Some scents have the ability to linger on, but for months . . .? Mentioned on these pages more than once so far this year, Emporio Armani fragrance is finally about to go on sale. First introduced to the press last December - with a very jolly party hosted by Giorgio Armani at the MTV studios in London - the scent was supposed to be launched during the Paris fashion collections in March.

Twelve hundred invitations were sent (and gratefully received) to an Emporio Armani fashion show and dinner in the Place St Sulpice. Everyone duly turned up on the night, only to discover that a few hours earlier the Paris authorities had refused permission for the event, estimated to have cost the designer six million French francs.

He eventually held the launch in New York the following month but it is only now the buying public can judge the fragrance for itself. Make that fragrances, because - in keeping with the current fondness for cross-gender perfumes - Emporio Armani offers complementary scents for men and women.

They share the same base notes of cedar and musk but while the male version is topped with green, woody hints, the female contains jasmine and vanilla. The containers, slightly differing in colour for each sex, are in metal with a rubber spray top; they come in sealed packs similar to those used for disposable cameras.

Worldwide, Emporio Armani makes its debut on Saturday and in Dublin, the BT2 store on Grafton Street will mark the event with the installation of a special cappucino bar serving complimentary coffees for the following fortnight. Emporio Armani will also be available, although not free; prices are expected to be £25 for a 50ml eau de toilette spray and £40 for 100ml.