Defy Eau de Parfum

Defy Eau de Parfum by Calvin Klein, composed by Pascal Gaurin and released in 2022, is a peppery leather over vetiver. Everyone who describes it calls it spicy, woody and leathery in equal measure, and about half also find it citrusy.

Mandarin gives a short, sweet-citrus lift at the start, but black pepper takes over almost immediately with a dry, sharp heat that defines the opening. The heart is leather, rendered in two textures: a smooth, polished Saffiano-style leather and a softer, more powdery suede. Haitian vetiver sits underneath from early on and becomes the base, bringing a dry, rooty, slightly smoky earthiness that keeps the leather from feeling sweet or plasticky.

It is positioned as a masculine fragrance. The structure is simple and dry rather than sweet, which suggests office and evening wear in cooler months, and it suits people who want a leather scent that is more pepper and vetiver than amber and vanilla.

Defy Eau de Parfum — for men fragrance by Calvin Klein (released 2022). Notes: Black Pepper, Haitian Vetiver, Mandarin Orange, Pepper, Saffiano Leather, Suede, Vetiver. — Parfica open fragrance database