Description
After characteristic fragrances Artisan, Artisan Black, John Varvatos for men and women, Rock Volume One and Vintage, John Varvatos presents a completely different fragrance and flacon, diverse from what we know him by. This is a brand new edition John Varvatos Star USA announced as the first fragrance of Star USA fashion collection.
The first fragrance of the modern collection Star USA was created in collaboration with Elizabeth Arden and it is presented to the market in September 2011. John Varvatos wants to run the risk by taking the road he has never taken before and offers something totally different than his characteristic stylish collection of fragrances. He stated for WWD: ”Our Collection fragrances are all doing fantastic, but we don’t need any more of that ilk right now. We’ve got a handwriting there. Now, we want to take a risk and push the walls out and do something different.”
Classic fragrance of the famous John Varvatos collection always aimed at stylish and elegant man. The new fragrance is tailored for urban man who like jeans, dresses unconventionally, enjoys life.
The perfume was created by Rodrigo Flores-Roux, Givaudan perfume, on the basis of John Varvatos‘ idea to offer to the modern perfumery something that not just current, a fragrance that goes with the trends, but a perfume appreciated and coveted for its quality for a long time. Flores-Roux says that Varvatos’ idea is was to create a fragrance perfume fans and consumers with think deeper. Composition of John Varvatos Star USA offers top notes of red ginger from Laos, juniper berries and cedrat. A heart incorporates blue spruce, green cardamom absolute and osmanthus absolute, while a base introduces vetiver, Venezuela tonka and belambre (Givaudan’s molecule).
As for packaging, Varvatos says it reminds him of an old bottle and that the spring-loaded cap is inspired by antique beer bottles and a topper inspired by an old subway token. The idea was to offer tough and masculine design.
Advertising campaign was envisaged by Stephen Niedzwiecki and photos taken by Anthony Cotsisas. The campaign depicts a hand with 6 fingers, 2 of which are showing the peace symbol. Moto of the fragrance and campaign is “A new fragrance for your sixth sense”.
John Varvatos Star USA is available as a 50ml EDT and 100ml EDT, along with perfumed deodorant stick 75 ml .
hut217Diobtetty – :
A good non offensive safe for work scent. On me, it projects as a clean citrus with a touch of wood. Certainly not unique, but a solid comfortable fragrance suitable for a busy workday.
ADichaetD – :
This is a solid, if not unique, men’s fragrance. A “safe” type of men’s fragrance. I picked this up for a song on one of the online fragrance discounters. Even though this was a bargain price, I still debated this one a little heavily, as the reviews were not impressive. I looked at the notes and the accords and ended up taking the plunge. After all, I have liked every John Varvatos fragrance I have ever smelled (and there have been many). I have to say, the combination of notes looked intriguing to me.
But this might be (well, it IS) the first Varvatos fragrance I am just “meh!!” about. Again, it is a solid men’s fragrance, very safe, fine for day or night and year-round. So, a solid fragrance. Great perhaps for a young man on a budget. But if you like something unique or special or different, you might be a little disappointed here. This is about as mainstream as a men’s fragrance can be.
This is not a bad men’s fragrance at all. Would be nice for a starter fragrance for a teen-aged boy or for maybe a 20-something man, or anyone wanting a basic, solid-performing, safe, men’s fragrance. So, kudos to Varvatos for creating a safe, solid performing fragrance. But just is a little too run of the mill for us (me and my husband). This is likely going to get pawned off to one of my teen-aged/20-something nephews. It’s not bad, but we are a little “bored” and unexcited with this one. Again, not a bad men’s fragrance, not at all!, just a little too basic for our liking. As for “how” this smells to us, the accords are more accurate here than the notes. Very long-lasting, yet not too heavy, so there is that. As a side note, I do not care for the fussy/ sort of gimmicky lid. Meh!
Again, not bad, just not impressive nor any ‘wow’ factor, if you’ve been around the fragrance world a while.
mjc549Unlogrere – :
Read all the terrible reviews you want below…
I bought this fragrance, full, still sealed in the box at TJ MAXX for like $15…I wore it several times…and I must tell you all…I got several compliments from strangers each and every time I wore it.
Sometimes…that’s all that matters. It may not be groundbreaking. It may not be a 10/10. It may not be anything innovative or new….
…But it’s CERTAINLY not an unpleasant aroma. I was constantly getting people coming up to me asking me what I was wearing and telling me that I smell amazing. I actually really like this. The most evident notes to me are the woodsy notes, the Tonka bean, and the vetiver. It’s clean. All the notes combined to almost produce a somewhat peppery-smelling clean type of fragrance. Which is funny cuz normally I DESPISE peppery fragrances. But the peppery aspect of this one is very mild and not offensive.
I don’t care about the huge amount of negative reviews below. This is a solid like in my book and not one person, not even friends…have told me this smells synthetic or gross when I wore it.
7.5/10 A definite thumbs up. A nice cheapie.
Oblighblothpc – :
Absolutely revolting synthetic mess. Headache in a bottle. I threw this away after wearing it a few times.
perik.tiras – :
It’s a great citrus scent that doesn’t last long.
This may be a benefit in some cases, but it’s cheap enough that you can spray again in 2 hours if you want… or if you can get the lid open 😛
Basically, it’s a “cologne water” kinda thing. Think 4711, CK1, Jaguar Classic, etc. It’s pleasant but forgettable. At least it’s not an aquatic.
ovattacle – :
This would definitely be a good fragrance for work or even a signature scent for someone who maybe not be a fraghead but just wants to smell good. At $9.99 for a 3.4oz at TJ Maxx, it would have been just dumb not to scoop it up for my collection. Great pool scent imo.
бывалый – :
I’ll tell you I like the smell though it’s nothing unique. Great office scent since it stays very close to the skin. Worth the small $’s it cost to wear has a light around the house/office scent. Other than that the silage and longevity are forgettable and smells a bit alcoholy
thestorms – :
I got a sample my boyfriend, but she didn’t like it, so I used on myself, and honestly, I’m not sure why it’s not counted as unisex! It’s nice.
Mishar – :
Since my first encounter in 2013, personally, Star USA has been one of my favorites. All the negativity though has left me feeling like my taste in scents might be “off” or maybe I should be ashamed of holding it in such high regards. Then a bit of public justice was delivered via the astute lexicon of Good Vibrations (see below)…a spot on delivery of how, I too, interpreted Star USA. All it’s true strengths and abilities were vindicated, which ironically, has lead me to give much less credence to negative reviews, especially when they come from those with the most “experienced” and over-opinionated noses.
This has a citrusy, woody, masculine vibe that’s uniquely fresh yet warm. Other than sharing a similar vibe with D & G Light Blue, it’s really quite different from many typical scents on the market. So, as long as Star USA remains under appreciated, under priced (now), and under purchased, I’ll continue to wear this underutilized gem no matter the general consensus.
anashe – :
Alrighty! I can see the comparison to generic and mainstream colognes for men. I think it depends on the nose though, for me I catch just enough cedrat and osmanthus to give it enough of an off center aroma to keep it interesting. Okay, I’m close to giving it a “sorta like” and “somewhere in the middle” vote.
It’s been compared to Quiksilver, well I think this has no sandlewood, so go figure.
Edit: Just want to add that if you’re wondering about its lifespan or staying power I can say that seems to have a strong one, woke up the next morning and it was still very noticeable.
monza5 – :
I liked this when it was introduced in 2011 and I love it now. It was novel and distinct in 2011. It smells almost niche and I don’t think anyone knew how to take it. The problem is that it succeeded. It’s NOT Acqui di bleu de sport de black de light blue de oud de ultimate intense extrême. It is unique among user-friendly, workplace-friendly fragrances.
I love that it presents citrus via cedrat (rather than bergamot, lime, or mandarin) and that ginger, osmanthus, and vetiver help it stay natural all the way through to late drydown. It gets quiet, but it remains present and unveils complexity after complexity. The amber and cardamom guard against any body heat effects. I keep thinking someone has neared me wearing something very interesting and hard to name; it’s the Varvatos Star USA continuing to slowly, quietly unveil its magic. Occasionally Déclaration de Cartier fleetingly comes to mind during my day and I don’t know why, and then I realize it’s this fragrance stimulating my memory. It’s subliminal that way. I respect that a lot in a fragrance.
They did a good job on this one. It got discontinued for all the wrong reasons. Don’t blame it all on the lid, which is great for tossing in a bag without worry, and don’t ignore it as smelling like everything else. It smells good and stays subtle, drawing the person who notices it nearer and nearer to enjoy its subtle hues of clean, pleasant manliness. It whispers good taste, which can’t be said for a lot of the vulgar cheap chemical nonsense that’s on the market. When consumers are used to the kind of radiant screechies that are on the market, they don’t know how to discern subtlety or assess quality. Quality is neither determined by how citrusy and light a fragrance is, how risky and oud-y a fragrance is, nor by how long a fragrance wears at full blast projection.
Luckily for us, it’s easy to snap up at a fraction of its original price.
vapeJusuata – :
Ok for the men out there that sweat more than they breath maybe this would wear off fast. I can smell it on my husband and he said he can’t smell a thing. Purchased on for younger brother and he wore it on X-Mas day and I could smell it like the whole night. It is a lighter scent but it has a deep wood down dry and I have a pregnancy nose after having my baby 7 months ago and I can smell everything. My husband is used to Angel by Mugler and if your used to major heavy scents that can clear out a room then this might not be best for you.If you work in Medical field or around people in closer than most this would be a great colonge. It has a clean opening and green woods down dry. It wonderful. If you want to wear your polo shirt and still think it 1989 and gas out the room this is not the one to go clubing in. It wonderful when I smell it on others.
puh111 – :
Star USA? This should just be named Cologne — like a scent you find on a deodorant stick at a gas station. It’s not off-putting by any means, but it sure is plain.
Meidn126intitytek – :
smells too old”
hacker777 – :
i saw this at macys selling for 70.00 usd 3.4 ml i found one at bargain 50 ml for 9 usd so i grab it for kicks and for review. what can i say first spray an in your face citrus ginger pine blast combo very synthetic but it smells okay as the scent settles down it becomes woodsy at the middle, base very faint sweetness summer scent for sure. i describe the scent pretty much synthetic and generic. longevity and projection almost non existant tops 3-4 hours poor projection as i cant smell the scent after 45 mins on my skin i suggest 5-8 heavy sprays on clothing to get some projection out of this thing. IMHO nothing really special a good frag for teens and new to fragrance game. I suggest not to pay retail for this one go online or check your bargain bin also i like the bottle for some reason its a nice display on my wardrobe. my rate
longevity 5/10 5 hours tops
sillage 5/10 poor you better drenched yourself with it to get some projection
uniqueness 5/10 nothing unique about it i guess the bottle?
overall smell 5/10 synthetic and generic forgetable scent .
price vs quality based on retail 4/10 check your bargain bin and online.
versatility summer hot days only
golyfotcma – :
1st thing I did when I got it home was remove the cap and throw it away. So frustrating..
This is a decent cologne, nothing too special. If someone wearing this walked up to me and asked what the fragrance was, I could not pin it down. It just smells like a hundred other similar colognes out there.
Just subpar compared to the others that are in John’s line.
Agegoglallosy – :
Star USA is an example of the fragrance with an adequate opening, but poor development. It starts off with an interesting combination of citruses and fir tree (pine? spruce?). This coniferous accord makes me think about christmas tree and by the way it is masculine enough. Unfortunately, the opening note fades away very soon, and generic citrusy spice base (that echoes Cool Water a bit) begins to play. The projection is bad, the longevity is very bad.
saxar1979 – :
Just another deodorant smell with piss poor longevity. Very disappointing.
7191 – :
You have a 50/50 toss up when it comes to Elizabeth Arden. Some are great and others are not so great. U.S.A. falls under the not so great category. Very generic citrus at the top and just boring the rest of the way out. Decent projection for thirty minutes and then sits very close to the skin. Very Pooor longevity which is to be expected from EA fragrances. It’s a shame because the original and Rock volume are great and these come from the same line?
artemm180808 – :
A serviceable office/school/casual fragrance of the woody, citrus, spicy variety. The “problem” is that one can spend considerably less on a scent like Aura for Men by Jacomo and obtain a stronger fragrance that is just as “good” (I like it better, actually, due to the sandalwood note). If you are an aficionado I suggest sampling the original Varvatos fragrance for men; Star USA has a yawn factor rather than a wow factor.
phymbop – :
Star USA John Varvatos smells like cool oceanwave breeze, this is awesome product that remind me of fresh polo sport.
олег 2 – :
Rodrigo Flores-Roux certainly knows his way around light, naturally organic, airy fragrances, judging from his already solid resume. The mastermind of Zirh´s two great, if not short lived creations and the entire John Varvatos line, Flores-Roux does not venture too far from his comfort zone with Star USA.
Designed to compliment the twenty something fashion line targeted at middle-class youth looking for an alternative, retro DKNY look but seeking a bigger price tag, Star USA packs much of its punch in the marketing and bottle design, conceived as a vintage beer bottle, and leaves little for longevity or staying power.
The opening salvo of ginger, juniper and citrus is organic and pleasing enough, if not a bit formulaic, but never really projects and lacks any substantive personality or bite beyond being resigned to a skin scent. The ginger features nicely early and is certainly inviting and seductive enough over the juniper, but unfortunately doesn´t stick and fades to the background around the thirty minute mark, a harbringer of the overall lack of staying power for Star USA.
The middle notes never really come to the forefront to balance the composition and give Star USA structure or personality. Once the ginger fades to the background, no other element in the middle or base notes steps up to assert itself, leaving a rather hollow balance of accords. It is at about the thirty minute mark, just after the ginger disappears that Star USA digs deep into the skin and becomes evermore untraceable and indistinguishable, ultimately flaming out within two hours of application.
Star USA lacks any strength or force and seems far too light, even for a fragrance conceived as a light fragrance.
Warm, soothing, charming and subtly sexy. Star USA can work very effectively as an intimate skin scent but doesn´t project or breathe long enough to work as an evening or day-wear fragrance. Certainly a great deal of potential here if it was devised to have any stamina whatsoever. But unfortunately the current released version was released without the foresight and attention to detail necessary to justify its MSRP. A reformulation with emphasis on stronger projection and longevity could be a real contender. Unfortunately the initial release is a skin fragrance without much bite, classy enough in its assemblage of organic notes but far too unassuming, linear and generic for its own good. Very transparent in its attempt to appeal to 20 somethings more taken with packaging and perception than quality and substance.
A pleasing, sensual and organic scent that may in fact work better for women, inoffensive if not also untraceable after a couple of hours.
onegiople – :
Very light so over spraying is not a problem. I love the scent after it dries down. A great daytime cologne, not sure how far it projects. You definitely don’t have to worry about loosing the lid.
ijin – :
I’ll give credit where it’s due. Flores definitely changes it up even if it is a bit of a retread on the same juniper-ginger theme that’s been thrown around lately. He seems reluctant though to do any serious trendsetting. At first it smells like every other ‘fresh’ cologne out there. The drydown changes that though with a warm, soapy, piney character. It finishes with those notes plus a leathery accord that graces JV colognes. The cardamom is understated and at times hardly existent. It still manages to rock harder than it’s posh blood brothers, but unfortunately not hard enough to set itself apart from the pack. I’ve been told it’s more attractive than it’s european counterparts so maybe that reluctance isn’t such a bad thing. I have to disagree, it definitely wont end up like Davidoff Champion. I’ve noticed John Varvatos colognes tend to have a very loyal fanbase. Gotta love the flacon though. I’m sure this would be a wonderful gag at a place with lots of security 😮
JekpeennY – :
John Varvatos meets Hollister fragrances! All in a tacky bottle!
$70.00, please!
Persidski – :
smell’s like cool water to me
7maymay7 – :
I am a bit hesitant to be the first reviewer of this, but here goes…
I sprayed this from the sample bottle at Nordstrom’s and I applied quite a bit. Two sprays to the chest and one spray each on my forearms. First impression was that of citron and ginger, I honestly did not smell the juniper but got the feeling it was hiding someplace. then it progressed (slightly) to sweeter middle notes of a mix of things flowery. Nothing stood out so I suppose that means it is well blended. In the end it became somewhat more ambery to my nose.
I did not get the feeling that this was a fragrance that projected much or had much silage. I expected that with four healthy sprays I would be leaving a trail, but no, I don’t think I did. It seemed rather mild, weak even to me. A somewhat sweet and unoffending scent. Different from other men’s scents I would say but pretty mild, a little sweet and very middle of the road.
I guess I would say I like this one, or at least am not put off by it, I am just not impressed enough to put this in my wardrobe. Can something be different and boring at the same time?
This has the most irritating and hard to use cap I have ever seen. These swing-top caps are hard to pour a beer from, As a cap for a fragrance, holding and trying to spray is so cumbersome as to be almost impossible to use.
ollikkk – :
First impression; I love the bottle but hate the cap. It just gets in the way as it doesn’t come off completely. I go ahead and get a bottle anyway. As far as the scent goes, it’s all too familiar. Is it Gucci Guilty Hommy? Ed Hardy? Burberry Sport? JV Star USA is a fresh, soapy, clean, and sporty scent. I don’t like it at first but the scent get deeper and a bit woodier as it settles. I enjoy it more later on. My friend say it smells like a light Bleu de Chanel! Anyway, I have not wore it long enough to give much detail, but so far I can say that there is no oriental aspect in here. I don’t mind it tho, and I plan on keeping it.
druxa2 – :
can’t wait 🙂 i did not have much impression with John Varvatos 10th year anniversary edt. but still look forward to this STAR USA 🙂
ariff1986 – :
I love this bottle. I don’t have high expectations of the scent but I really look forward to trying it
korobov_skiy – :
It all sounds good on paper and the bottle design but I really don’t see John Varvatos as a rebel with his last men’s fragrances.
Let’s hope he proves me wrong and doesn’t produce any more watered down fragrance but something with character and longevity.
sena – :
This is the first scent Elizabeth Arden company did for Varvatos… So interesting to look whether this collaboration is successful