SHIFTING our gaze from traditional hypersexualised adverts aimed at gender-centric audiences, there is now a definite move towards neutral and unisex fragrances.
And there is also a growing interest in niche and independent fragrance brands, which are challenging the more mainstream, ‘popular’ perfumery lines.
At the recently launched fragrance concept store Amaris located at Isetan, 1 Utama Shopping Centre, niche brands are given a curated, modern retail space.
They wear their inextricably understated yet conspicuous identity on their sleeve, bringing their uniquely compelling stories and delicate scents to various bottled-up emotional experiences.
“There is this saying,” says Amaris general manager Edouard Dorize, “it is better running into people with the same clothes, than [to run] into people with the same scent.
“Amaris was launched to fill the gap in the growing niche fragrance market in Malaysia, as discerning and well-travelled consumers are seeking scents that have unique origins, profiles and stories that resonate with them.”
For him, for her, for you. Here are five niche, unisex perfumes currently beguiling fragrance fiends.
BDK Parfums Pas ce Soir
Independent perfume house BDK Parfums imagines scents in poetic narratives with characters, movements, silhouettes and moments, theatrically shifting between storied fantasy and tangible reality.
Pas ce Soir, which in English means ‘Not Tonight’, is exactly that. It blends the gallivant nuances of Parisian nightlife, filled with vim and vigour, frisky and with a risky spirit.
The flirtatious fragrance leaves behind a trail of vibrant and mysterious aromas, bound by its assertive yet sensual notes.
On the nose: Black pepper, ginger mandarin, Moroccan jasmine, quince chutney, orange blossom, cashmeran, Singapore patchouli, and amber wood.
Molinard Lavande
Lauded as one of the oldest of its kind in France, Maison Molinard, founded in 1849, has a legacy that has been passed down for five generations, with the same olfactive savoire-faire that continues to audaciously challenge the perfumery universe in the 21st-century landscape.
Its Lavande fragrance is both a nod to the endearing flower it is named for, as well as an ode to the Mediterranean.
It exudes a sweet, free-spirited attraction, enchanted by the bright and invigorating notes of lavender.
On the nose: Lavender, clary sage, labdanum, patchouli, benzoin, tonka beans and musk.
Histories de Parfums This is Not a Blue Bottle 1/.1
Just as books are written with emotions, contemporary perfumes may evoke stories using the power of scent, allowing the creation of interpretations of classical novels, musical scores, thematic poems and abstract paintings.
Histories de Parfums perpetuates the French perfumery’s know-how, and is governed by no written rules other than inspiration.
The first issue of the series, This is Not a Blue Bottle 1/.1, derives its name from Belgian surrealist painter Rene Magritte’s work The Treachery of Images, also known as This is Not a Pipe. It blurs the line between void to existence, being genderless, free-form and liberated, and is a perfume of abstraction.
On the nose: Aldehyde, orange, geranium, honey, amber, musk and patchouli.
State of Mind Voluptuous Seduction
State of Mind is a conceptual perfumery that brings flavours and scents together through the perfect sensory pairing of fragrance and tea.
Aromatic palates are perceived as experiences waiting to be discovered, working in synergy to elevate multi-sensorial modes.
Voluptuous Seduction is sold as a set consisting of 100ml perfume and 100g tea, and blends floral and fruity ingredients to build the sensual art of seduction.
On the nose: Madonna lily, rooibos, apple, truffles, rose, eglantine, sandalwood and cedarwood.
M. Micallef Secrets of Love Delice
The French haute perfumery was born out of love. Its inextricable combination of perfume and art in a bottle are telltale signs of romance.
The eponymous Maison Micallef sees its bottles of art as objects of desire, and the exquisite fragrance it contains leaves a spellbinding trail that turns heads and impresses.
Fall in love with the enigmatic Secrets of Love Delice that exudes both feminine and masculine olfactory profiles with notes that melt seamlessly onto the skin for a sensuous finish.
On the nose: Nutmeg, orange, pink berries, cinnamon, rose, plum, oud and vanilla.
