My uncle wears Louis Vuitton Imagination, and I always know he is around before I even see him.
I first tested this fragrance myself at the LV store in Minneapolis, and after trying it again in Las Vegas, I knew it was my favorite scent of all time. When you wear it, it creates a nice, modern atmosphere around you. It feels like you’re driving down a street by Miami Beach, or going out for a nice dinner by the ocean in Italy or Greece, wearing a crisp white dress shirt, white and blue striped pants, and white loafers.
Louis Vuitton Imagination is a luxury cologne known for smelling clean, fresh, and slightly sweet. Released in 2021, it quickly became one of the most popular men’s fragrances.
What makes it stand out is how easy it is to wear. It is not too strong or overpowering, making it work for almost any situation—whether that’s the office, school, a dinner out, or just as an everyday scent. A lot of people love it because it smells fresh but completely different from basic colognes.
However, the biggest thing people talk about is the price tag. A bottle costs around $350, which is much higher than other colognes. While the Louis Vuitton brand and high-quality ingredients might prove why it’s worth it, there is another option.
The dupe, Jo Milano Game of Spades Full House, is often seen as a cheaper alternative because it captures that very similar fresh, citrusy, and clean vibe. Game of Spades costs between $60 and $80 instead of $350.
It’s a great option if you want to smell almost identical without spending a lot of money. In fact, it is a must-buy over Louis Vuitton Imagination. While Imagination is smoother and more luxurious, the difference isn’t big enough for most people to justify spending hundreds more.
Wearing Game of Spades Full House starts off just a little bit rough. Right after spraying it, there’s a noticeable alcohol hit, followed by a nice Sicilian orange and ginger note in the opening. Once it settles on your skin, it quickly smooths out into that familiar Imagination DNA with neroli, ambroxan, and a stunning tea note. After about an hour, it becomes more balanced and slightly warm with a light woody and musky smell, while still keeping that very prominent tea note that sits closer to the skin.
After a few hours, it fades into a clean, subtle scent that’s not overpowering but still noticeable. It will give you between 5 to 7 hours of longevity, with the first 3 to 4 hours projecting strongly, and hours 4 through 7 tuning down to a skin scent that is still noticeable up close.
Comparing Game of Spades Full House to Louis Vuitton Imagination, it is 90 to 95% similar. The only couple of differences scent-wise would be that Game of Spades is more focused on the tea note, ambroxan, and neroli. This is still great, but the original focuses a lot more on the ginger note throughout the whole duration of the scent.
In conclusion, if you have $350 to spend on a cologne I would highly suggest it, but if you’re a high school or college student on a budget that has the same type of vibe as the original, I would definitely recommend getting Jo Milano’s Game of Spads Full House due to its $70 retail price.
