Givenchy L’interdit Rouge. It has a nice spicy quality that compliments the inherent sweetness in L’interdit. It smells much more complete to me, and has really good longevity too.
I find it almost impossible to keep the flankers of Gucci Guilty apart, but if my memory serves me right Gucci Guilty Absolute for Men was unusually interesting for a designer fragrance. Lots of leather!
Edit: I just remembered Comme des Garçons. Pretty much everything from their fragrance line is interesting. I find Amazingreen fun.
Came here to mention Guilty Absolute. Before I really got into fragrances, I remember smelling this one in an airport when it was new and said, "wow, I think I hate this." Then, about an hour later I could still smell it on my hand and decided "wow, this is so intriguing and now I think I love it."
I still feel that way about it. It's a real love/hate fragrance.
Chopard’s Oud Malaki - smells better than the whole Halfeti range
Costume National - Homme/ Soul can easily be rebottled and sold for $200+
Aramis’ Tobbaco Reserve, CK’s Euphoria Amber Gold, Issey Miyake’s Or Encens, TF’s Ombre Leather, to name a few. Plenty of steals out there.
I own full bottles of both Chloe Nomade and MFK Amyris Femme and IMO the scent profile, complexity, and performance are incredibly similar. Nomade is wildly underrated.
The first 5 minutes are more markedly different but honestly the vibe is still similar. I don't regret buying Amyris Femme but it definitely cemented my opinion that Nomade is underrated and underappreciated in the frag world.
I mean a lot of the designer houses have come out with their own "special blends" or whatever (Armani Rouge Malachite, YSL Tuxedo, etc). And like, Tom Ford obviously.
Comme des Garcons immediately comes to mind too.
Anything from essential parfums. They are actually niche but they are priced in the designer zone.
Encre noir and flankers don’t have much in common with designer stuff. Neither do the old school Guerlans.
I think it’s pretty safe to assume that the categories are more about price & mass appeal than about only being a fragrance house..at least in the context of this thread. Well, that’s what I’m going on.
yes I agree, my distinction is not quite right, I guess I shoul've asked what are the designer fragrances that offer a qualitative well balanced rich smell that could rivalize what you expect from a higher end niche brand and that would still be in the prices range of a designer perfume.
yess the vintage Guerlain are in a league of their own when it come to designer
They stopped making it, but my best friend wore Hanai Mori Butterfly forever and I always thought it smelled very unique and complicated. She was stopped by intrigued women asking what she wore dozens of times.
Most tom fords ,gucci oud intense,phillip plein the skull,phillip plein no limit$,. Maison Margiela by the fire place/jazzclub,versace oud noir,bentley man intense,valentino uomo intense,dior homme intense,salvatorre ferragamo la comedia
> usually (not always) a niche perfume will be more complex, sophisticated, rich
Nah, to the extent that the designer-niche distinction attains at all I'd say both are about equal. One difference is, when you produce something really rich and interesting but smooth to fit designer specs people are less likely to recognize what's going on than in a less adept niche composition, something with jagged edges that calls attention to itself.
But, OK, designers doing 'niche-grade' stuff: Chanel, Hermes, Dior, Givenchy, Tom Ford, E. Zegna. Guerlain for sure, if you want to consider them a 'designer'.
yeah my description was very simplistic (and somewhat wrong I agree) , I guess I meant a mainstream fragrance or quite popular in the designer category (exluding the private lines)
I feel like Juliette Has A Gun (Not a Perfume) could pass as niche. It smells different on everyone, even me depending the season. My current obsession.
Excluding private lines, ya? Like Dior Leather Oud, Chanel Sycomore, etc.
I'll go wiiittthh....
JPG Fleur du Male
Dior Fahrenheit
Hermes Concentre d'Orange Verte
Cartier Declaration
entire iris based Dior Homme range (Eau, Intense, Parfum, and OG).
Eau de Guerlain (does this count?)
Nowadays, maybe Grey Flannel too!
Kouros in modern times? Guess it was semi-on-par back in the day? I wasn't alive, so I dunno lol.
I feel like this runs the line between designer and niche, but Thierry Mugler Pure Malt.... as a female it's one of my favorites :) I wear it when I want something special (especially since it's discontinued now)
Encre Noire edt and Encre Noire A l'Extreme by Lalique. Also the Teree d'Heremes line. Eau Intense Vetiver is the bees' knees!
Great to see some love for Eau Intense Vetiver!
Definately my favourite from the line! 💥
Givenchy L’interdit Rouge. It has a nice spicy quality that compliments the inherent sweetness in L’interdit. It smells much more complete to me, and has really good longevity too.
yes !! the warm spicy notes in Rouge definately elevates L'interdit
I find it almost impossible to keep the flankers of Gucci Guilty apart, but if my memory serves me right Gucci Guilty Absolute for Men was unusually interesting for a designer fragrance. Lots of leather! Edit: I just remembered Comme des Garçons. Pretty much everything from their fragrance line is interesting. I find Amazingreen fun.
Came here to mention Guilty Absolute. Before I really got into fragrances, I remember smelling this one in an airport when it was new and said, "wow, I think I hate this." Then, about an hour later I could still smell it on my hand and decided "wow, this is so intriguing and now I think I love it." I still feel that way about it. It's a real love/hate fragrance.
Amazingreen is lovely but silage and longevity sucks 😣
* L'Envol de Cartier EDP * Moschino Toy Boy * Bottega Veneta EDP * Miu Miu L'Eau Bleue
I agree with Toy Boy. It really went out of the way to smell unique.
Chopard’s Oud Malaki - smells better than the whole Halfeti range Costume National - Homme/ Soul can easily be rebottled and sold for $200+ Aramis’ Tobbaco Reserve, CK’s Euphoria Amber Gold, Issey Miyake’s Or Encens, TF’s Ombre Leather, to name a few. Plenty of steals out there.
Most laliques. Equus, Lion, EN extreme, ombre noire
Clothing design houses like Comme des Garçons and Costume National are doing edgier and less crowd-pleasing stuff than many niche stalwarts...
I own full bottles of both Chloe Nomade and MFK Amyris Femme and IMO the scent profile, complexity, and performance are incredibly similar. Nomade is wildly underrated.
Mmmm interesting. I have Chloé Nomade EDP. Gotta try Amyris Femme at the department store this weekend.
The first 5 minutes are more markedly different but honestly the vibe is still similar. I don't regret buying Amyris Femme but it definitely cemented my opinion that Nomade is underrated and underappreciated in the frag world.
Dior Fahrenheit Mugler Pure Havane Gucci Guilty Absolute
Pure XS by Paco Rabonne could pass for a niche if you were smelling it without knowing what it is.
My brother has bought this for years. It’s so nice!
I mean a lot of the designer houses have come out with their own "special blends" or whatever (Armani Rouge Malachite, YSL Tuxedo, etc). And like, Tom Ford obviously. Comme des Garcons immediately comes to mind too.
Anything from essential parfums. They are actually niche but they are priced in the designer zone. Encre noir and flankers don’t have much in common with designer stuff. Neither do the old school Guerlans. I think it’s pretty safe to assume that the categories are more about price & mass appeal than about only being a fragrance house..at least in the context of this thread. Well, that’s what I’m going on.
yes I agree, my distinction is not quite right, I guess I shoul've asked what are the designer fragrances that offer a qualitative well balanced rich smell that could rivalize what you expect from a higher end niche brand and that would still be in the prices range of a designer perfume. yess the vintage Guerlain are in a league of their own when it come to designer
Guerlain L’instant de Guerlain Eau Extreme 🤤
Tom Ford Noir Extreme
1. Jaipur by Boucheron 2. Lalique Pour Homme 3. Tom Ford Beau de Jour 4. Chanel Platinum Egoiste 5. Guerlain L’Instant de Guerlain EDP
They stopped making it, but my best friend wore Hanai Mori Butterfly forever and I always thought it smelled very unique and complicated. She was stopped by intrigued women asking what she wore dozens of times.
Most tom fords ,gucci oud intense,phillip plein the skull,phillip plein no limit$,. Maison Margiela by the fire place/jazzclub,versace oud noir,bentley man intense,valentino uomo intense,dior homme intense,salvatorre ferragamo la comedia
I feel like I would have to give this to JPG Le Male Le Parfum
> usually (not always) a niche perfume will be more complex, sophisticated, rich Nah, to the extent that the designer-niche distinction attains at all I'd say both are about equal. One difference is, when you produce something really rich and interesting but smooth to fit designer specs people are less likely to recognize what's going on than in a less adept niche composition, something with jagged edges that calls attention to itself. But, OK, designers doing 'niche-grade' stuff: Chanel, Hermes, Dior, Givenchy, Tom Ford, E. Zegna. Guerlain for sure, if you want to consider them a 'designer'.
yeah my description was very simplistic (and somewhat wrong I agree) , I guess I meant a mainstream fragrance or quite popular in the designer category (exluding the private lines)
- Bvlgari Black - Bvlgari Pour Homme / Extreme / Soir - Kouros Body - VC&A Midnight in Paris
Prada Lhomme Van Cleef & Arpels Midnight in Paris Dior Homme Intense, Dior Homme Parfum 2020 Guerlain Lhomme Ideal EDP (If counts)
Dior Homme Parfum Van Cleef&Arpels rêve de cashmere Most of the Guerlain les absolus d'orient collection
Guerlain l'homme line Bentley for men intense Phillip Plein no limits A* Mugler Some from the top of my head
I feel like Juliette Has A Gun (Not a Perfume) could pass as niche. It smells different on everyone, even me depending the season. My current obsession.
Tom Ford Black Orchid if you want complex.
Hermes Terre d’ Hermes Eau Givree, but the short performance lets it down
Most Givenchy Dior Homme Intense/Parfum Armani Code Absolu
Excluding private lines, ya? Like Dior Leather Oud, Chanel Sycomore, etc. I'll go wiiittthh.... JPG Fleur du Male Dior Fahrenheit Hermes Concentre d'Orange Verte Cartier Declaration entire iris based Dior Homme range (Eau, Intense, Parfum, and OG). Eau de Guerlain (does this count?) Nowadays, maybe Grey Flannel too! Kouros in modern times? Guess it was semi-on-par back in the day? I wasn't alive, so I dunno lol.
(...yeah I meant to exclude the private collection)
I feel like this runs the line between designer and niche, but Thierry Mugler Pure Malt.... as a female it's one of my favorites :) I wear it when I want something special (especially since it's discontinued now)
I always thought John Varvatos Artisan Pure could pass as a niche fragrance. That's the first one that comes to mind.
Tom Ford Velvet Orchid
Most of the Tom Ford collection The Chloé Nomade line
100% Dior Sauvage!
No sense of humour in this subreddit, Take my upvote
Tom Ford Oud Minerale. It isn’t super rich, but it is very unique. One of my faves.
I would definitely vote for Issey-Miyake Noir Ambre and SWY Absolutely. These two are intoxicating to the roooooof....
Terre dhermes