By

By, inspired by Dolce & Gabbana By (1997)

By opens on grated nutmeg and pepper, dry and spicy rather than fresh. Lavender and artemisia, a bitter, wormwood-like herb, push the heart in an aromatic direction. Then the base darkens: tobacco and leather over guaiac wood (a smoky, faintly sweet wood), amber and smooth sandalwood. A slight animal edge in the drydown keeps it from feeling polished.

About the original

By is usually credited to Alberto Morillas and dates from 1997, though one retailer gives 1998. The men's By is separate from the women's By, which has had its own reissue. After years out of production, the scent returned in October 2026 as By Man Re-Edition, an eau de parfum in the brand's Re-Edition Collection. Published note lists for the Re-Edition are shorter than for the original, and how closely the two match is not yet clear.

Our version

Ours is an independent eau de parfum made to evoke the same character. It is not Dolce & Gabbana stock, not an official relaunch and not the original formula.

Who it suits

Fans of spicy, leathery 1990s masculines are the natural audience. It is dry and dark rather than sweet, and the faint animal note in the base may feel dated or too raw to someone used to clean modern fragrances.

Related scents

• Dolce & Gabbana Pour Homme
• Dolce & Gabbana Intenso

Notes of the original fragrance, as listed in fragrance references.

Top notes: Nutmeg, Pepper

Heart notes: Lavender, Artemisia

Base notes: Sandalwood, Tobacco, Leather, Amber, Guaiac Wood

Nutmeg and pepper start it, dry and a little woody.

Lavender and artemisia form an aromatic, bitter-green heart.

The base layers tobacco and leather over guaiac wood, amber and sandalwood, ending smoky and a touch animalic.

Is this based on the 1997 By or the 2026 Re-Edition?

The 1997 original eau de toilette. By Man Re-Edition (2026) is an eau de parfum issued by Dolce&Gabbana, and our version is not that release.

Is this the men's or the women's By?

The men's By from 1997. The women's By is a different fragrance.

Can I still buy the original By from Dolce&Gabbana?

The original eau de toilette was out of production for years. Dolce&Gabbana now sells By Man Re-Edition, an eau de parfum, though it was not on its French, German or Italian sites when we checked in October 2026.

Inside the EU, delivery is free on orders of €49 or more. Below that it is a flat €4.99. Outside the EU, delivery is a flat €4.99 on every order. We send every order in 1 to 2 working days. It arrives in 3 to 7 days across the EU and in 7 to 14 days outside the EU. You have 14 days to return an unopened bottle.

Dolce & Gabbana and By are trademarks of their respective owners, and all rights remain with them. Parfumour is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, or connected to Dolce & Gabbana in any way, and no business relationship of any kind is implied. Our product is an original interpretation created to evoke a similar scent profile, and the trademark names are used purely for honest, descriptive comparison, so that you can quickly identify the style and fragrance family you are looking for. We make no claim to sell the original product, and we do not use the same ingredients or formula. Any similarity lies in the overall impression of the scent as interpreted by our own perfumers, not in the source materials.