White in Black is the masculine that Lalique entrusted in 2021 to Karine Dubreuil-Sereni. Sicilian bergamot and grapefruit open against an olibanum resin; cardamom, lavender and pink pepper hold the heart; vanilla, ambroxan and Tolu balsam close on a warm, woody base.
The opening is a contrast, and that is the program announced by the name. Sicilian bergamot and grapefruit give a sharp, almost tart citrus start. Incense arrives on top without transition: a dry, lightly smoky resin that clashes with the freshness rather than accompanying it. This friction between the citrus and the resin lasts only a few minutes, but it is the most distinctive moment of the fragrance.
The heart settles into a more classic structure. Cardamom and pink pepper supply the cold spices, lavender the aromatic cleanliness that places White in Black among the European masculines of tradition. Elemi provides the link: this lemony resin extends the citrus from the top while preparing the balsamic base. It is a heart built with craft, unsurprising, well held together.
The base is what made the fragrance's reputation, and its controversy. Vanilla, ambroxan and Tolu balsam form a creamy, sweet base, softened by cedar and weighted by patchouli. This is where the comparison with Layton becomes audible. Wearers do not entirely agree on the result, moreover: some find the sillage more discreet than its counterpart's, others report equivalent longevity and strong projection.