Little Houses that Might Well Get Big...
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Little Houses that Might Well Get Big...

24 january 2014

You don’t have to be a parfumista to recognize the bigger names in boutique perfumery any more, as their fame has grown enormously these past few years. From Serge Lutens to L’Artisan Parfumeur, via Annick Goutal, Frédéric Malle and Diptyque, the pioneers of niche perfumery now have boutiques in the best neighborhoods and cosmetics stores. Although the number of smaller labels is also expanding rapidly – to the extent that it can be hard to know what to smell next – some of them do manage to stand out from the pack…

 

Différentes Latitudes: a distribution label dedicated to Perfume

This boutique-brand agent scouts and distributes a range of international olfactory talents around the world. On the menu: Arquiste – their signature compositions have a Mexican feel and can also be very sultry, like Anima Dulcis, a dark-chocolate scent that’s delightfully bitter and spicy. Then there’s Frapin, which transposes cognac’s aromas into fragrance… two worlds that reflect each other particularly in the notes of 1270. That makes for a great marketing concept, which is what Olfactive Studio has, too. Their art of pairing fragrances with a passion for photography draws out an emotional response. Finally, lovers of lush ingredients will adore the Middle Eastern fragrance traditions on offer in the sumptuous scents of Amouage, a fragrance company based in the Sultanate of Oman.

 

James Heeley, when the beauty of the bottle adds to the appeal of the fragrance...

This British perfumer who loves design, fragrance and Paris, proposes delicate scents in which the elegance of the setting is almost as creative as the juice itself. Waves of camphor spiced up with clove for L’Esprit du tigre; leather intertwined with hay for Cuir Pleine Fleur and the powdery refinement of Iris de Nuit paired with violet: they’re all bound to appeal.

Parfum d’Empire: intoxicating fragrances with a self-assertive nature

Founder Marc-Antoine Corticchiato puts his Corsican roots into his fragrances, where you’ll find immortelle flower, labdanum and other emblematic notes from the region. Bold, powerful and uncompromising, from Ambre Russe to Cuir Ottoman via l’Eau de gloire if you think boutique perfumes aren’t always all they’re cracked up to be, you can rest assured: these scents won’t disappoint you!

A one-of-a-kind address for subtle scents: Iunx, in praise of discretion.

Iunx– a house that can be found inside a tiny boutique adjacent to Paris’s renowned Hôtel Costes, on rue Saint-Honoré – is the brainchild of the ‘nose’ Olivia Giacobetti. Fans of the uniquely light touch in her poetical creations for L’Artisan Parfumeur and Honoré des Prés will recognize her refined signature in the woody-saffron mists of L’Ether, the sensually milky sandalwood scent of L’Arbre, and the wheat-field-in-spring feel of L’Eau Baptiste.

Sophie Normand

Sophie Normand

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Even though I’ve been fascinated by perfume since I was a teenager, I still studied first law and then journalism. I started writing professionally, and then about three years ago I thought of doing a blog about perfume. Alongside that, I share my passion for perfume through other media as...

  • 15 march 2014

    J'aime bien testés toutes les marques de parfums mais celles qui ne sont pas connue. On sait jamais. On peut tomber sur des perles rares même à petit prix.

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  • 17 february 2014

    me gusta mucho la fragancias en pequeño por que asi me da la oportunidad de tener muchos y experimentar sus aromas hasta llegar a combinarlas haber provado dÉmpire me encanto mas en su preentacion en pequeño al igual que iris de nuit fragancias que me fascinaron

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  • 15 february 2014

    De nouvelles marques que je ne connais pas et que j'aimerais beaucoup découvrir !! C'est très tentant.

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  • 01 february 2014

    Arquiste and Amouage are two houses I'd love to explore but haven't yet. Great introductory article to lots of great perfume houses. Thanks!

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