The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
Fly High Man arrived in 2007 as part of Mexx's expanding fragrance line, a Dutch fashion house known for approachable, everyday scents. The name suggests movement, ambition, a certain youthful optimism. Mexx had been building its fragrance portfolio since 1999, and Fly High Man was positioned as a fresh-aquatic option for men who wanted something modern and unobtrusive.
The composition uses tangerine and blackcurrant for a bright, fruity opening that reads clean without being generic. Basil is the masculine anchor here, not the typical citrus-fresh approach, but something with a slight green, slightly bitter edge that gives the top notes more depth than most fresh fragrances. The saffron-geranium heart is an unusual pairing for this price point, adding warmth and a subtle spiced floral quality that keeps the scent from feeling flat. Heliotrope in the base brings a soft, powdery warmth that rounds everything out.
The evolution
The opening hits bright and immediate, tangerine zests forward while blackcurrant adds a slight tart sweetness underneath. Basil arrives within minutes, bringing that green-herbal counterbalance that prevents the citrus from getting too sweet. By the time you hit the 30-minute mark, the saffron and geranium have taken over, shifting the scent from fresh-fruity to warm and slightly spiced. This heart phase lasts the longest, a comfortable 2-3 hours where the composition feels cohesive and interesting without demanding attention. The drydown is soft and close, heliotrope and woods settling into something powdery and intimate. By hour 4-6, it's a skin scent, barely detectable unless someone is close. Moderate sillage means it never overwhelms, which is exactly the point.
Cultural impact
Fly High Man has faded from the market, discontinued years after its 2007 launch. But in its time, it represented something specific, a fragrance for young men who wanted to smell good without committing to something heavy or performative. It sits in that forgotten middle ground between drugstore scents and luxury positioning, which is exactly where Mexx has always lived. Those who remember it tend to recall it fondly, often noting it as their first 'real' fragrance.
