The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
What So Ever 无论如何 debuted in 2014, a year after RECLASSIFIED was founded in Shanghai. The name suggests an open-ended response, while the fragrance's listed notes describe a layered composition built around freshness, fruit, spice, floral softness, and warm depth. Freesia and Lychee establish the opening with airy floral brightness and a touch of tropical sweetness. Ginger adds warmth, Mandarin Orange brings a clear citrus note, and Black Pepper introduces a sharper aromatic edge. Yulan Magnolia lends a rounded floral character as the composition develops. Later, Jasmine softens the middle with a delicate floral presence, while Amber and Musk create a warm, close-to-the-skin finish. No verified perfumer credit is available, so the note structure offers the clearest account of the scent.
The unusual part is the handoff between categories. Lychee and Freesia establish a translucent, fruit-floral surface, but Ginger and Black Pepper stop it from becoming syrupy. Mandarin Orange adds clean citrus energy while Yulan Magnolia brings a creamy floral dimension. Amber, Jasmine, and Musk then give the composition a soft structure beneath the brighter notes. The result feels less like a conventional pretty floral and more like a fragrance built around controlled tension. Nothing needs to overwhelm the composition for it to make an impression; the interest comes from watching each note change the temperature and texture of the whole.
The evolution
The opening begins with Freesia and Lychee, airy and sweet with the cool lift of a bright morning. That fresh fruit-floral handoff is short-lived. Ginger, Mandarin Orange, and Black Pepper soon take over, adding clean heat, citrus snap, and a peppery edge that gives the composition more nerve. Yulan Magnolia then rounds the middle without muting that movement, creating a polished floral space around the sharper notes. As the scent settles, Jasmine and Amber introduce warmth and a soft powdery glow, while Musk keeps the trail close to skin. The drydown doesn't become heavy. It stays lightly sweet, quietly floral, and gently ambered, with enough citrus-fruit brightness to remain present as the composition develops. The citrus and fruit notes gradually recede, leaving ginger's warmth and black pepper's subtle edge beneath the flowers.
Cultural impact
What So Ever 无论如何 reflects an exploratory approach to fragrance through its varied note composition. Airy Freesia and sweet Lychee open the scent with freshness, while Ginger and Black Pepper add warmth and definition. Mandarin Orange brings a lively citrus note into the blend, and Yulan Magnolia softens the sharper facets with a rounded floral character. Jasmine deepens the floral layer before Amber and Musk create a warm, lightly powdered finish. As the fragrance wears, the bright fruit and citrus facets gradually give way to flowers, spice, amber, and close-to-skin musk.
