The world of fashion and fragrance have been linked since the early 1900s.
Coco Chanel was among the earliest to maximise the commercial benefits of launching a product that is more accessible to those who cannot afford the lofty price tags of high fashion garments. In 1921, the legendary fashion designer unveiled N°5, a “women’s perfume which smells like a woman” and changed the fragrance space forever.
Before the 1900s, perfume was more closely associated with apothecaries before evolving into a moment of splendour in our hygeine practices. These eaus transformed into a way to express personality, acting as a finishing flourish to our wardrobe and as an imperceptible olfactory seduction that will become associated as part of our indentity. It’s a big business too with the fragrances segment amounting to US$2.34bn in 2023 - a figure that has remained steady since 2014 according to forecasting by Statista.
As a result, there are new fragrances unveiled more frequently than the seasons and a seemingly endless array of luxury fashion-turned-fragrance and dedicated houses. From the very best of them, their luxury flacons and contents have the ability to set the scent to memoralise special occassions and elevate daily rituals in just a few spritz. These sumptuous scents make the every day extraordinary with their fine, proprietary concotions and make for a failsafe gift if you know your giftee’s preferences.
Over the years, there are creations that have reigned supreme in the scenting space from the likes of Maison Francis Kurkdjian’s Baccarat Rouge 540 to the CREED Aventus Eau de Parfum, we have followed our nose to find the luxury scents worth investing in.
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Maison Francis Kurkdjian Baccarat Rouge 540 extrait de parfum spray
This is the bestselling fragrance in Maison Francis Kurkdjian’s collection. The ultra-luxe label created this scent to celebrate French fine crystal specialist Baccarat’s 250th anniversary and it’s been a sought-after aroma ever since, recently becoming a viral TikTok sensation.
The unique notes smell like luxury, but be warned: it’s got the price tag to match. This is the Extrait variation which offers a stronger amplified perfume where you’ll get an ever more lasting take on the warm oriental floral fragrance with just one spritz. It has the provocative and powerful notes of Egyptian grandiflorum jasmine, saffron, ambergris and Moroccan bitter almond.
Buy now £340.00, Selfridges
CREED Aventus Eau de Parfum (100ml)
There is a reason why this fragrance features in best roundups the world over. The name literally translates to success and it will certainly give you the confidence to be one with its woody and fruity aromas. It’s a masculine scent but the kind that your girlfriend will want to borrow with its notes of bergamot, blackcurrant, apple and pineapple anchored with musk, oak moss, ambergris and vanilla.
Buy now £295.00, Harrods
Le Labo Santal 33 Eau de Parfum (100ml)
If you’re familiar with the Santal aroma, you’ll notice it a mile away. It is such a powerful and long-lasting scent that just a few spritzes in the morning will stand the test of time throughout the day. Get ready to cue the compliments as the smokey wood and spicy notes will be sure to catch attention. It’s unisex, sensual and has notes of cardamomon, iris, violet, ambrox, sandalwood, papyrus and cedarwood.
Buy now £216.00, John Lewis
Tom Ford F***ing Fabulous eau de parfum
With one of the best monikers on the market this fragrance from Tom Ford’s collection lives up to its name with its deep and earthy leather accords. The F***ing Fabulous aroma is made up of intoxicating and one-of-a-kind notes of violety orris with an amber undercurrent and has incredible staying power.
Buy now £265.00, Selfridges
Frédéric Malle Portrait of a Lady Eau de Parfum 100ml
This is the most well-known fragrance in the Frédéric Malle repetoire and takes an elegant approach to amber rose. Not your typical rose scent, it’s sophisticated and modern, combined with patchouli, sandalwood and frankincense to give it an extraordinary spicy dimension that is enhanced by clove, blackcurrant and raspberry. The perfume house uses 400 Turkish rose flowers per 100ml bottle.
Buy now £270.00, Liberty
Parfums de Marly Delina eau de parfum
An ode to femininity, Turkish rose is at the heart of the Delina scent from Parfums de Marly. The sensual scent is a floral bouquet that combines this element with the delicate notes of lily of the valley and peony that is revealed as it envelops. On opening, there’s fruity whiffs of lychee, rhubarb and bergamot, which are sweet but not overwhelmingly so, and it finishes with a woody cashmere and velvet musk.
Buy now £210.00, Harrods
Ex Nihilo Brompton Immortals Eau de Parfum (100ml)
Ex Nihilo created this scent to honour luxury department store Harrods and so is named after the Knightsbridge street. It takes inspiration from the Egyptian legend of immortality that is portrayed through the mystical concoction. As you first catch a whiff, you’ll immediately notice the unusual note of saffron that is set alongside a spicy pink pepper. These warming components reveal the heart of Bulgarian rose, jasmine absolute and lisylang that is given depth through the vanilla, white musk, patchouli and olibanum base, resulting in a scent that feels traditional yet dynamic.
Buy now £325.00, Harrods
Penhaligon's Trade Routes Halfeti Eau de Parfum 100ml
Penhaligon's is known for having some of the most long-lasting scents on the market with exotic aromas that are sensual, intoxicating and heady. The clue is in the name, this particular fragrance takes inspiration from trade routes and so the notes are inspired by the likes of tea, spice, silk and the likes. The woody oriental makeup is achieved through grapefruit, bergamot, green notes, armoise and cypress at the top with cumin, nutmeg, violet, saffron, rose, jasmine and lily of the valley at the heart. To close it off, leather, oud, amber, resins, tonka bean, vanilla and sandalwood are at the base. From the sheer number of components, you can gather that it’s a complex and captivating scent - it just smells expensive.
Buy now £190.00, Sephora
BVLGARI Le Gemme Tygar Eau de Parfum (100ml)
This highly rated aroma from Bulgari takes its name from the Indian tiger’s eye stone, a symbol for courage and power much like the animal itself. In each of the brand’s Le Gemme collection, you’ll find a gemstone topping the bottle boosting your bathroom shelf collection. Far from being all style over substance, the aroma itself combines grapefruit, ambroxan and woody notes that is masculine, lively and fiery.
Buy now £268.00, Harrods
Memo Paris Sherwood Eau De Parfum 75ml
It’s seeds that Memo Paris has taken inspiration from to create the Sherwood scent. The botanical aroma is a homage to their possibility and is vibrant, lively and enveloping, mimicking the evoution of nature. Sandalwood cream is at the heart, creating a deep and woody scent that is made all the more so by upcycled oakwood. There’s also the addition of blackcurrant buds and a warming spice element from pink pepper.
Buy now £230.00, Harvey Nichols
