Anne Flipo287 fragrancesPortrait →
Loc Dong56 fragrancesPortrait →
Pascal Gaurin62 fragrancesPortrait →Will you like it? Mark a few fragrances you own or love and we'll tell you.
Calvin Klein · Sold as masculine
Defy
The clarity of an early morning walk in a city park, where the air is crisp with bergamot and lavender, and the earthy vetiver grounds each step.
Full bottle: Mid-range tier, typically $40–100. Links open each seller's own page. We may earn a commission; it never changes the order.
DefyMid-range · $40–100
80%Similar accords, often for lessIce Walk · ZaraBudget tier, under $40 · all 3 of its listed notes are in this one8 matches →How it wears
From community votes · bars are each option's shareComposition & Character
The story behind the bottle.
Launched in 2021 by Calvin Klein, Defy is a Woody Aromatic fragrance crafted by perfumers Anne Flipo, Pascal Gaurin, and Loc Dong. The composition opens with the bright zest of bergamot, which gives way to the soothing presence of lavender. Vetiver anchors the scent with its earthy, green undertones, while amber adds warmth and depth. This blend creates a fragrance that feels both refreshing and grounded, embodying the brand's signature minimalism and classic style.
Apply Defy to pulse points for a subtle yet lasting effect. The aromatic top notes will fade within two hours, but the woody base notes will linger throughout the day. Ideal for daytime wear when you want a scent that feels both fresh and reassuring.
Fig. 01 — Defy, Calvin Klein
Where to buy.
Wear it for a week first
A decant costs a fraction of a bottle and tells you how it lasts on your skin.
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Anne Flipo
Elegance distilledAnne Flipo is a senior perfumer at IFF and one of the most accomplished noses of her generation, responsible for some of the most commercially successful and critically admired fragrances of the 21st century.
“Orange blossom takes a huge part in my signature too. It is the ingredient I would never be fed up with. I could create a thousand perfumes around it, without it ever being redundant.”
Anne Flipo · Everfumed (from Fernweh Editions), July 2020
Co-created with Loc Dong and Pascal Gaurin
The Defy line
3 fragrances, compared side by side
Designer Calvin Klein
More from the house · founded 1968 · United States
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Chosen from what wearers say it smells like, what its fans also love, and its notes
Love it, not the price?
Matched by accords and notes. Sample first, then decide.
The originalDefyCalvin Klein · Mid-range · $40–100Zara · 2018Ice WalkAll 3 of its listed notes are in this oneunder $40★ 3.94 (66)61%Match
Zara · 2017Zara Night Pour Homme IIShares Bergamot, Lavender and Amberunder $40★ 3.87 (1,019)63%Match
Victoria's Secret · 2009VerticalShares Bergamot, Lavender and Amberunder $40★ 4.00 (41)79%Match
Zara · 2020Duffy DuckAll 3 of its listed notes are in this oneunder $40★ 3.00 (3)
With Calvin Klein Calvin Klein
Adds white floral, rose and powdery; shares amber.
Suggested from accords and notes · not yet tried by wearers
What people
are saying.
A polarising scent: loved by 12%, disliked or hated by 19%.