Armani Privé

I was very enthusiastic when Armani started this luxury line and I enjoyed the very first concepts both in term of design and smell (like Pierre de lune and Cuir améthyste). But very soon I realized that l'Oréal's intention was only to mimic luxury. If you look back through Armani's collection, although he is known for a pure line, when it was about luxury and Orient evocation, he did the most amazing dresses, simple in form but rich in texture with embroideries, subtle colors and rich decoration. Nothing of that is present in those 3 fragrances with such poetic names.
But let's speak now about the smell. All 3 are very thin and done in the anemic Ellena's style but without his brilliant approach.
Vetyver Babylonie is a microscopic vetiver. You have to look after it in a big dilution of Terre d'Hermes with shades of Declaration and green tea splash.
Rose Alexandrie, a nice fruity-orange flower rose has another curious approach. It smells very close to an Avon perfume from 2003 collection - Life Scents (it's between Mellow Moments and On the edge), quite a surprise when you know the price difference.
Orange Alhambra, the most interesting, starts with a big and dissonant bitter orange note that becomes a soapy invitation to resmell the very good chypre drydown of Chanel Pour Monsieur.
In my opinion these 3 products are in the same "faux luxe" concept that starts to develop among brands. There is nothing to justify price and position within niche when l'Occitane or Yves Rocher did better on the same idea (but before).
I feel that much more creative energy is put in a "normal" perfume at Sephora than in those 3, and it should be the contrary because it's niche and it's expensive. As a consumer I feel very sad when I see that what was meant to be a revival of true perfumery with an accent on quality and creation (niche) starts to be just another way to make money. And I do watch Armani show's:)

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Fragrance is the 8th Art - Octavian Coifan - Le Parfum est le 8ème Art