The Best Fragrances For Autumn
Rose & Cuir - Frederic Malle, 100ml, £200
Fragrance house Frédéric Malle has collaborated with 12 perfumers to create its ‘Editions’ range. As the creator of best-selling Hermès scents, Jean-Claude Ellena is perhaps its most prestigious collaborator and is recognized as the creator behind the best-selling fragrances at Hermès. Despite the name, his Rose & Cuir contains no rose. Expect cedarwood, leather and pepper with notes of cassis for freshness.
Available at Harvey Nichols
I Don’t Know What – D.S. & Durga, 50ml, £148
D.S. & Durga is the creation of musician David and his architect wife Kavi. It’s hard to believe David is not a trained perfumer. His range of fragrances is so incredibly varied, it’s hard to pick a standout. After much debate, our pick is I Don’t Know What for its undertones of bergamot and vetiver. It’s light enough to not actually be a scent, but a ‘fragrance enhancer’.
Available at Liberty London
Comme des Garçons – Black Pepper, 50ml, £70
This 2017 release from Comme des Garçons is heavy on the spice – just as you would expect from something named so clearly after its top note. It’s undoubtedly a nostril tingler, but the pepper makes for a sultry scent that comes into its own when you want something warmer to wear on your skin. A great option for those who like a strong, longer-lasting smell. The uniquely shaped matte-black bottle is an elegant addition to any bathroom shelf.
Available at John Lewis
Vilhelm Parfumerie New York – Morning Chess, 100ml, £165
The Vilhelm Parfumerie produces in very small batches. Exclusively stocked in Liberty, its products have names that offer little hint as to their scents. ‘Stockholm 1978’ is a popular, masculine choice, but Morning Chess does it for us. Expect bergamot, leather and black amber, with base notes of patchouli. Inspired by Swedish evergreens and the ‘distant winter air’, this is a great fragrance to take you into the colder months.
Available in store at Liberty London
Creed – Aventus, 50ml, £185
Since its introduction in 2010, Aventus has become a cult classic. Bold notes of blackcurrant, bergamot, apples and pineapple instantly identify it as a member of the Creed family. A woody scent, which carries hints of rose, jasmine and patchouli, makes for a more complex smell and is suited to someone who favours a strong and heady aroma. Looking for something timeless? Look no further.
Available at Harvey Nichols
Tom Daxon – Riven Oak, 100ml, £105
From perfume prodigy Tom Daxon, Riven Oak is part of a 14-strong range of fragrances offer in clean, classic bottle designs and with similar crisps ingredients (think peach, bergamot, even tarragon). We chose this one for its oak and cedarwood, but also for its berries, amber and rum. The sophisticated and gentlemanly result is a great option for those wanting a more mature scent but not quite ready to commit to a fuller woody fragrance.
Available at Liberty London
Byredo – Mister Marvelous, 100ml, £165
There are many reasons to think this scent is marvellous. It smells like a modern twist on a classic cologne. Mandarin leaves and neroli flower sound feminine, but dry notes of black amber and white cedarwood plant this fragrance solidly at the masculine end of the cologne spectrum.
Available at Liberty London
Le Labo – Santal 33, 100ml, £127
Instantly recognisable for its laboratory-style bottles, Le Labo has long been a go-to fragrance house for stylish women. Its perfumes are, in fact, unisex. The warm, woody scent of latest offering Tonka, for example, has distinctly masculine aroma. But its signature scent Santal 33 that tops our charts. Fresh, but with underlying musky notes of spice and leather, Santal 33 was inspired by the wild west and the American cowboy.
Available at Harvey Nichols
Laboratorio Olfattivo – Nerotic, 100ml, £110
This fragrance is as dark and mysterious as its name and bottle suggests. Bold, smoky notes lend themselves to an evening out. Unusual ingredients such as coriander and saffron, alongside leather and geraniums, make it a highly distinctive scent and one that’s bound to turn heads.
Available at Liberty London
Laboratory Perfumes – Amber, 100ml, £65
The packaging and bottle design of Lab Perfumes are among the most eye-catching out there. The rich, balmy scent of our favourite Amber fragrance proves there is substance beneath the style. A gender-less fragrance, the velvety warmth of ambergris shows it is masculine in origin. From a UK-based specialist, this is one of the simpler, cleaner perfumes on our list. There are definite woody undertones, but the scent is very subtle, making it a great daytime choice.
Available at Liberty London
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