Niche perfume

Niche perfume is perfume made by companies dedicated primarily to creating perfume, as opposed to perfume from fashion houses (often called “designer perfume”) or famous people (“celebrity scents”).[1] These companies are generally smaller than the major fragrance firms like Coty Inc., Puig, and Firmenich, but bigger than “indie perfume” lines that are generally owned and operated by the perfumer themselves. Especially since the 2010s, however, the distinction has blurred as more and more niche perfume brands have been purchased by a larger parent corporation.

History

In the last decades of the 20th century and first years of the 21st, niche perfumery gained a following especially in Europe and North America among people looking for unique scents,[2] as niche houses generally made smaller batches than designer or celebrity fragrances and were thus less ubiquitous at a given moment.[3] Small perfume boutiques also supported these brands.[4] However, in the 2010s, following a decade of decline for mass market fragrances while niche sector grew in popularity,[5] international luxury conglomerates purchased many niche lines and put them into wider distribution.[6] Estée Lauder Cos. Inc. was an early entrant to this sector, buying the British niche brand Jo Malone London in 1999 (the founder, Jo Malone, stayed on as creative director until 2006, then left and eventually formed a new niche line called Jo Loves.)[7] Estée Lauder’s niche acquisitions accelerated in the 2010s, buying Éditions de Parfums Frédéric Malle and Le Labo in 2014 and By Kilian in 2016. Also in 2016, Spanish perfume conglomerate Puig purchased Penhaligon's and L'Artisan Parfumeur and L'Oréal acquired Atelier Cologne.[8] In 2017, LVMH bought Maison Francis Kurkdjian.[9]

These changes complicated the concept of niche perfumery as many niche perfumes became as widely available and ubiquitous as designer perfume—where the latter had sometimes been termed “department store perfume”, now many niche lines became frequently available in department stores as well. A September 2020 article in Marie Claire touting “Niche Perfumes That'll Set You Apart From the Crowd“ mentioned Chanel No. 5 and Le Labo Santal 33–the latter a formerly exclusive niche scent—together as now broadly familiar fragrances to avoid in favor of more obscure niche lines.[10]

Notable niche perfumes
  • L’Artisan Parfumeur Dzing!
  • L’Artisan Parfumeur Premier Figuier[11][12][13][14]
  • L’Artisan Parfumeur Seville à l’Aube
  • Le Labo Rose 31
  • Le Labo Santal 33

See also

References
  1. Hall, Victoria (2018-04-10). "With celebrity scents falling out of fashion, these are the niche fragrance brands to know about". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2020-10-23.
  2. Armstrong, Lisa (2018-12-05). "Eau couture: the rise in bespoke perfumes and niche fragrances for olfactory connoisseurs". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2020-10-23.
  3. "19 Amazing Niche Fragrance Houses That You've Never Heard Of". Harper's Bazaar Singapore. 31 August 2018. Retrieved 23 October 2020.
  4. Wendlandt, Astrid (2014-12-14). "FEATURE-Big perfume makers smell threat from niche scents". Reuters. Retrieved 2021-02-01.
  5. Louis, Catherine Saint (2011-01-05). "Smells Like 2010". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-10-28.
  6. Denis, Pascale; Vidalon, Dominique (20 March 2017). "LVMH buys Maison Francis Kurkdjian stake in luxury perfume push". Reuters. Retrieved 23 October 2020.
  7. O’Connor, Tamison (2019-11-15). "Jo Malone Founder Is Teaming Up With Zara on New Fragrance Line". The Business of Fashion. Retrieved 2020-10-23.
  8. Weil, Jennifer (2016-06-30). "L'Oréal Acquires Atelier Cologne". WWD. Retrieved 2020-10-23.
  9. Weil, Jennifer (2017-03-21). "The Race for Niche Perfume Brands Accelerates". WWD. Retrieved 2020-10-23.
  10. Freund, Tatjana (2020-09-07). "Niche Perfumes That Nobody Else Will Have". Marie Claire. Retrieved 2020-10-23.
  11. Ellenberg, Celia (22 April 2016). "3 L'Artisan Parfumeur Fragrances That Are Destined to Become Your Signature Scent". Vogue. Retrieved 23 August 2018.
  12. Boisserie, Béatrice (18 November 2011). "Pionnier du renouveau des parfums artisanaux, Jean-François Laporte, s'est éteint". Le Monde.fr (in French). Retrieved 23 August 2018.
  13. Dhouailly, Claire (11 April 2017). "Les maîtres parfumeurs, des stars courtisées par les marques". Le Monde.fr (in French). Retrieved 23 August 2018.
  14. Turin, Luca; Sanchez, Tania (2008). Perfumes: The Guide. Viking. p. 293. ISBN 978-0-670-01865-9. Premier Figuier was the fragrance that put Olivia Giacobetti on the map, and deservedly so: its fig-leaf note...was an overdue natural in perfumery, and pleasantly jarring.
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