The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
Tommy Vee, the Italian DJ, brought his musical sensibility to fragrance in 2006 through a collaboration with Deborah. The result was a pair of scents under the Vee Is Around banner, one for her and this, his masculine counterpart, composed by Mathilde Bijaoui. The pairing brought together two creative worlds, club and bottle, with Bijaoui translating the brief into an oriental fougere that reads as energetic without shouting. The opening runs bright and citrus-anise, with the cool burn of star anise cutting through the initial brightness in a way that feels modern and deliberate.
The interesting choice here is the marriage of the citrus-anise top with the powdery violet in the heart. The violet brings a soapy, almost cosmetic softness that keeps the spice from tipping into aggression. Tonka and leather in the base provide warmth, and star anise, present in the opening, provides that cooling aromatic snap that separates the first impression from the bergamot-only openings common in masculine work. The way the violet sits at the center of the composition gives it a distinctive softness.
The evolution
The first thirty minutes belong to mandarin, bergamot, and that Amalfi lemon, bright and almost fizzy against the cool burn of star anise. It smells effervescent, closer to a cocktail bitter than a traditional cologne splash. Around the forty-minute mark the violet and lavender arrive together, the violet lending a soft, slightly soapy dustiness while the lavender keeps the whole thing from floating away. Nutmeg warms through the middle, a quiet spice that bridges into the base. By the two-hour mark the cedar and leather have taken hold, grounded and dry, with tonka adding a low sweetness that never climbs above a whisper. The musk arrives last, softening the leather into something close to warm skin. As the hours unspool, the cedar takes on a slightly pencil-shaving character, dry and woody, while the tonka continues its quiet rumble underneath.
Cultural impact
Vee Is Around for Him arrived in 2006 as part of a cross-continental collaboration between Deborah and Italian DJ Tommy Vee. The composition pairs a bright citrus-anise opening with a violet-led heart and a leather-tonka base, giving it a distinctive profile that stands apart from many oriental fougeres of the period. The violet and star anise combination is uncommon in masculine designer work, and the way those notes are handled here, with the violet as the emotional center and the star anise providing cooling snap rather than overt licorice sweetness, gives the fragrance its particular character.
The House
DeborahDeborah represents a distinctive voice in artisan perfumery, anchored by the work of certified perfumer Deborah LaBron. Her approach centers on creating fragrances that function as narrative objects, each composition designed to evoke memory and emotional resonance rather than simply marking presence. LaBron's background in the fragrance and beauty division at Macy's provided foundational exposure to the industry before she transitioned into independent perfumery. The brand's output spans gourmand compositions and delicate florals, with notable works including the Be Gourmand collection launched in 2006 and the Accordo series from 2016. Italian naming conventions throughout her portfolio suggest either stylistic influence or direct association with the Italian cosmetics tradition exemplified by the 1903-founded Deborah Milano. The brand occupies a space between accessible artisan work and elevated craftsmanship, appealing to consumers who seek storytelling dimensions in their fragrance choices.
The Creator
Mathilde BijaouiBased on her known work, Bijaoui's style leans toward warm, ambery, and slightly gourmand compositions. She seems to enjoy working with spices, woods, and musks, creating fragrances that are both comforting and sensual.
