Woody
Notesaldehydesamberangelica rootcadecedarwoodcuminincenseinkmagnoliamate teapatchoulitea
Tags
#beast
#clean
Style
unisex
Comme des Garcons 2 is a landmark perfume in the CdG range, and a revered cult classic. Built around invisible incense, the suggestion of ink, and the gentle euphoria of tea, CdG2 is bright and clear, but with an unexpected tenderness. Incredibly diffusive, this EdP retains its structure and presence while also hanging in the air with a barely-there shimmer.
All about this fragrance
Vibe check
Think of an afternoon at a writing desk, sleeves rolled back, with tea beside a page of dark ink. CDG 2 suits that alert, absorbed register: bright enough to carry into conversation, but softened by incense and woods rather than sharpened into formality.
How to wear
Mild or cool weather gives its aldehydic brightness and woody incense room to contrast. Start with one or two sprays: the airy texture can disguise substantial diffusion. Applying beneath clothing keeps the presence more contained, while an exposed wrist lets the ink-and-tea character drift into the surrounding air.
Who it’s for
For those drawn to abstract woody fragrances, luminous aldehydes and the dry, unusual suggestion of ink. It rewards a taste for contrast: clean without smelling conventionally soapy, resinous without becoming heavy, and tender without relying on overt sweetness.
Release year
1999
The nose
Mark Buxton is known for expressive compositions that bring unconventional accords into dialogue with woods, spices and resins. His work helped establish Comme des Garçons’ distinctive perfumery language, beginning with the house’s original fragrance in 1994. In Comme des Garçons 2, he contrasts an ink accord with aldehydic brightness, flowers and incense, making an unusual idea feel both lucid and intimate.
Comme Des Garcons’s story
Comme des Garçons treats perfume as a medium for experimentation rather than a prescribed ideal of beauty. Unexpected smell references, abstract contrasts and freedom from narrowly defined audiences shape the house’s identity. CDG 2 captures that approach by setting ink against luminous aldehydes, flowers and resinous woods.
Comme des Garcons 2’s concept
Japanese calligraphy and the smell of ink inspired Comme des Garçons 2. Its composition places an ink accord alongside magnolia, incense and woods, translating the house’s concept of complementary opposites into scent: reflection and opacity, light and shadow. The result is less a literal portrait of ink than a study in contrasting textures.
Extra info
The pebble-shaped bottle is credited to Rei Kawakubo and Marc Atlan. Ink is an advertised olfactory accord, not a claim that writing ink is an ingredient. The house also presents the fragrance’s notes as a single list rather than a conventional top, heart and base pyramid.
Celebrity connection
Composer Max Richter named Comme des Garçons 2 among the fragrances he wears in a July 2025 Vogue interview. This was a statement of personal preference, not a formal endorsement.
Notesaldehydesamberangelica rootcadecedarwoodcuminincenseinkmagnoliamate teapatchoulitea
Tags
#beast
#clean
Style
unisex
Comme des Garcons 2 is a landmark perfume in the CdG range, and a revered cult classic. Built around invisible incense, the suggestion of ink, and the gentle euphoria of tea, CdG2 is bright and clear, but with an unexpected tenderness. Incredibly diffusive, this EdP retains its structure and presence while also hanging in the air with a barely-there shimmer.
All about this fragrance
Vibe check
Think of an afternoon at a writing desk, sleeves rolled back, with tea beside a page of dark ink. CDG 2 suits that alert, absorbed register: bright enough to carry into conversation, but softened by incense and woods rather than sharpened into formality.
How to wear
Mild or cool weather gives its aldehydic brightness and woody incense room to contrast. Start with one or two sprays: the airy texture can disguise substantial diffusion. Applying beneath clothing keeps the presence more contained, while an exposed wrist lets the ink-and-tea character drift into the surrounding air.
Who it’s for
For those drawn to abstract woody fragrances, luminous aldehydes and the dry, unusual suggestion of ink. It rewards a taste for contrast: clean without smelling conventionally soapy, resinous without becoming heavy, and tender without relying on overt sweetness.
Release year
1999
The nose
Mark Buxton is known for expressive compositions that bring unconventional accords into dialogue with woods, spices and resins. His work helped establish Comme des Garçons’ distinctive perfumery language, beginning with the house’s original fragrance in 1994. In Comme des Garçons 2, he contrasts an ink accord with aldehydic brightness, flowers and incense, making an unusual idea feel both lucid and intimate.
Comme Des Garcons’s story
Comme des Garçons treats perfume as a medium for experimentation rather than a prescribed ideal of beauty. Unexpected smell references, abstract contrasts and freedom from narrowly defined audiences shape the house’s identity. CDG 2 captures that approach by setting ink against luminous aldehydes, flowers and resinous woods.
Comme des Garcons 2’s concept
Japanese calligraphy and the smell of ink inspired Comme des Garçons 2. Its composition places an ink accord alongside magnolia, incense and woods, translating the house’s concept of complementary opposites into scent: reflection and opacity, light and shadow. The result is less a literal portrait of ink than a study in contrasting textures.
Extra info
The pebble-shaped bottle is credited to Rei Kawakubo and Marc Atlan. Ink is an advertised olfactory accord, not a claim that writing ink is an ingredient. The house also presents the fragrance’s notes as a single list rather than a conventional top, heart and base pyramid.
Celebrity connection
Composer Max Richter named Comme des Garçons 2 among the fragrances he wears in a July 2025 Vogue interview. This was a statement of personal preference, not a formal endorsement.