Francis KurkdjianThe nose · 234 fragrances · also made Rouge Trafalgar Esprit De Parfum (2024)Portrait →Will you like it? Mark a few fragrances you own or love and we'll tell you.
Jean Paul Gaultier · Sold as masculine
Le Male
The quiet confidence of stepping into a new role — crisp in the morning with a hint of warmth as the day progresses.
Smells likelavender
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.
Le MaleMid-range · $40–100
66%Similar accords, often for lessOudain · Lattafa PerfumesBudget tier, under $40 · shares 6 of its 14 notes8 matches →How it wears
From community votes · bars are each option's shareComposition & Character
Notes Pyramid
HeartThe Soul
BaseFoundation
Main Accords
When to Wear
Who Wears It
The story behind the bottle.
Le Male arrived in 1995 and promptly challenged expectations of what a masculine fragrance could be. Created by Francis Kurkdjian for Jean Paul Gaultier, it combined traditional barbershop freshness with sweetness, sensuality, and theatricality in a way that felt entirely new.
Lavender, mint, and bergamot create an opening rooted in classic masculine perfumery. Then comes the twist: cinnamon, orange blossom, vanilla, and tonka bean transform the fragrance into something warmer, softer, and more seductive. The contrast between fresh fougère structure and gourmand sweetness became its signature.
Its sailor-bottle presentation and playful marketing helped make it famous, but the fragrance endured because the formula itself was ahead of its time. Many of today's sweet masculine fragrances trace some part of their lineage back to Le Male. What once felt provocative now feels foundational, yet the original still retains a charm that countless successors have struggled to replicate.
Le Male is best applied lightly to let its layers unfold over time. The aromatic top notes are bright but brief, so don't be tempted to layer heavily at first. It's perfect for daytime wear, where its moderate longevity and sillage keep it close without overpowering.
Fig. 01 — Le Male, Jean Paul Gaultier
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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Francis Kurkdjian
The composer of lightFrancis Kurkdjian is among the most celebrated perfumers alive — a creative polymath whose work spans haute couture fragrance, contemporary art installations, and the founding of his own maison.
“It’s impossible to predict. Success doesn’t depend on you. It depends on the audience.”
Francis Kurkdjian · SLEEK, June 2026
The Le Male line
57 fragrances, compared side by side
Designer Jean Paul Gaultier
More from the house · founded 1992 · France
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Chosen from what wearers say it smells like, what its fans also love, and its notes
PradaLuna Rossa SportEDT · ★ 4.18Wearers say it smells similar
Jean Paul GaultierUltra MaleEDT · ★ 4.44Loved by the same people
Yves Saint LaurentLa Nuit de L'Homme Le ParfumParfum · ★ 4.25Loved by the same people
MuglerA Men KryptomintEDT · ★ 4.12Loved by the same peopleStill deciding?Try the Scent Finder →Love it, not the price?
Matched by accords and notes. Sample first, then decide.
The originalLe MaleJean Paul Gaultier · Mid-range · $40–100Lattafa PerfumesOudainShares 6 of its 14 notesunder $40★ 3.84 (418)54%Match
Rasasi · 2024Hawas ElixirShares 6 of its 9 notesunder $40★ 4.47 (1,482)64%Match
PARIS CORNERKaheela PlatinumShares 6 of its 9 notesunder $40★ 4.19 (124)58%Match
Zara · 2020Extreme 12.0Shares 6 of its 12 notesunder $40★ 3.69 (77)
With DS&Durga D S
Adds floral, oud and white floral; shares sandalwood.
Suggested from accords and notes · not yet tried by wearers
What people
are saying.
Well loved by wearers: loved by 40%, disliked or hated by 15%.