If you’ve been interested in all things fragrance, you may have heard the term ‘niche’. What exactly does ‘niche’ mean? In essence, it means a specialised fragrance house whose products are harder to find, so are more exclusive and, in a way, unique… If that sounds like something you’d like to explore, Rescu. has picked a few companies that will give you a good introduction to the world of ‘niche’!
By Livia Scarcella
Creed
Founded by James Henry Creed in 1760, Creed is one of the most elite fragrance houses. They’ve not only created over 200 fragrances, but have also been commissioned by luminaries such as Napoleon III, Queen Victoria and Prince Rainier of Monaco. Creed is currently run by Olivier, great-great-great grandson of the founder, who is also the house’s master perfumer. Working alongside Olivier is his son Erwin, who contributed to the making of several of Olivier’s masterpieces, including Love In White (favourite of Laura Bush and Michelle Obama), Virgin Island Water and Acqua Fiorentina.
Creed, Spring Flower
One of the most popular fragrances by the House of Creed is Spring Flower, a scent created in the 1980’s for film and fashion icon Audrey Hepburn. Released to the public in 1996, Spring Flower is a stunning floral with fruity top notes of peach, melon and apple. A heart of rose and jasmine leads into an earthy and luscious base of musk and ambergris. Bright and sweet, this fragrance is fantastic for those who love showing off their feminine side!
Creed fragrances are available at David Jones Sydney, Libertine Parfumerie (Brisbane), Peony Melbourne and at CreedPerfume.com.au {prices may vary}
Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle
Luxury fragrance house Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle was created in 2000. Then, its founder Frédéric Malle decided to leave his fragrance consultancy role and invite nine of the world’s top perfumers to produce fragrance without the limitations of cost and creativity. Malle was no stranger to the world of perfumery. His grandfather, Serge Heftler, founded Christian Dior Parfums, and his mother was art director for the company, involved in the making of both Eau Sauvage (with Edmond Roudnitska)and Poison (with Edouard Fléchier)!
Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle, Musc Ravageur
Sensual and spicy, Musc Ravageur is the flower-less oriental that was one of the original nine fragrances produced for Malle. The nose of the scent is Maurice Roucel, the man behind modern classics such as Hermes’ 24, Faubourg, DKNY Be Delicious and Guerlain Insolence. His first creation for Frédéric Malle is a blend of bergamot, tangerine, cinnamon, amber, musk and vanilla – a sultry scent for anytime of the year!
Editions de Parfums by Frédéric Malle fragrances are available at Mecca Cosmetica, both in-store and online
Amouage
In 1983, at the request of the Sultan of Oman, Amouage was born, fusing traditional Middle Eastern perfumery with international inspiration. Under the supervision of Creative Director Christopher Chong and a handful of the world’s best perfumers, including Maurice Roucel and Jean-Claude Ellena (now Hermès house perfumer), Amouage has released over 45 fragrances and become a niche fragrance house loved the world over.
Amouage Gold
The first fragrance created for Amouage, Gold is a sophisticated floral that features lily of the valley, rose, frankincense, myrrh, jasmine, orris, ambergris, civet, musk, sandalwood and cedarwood. The creator of Amouage Gold is Guy Robert, who was the perfumer responsible for Christian Dior’s Dioressence and Hermès’ Calèche. A rich bouquet of flowers with Middle Eastern accents, Amouage Gold is the perfect fragrance for a special occasion!
Amouage fragrances are available at David Jones Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Claremont (Perth), Libertine Parfumerie (Brisbane), Bella Hart (Perth), Mariposa Perfumery (Perth) and Peony Melbourne {prices may vary}
Juliette Has A Gun
What do you get when you mix fragrance with William Shakespeare? Juliette Has A Gun, created in 2006 by Romano Ricci (great-grandson of fashion great Nina Ricci) – it’s all about femininity, romance and freedom. Ricci’s first few fragrances were based on a concept of having Shakespeare’s Juliet transported to the 21st century, with her ‘gun’ (her perfume) as her weapon of choice. Sound intriguing? Wait until you try the fragrances!
Juliette Has A Gun, Lady Vengeance
Francis Kurkdjian (the nose behind Jean Paul Gaultier’s Le Male and Elie Saab Le Parfum among others) created the first two scents for Juliette Has A Gun – the sweet and innocent Miss Charming and the dark and seductive Lady Vengeance. While both fragrances are rose-based, Lady Vengeance is anchored by patchouli and vanilla, leaving the wearer with a deep yet elegant trail of scent. Wear it when you’re feeling a little rebellious!
Juliette Has A Gun fragrances are available at Myer Melbourne’s Galerie du Parfum, David Jones Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, Libertine Parfumerie (Brisbane), Bella Hart (Perth), Mariposa Perfumery (Perth) and Klein’s Perfumery (Melbourne) {prices may vary}
L’Artisan Parfumeur
French fragrance house L’Artisan Parfumeur was founded in 1976 by Jean Laporte, who was both a perfumer and a chemist. The company believes that fragrances are art, and use only the best ingredients to transform an idea, poem, story or memory into scents full of imagination. Although Laporte left the company to start another fragrance house, his vision has been continued by many of the top noses in the industry, including Olivia Giacobetti (Hermès’ Hiris) and Bertrand Duchaufour (Acqua di Parma Cipresso di Toscana).
L’Artisan Parfumeur, Mûre et Musc
Literally meaning ‘Blackberry and Musk’, you would be deceived into thinking this is a straightforward fragrance – yes, the musk and berry notes are there, but Mûre et Musc is much more than that! Jean Laporte added lemon, orange and basil to give the tart berries a fresh twist, while the musk is balanced out by a layer of oakmoss. Clean, delicate and delicious, Mûre et Musc makes a fantastic everyday scent!
L’Artisan Parfumeur fragrances are available at Libertine Parfumerie (Brisbane), Klein’s Perfumery (Melbourne), Bella Hart (Perth), Mariposa Perfumery (Perth) and Peony Melbourne {prices may vary}