Fragrance guide
Niche houses make fragrance their only business. They usually spend more on ingredients and take more creative risks than fashion brands, and they charge accordingly.
These are the niche fragrances in our catalog, ordered by how long they last and how versatile they are. They make sense when you already know what you like and want something less common.
How we picked. We took every fragrance in our catalog from a niche house and ranked them by longevity and by how many occasions they cover. Prices are typical US retail prices and may differ at checkout.
Le Labo
$330 · 3.4 oz · EDP · Unisex · Woody
Creamy Australian sandalwood, dry leather and a touch of violet. The scent of a generation of design cafés and exposed-brick lofts.
Byredo
$255 · 3.4 oz · EDP · Unisex · Woody
1920s Paris fascinated by Africa: luminous citrus, violet and warm vetiver. Joyful and sophisticated.
Diptyque
$190 · 2.5 oz · EDP · Unisex · Floral
Crushed blackcurrant leaves and garden roses by a riverbank. Sharp, green and floral at once, with nothing sweet about it.
Diptyque
$175 · 3.4 oz · EDT · Unisex · Woody
The whole fig tree: green leaves, milky sap, ripe fruit and warm wood. A Mediterranean summer captured in a bottle.
Answer 7 quick questions about the person and the occasion, and we will match the fragrances that fit best.
Take the quizA fragrance from a house dedicated to perfume rather than fashion, usually sold in fewer stores and at higher prices. Creed, Le Labo, Byredo and Diptyque are well-known examples.
Not automatically. Many are more distinctive and use richer materials, but plenty of designer fragrances perform just as well for a third of the price.
Buy a sample or a travel size first. Niche bottles often cost over $200, and a fragrance can smell very different on your skin than on paper.
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