For the #PerfumeTok-pilled among us, the rise of the niche fragrance category is the gift that keeps on giving. Launching a perfume inspired by a bronze Olympic medalist horse’s unruly spirit? Great! Or one that spurred in you a sexual awakening while in development? Ditto. Beyond intricate juices and novel note pairings, the appeal of niche fragrances lies largely in their eccentric backstories.
Here, the latest in the category.
Liis Of True Minds, $175
Shakespeare’s Sonnet 116, which pays tribute to the unwavering nature of love, was the impetus for West Coast-based Liis’ newest perfume. If one were to dissect the composition of the juice in parallel to that of the poem, top notes amaretto and nutmeg would be the marriage of true minds, while the golden patchouli and labdanum base, Shakespeare’s immovable conviction throughout. (“If this be error and upon me proved / I never writ, nor no man ever loved.”)
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Ex Nihilo Speed Legends Eau de Parfum, $355
If adrenaline were a fragrance, it would be Ex Nihilo’s Speed Legends. Propelled by a mission to “transcend time and space” through scent, perfumer Jordi Fernández combined base notes of vetiver and tonka bean with a splashy top layer of bergamot, mandarin and pink pepper for the French perfume house’s latest.
Henry Rose Jake’s House BVI Eau de Parfum, $120
Michelle Pfeiffer’s 2019-founded Henry Rose — a forerunner of today’s “clean” fragrance wave — has reimagined its original Jake’s House scent, adding coconut accord to its base of white amber, musk and peony. The result? A blend which seeks to evoke the celestial lull of the British Virgin Islands’ seaside — or at least the satisfaction of setting your “out of office” reply.
Ellis Brooklyn Dear Sky Eau de Parfum, $115
Bee Shapiro’s sustainable fragrance range has gained an American West-inspired addition with this fruity-floral amalgam, which features notes of honeydew melon, tuberose, white peony and ambrette — plus seven upcycled ingredients.
Kilian Paris Old Fashioned, $275
A new gem, brought to you by an enduring classic: Kilian Paris’ Old Fashioned is an ode to its eponymous, crowd-pleaser cocktail. The fragrance taps wheat absolute, davana and cedarwood essence to evoke the auburn liquor, while tolu balsam elicits the oak distillery barrels that house it.
Veronique Gabai Délices des Bois, $275
Launching September
“A forbidden fruit which there is no reason to resist” is how beauty and fashion veteran Veronique Gabai describes her sensual newest creation, which taps fig, neroli, sandalwood and musks in an aim to capture the feeling of all-consuming passion through scent. TLDR: we know at least one good thing came out of Adam and Eve’s expulsion from the Garden of Eden.
Parfums de Marly Palatine Eau de Parfum, $375
Launching Sept. 10
Babe wake up, new Parfums de Marly is about to drop. Come Sept. 10, the TikTok-loved fragrance brand will introduce Palatine, its latest fruity-floral women’s fragrance which features top notes of mandarin and bergamot; a heart of violet petal and lavandin, and a sandalwood-vanilla base.
Maison d’Etto Verdades Eau de Parfum, $375
Inspired by the now-retired Team USA horse, Verdades, and his bond with his longtime rider, Laura Graves, Maison d’Etto’s Verdades is a celebration of connection — with whomever and wherever it is found. Featuring Tunisian neroli, jasmine, vanilla bean and Indonesian patchouli, the offering marks the equestrian-inspired fragrance brand’s first new launch in three years, and was developed alongside perfumer Julien Rasquinet.
