White

A white lacquer box holds the memory of an entire culture.

Found in an antique shop — elegant, smooth, ancient in its woody depth — it became the starting point for something much larger. White in Chinese tradition is not emptiness. It is the brushstroke withheld, the word left unwritten, the pause that makes the rest of the sentence ring. Like the blank space in ink painting, it holds more than it reveals. Cool and fluid, the opening evokes lacquered wood — polished, restrained, faintly ceremonial. White tea drifts in with its layered softness: a little floral, a little rice-like, a little like early morning in a hutong. Deeper still, vetiver loses its earthiness and turns transparent, smoky without weight. Incense and orris hold the finish steady, pale and unhurried.

Notes: White Anise, White Calamus, Angelica, White Lacquer Wood, White Olibanum, White Tea, White Incense, White Orris, White Cedarwood, White Musk, White Vetiver

Founded in 2017, Aromag is a fragrance brand that creates perfumes inspired by Chinese culture and aesthetics. The name Aromag blends ‘aroma’ and ‘magazine’, reflecting China’s scholarly perfume tradition. In Chinese, it’s called 岩兰 (Yán Lán), evoking vetiver and rock-dwelling orchids.

Aromag’s philosophy emphasizes ‘blank space’ and ‘restraint’ in fragrance creation, aiming to revive Eastern-style elegance. This approach results in perfumes that are uniquely rooted in Chinese cultural traditions while embodying a sense of quiet sophistication.

• Ashley Balavoine