Fragrance comparison

Black Suede Essential vs Calypso

Notes, accords, longevity, sillage, seasons and community ratings, side by side.

Updated 11 Oct 2026 1,134 ratings analysed

Black Suede Essential

Avon

3.76110 votes

Rank #32,421 LavenderCitrus

Full profile Similar & dupes

24%scent match

Clearly different

5 wins

Calypso

Robert Piguet

4.021,024 votes

Rank #1,688 RoseFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Calypso takes 5 of 7 categories.

Black Suede Essential
Choose it for a lavender and citrus character. Wins on value for money and versatility. Best in fall, evening wear.
Calypso
Choose it for a rose and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring.

Black Suede Essential2/7

Calypso5/7

Ratings & consensus: Calypso
Community sentiment: Calypso
Longevity: Calypso
Sillage & projection: Calypso
Value for money: Black Suede Essential
Versatility: Black Suede Essential
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Calypso

Head-to-head breakdown

Every category side by side, with the winner called out.

Fragrance

Black Suede EssentialAvon

CalypsoRobert Piguet

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.76/ 5 · 110 votes

Have 56%Had 27%Want 17%

4.02/ 5 · 1,024 votes

Have 65%Had 35%Want 0%

Category winnerCalypsoRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

17%Love

57%Like

10%Ok

15%Dislike

0%Hate

110 votes

40%Love

45%Like

4%Ok

11%Dislike

1%Hate

862 votes

Category winnerCalypsoMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity47

〰 Sillage42

♥ Love / hate69

⏱ Longevity69

〰 Sillage61

♥ Love / hate79

Category winners

LongevityCalypso

SillageCalypso

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value76

¤ Price value53

Category winnerBlack Suede EssentialBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

lavender100%

citrus90%

leather80%

aromatic70%

musky60%

fresh spicy50%

rose100%

fresh spicy92%

powdery84%

iris77%

aromatic69%

patchouli61%

Scent match24%Clearly different · both fresh spicy and aromatic

Note pyramid (duration)

Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = shared

Top

Mandarin Orange

Heart

Wild Lavender

Base

Suede

Top

GeraniumMandarin Orange

Heart

RoseBulgarian RoseOrris Root

Base

SuedePatchouliAmberDaim

InformationalShared notesMandarin Orange and Suede. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring75

Summer73

Fall100

Winter58

Day92

Night100

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter94

Day–

Night–

Category winnerBlack Suede EssentialMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men81

Unisex19

Women0

Men0

Unisex25

Women75

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#32,421

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#1,688

PerfumerAurélien Guichard

Launched—

Reviews102

Category winnerCalypsoHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Avon Black Suede Essential opens with a sharp burst of mandarin orange before settling into aromatic wild lavender and a soft suede base. The scent feels clean and simple, keeping a light citrus sparkle over a calm herbal core. As the top notes fade, the suede accord creates a quiet leather texture that stays close to…

Reviews →

Calypso by Robert Piguet is an elegant floral creation from 2010 that centers on a refined blend of rose and suede. It moves through a crisp geranium and mandarin opening before settling into a powdery, earthy heart of orris root. Designed for the woman who appreciates a subtle, skin-hugging scent, it performs beautif…

Reviews →

InformationalRead bothTaste is personal

How we score: ratings blend public fragrance ratings with Fragranxe member votes; longevity, sillage, value and sentiment are community vote scores, and season bars are relative to each fragrance's strongest season. Categories with too little data are shown but not scored. The scent match weighs accord overlap (60%) and shared notes (40%). More in the FAQ.

Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Black Suede Essential or Calypso?

Calypso takes 5 of 7 categories. Black Suede Essential is rated 3.76/5 from 110 votes; Calypso is rated 4.02/5 from 1,024 votes. Choose Black Suede Essential for a lavender and citrus character. Wins on value for money and versatility. Best in fall, evening wear. Choose Calypso for a rose and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in spring.

Which lasts longer, Black Suede Essential or Calypso?

Calypso lasts longest (Calypso 69/100, Black Suede Essential 47/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Black Suede Essential or Calypso?

Calypso projects furthest (Calypso 61/100, Black Suede Essential 42/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Black Suede Essential and Calypso smell similar?

Clearly different: a 24% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share fresh spicy and aromatic accords. Common notes include Mandarin Orange and Suede.

Is Black Suede Essential or Calypso better for summer or winter?

For summer, Black Suede Essential is the stronger pick. For winter, Calypso is the stronger pick. Black Suede Essential suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Black Suede Essential and Calypso?

Black Suede Essential has top notes of Mandarin Orange, heart notes of Wild Lavender, a base of Suede. Calypso has top notes of Geranium and Mandarin Orange, heart notes of Rose, Bulgarian Rose and Orris Root, a base of Suede, Patchouli, Amber and Daim.