Givenchy Extravagance d’Amarige: A green floral gem

Extravagance d’Amarige, created by Michel Gerard in 1998, bears absolutely zero resemblance to the original Amarige.

Extravagance d’Amarige is the wrong name for this fragrance. It does not smell extravagant nor is it any sort of offspring of Amarige – not a cousin nor a half-sister not even related by marriage. Extravagance d’Amarige (EdA) is a hesperidic green floral. It is very likeable and easy to please. It reminds me a bit of Guccy Envy with a punchier citrus top or perhaps (dare I say it) Chanel No. 19 with a warmer, gentler, kinder personality. I suspect the reason that EdA may not have sold well is because people assumed it would smell like the original Amarige on steroids – and who would want that?

This weekend I was wearing EdA when I happened to run into my friend Rachel downtown. Rachel strongly dislikes all perfume except for Laura Ashley No. 1. In case you aren’t aware, Laura Ashley No. 1 is discontinued and very difficult to find – it often sells for more than $250 per 1 oz on ebay. None of this really matters aside from the fact that Rachel pretty much never compliments me on my scent. Well, Rachel loved EdA and made a point of saying so a few times. I wasn’t quite sure how to take this compliment. The compliment came from a person who hates perfume aside from Laura Ashley No. 1 (which I don’t like). I’ve decided it means that Extravagance d’Amarige is simply easy to love. It’s not “perfume-y” which is usually the complaint from those who dislike perfume, and it’s a green floral, which is a relatively natural sort of scent.

Extravagance d’Amarige is one of those perfumes which I love writing about because I think it’s a hidden gem. Nobody ever mentions it, yet it’s an extremely appealing fragrance for lovers of green florals. The longevity is excellent and the sillage is nice. EdA is gorgeous for the summer months, it’s fresh and lively; a perfect blend of citrus, and green florals spiked with a dash of peppery sandalwood. The “green” quality is gentle, you won’t envision crushed leaves, stems and a cow munching on grass, but you will immediately recognize that EdA is a green floral. If this description appeals to you I highly recommend Extravagance d’Amarige, which surely can be found for cheap these days.

The bottle is attractive but I despise logo – the “e” in “e”xtravagance being on its side is just bad, bad, bad.

Notes –
Green mandarin, tagete, pink peppercorn, jasmine, orange blossom, violet leaves, black iris, wild strawberry, sandalwood, cedarwood, musk, ambrox

Rating: 4.5 stars
Longevity: excellent
Sillage: just right (not too much, not too little)