Our take
What does Her smell like?
Composed by Francis Kurkdjian and launched by Burberry in 2018, Her takes London's energy as its cue through a burst of red fruit. The opening is a full basket of blackberry, raspberry and strawberry, juicy and a little tart, closer to homemade jam than chemical candy. In the heart, violet adds a powdery, slightly green touch while jasmine and rose soften the whole. The base of musk, amber and dry cocoa extends the gourmand effect with a faintly earthy nuance that keeps it from cloying. It stays bright and highly diffusive, with an unabashed cheerfulness, and helped popularise fruity gourmands that are sweet yet easy to read.
When to wear it
Daytime and relaxed outings from spring through winter; it suits lovers of cheerful, gourmand red fruit.
The story of Her
Her launched in 2018, the year Riccardo Tisci took over as Burberry’s creative chief after Christopher Bailey’s long tenure. The brief was a portrait of London, but the young, going-out London rather than trench coats and country houses. Burberry brought in Francis Kurkdjian, the nose behind Jean Paul Gaultier’s Le Male in 1995 and co-founder of his own house. His idea was a feminine built on a red and black berry accord, without the praline and caramel that ruled gourmands at the time. A base of dry cocoa and amber gives it staying power without piling on more sugar. The heavy glass bottle carries the house check in relief. A full line followed. There was a lighter eau de toilette, several intense editions, and in 2022 Her Elixir de Parfum, which adds vanilla and sandalwood.
Our detailed review
Raspberry leads the moment you spray, tart like crushed fruit rather than candy. Strawberry and blackberry follow and the effect turns into a coulis. For the first hour it projects hard. Then violet slips in, a little powdery, and jasmine smooths the edges without ever stepping forward. Around hour three the dry cocoa appears. Not milk chocolate. It is a bitter powder that reins in the sugar, and it is our favourite part. The musky amber base clings to clothes for ages. The main flaw is sameness. Red fruit sits at the centre from start to finish and the scent barely moves, which gets tiring if you wear it daily. Some skins also push it toward strawberry syrup. It suits anyone who loves fruity gourmands and wants something cheerful that lasts. It will bore those looking for a real evolution or a quiet office scent.
Her vs its rivals
Her Elixir de Parfum keeps the strawberry, blackberry and jasmine, then swaps the cocoa for vanilla, sandalwood and amber. It is rounder, sweeter and more of a night scent. If Her feels too tart on you, the Elixir fixes that. Yves Saint Laurent Mon Paris shares strawberry and raspberry up top and musk at the base. From there it moves into peony, datura and patchouli, which gives it a more floral, chypre-like feel. Mon Paris is darker and more polished. Her is juicier and more direct. Marc Jacobs Daisy has less in common: strawberry, violet, jasmine and musk. Above all it is far lighter, a sheer spring floral where Her stays a gourmand. Our pick: Daisy for summer and the office, Her for everyday wear in cooler months, Mon Paris for nights out.
Longevity, projection and use
Strong for its category, this eau de parfum lasts on most skin for seven to nine hours, and the fruit hangs on to a sweater until the next day. Projection is big for the first two hours, then moderate. Two or three sprays are plenty: one on the neck, one on a wrist, maybe one misted over the hair from a distance. More than that and the raspberry fills a closed room. It works from spring to winter, by day and for evenings out. Skip it in real heat, where the sugar takes over, and go easy in shared offices.
It belongs to the Gourmand, Fruity family. Her is one of 3 creations by Burberry in our encyclopedia.
