Kouros

Kouros, inspired by Yves Saint Laurent Kouros (1981)

Kouros starts herbal and bracing, with coriander, artemisia and lavender over a little orange blossom. Clove and cinnamon leaf then warm the heart around geranium and rosemary. As it dries down it becomes soapy and musky, with moss, leather and patchouli giving an earthy, slightly animalic depth. That clean and dirty contrast is how it is usually described.

About the original

Pierre Bourdon created Kouros for Yves Saint Laurent in 1981, inspired by the designer's trip to Greece and the kouroi statues of ancient Greek sculpture. YSL now classes it as an aromatic chypre. The original formula is described with honey, civet and incense; it is reported to have been reformulated several times, with current versions carrying less of the animalic base. YSL still sells it in the UK and France.

Our version

Ours is an independent eau de parfum made to evoke the same character. It is not Yves Saint Laurent stock, not an official relaunch and not the original formula.

Who it suits

Polarising is the fairest description: some men love its soapy, musky character, others find the animalic drydown too much. It suits wearers who like traditional, animalic masculine scents rather than modern fresh ones.

Related scents

• Yves Saint Laurent Body Kouros
• Yves Saint Laurent Kouros Silver
• Yves Saint Laurent Opium pour Homme

Notes of the original fragrance, as published by the brand.

Top notes: Orange Blossom Essence, Lavender, Artemisia, Coriander

Heart notes: Geranium, Cinnamon Leaf, Carnation, Clove, Rosemary

Base notes: Moss, Leather, Patchouli, Vetiver

Coriander, artemisia and lavender open it, herbal and brisk, with orange blossom in the background.

Clove, cinnamon leaf, geranium and rosemary bring spice to the heart.

Moss, leather, patchouli and vetiver form a soapy, musky, earthy base.

Is this Kouros or Body Kouros?

This is the original Kouros from 1981. Body Kouros (2000) and Kouros Silver are separate scents, which we also make.

Why is Kouros described as animalic?

The original formula used civet and honey in the base, giving a musky, skin-like warmth. Current versions are reported to be tamer.

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.

Yves Saint Laurent and Kouros are trademarks of their respective owners, and all rights remain with them. Parfumour is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, or connected to Yves Saint Laurent 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.