The Story
Why it exists.
Michel Girard created Touch for Women in 1998, the same year a new creative director, Roberto Menichetti, arrived at Burberry and began reshaping the house's identity. The mission was clear: honor the brand's heritage without being imprisoned by it. Stella Tennant, the striking Scottish model with an androgynous elegance, became the face of that new era. Touch for Women was meant to capture something specific about British womanhood at the turn of the millennium, modern, complex, not overly pretty. The name itself was a statement: connection, presence, the act of reaching across something.
If this were a song
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Mad World
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The Beginning
Michel Girard created Touch for Women in 1998, the same year a new creative director, Roberto Menichetti, arrived at Burberry and began reshaping the house's identity. The mission was clear: honor the brand's heritage without being imprisoned by it. Stella Tennant, the striking Scottish model with an androgynous elegance, became the face of that new era. Touch for Women was meant to capture something specific about British womanhood at the turn of the millennium, modern, complex, not overly pretty. The name itself was a statement: connection, presence, the act of reaching across something.
The heart of Touch is its most distinctive feature: a soft, powdery floral middle that feels almost soapy in the best way. Peony, lily of the valley, jasmine, and tuberose layer into something warm and cream-like, then that heart settles against peach and raspberry for a slightly edible sweetness. What makes this interesting is the contrast, that tart, slightly masculine green opening gives way to something unexpectedly tender. It's not a floral that announces itself. It's the one that lingers after you've already gotten close.
The Evolution
The opening of Touch is the test. Blackcurrant, cranberry, and pink pepper arrive together, bright, tart, with a slight prickle. Red pepper adds unexpected warmth to that initial burst. Some people hit this wall and walk away. That's their loss. Within twenty to thirty minutes, the green bite softens. The heart takes over: lily of the valley, peony, jasmine, and tuberose create a powder-soft middle that's less about freshness and more about presence. Raspberry and peach add warmth, an edible quality that keeps it grounded. By hour three, the base does the work. Cedarwood and vanilla emerge, oakmoss giving it that earthy, almost musty quality that people either love or find dated. The drydown stays close to skin, moderate sillage, not a room-filler. What it leaves on clothes the next day? Warm wool and something worth wearing again.
Cultural Impact
Touch for Women arrived in 1998 as part of a broader reset at Burberry under new creative leadership. The fragrance found its audience among women looking for something softer than the louder florals of the era, present but not projecting, warm but not sweet. It developed a quiet following rather than a blockbuster one. What keeps it relevant is that contradictory character: tart-fruity opening, powdery-soft heart, woody-warm base. It's not one thing. That makes it interesting.
The House
United Kingdom · Est. 1856
Burberry fragrances are the olfactory equivalent of their iconic trench coat: quintessentially British, effortlessly elegant, and unexpectedly rebellious. The house translates its rich fashion heritage into scents that feel both timeless and perfectly modern. It's the smell of London—a city of classic architecture and defiant street style.
If this were a song
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Touch for Women sounds like a late Sunday afternoon, soft autumn light through gauze curtains, a cashmere throw that smells faintly of cedar and vanilla. The opening has the energy of someone arriving in from cold air, cheeks still pink. By the heart, it settles into something quieter: a conversation that's been going on for hours, no need to fill the silence. The drydown is the exhale after everything important has already been said.
Mad World
Tears for Fears
