Perfume Review: Emporio Armani White She/Elle

Among Emporio Armani fragrances, White She (2001) stands out not only for its innovative composition, but also for its perfect synergy with the elegant, tailored look of Armani couture and prêt-a-porter lines. A fashion house famous for its immaculate fit and expensive fabric made a great choice in selecting the fragrance that eventually became Emporio Armani White She (or White Elle). I prefer White She to all other Emporio Armani fragrances, including its masculine counterpart. In fact, although labeled She, the composition has an almost androgynous feel. The perfume conjures cool silks and hot ironed linens with its transparent freshness, which slips off slowly revealing a silvery woody accord. …

Annie Buzantian makes a departure from her signature crystalline flowers in creating the polished wood accord of White She. Reminiscent of fine white bark covering birch trees, it is gently cradled in the radiance of white musk. It would be fair to say that Emporio Armani White She became the trendsetter for the white musk compositions having introduced an accord created by Alberto Morillas who also worked on the fragrance.

White is an adjective applied to synthetic musks marked by metallic nuance and radiant freshness. The cocktail of white musks in Emporio Armani White She created by Morillas (the nose behind Flower by Kenzo, Bulgari Omnia, Rochas Byzance, CK One, among numerous others) explores the full spectrum of these interesting aroma-materials. Their coolness, transparency and ironed fabric effect make for a perfect backdrop against which the delicate notes of Emporio White She sparkle—the spicy overture of ginger, the tart citrus and the tangy verdancy of fig leaves. As the composition unfolds in a panoramic style characteristic of modern fragrances--from icy freshness to fragile woods and radiant musks, the fragrance does not fail to maintain an effortlessly elegant aura.

I should mention that Emporio Armani White She should not be confused with Emporio Armani She, which came out in 1998. White She/Elle includes notes of bergamot, mandarin, ginger, blackcurrant leaf, fig leaf, mint, white woods, white musk. It does not seem to be available in the States, although the usual suspects, the online discounters such as Strawberrynet, carry it. European online shoppers can find it at Escentual.

Photo: Pantsuit from Spring 2006 Armani Prive collection. Style.com

Comments

[k-amber]

Dear Victoria,

Beautiful review as always. I did not know Flower by Kenzo and Rochas Byzance that I used to wear,were created by the same nose. You always fill me in :) I will try this Armani scent definitely.

Kaori

[Marina]

I had no idea! I've always dismissed it as "yet another one of those Emporio scents". But now I will definitely give it a good try. Thank you very much for the review!

[Ina]

Something happened to my comment I posted earlier. I tried this several years ago at the Gatwick duty free and rememeber liking it qutie a bit. Have you seen it at any stores recently?

[Robin]

Have never smelled it V, but now I will have to...

[Tania]

I remember trying this when it came out and liking it, but at this point I have no sensory recollection. Your review has inspired me to seek it out for another sniff. Nice work, V.

[Katie]

Okay, I don't know how you did it, but you've made me want to try a white musk scent. You are dangerous to read, V. :P

[Nick]

I owned the Emporio Armarni White for men, which I loved. As far as I am aware, there
were the original Emporio Armani, then "White", then "Night" and then "Disco Glam", all in the same canister. I may be wrong, but I remember a man at the Armani counter telling me that White and Night have been discontinued. Maybe that is just here in Australia though.

[BoisdeJasmin]

Kaori, Flower by Kenzo and Byzance are two of my own favourites. Emporio White She is quite different from these two, but it is very interesting. Definitely worth sampling.

[BoisdeJasmin]

M, I hope that you can still locate it easily in stores. In US, it is quite difficult to find, although in Paris, it is still widely sold.

[BoisdeJasmin]

Ina, I have not seen it in stores. I ended up ordering it online, after I ran out of sample. It is a fascinating composition.

[BoisdeJasmin]

R, I definitely recommend trying it. It is head and shoulders above other Emporio fragrances.

[BoisdeJasmin]

R, I definitely recommend trying it. It is head and shoulders above other Emporio fragrances.

[BoisdeJasmin]

T, thank you. Of course, the only Emporio fragrance I like has to be limited to the European market!

[BoisdeJasmin]

Katie, glad I inspired you! It is definitely worth seeking out, if only to know where all of these white musk fragrances came from.

[BoisdeJasmin]

Nick, I do not think I have ever seen Night in the States. I have tried them, but it was during my stay in Paris. Same with White, although it was definitely available in the States at one point. Now, only the original Emporio fragrances remain.

[Nick]

I now wish that I had tried the female white! I remember that I absolutely had to have the mens white: It had notes of lemon, rosemary and thyme with the elegance of white musk. Definately a white musk composition that elevated it beyond some of its usual associations...

[BoisdeJasmin]

Nick, the masculine one was also nice, although I must say that I prefer the feminine version. It seems to render the white musk accord with more clarity. In general, it is a very interesting composition.

[Katherine]

As always, a review that makes me want to check out a fragrance even though it might not be quite 'me'. (I think I maxed out on white musk at school when every girl had the soap, the bath foam, the deoderant spray and the scent itself from the Body Shop's white musk range.) I was interested to read of the 'ironed fabric' note in this fragrance, as I understand that white musks are found in a lot of detergents and fabric softeners: I wonder whether what we would call an 'ironed fabric' is, in fact, just another fragrance rather than the smell of the fabric itself?

(FWIW, the snippet of info on white musks in detergents came from Luca Turin's book 'The Secret of Scent', which I'm sure needs no recommendation from me!)

[BoisdeJasmin]

Katherine, this is quite different from the conventional white musks, because the effect is transparent and vivid, rather than dense and creamy. The case of musks being used in detergents and laundry softeners and having an ironed fabric quality is interesting. Perhaps, it is a virtual circle, in a sense. For instance, Estee Lauder White Linen relied on a large quantity of Galaxolide (one of the so-called white musks), which has been more commonly used in detergents prior to that.

[josie]

Ive been wearing armani white for over 5 years now, its my signature scent i even wear it around the house. anyway apparently it is dicontinued here on australia, Do you know if they've stopped it altogether or is it still sold overseas? I feel naked without my perfume!!!

[Maura]

Armani White She has been my signature scent since its launching. It's a wonderful scent and I cannot imagine my life without it.