clothing a sharper edge, while tonka and musk soften the impression at close range. The mood is alert and intimate rather than plush or overtly sweet.
How to wear
Try it in mild to cool weather, when the contrast between dry pepper and soft tonka feels especially clear. Start with one or two sprays on the chest or neck for a measured presence; in warmer conditions, apply more lightly so the spicy woods do not dominate. Skin application keeps the softer musky side close to the wearer.
Who it’s for
For those who prefer savory spice to sweetness and textured woods to polished softness. It will appeal to lovers of pepper-led compositions and experimental perfumery who want an angular opening tempered by tonka and musk, rather than a gourmand finish.
Release year
2016
The nose
Antoine Maisondieu is a Givaudan perfumer whose work spans experimental niche compositions and major designer fragrances. His creations often give woods, spices and aromatic materials a sharply defined texture, balancing unconventional ideas with wearability. His work for Comme des Garçons includes Amazingreen; in Blackpepper, he places the dry, fizzing character of pepper against woods, tonka and musk.
Comme Des Garcons’s story
Comme des Garçons treats perfume as a medium for experimentation rather than an accessory governed by gender or demographic targeting. Familiar materials become subjects for abstraction, with unexpected textures and contrasts taking precedence over conventional prettiness. Blackpepper applies that approach to spice, making pepper feel both recognizable and unfamiliar.
Black Pepper’s concept
Blackpepper was conceived as a deconstruction and reinterpretation of spice, with Madagascan pepper at its center. The imagery is molecular rather than narrative: dry pepper collides with fiery cedarwood, peppery Akigalawood and the softer textures of tonka and musk. It continues the house’s exploration of dark, peppery compositions without being formally designated a flanker of Black.
Extra info
The official name is written as one word: Blackpepper. Its black, pebble-like bottle follows the house’s characteristic reclining form. The fragrance appeared on the 2017 Fragrance Foundation Awards first shortlist for Best New Male Fragrance in Limited Distribution; this was a shortlist recognition, not a win.
Celebrity connection
Designer Faye Toogood publicly identified Blackpepper as a fragrance she was wearing in a 2016 We Wear Perfume interview. She also created its Selfridges launch installation; her personal use should not be confused with a verified paid endorsement.
Notesakigalawoodblack peppercedarwoodincensetonka beans
Tags
#fresh
#savory
#sexy
Style
unisex
An electric collision of molecules: the effervescence of spicy pepper seeds suspended within darkness. Dry, fizzing Madagascan pepper cracks open against fiery cedarwood. Rich Akigalawood (upcycled patchouli with a peppery/woody profile) blends in blazing harmony with the caramel powderiness of tonka bean. A musky accord softens any sharp edges.
Perfumer: Antoine Maisondieu
All about this fragrance
Vibe check
Blackpepper suits an evening with a quick conversational tempo but little ceremony. Its dry, crackling spice gives dark, textured clothing a sharper edge, while tonka and musk soften the impression at close range. The mood is alert and intimate rather than plush or overtly sweet.
How to wear
Try it in mild to cool weather, when the contrast between dry pepper and soft tonka feels especially clear. Start with one or two sprays on the chest or neck for a measured presence; in warmer conditions, apply more lightly so the spicy woods do not dominate. Skin application keeps the softer musky side close to the wearer.
Who it’s for
For those who prefer savory spice to sweetness and textured woods to polished softness. It will appeal to lovers of pepper-led compositions and experimental perfumery who want an angular opening tempered by tonka and musk, rather than a gourmand finish.
Release year
2016
The nose
Antoine Maisondieu is a Givaudan perfumer whose work spans experimental niche compositions and major designer fragrances. His creations often give woods, spices and aromatic materials a sharply defined texture, balancing unconventional ideas with wearability. His work for Comme des Garçons includes Amazingreen; in Blackpepper, he places the dry, fizzing character of pepper against woods, tonka and musk.
Comme Des Garcons’s story
Comme des Garçons treats perfume as a medium for experimentation rather than an accessory governed by gender or demographic targeting. Familiar materials become subjects for abstraction, with unexpected textures and contrasts taking precedence over conventional prettiness. Blackpepper applies that approach to spice, making pepper feel both recognizable and unfamiliar.
Black Pepper’s concept
Blackpepper was conceived as a deconstruction and reinterpretation of spice, with Madagascan pepper at its center. The imagery is molecular rather than narrative: dry pepper collides with fiery cedarwood, peppery Akigalawood and the softer textures of tonka and musk. It continues the house’s exploration of dark, peppery compositions without being formally designated a flanker of Black.
Extra info
The official name is written as one word: Blackpepper. Its black, pebble-like bottle follows the house’s characteristic reclining form. The fragrance appeared on the 2017 Fragrance Foundation Awards first shortlist for Best New Male Fragrance in Limited Distribution; this was a shortlist recognition, not a win.
Celebrity connection
Designer Faye Toogood publicly identified Blackpepper as a fragrance she was wearing in a 2016 We Wear Perfume interview. She also created its Selfridges launch installation; her personal use should not be confused with a verified paid endorsement.