How To Build A Fragrance Wardrobe

One signature fragrance? Pah! Lucia Ferrari shares how to build a scent wardrobe.

How Do You Make A Scent Wardrobe?

Perfume sales and collagen boosting injectables are the two areas of the British beauty market that have been rising since Covid and aren’t showing signs of slowing down. John Lewis last year reported a whopping 200 percent increase in sales of perfume, many of which are from lesser-known niche brands as well as the classics. It seems many of us are branching out and the days of being faithful to one scent seems dated. And though the term ‘fragrance wardrobe’ might sound a little naff and could appear on Nicky Haslam’s bestselling tea towel of things he finds ‘common’, my own perfume shelf is a lot more tightly packed than it was a couple of years ago. TikTok is full of teenagers with fragrance wardrobes.

Like fashion, I love the concept of different scents for different occasions – a splashy citrusy cologne for waking up a Monday morning commute while something more alluring, like Chanel’s new Comète with its lingering trail of je ne sais quoi, would be my choice for dinner or drinks. And while it’s obviously not practical to buy an entire new array of perfumes, occasionally adding one to our dressing table and building a great collection over time is a lovely way to do it.

Rachel Smith

Liberty’s new perfume hall is a great place for browsing. Stocking both luxury and niche brands, the staff are really knowledgeable. Online, Nose Paris offers an olfactory diagnosis, stocks a similar wide range of brands and is well priced. And if you’re a Jo Malone fan, there’s a great consultation service with something for everyone.

When choosing a new scent, fragrance expert Alice du Parcq advises you first establish the sort of fragrance family you like best, ‘whether it’s green, floral, earthy, spicy; something more masculine or gender fluid – historically fragrance is neither so feel free to experiment; and then categorise perfumes by styles, ideally investing in one from each.’

Inspired by Alice, here are five perfume styles, with examples of new and classic scents in each category, which I think make a great fragrance wardrobe.

The Morning Spritz

For a fresh botanical or citrusy blast to boost morning energy and focus, try:

• Acqua di Parma Colonia Il Profumo – this is a cool and clean contemporary interpretation of the brand’s first ever fragrance, Colonia, from 1916. 50ml, £143. acquadiparma.com
• Maison Francis Kurkdjian Aqua Media Cologne Forte – Francis Kurkdjian is famous for his heady Baccarat Rouge, which makes the wearer smell expensive and outsells all perfumes in Harrods. This lighter, more elegant cologne is a polite, meet-and-greet perfume you could wear anywhere. 35ml, £115. johnlewis.com
• Granado Citrus Brasilis – launching in May, but worth the wait, the top notes of pomelo make your mouth water, but the soft, powdery way it settles on the skin means you can spritz throughout the day when moments of clarity are needed. 100ml, £75. granado.com

The Stealth Wealth Scent

This is best described as a barely-there fragrance that smells like warm bare skin; the Loro Piana grey marl cashmere crew neck of the perfume world.

• Juliette has a Gun Not a Perfume – it’s the 15 year anniversary of this clean, subtle classic, which smells different on everyone. Its single ingredient is Ambroxan, which is addictive on its own or boosts the performance of other perfumes so can be layered. 50ml, £100. spacenk.com
• Diptyque L’Eau Papier – makes you go ‘mmm’. Captures the moment ink soaks into a blank white sheet of paper. 50ml, £98. diptyqueparis.com
• Celine La Peau Nue – expensive oris root butter is at the heart of this grown up yet powdery, elegant fragrance. 100ml, £230. celine.com

The Confidence Booster

A velvety amber to make you feel empowered. The Spanx version of perfume when you need to feel pulled together.

• Floris Golden Amber – opens with crisp bergamot but turns into a warmer, sandalwood. 50ml, £120, florislondon.com
• Olfactive O Amber – an elegant amber that gives you the same quiet confidence after you’ve had a glass of champagne. 30ml £65, olfactiveo.com
• Jo Malone Taif Rose Cologne Intense – this new limited-edition cologne is a blend of Arabian rose laced with golden amber and coffee. 50ml, £112. jomalone.co.uk

The ‘Out-Out’ Room Rocker

The one you wear to your best friend’s big birthday or a glamorous gala. Sexy, sophisticated and a little bit more daring than your usual.

• Hermès Barénia – the famous Hermès dog collar which became a belt, then a bracelet, is now a fragrance. Its latest is addictive and a modern take on a classic, chypre woody fragrance. 60ml, £102. hermes.com
• Van Cleef & Arpels Néroli Amara – a bottled version of a fabulous dinner with friends on an exotic holiday. Very White Lotus. 75ml, £153. johnlewis.com
• Matiere Premiere French Flower – perfumer Aurélien Guichard’s family-owned fields of tuberose are bottled for this modern white floral. 50ml, £165. libertylondon.com

The Weekender

The Ralph Lauren blazer of the fragrance world: a polite classic to take you anywhere. If you only have one fragrance, this is it.

• Sisley Eau de Campagne – a herby, unisex scent that whisks you to a rural weekend break even if you’re on the Central line. 50ml, £90, selfridges.com
• Chanel No 19 Poudré – a softer, more powdery version of the classic No 19. Like fabulous silk underwear. 100ml, £145. chanel.com
• Penhaligon’s English Fern – to celebrate 155 years, Penhaligon’s has brought back a few classics, and this is a favourite. Imagine a woody, mossy walk with a whiff of geraniums. 100ml, £100. penhaligons.com