The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
Some compositions age into relevance. Others get pulled forward on purpose. By Man Re-Edition 1997 belongs to the second kind. Originally composed by Alberto Morillas in 1997, this was an ambery spicy creation that landed squarely in the late-90s masculine register, where Mediterranean tailoring houses were turning their confidence into fragrance. Dolce&Gabbana's Re-Edition line exists to bring those foundational compositions back into circulation, and By Man returns dressed in the house's signature zebra print with a black textile label stitched in silver. The 2026 reissue surfaces the original for a new generation of wearers who never caught it the first time around, a direct return rather than a rework of what Morillas first built.
What makes the structure interesting is the restraint in the heart. By Man holds its aromatic middle thin, just artemisia and lavender, and lets the pepper and nutmeg do the heavy opening work. That decision lets the base breathe. Amber and guaiac wood carry warmth without drowning the composition in resinous weight. The artemisia reads as a quiet bitter green threading through the lavender, keeping the floral note from leaning too clean or too soapy. The pepper gives a dry snap up front, the nutmeg unfolding beneath it with a soft curling warmth that never tips into sweetness.
The evolution
The opening moves fast and direct. Black pepper hits the nose with a dry snap, nutmeg curling underneath, warmer but never sweet. The spice arrives almost bracing, with nothing softening the approach. Soon after, the lavender begins to unfurl. It arrives greener than expected, with a faint dusty bitterness from the artemisia that keeps it from tipping into barbershop territory. This is the phase that defines the composition's center of gravity, and it reads surprisingly clean for a spicy oriental. As the hours pass, the guaiac wood takes the lead. The amber doesn't shout. It warms from underneath, giving the smoky wood something to glow against. The drydown settles close to skin, warm and woody with just enough of that original nutmeg still readable in the base.
Cultural impact
The Re-Edition line brings foundational compositions back into circulation for a reason: there are wearers who missed them the first time and want access to what those original releases offered. By Man fits that brief. It's a composition that leads with dry spice rather than sweet aromatics, and wears close rather than loud. The Re-Edition framing treats the original work as worth returning to, with the zebra print packaging and black textile label marking it clearly as part of the house's archive series.
