Top 10 Niche Perfume Brands with Honorable Mentions

Niche perfumery is an alternative to mass perfume production. Niche is limited by the clientele and therefore with a limited sale range, thus the goal of niche houses is not to sell as much as possible.

Art and creativity is in first place in niche perfumery, and as it applies to any other kind of arts, there is a possibility that a niche perfume creation will not be recognized and accepted. However, regardless of the risk, niche houses are appearing just like mushrooms after the rain because people, tired of mass perfume production, wish to have an uncommon and, if possible, personal fragrance. And so it seems that the trend today is to oppose the trend. And one more thing: we should bear in mind that the creation impetus of the artists-perfumers is one of the main reasons for establishment of their own perfume houses.

Today I will rank my personal  Top 10 for Top 10 Niche Perfume Brands

Honorable Mentions:

• Amouage
• By Killian
• Le Labo
• Fredric Malle

Top 10:

 

10) Acqua Di Parma - Acqua di Parma started as a small factory in Parma. The first fragrance was created in 1916, Colonia, and at the beginning it was used to perfume gentlemen's handkerchiefs.

Notable Creations:

• Colonia
• Intensa
• Assoluta
• Essenza

9) Diptyque - Diptyque is a French perfume house which was founded in 1961. and acquired by Manzanita Capital, the London-based private equity fund, in 2005.

Notable Creations:

• L'Ombre dans L'Eau
• Philosykos
• Vetyverio
• Tam Dao

8) Penhaligon's - Penhaligon's is a British perfumery established in 1870 by William Penhaligon. Originating as a barbershop, Penhaligon's offered its first fragrance in 1872, Hammam Bouquet. The fragrance was inspired by the neighboring Turkish Bath and its sulfurous steam. The company's best-selling fragrance, 1902's Blenheim Bouquet, created at the request of the Duke of Marlborough at Blenheim Palace, broke with the prevailing floral trends of its day to enchant with zesty citrus, spices and woods.

Notable Creations:

• Bluebell
• Sartorial
• English Fern
• Racquets Formula

7) Jo Malone - Jo Malone is a UK-based fragrance designer who got her start in the fragrance industry as a florist. Her lifelong fondness for all things fragrant began as a child, when she tried to produce her own fragrances using flowers from the family garden and grated soap.

Notable Creations:

• Grapefruit Cologne
• Wood Sage & Sea Salt
• Lime Basil & Mandarin
• English Pear & Freesia

6) Maison Francis Kurkdijan - The House was founded by Francis Kurkdijan And Marc Chaya in 2009. Francis Kurkdijan made a lot of fragrance before he started his own fragrance line. 

Notable Creations:

• Cologne Pour Le Matin
• APOM
• Lumiere Noir
• Collogne Pour Soir

5) Serge Lutens - Serge Lutens is a multi-talented artist whose careers encompass fashion design, perfume design, hair styling, photography and film-making. 

Notable Creations:

• Chergui
• Ambre Sultan
• Arabie
• Daim Blond

4) Annick Goutal - Annick Goutal was a pianist and model. Once, while working with perfumers on the creation of a facial cream, she discovered her calling—perfume. In 1980 she was ready to launch her first fragrance collection. In the mid-1980's her company was bought by the Taittinger Group, which was later bought by Starwood Capital.

Notable Creations:

• Le Chevrefeuille
• Songes
• Le Mimosa
• Eau d'Hadrien

3) L'Artisan Parfumer - L'Artisan Parfumeur is a world known brand whose original fragrances delight perfume connoisseurs and lovers since 1970-es. Its popularity causes a high demand to increase its presence in perfume shops, yet L'Artisan Parfumeur still adheres to its policy of exclusive distribution, and good reputation advertises the products better than any ads.

Notable Creations:

• Dzing
• Bois Farine
• Tea For Two
• Mechant Loup

2) Bond No 9 - Bond No 9 is an American fragrance company that pays tribute to the city of New York through the art of perfumery. Founded in 2003 by perfume industry veteran Laurice Rahmé, and named for the address of its headquarters and boutique at 9 Bond Street in NoHo, the company's fragrances immortalize iconic New York landmarks and geography, with colorful packaging and innovative scents.

Notable Creations:

• Chez Bond
• Wall Street
• Scent of Peace for Him
• Riverside Drive

1) Creed - the world’s only dynastic, privately held luxury fragrance company, founded in 1760 and passed from father to son since then, serving royal houses and the discerning public for 251 years. Today the firm is guided by the unerring Olivier CREED, sixth in his family line to head CREED and creator of its most popular scents. His son, Erwin, 30, seventh generation and future head, has already begun to contribute to the art of CREED.

Notable Creations:

• Aventus
• Milesime Imperial
• Silver Mountain Water
• Himalaya