Scent, once a luxury, has become part of our personal branding. And as our mood and look evolve, our fragrance wardrobe continues to grow. As #PerfumeTok suggests, pep up a collection of sparkling clean brews with a whiff of alluring oriental, or switch up the woody blends with a delicate floral. How we smell speaks volumes about who we are, how we feel, and where we are headed. Kick-start 2025 with these splendid #FragranceGoals potions.
Hermès Barenia
As its sparkling duo of bergamot and miracle berry gives way to the gentle butterfly lily, and settles into warm patchouli and oakwood, Barenia draws you into a fascinating realm filled
with fresh, floral, intense, and every other accord in between.
Christine Nagel, Creative Director of Hermès Perfumes, conceived the maison’s first chypre fragrance to appeal to a woman “driven by curiosity” and “guided by her instincts”. Named after the signature leather cherished for its supple and sensual texture, this potion is housed in an elegant, elliptically shaped bottle featuring contoured studs reminiscent of the iconic Collier de Chien bracelet. The collection also includes a perfumed body cream and scented soap.
More here.
Les Esprits de Parfum Gris Dior
Les Esprits de Parfum, in the words of Dior’s Perfume Creation Director, Francis Kurkdjian, seeks “to affirm a genuine artistic position, with powerful fragrance trails”. Featured in his newest quintet of highly concentrated extraits de parfum is Gris Dior, a unisex chypre reinterpreted with a crazy-extravagant infusion of atlas cedar, patchouli, amber, violet and Bulgarian rose. The collection also includes Ambre Nuit, Lucky, Oud Isaphan, and Rouge Trafalgar.
More here.
Cartier La Panthère Elixir
“Addictive”, proclaimed the press statement that accompanied this new addition to the La Panthère lineup first launched in 2014. La Panthère was the nickname of Jeanne Toussaint, who was muse to Louis Cartier and appointed his Director of Fine Jewelry in 1933. To the original delicious brew of bergamot, strawberry, pear, orange blossom, and musk, Cartier perfumer Mathilde Laurent has pepped up Elixir with tantalising notes of amber and jasmine.
With a friendlier vibe, you may also notice that the French jeweller’s well-loved symbol on the bottle sports softer (and younger) contours. More is always more, so wear this with your Panthère de Cartier watch.
More here.
Amaffi Savanna
Amaffi Perfume House, founded in Monaco, uses premium ingredients from around the globe to create its creations in France. The company emphasises confidentiality and the fact that it does not share information about its owners. It does tell us, however, that its perfumes are available in very limited quantities and only at its three boutiques in London, New York, and Singapore—The Boyz K-popster Hyunjae was recently spotted shopping at its Marina Bay Sands boutique.
Savanna, from its Pyramids collection, is a floral-infused elixir created by Bertrand Duchaufour (Dior Fahrenheit Summer; Penhaligon’s Tralala). The honeyed concoction of jasmine, mimosa, and neroli is paired with rich and earthy notes of sycamore and oak moss to entice you at first sniff. With its crystal glass bottle, it offers little pleasures like gold and crystals—hand-polished, too.
More here.
Jo Malone Hinoki & Cedarwood Cologne Intense
Described by Celine Roux, Global Head of Fragrance, as “serenity that comes from the immersion in the forest”, Hinoki & Cedarwood Cologne Intense draws on the Japanese ritual of forest-bathing. Its creation, of course, was far more more strenuous, shared perfumer Anne Filpo: “We walked a lot! By the end, I was quite exhausted.” Sweet, floral and woody all at once, it’s an excellent his-hers with a sexy-clean character. “Much fresher and more aromatic” than Jo Malone’s other Cologne Intense offerings, both promise.
More here.
Tom Ford Black Lacquer
Who’d have thought vinyl, ink, ebony wood, peony, and frankincense combined could smell so intoxicating? Black Lacquer is a very smoky, very luxurious, and very sexy scent, primarily because of its makassar ebony wood note—the tree grows in one of the world’s oldest rainforests— which evokes the allure of birch and leather. While its boldness immediately provokes your senses, a deeply sensual bouquet gradually emerges. Akin to Tom Ford’s fashion collections, known for their exquisite cuts and elegant silhouettes, this fragrance redefines olfactory notes by subverting preconceived notions. Just what we need to make a lasting first impression.
More here.
