Anyone who follows the fragrance industry, even just from the casual viewpoint of a customer, could not fail to have noticed the meteoric rise of perfumes created by small, independent brands rather than the licensed offerings of fashion houses. Known as niche fragrances, they now make up a sizeable chunk of the market and actually provide the bulk of perfume turnover in more upmarket department stores. But what makes them niche? It is a bit of a blurry concept but, other than the fact that you won’t find them on a sales trolley on Easyjet, the most important distinction is that they come from perfumers who are specialists driven by passion, expertise and craft rather than being a money-making add-on of a bigger fashion or celebrity brand. Visually, they can often be identified by each company having distinctive bottles with fragrances differentiated only by label or colour and they rely on simple, stylish flacons rather than gimmicky ones. The fragrances themselves use much better ingredients and so tend to be richer, stronger and more complex, and they are far more innovative and experimental. Finally – of course – they are a lot more expensive but this latter factor plays its part in their exclusivity too. It’s a huge area and one that we at The Editors are enjoying exploring so here are a few of our current favourites.
Son Venin – Pur 01
Despite being created by a Norwegian company, this beautiful fragrance is very Mediterranean in concept: all woody and spicy notes with touches of eucalyptus, thyme and lavender reminding you of a walk in the Italian countryside. The minimalist packaging and bottle are just gorgeous too. Get it here.
Les Eaux Primordiales – Rose Supercritique
Basing their identity around the industrial north of France rather than the more typical sunny south is a typical left-field niche concept and nicely sets the scene for fragrances that are distinctive, rebellious and very individual. This is a perfect example – a rose scent that is anything but romantic and pretty: it includes raspberry and cardamon which gives it the attitude of rose thorns more than the flower. Get it here.
Æther – Xtræm
From the bold graphics and slick, black and white imagery to the celebration of synthetic ingredients, Æther are absolute modernists in their approach to fragrance. Eschewing talk of flowers and spices, the brand’s descriptions include ambroxan, globalide and exaltolide which mean nothing to anyone but mercifully the result, at least in the case of Xtræm, is minimalist, subtle and surprisingly warm. Get it here.
Headspace – Sauge
Using technology to capture the scents of raw ingredients, Headspace are another niche brand at the very front of innovation in fragrance. Unafraid to be bold, they have a small selection of sophisticated and powerful perfumes that aim to evoke specific memories: in this case streams and waterfalls in a woodland in the morning. Poetry aside, it’s a beautiful fresh aroma that works at any time of the day and comes in a fantastic, almost medicinal bottle. You can get it here.
Goldfield & Banks – Bohemian Lime
Passion for fragrance isn’t limited to France – even Australians have been getting in on the act with down-under Goldfield and Banks using indigenous botanicals for the start of their fragrances. Bohemian Lime was created as a tribute to Byron Bay and makes full use of Antipodean ingredients such as finger lime, coriander and sandalwood resulting in something fresh, clean and easy to wear. You can get one for yourself here.
