Since the dawn of online fragrance forums, fragrance enthusiasts have been debating what the difference is between designer fragrances and niche fragrances. What are they and why are they becoming more and more fashionable?
There are several key factors that divide these two groups. Until fifteen years ago, before the fragrance boom, there was a clearer vision of what is what. Now not so much. Many niche brands have realized that to survive in this massive industry, releasing “only edgy stuff” will not serve them well in the long run.
Creed was one of the first to adopt this philosophy of "mixing niche with design", and the most important launch that reflects this philosophy is Creed's Aventus perfume.
Whether we like it or not, all roads lead to Aventus and the blurred distinction between the two forms of fragrance.
That's why we're going to explore this topic and see what separates niche fragrances from designer ones.
Regardless of which category of fragrances you prefer, you should always trust your sense of smell when making a decision.
There are as many great designers as there are niche fragrances to enjoy.
Designer
Big fashion houses, like Dior and Chanel, are considered designers in the world of fragrances. These big brands are usually purchased in major boutiques and retail stores.
These fashion houses manufacture other products in addition to fragrances, such as:
- watches
- cosmetics
- clothes
- shoes
- accessories
These products are manufactured on a much larger scale and are better known to the general population. Although the designers lack, so to speak, "luxury", they stand out for their availability and popularity.
Dominant fragrances are produced in the largest fragrance factories, ensuring quality control that sometimes does not exist in the niche world.
In the world of fragrances, designer perfumes are often called the "gateway drug" that gets you hooked on the hobby.
Niche
Companies that are dedicated exclusively to creating fragrances are niche brands. These companies sell their products to a specialized submarket that meets specific needs, often with higher price tags.
Unlike designers, who attract a much larger population, the audience of a niche is smaller and more demanding.
Brands like Amouage and Frederic Malle are great examples of what a niche fragrance company is. They are normally not present in common stores, their price is usually higher and they offer exclusivity.
Simply put, niche perfumery is an alternative to conventional designer perfumery, just as blues is an alternative to jazz.
One of the things that is still present in the niche world is artistic expression and creativity. Which means that they run the risk of not being accepted by each of their target audience.
But sometimes, these fragrances change the world of perfumery and are accompanied by a lot of global recognition. It has been seen on numerous occasions with fragrances such as Baccarat Rouge 540 by Maison Francis Kurkdjian and the aforementioned Aventus.
Reasons to choose niche fragrances
You have been a perfume fan for several years and "boring" or "repeated" designer fragrances no longer work for you.
By a slight coincidence, you arrived at the concept of " niche fragrance ". And suddenly, there's still hope for your collection.
Now you are interested in knowing more about what they are and if you should invest a good amount of money in these luxury products.
Let's see what the main differences are between designer fragrances and niche ones.
The creative side of things
Lately, there is a certain cult of who has created a specific perfume. Just as it happens in other arts, such as cinema.
Many fragrance enthusiasts follow the works of Dominique Ropion and Geza Schoen, well-known master perfumers who release one great perfume after another.
As you can guess, niche brands thrive on this. Creative direction and often complete freedom in your personal expression makes it even more important than who the creator of your potential perfume is.
Additionally, you shouldn't be surprised to discover that most niche fragrances tend to be less complex in terms of scents than a designer fragrance, which doesn't mean they're cheaper or of inferior quality.
What it means is that perfumers tend to focus more on one or a few notes and round them off to perfection.
Pay for the niche
Don't want to smell like your better half's ex? Invest in a niche perfume.
Niche brands usually use more natural, higher quality ingredients and have a higher price. That, combined, makes them more personal to an audience that has a different taste in fragrances.
In short, you pay for the artistic creation, the brand name and the ingredients. Tastes are different and while some like a good affordable burger, others have no problem going for a Wagyu burger.
Therefore, you have to pay more for a milliliter of a niche perfume than for a typical designer.
Niche fragrances are made in smaller batches
Once again, we talk about luxury and exclusivity. Being aimed at a smaller audience and generally using more expensive resources, niche fragrances are manufactured in smaller quantities.
Designer brands always produce fragrances in large quantities to reach a larger population, so niche companies have to be more selective even with the marketing and distribution of their products.
You know what they say, the best advertising is a good brand reputation and word of mouth.
Niche fragrances can polarize
Due to the more demanding public, one usually expects to smell something unique and distinctive that, in the end, divides opinions.
Now, this artisanal way of doing business has a small drawback. Since niche fragrances are created in smaller batches, often without advertising, and with limited retail availability, blind buying may be the only option to try these products.
We believe that you should not buy a fragrance blindly. You can read all you want on the Internet about the smell, but the only judge of your taste is you.
So test and test again. If you have the opportunity, try to buy a decant of the fragrances you are interested in to see if they are worth buying. On our page we have a wide variety of perfumes that you can see here .
Niche presentation
The elegance of simplicity is what describes most niche bottles and presentations, and a gem here and there. Some of the brands that describe this would be BDK Parfums , Creed , Parfums de Marly and Clive Christian .
Heavier, simpler eye-catching bottles with quality boxes often multi-layered. In the end, the most important thing is the liquid inside the bottle, but more is expected from the complete packaging when it comes to the niche.
Conclusion
We hope that this classification has given you the answers you were looking for. If it is mass produced and heavily advertised, it is probably a designer release. If not, it's a niche.
Now, what fragrances do you prefer? Designers or niche? Are you a person who is just starting this beautiful journey or a fragrance expert? We read you in the comments.