French Avenue Comparison Guide: Vulcan Feu or Obsidian? (Formal Events in Ipoh)

If you're in Ipoh and you've got a formal event coming up — a wedding, an official dinner, a company function — and you've decided on French Avenue, two names will keep coming up: Vulcan Feu and Obsidian. Both are unisex Eau de Parfums in 100 ml, and both list special occasions among their suggested uses. So which one should you actually wear? Let's go through it.

Vulcan Feu by French Avenue

Vulcan Feu is the fresh, fruity one of the pair. It opens with Citrus, Peach and Apple, then moves into a heart of White Flowers, Amber and Musk, before settling on a base of Vanilla and Woody Accords. The store describes it as a fruity perfume that starts with citrus and juicy fruits, followed by a smooth blend of white flowers and amber musk with a clean trail.

When it comes to occasions, Vulcan Feu is the more explicit pick for formal wear here: its suggested occasions are Everyday, Formal, Special occasion and Casual. Formal is right there in the list. The store also positions it as an everyday scent made for Malaysia's warm weather, so it makes sense if your formal event runs in the daytime or in a warm, humid hall in Ipoh.

Obsidian by French Avenue

Obsidian heads in a different direction — it's an Oriental Woody fragrance. The opening is Aldehydes, Grapefruit and Bergamot, which the store describes as bright, crisp and slightly sparkling. The heart brings Myrrh, Jasmine and Labdanum for a resinous floral warmth, and the base is Vanilla, Amber and Tonka Bean for a smooth, sweet and ambery dry down.

Its listed occasions are Office, Evening, Special Event and Daily Wear. If your formal function is an evening dinner or a night event, that Evening and Special Event listing makes Obsidian a natural fit. It's also worth knowing that Obsidian is a 2025 release, so it's the newer of the two.

So, Vulcan Feu or Obsidian?

Here's the short version. Both are unisex 100 ml EDPs from French Avenue, and both share Vanilla in the base, so there's a common thread there. The difference is the journey each one takes:

• Pick Vulcan Feu if you want something fruity and floral. It's the one with Formal directly in its occasion list, it covers Everyday and Casual too, and the store positions it for Malaysia's warm weather — handy for daytime ceremonies.
• Pick Obsidian if you lean towards a woody, amber style. With Office, Evening and Special Event on its occasion list, it's the straightforward choice for dinners and night functions.

Don't overthink it. If your formal event is in the day, Vulcan Feu's fresh fruity profile is the easy pick. If it's in the evening, Obsidian's Oriental Woody character gives you a warmer, resinous direction. Either way, you're choosing between two unisex EDPs from the same brand, in the same 100 ml size, so it really comes down to whether you want fruity-floral or woody-amber on the day.