It used to be that everyone was clamouring to shop the hottest new perfume of the year, and everyone tended to smell the same.
Now the tables have turned, and the biggest trend is a more personalised scent approach, hunting out something unique to you.
It often means a bit of work to find something that no one else around you wears and has meant huge growth in the number of indie fragrance brands in recent years.
This season new arrivals on shelves offer a bit of both above approaches.
While sweet and vanilla notes are undoubtedly popular, there are also unexpected green, spicy and floral scents out there for those still searching for something unexpected.
Gourmand notes that recreate the scent of familiar things we love to eat or drink, are undoubtedly huge right now, so you’ll be seeing plenty of vanilla, fruits, tea and coffee in perfumes this year. However they are being used in more interesting ways than the very syrupy, OTT gourmand perfumes of old, which give new arrivals that desirable head-turning, “what are you wearing?” appeal.
These are our favourite new perfume arrivals of the season:
Maison Margiela Afternoon Delight EDT
If bakery sweet treats are your weakness, this is the scent for you. A sweet gourmand, the mouth-watering scent is reminiscent of fresh-baked madeleines. It has with gentle vanilla notes as well as bitter almond, sandalwood and amber accords, that combines in a light biscuity scent.
Dior Bois Talisman
A new arrival to Dior’s La Collection Privée line is a notable moment! A woody gourmand, vanilla is a hero here too, but not in a cloying way. Instead it’s combined with smokey, woody notes, its base of cedarwood the perfect choice for cooler autumn and winter days.
Aesop Aurner Eau de Parfum
Aesop continues to expand its perfume selection with new arrival Aurner Eau de Parfum, a floral fragrance, but with an unexpected personality. In fact, its creator, perfumer Céline Barel describes it as a ‘defiant bloom’. It hinges on the fact the scent is created with magnolia leaf, rather than the flower petal, giving it a fresh herbaceousness, alongside more gentle wood notes.
TSU LANGE YOR By Your Side Eau de Parfum
TSU LANGE YOR, created by singer Troye Sivan, is the first Australian perfume brand to be picked up by MECCA. In the months since its arrival it has created a lot of buzz with its genderless scents designed to enhance self expression, whoever you are. By Your Side is an ode to lovers, the spicy and woody blend inviting you nuzzle up close, to whoever sprays it on. It has top notes of pink and black pepper, a heart of frankincense smoke, labdanum and leather on a base of woods.
The 7 Virtues Clementine Dream Eau De Parfum
Need a serious mood boost? Summery and bright, this scent recalls sunlit orchards and azure coasts, which is perhaps where we would rather be, as winter draws nearer. Sustainably sourced mandarin oil and cassis are balanced with delicate florals on a soft base of vanilla and upcycled black amber.
Jo Malone London Beach Blossom Cologne
Another sunny, beachy scent, this time centered around, coco de mer, a type of sea coconut endemic to the palm-fringed beaches of the Seychelles. Creamy coconut lime and mint makes this light and bright wear quite different from the usual releases from Jo Malone London.
Dries Van Noten Camomille Satin Eau de Parfum
Pricey yes, but if you want to wear something no one else has, look no further than Dries Van Noten’s fragrance line. Like the label’s fashion signature built around unexpected combinations, the perfumes bring together scent elements in new and unique ways. The latest is Camomille Satin, a cosy floral woody musk reinvents the pretty wildflower for evening with a twist of vanilla.
