Hot on the heels of JCE's Hermesscences range, big old Giorgio presented some supposedly special scents in lavish packaging (hard wood refillable bottles and resin pebble stoppers) that could possibly apologise for the monstrous (but monstrously popular) Acqua di Giò and all that Beyoncé-fronted stuff.
Of course, that was ages ago and the range has swelled considerably since the first four offerings appeared in late '04. But I've only just lived with enough of them for long enough to form an opinion...
Pierre de Lune could and should be so much better. It's taught me that a good, whopping dose of iris isn't enough to guarantee quality. Violets and a strangely medicinal dry-down make this a competent mainstream rather than a £165 per 50ml refined delight. Shame.
I own Ambre Soie - it was a generous gift. It certainly packs a punch. All the requisite oriental notes are assembled beautifully - ginger, clove, cinnamon, patchouli - but it's bitter rather than sweet. It has a strange MSG quality; an aftertaste, if you will. It's like Lady Gaga - looks good but it's not really goodlooking.
The weird thing about Cuir Amethyste is that it actually smells purple. That's a nice, little psychological trick. Violets, crushed blackcurrants and unworn suede slingbacks. It's very good.
But the crown remains with Bois d'Encens. Deep, dark, endangered woods slaughtered for your delectation on the smoke-obscured altar of high fashion. Delicious. I love incense fragrances but I have absolutely no understanding of Catholic excess. I've not so much as fingered as a cassock. That's probably why I'm able to enjoy them
There are now loads more in the Armani Privé range to explore, I know. And they're all supposed to be great fragrances because they're expensive. Armani brought a tasteful understatement to Italian fashion and I suppose these scent offerings are there to do the same for his glitzy fragrance range. But remember that this was the culture that gave us both Florence and Donatella Versace. Beauty is so often a matter of taste.
[By ANDREW]
