Perfume Review: Creed Love in White

To create Love in White, the scent meant to symbolize the sensation of freedom felt at sea and to evoke white sea foam and white clouds (“elements shared by all humanity”), Master Perfumer Olivier Creed traveled to the seven seas, or rather, five continents, and personally selected the ingredients for this fragrance, Creed’s first in five years. The chosen notes were “orange zest from Southern Spain, white jasmine from the Italian Coast, daffodil from the French Riviera, sandalwood from Mysore India, young rice husk from Tonkin, iris from Egypt, magnolia from the Guatemalan Mountains and vanilla from the Island of Java.” Quite appropriately, in view of such global ingredients, the percentage of proceeds from the sales of Love in White will go to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). That is perhaps the first time that I encounter freedom, humanity and charity being the part of the description of a scent. To be very honest, as far as fragrances are concerned, all I want from them is to be gorgeous, at least a little wearable and romantic (oh yes, I am "deeply superficial"). Luckily Love in White fulfills all three criteria. So much so that I don’t mind the fact that it is rather aquatic in its nature. Coming from me, the absolute hater of marine notes in perfume, this is a huge compliment. Love in White starts fresh and green on my skin; to my nose the beginning smells of lilies of the valley and grass (perhaps this is the daffodil I smell?), there is most certainly no orange zest or anything citrusy at all. The aquatic accord comes and goes, it is there in the beginning, adding a certain coolness and clarity to the composition. Sandalwood, magnolia and vanilla are the best part of the scent, they bring warmth, sweetness and, to me, wearability. The sweetness lingers for quite a long time with but a hint of aquatic somewhere in the distance. The fragrance is heady without being loud and lasts quite a long time on my skin. As for the image it evokes in my mind…how about a bride in her pristine white attire? Love in White makes me want to be 19 and absolutely, utterly, madly, head over heels in love…To be planning a big white wedding with a big white dress…To live again in the charmed and poignantly perfect world of bridal magazines with their glossy innocence. To return to the time of seemingly eternal summer and cloudless sky. This wonderfully nostalgic and movingly pretty fragrance can be yours for $110-195.00; it is available at Aedes, Bergdorf Goodman, and Neiman Marcus, to name only a few. *The painting is by Jon Whitcomb.