NOTHIN’ELSE Lithe Review: Leather with a Light Step

NOTHIN’ELSE Lithe opens on me with the warmth of black leather and something bright that keeps the whole thing moving. On my second wear, the leather hit harder. Both times, though, it gave way to a soft floral impression and a drydown that felt almost like velvet. More than once I got goosebumps from smelling my own wrist, which is a slightly ridiculous thing to admit and probably the most honest thing I can say about this perfume.

Disclosure I tested Lithe twice on my own skin using a 2 ml sample from the Discovery Set provided free of charge by NOTHIN’ELSE. The scent and performance observations are based on those wears.

Black leather in a surprisingly good mood

My exploration of NOTHIN’ELSE continues. After Offline, I was curious to see what Eve Miralles would do with a leather fragrance for the same house. Lithe makes its point in the first few minutes. I get a warm, luxurious leather impression alongside something almost fizzy. The leather has the attitude of a black jacket. That brighter side makes it feel a little less serious about the whole business.

I’ve been trying several fragrances from Tom Ford’s Ombré Leather line recently, and parts of Lithe’s opening sent me straight back to those tests. The association was strongest when the leather warmed up and became more present. What makes Lithe feel different on me is the air around it. It has some of the same assertiveness, with a lighter, more playful quality that lets the leather change character as I wear it.

The flowers came through before I could name them

A little further into the wear, I started to register something floral. I couldn’t tell you which flower I was smelling. I could tell you that the perfume had become softer and more delicate, even while I could still pick out the leather. I’m perfectly capable of looking for flowers in anything I like, so it was gratifying to see several of them listed in the heart. On my skin, they came through as a general impression of softness, with the leather still giving it shape.

On the second test, which I wore in the evening, the leather made a much stronger entrance. I don’t know whether the time of day had anything to do with it. I do know that I noticed the floral side again, and the stronger leather made that combination particularly intriguing. There’s a point in that wear when the fragrance felt almost tactile. Velvet is the closest I can get to that particular softness. Later, a faint vanilla-like sweetness made it more enveloping while leaving the leather and flowers recognisable.

The official NOTHIN’ELSE Lithe notes

The official Lithe product page credits Eve Miralles and places suede in the heart alongside neroli, lily of the valley, orris and Damask rose absolute. The notes make sense of the changes I noticed. In the opening I thought of black leather. Once the flowers came forward, suede felt closer to what was on my wrist.

• Top: Cardamom, pink pepper and bergamot.
• Heart: Neroli, lily of the valley, orris, suede and Damask rose absolute.
• Base: Papyrus, amber, vanilla planifolia and musk.

Longevity and projection on my skin

With a modest application from the sample, I could smell Lithe clearly for about four hours. It projected most noticeably for the first hour and a half. After that I could still catch it around me, whether I was sitting at my computer writing or getting up and moving about. What stayed with me was that little cloud of leather and flowers, along with softer facets I couldn’t put a name to. I was quite happy to keep smelling it without doing any more detective work.

Would I wear Lithe again?

Absolutely. I liked the leather from the first spray, but the soft floral middle is what I kept going back to. The two wears gave me slightly different versions of the same perfume, and both kept my attention well into the drydown. That mix of confidence and a little irreverence is becoming one of my favourite things about this house. Lithe Eau de Parfum is listed at €140 on the brand’s site, and the Discovery Set includes a 2 ml sample.

Leather, flowers and goosebumps, Linda. Shall we see what else is on the shelf? Explore Fragrance Reviews