Selective (or niche) perfumery presented with exclusive small-volume perfumes. Companies producing selective perfumes do not strive to gain popularity and do not count on mass purchases. On the contrary, niche perfumes are made individually for each person. Despite the extraordinary combination of scents, selective perfumery always has its own buyer.
Most often among buyers of exclusive perfumes there are creative people With in an original way life and unconventional thinking - writers, musicians, actors, artists, journalists. In general, the buyer of selective perfumes is a person, first of all, who wants to be different from everyone else, avoiding norms and any framework. Selective perfumes are in no way related to fashion, unlike branded perfumes. Thus, fashionistas and fashionistas will most likely prefer a newfangled fragrance from a world-famous cosmetic brand over a selective one.
If you want to smell different from everyone else, try selective fragrances. Niche perfumes are so unique and inimitable that they exceed all the wildest human expectations. Among the selective aromas are those that you will hardly ever find in other, standard and predictable perfumery - the smells of laundry, dry cleaning, freshly cut grass, just baked chocolate croissant, exquisite tobacco, soda, etc.
As for the price of selective perfumes, it can be either fabulous (about 40 thousand rubles) or relatively inexpensive (about 2 thousand rubles).
Features of selective perfumery:
1. Lots of niche perfumes are so limited that some perfumes are produced in only one copy.
2. Selective perfumes are almost impossible to counterfeit, again due to the limited release.
3. B exclusive perfumes Rare and very expensive ingredients are often used.
4. Bottles in which niche perfumes are sold can be either the same type and standard, or unique, hand-painted, signed by the author or decorated with stones from Swarovski.
5. Often selective perfumes are made individually to order.
Types of selective perfumery:
1. Shocking perfume.
Shocking original aromas include the smells of dust beaten by rain, washing powder, freshly laid asphalt, etc.
2. Vintage perfume.
The difference between the aromas of vintage perfumes is the old perfume recipes. For example, perfumes that were released many years ago or in the century before last.
3. Personalized perfume.
These selective perfumes are named after the creator of the perfume or the customer. Most often, signature perfumes are an improved version of previously existing scents.
In this post we will talk about such a phenomenon as “niche perfumery”. This concept is not very well known to the general public, and it is not at all surprising if you do not know what it is. It's time to familiarize yourself with this term and find out how niche perfumery (selective) differs from luxury and ordinary fragrances.
What does selective perfumery smell like?
Do you love smells and have several “delicious” bottles on your home cosmetics shelf? What are these names?
If we looked into several apartments of an ordinary house in any city, we would most likely come across those names that often flash on television or in glossy magazines. Dior, Dolce Gabanna, Versace... These names do not leave the pages of magazines, and even children who cannot read know these words. So, fashion brands, which are so famous throughout the world, are not niche perfumes. It turns out that fragrances are classified into three groups, which differ in price, popularity and, of course, what they smell like.
Mass market, luxury and niche perfumes
It is true that the engine of commerce is advertising. It is the work of marketers that 90% determines what will be fashionable in the new season and what clothes or cosmetics you will buy for yourself to feel confident. Advertising also promotes perfumes. Unbeknownst to you, you are under the influence of beautiful videos and unusual pictures in a magazine, first of all, go to certain brands in the store and choose something to your taste.
So, the first and most common group of fragrances is mass market, or consumer goods. Such perfumes are most often sold in hypermarkets, cosmetic stores, and due to its high demand, also in small cosmetic stores and transition stores. It is not difficult to counterfeit such perfumes, and the counterfeits sell with a bang, because these aromas are known to everyone - from young to old. The smells are not complex, pleasant and easily distinguishable. Interestingly, even in the last century fashion houses We prepared the fragrances for 2-3 years, and now they release them once a season. It is the mass market that is mainly purchased; it occupies about 75% of the market share.
Luxury perfumes are more expensive than mass market ones, but are also widely advertised. As an example, we can cite the brands Chanel, Guerlain, and the fragrances most often produced are fashion houses clothes. However, jewelry and perfume houses are not lagging behind, and the new scents are one hundred percent consistent fashion trends. Why is that? The fact is that perfumers involved in product development conduct extensive audience research before release, identifying preferences and expectations. Who creates luxury perfumes? Most often, behind a new work there is a whole army of creators who strictly follow the prescribed guidelines. Perfumers cannot create and surrender to the impulse of the soul, because they create a product that will one hundred percent correspond to the desires of the client.
Selective - a fundamentally new concept of fragrances
Niche perfumery is the creation of individuals - perfumers who do not follow anyone's expectations. Perfumes are distinguished not by their price (often niche perfumes can cost as much as luxury new products), but by their “sound” and ingredients. For selective perfumery, exclusively high-quality raw materials are used, which allow the scent to reveal itself on the skin like unexpectedly bright fireworks - this is what determines the cost of the product. In addition, some works use expensive elements in packaging, such as gold, special types of wood or gems. But unusual packaging is rather an exception. Aroma comes first in the selection - it is the determining factor in niche perfumery. Most famous brands Penhaligon's, Jo Malone, Montale, Creed, Le Labo, M. Micallef, Amouage, Parfums de Rosine, Byredo, Fragonard, Frederic Malle, Kilian, Serge Lutens are considered among the selection.
On the history of the development of perfumery in the twentieth century
We have already figured out what “niche perfumery” means, but why did such a branch arise in the “fragrance business”?
To do this, let's go back a little. Just a hundred years ago, perfumery was the lot of the elite, or rather people of power and wealth. But with development industrial production, when goods became cheaper and more accessible, perfumes also became noticeably cheaper. In the 50-60s, it became available to almost everyone, and a little later, by the nineties, manufacturers began to think about how to convince the buyer to buy their products. After all, supply far exceeded demand, and therefore perfumers began to work in the name of the consumer.
Now perfume houses have stopped creating just something, but have begun to make a product that satisfies the wishes of people. Genuine creators who did not want to work within narrow limits went underground under the name “selective perfumery.”
What is the difference between niche perfumes?
So, what are the features in such a field of fragrances as niche perfumery? Stores in Moscow are ready to offer you a selection that has the following characteristics: a special aroma, the best raw materials, practically complete absence advertising, advertising unusual places sales.
Aroma is the first and most important difference between niche perfumery. If the goal of luxury and mass-market perfumery is to appease the consumer and create the most attractive “candy,” then the creators of the selection don’t even think about it. Niche perfumes can have a completely unimaginable “look,” both attractive and repulsive. Imagine notes of damp tobacco, rubber, honey molasses, oud or gaiac wood, musk - these are all niche perfumes. Reviews on it are very different, because a perfume can confuse, cause bewilderment, make you fall in love or repel, but what is absolutely certain is that no one remains indifferent.
Selective ingredients
If manufacturers of “regular” perfumes are chasing to reduce the cost of the product, choosing the cheapest synthetic components, then perfumers of niche products do not think about it at all. Did you know that, like for good wine, each “ingredient” has its own characteristics good perfume, including the place and time of collection. For example, the most “correct” flowers are collected in northern Africa or Morocco. If a perfumer needs a concentrate of gaiac wood, he will go to Indonesia to get it. It is the raw materials that largely determine the price of the future perfume. Some types of selective products appear in very limited quantities due to the unavailability of one or another component.
Dress for the king, or about packaging
Do you want rhinestones and glitter? Then luxury perfumes and mass market are especially for you. Especially for gullible buyers, special issues are made in magazines telling about how a bottle of perfume was created. Funny, isn't it? The bottle sits on the shelf when you really need the perfume!
As for selection, perfumers work more on the content rather than on appearance. Most often, the packaging of niche fragrances looks discreet and unremarkable, although there are exceptions. An example is the Martina Micallef brand, whose bottles are hand-painted and decorated with stones. Of course, none other than the buyer pays for the packaging.
Supply volumes
How many bubbles do you think are being produced with a new scent like Nina Ricci's? Several tens of thousands, because the goods need to be delivered to all cosmetics stores and hypermarkets! As for selection, production is directly related to the number of components. If the creation of a fragrance requires raw materials that can be obtained in limited quantities, then the manufacturer can release literally a few bubbles. Therefore, there is literally a queue for some types of perfume.
Sales points
If you, having become interested in a selective fragrance, rush to a large hypermarket or cosmetics store to buy a fragrance, you will be disappointed. Niche perfumes are not sold at Rive Gauche, but you can find them in special selective boutiques. What are these places of sale?
At their core, boutiques with such scents are a kind of “caste” among cosmetics distribution points. They are not crowded, and you certainly won’t see any queues. In addition, such stores do not pamper customers with promotions and sales. The maximum that a regular customer can count on is that he can receive something from the bath collection of the same brand as a gift with the chosen fragrance. As a rule, the owner of the boutique knows the regular clients personally and a trusting relationship develops between them.
Don't be afraid to go to such a store! If you want to touch the world of niche perfumery, then this is where you can get acquainted with fragrances. However, you should not pretend that you are a seasoned buyer, as the seller will immediately see through you! It's better to admit that you just want to learn something about niche perfumes.
What about the price, how much can selective perfumery cost in Moscow? The price for this type of fragrance can hardly be lower than 2000 rubles per 20 ml. But you must admit, this is not that much money - just for the same amount you can buy, for example, 100 ml of a popular and advertised perfume. What to choose is up to you.
Another fundamental difference
It is niche and differs from luxury and mass-market fragrances in that it is practically not advertised. This is how it is. When purchasing a new product or popular scent, which does not leave the pages of glossy magazines, you pay for this: approximately 60% for advertising (participation of models and movie stars, PR company, samples in magazines and stores), 30% for packaging and payment for the work of the creators of the scent, and only 10 % accounts for raw materials.
The situation with niche fragrances is completely different, one might say, diametrically opposed. The selective product is practically not advertised, because it is not intended for the mass consumer, and you pay not for advertising or for the box, but for a truly unique composition.
How to choose niche perfumes for yourself
Niche perfumes are not sold at Rive Gauche, and small selective boutiques will not have samples for all types of perfume. But since such perfumery is completely unusual and you can’t buy it for yourself without trying it first, then what should you do? There are castings specifically for this. Selective perfumery, due to its high cost, is not available to everyone, and if you have the opportunity to purchase the treasured bottle, then you need to know what you are getting, right?
You can buy castings in online stores and small boutiques. Selective perfumes are simply poured into special small containers (atomisers) with a volume of 2-5 ml. With this amount of precious liquid at your disposal, you can “test” the scent and determine whether you like the perfume or not.
Is it worth spending money on selective
As we have already found out, niche perfumery is not a cheap pleasure. A completely reasonable question arises about whether it is worth spending money on such an exquisite thing as a selective. In addition, the smells are very unique, and not everyone will like niche perfumes. Simpler brands, such as mass market or more expensive luxury brands, are well recognized and liked by absolutely everyone.
Well, there is no definite answer to this question. Predilection for a particular smell speaks about a person’s taste and culture. It’s not even about money here, since niche perfumes will not cost much more than luxury ones. However, some people at a certain point in their lives simply become disgusted by popular scents and want something more individual.
Perfumery is a rather complex science, which consists not only in choosing one favorite perfume, but also in knowing the terminology. Amber, musk, distillation - we have heard such terms at least once when entering a perfume store. What about niche or selective perfumes? This term is replete with the windows of many stores, but one gets the impression that this is some kind of perfume “not for everyone” and it’s better not to enter.
Of course, in a sense this is true, but the devil is not as terrible as he is portrayed. Let's figure out what niche perfumes are.
What is the difference?
The fact is that all perfumes, like clothes, are for the mass market, luxury and niche segment. In turn, mass market is mass sales that are available in all stores, luxury is also available, but more expensive, and niche is a little more elite.
Niche perfumery is an individual creation of perfumers who personally worked on a fragrance, made it as unique and interesting as possible, and released it in limited quantities. And such a work costs accordingly.
Why niche?
Niche is French for “cell”. By and large, such perfumes simply occupy a certain place and will not give it to anyone. Niche perfumery is the art of creating fragrances, a kind of perfume religion and philosophy of perfume that can reveal itself differently on the skin of each person. Niche perfumes are very exclusive and very beautiful.
Niche perfumes consist exclusively of natural raw materials, which are supplied exclusively in exclusive ingredients and in limited quantities.
Niche perfumes are very exclusive and very beautiful.
Composition of niche perfumes
As we have already said, niche or selective perfumery consists of natural products- no silicones, no artificial fragrances. Here, as with elite winemaking. In principle, perfumery can easily be compared to wine: the mass market is packaged Isabella wine, and the niche market is a hundred-year-old sauvignon.
It is also important not only the naturalness of the ingredients, but also the place of their birth. If, for example, they try to buy orange tree blossom in the Maghreb countries (north Africa, Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria), then for the essence of the orange tree the perfumer will go to Indonesia. Niche fragrances require dedication and even more fanaticism from the perfumer.
Appearance
The packaging and bottle of niche perfumes always looks very thoughtful and sophisticated. There will be no incredible shape and bright colors, like in Moschino fragrances, but in reverse.
Perfumes can easily be compared to wine: the mass market is packaged Isabella wine, and the niche market is a hundred-year-old sauvignon.
Refined, discreet, often dark shades. Also, very often, perfumers manually engrave brand names on bottles. For example, the niche perfume brand Martina Micallef hand-paints its bottles and decorates them with rhinestones
Sometimes the label is signed by hand. But there are some brands, such as Martine Micallef, whose bottles are works of art, they are hand-painted and decorated with Swarowski rhinestones. Each fragrance has its own serial number and personalized certificate. And some bottles are made using valuable wood, leather, expensive crystal or opal glass.
If quite recently niche perfumery was the lot of the elite, today having such a scent is a sign good taste. the site asked the most influential perfumers of our time to answer the main questions: what is niche perfumery, why the popularity of such fragrances is growing, what is their main difference and how to choose your own unique perfume.
What is the reason for the popularity of niche perfumes?
How to choose a niche scent?
“You need to come to a boutique of selective perfumes consciously and in good mood. First, visually evaluate what you like best. Start getting acquainted with selective perfumery It’s better to go with brands that have a wide range of scents. Of the ones you like, be sure to try 2-3 on your skin and wear them out. Even if you choose just one, you shouldn’t get hung up on it. It’s important to expand your olfactory horizons and look for something else, since selective fragrances, as a rule, are created to suit human emotions.”
Site selection: Eau de Toilette Untitled Eau, Maison Martin Margiela; Lavender eau de toilette, Demeter; Eau de parfum Kumkat Wood, Mancera; Eau de parfum Datura Noir, Serge Lutens; Nirmal fragrance, Laboratorio; Flowerbomb Eau de Parfum, Viktor&Rolf; Velvet Desire Eau de Parfum, Dolce&Gabbana; Satin Doll Eau de Parfum, Ys Uzac;
Why are niche fragrances so expensive?
“Niche fragrances are indeed often more expensive than regular ones, because it’s always individual approach, limited production volumes and high quality ingredients. For example, cheap analogue oak moss was banned due to its high allergenicity, and expensive natural ingredient is still used today (in 5% of selective perfumery).”
Can niche perfumes compete with popular brands?
“In a global sense, such competition is impossible. In niche perfumery they are used, with rare exceptions, only natural ingredients and aromatic oils. There are simply not enough natural raw materials to satisfy the needs of the mass market. However, the special interest in niche fragrances is understandable. Humans are characterized by curiosity and movement forward, so they are always looking for something new, even where everything is already clear. Now the world of perfumery is so diverse that many commercial brands shamelessly copy each other’s ideas, and it is almost impossible to find something truly unique and inimitable. That’s why niche perfumes are gaining more and more fans.”
What areas of niche perfumery exist in the beauty industry?
“Niche fragrances are not easy to perceive. Not everyone can wear them or use them. I will never believe that millions of people will be able to understand selective. The direction depends on the concept. There are niche brands that are based on visible luxury, other brands, on the contrary, are ascetic, and others are avant-garde or provocative.”
“It is wrong to single out any special trends only in niche perfumery. This is a classic division into colognes with concentration aromatic oils 3-7%, eau de toilette (7-17%), eau de parfum (8-23%) and perfume (24-30%). My wife and I have always had a special passion for fresh, citrusy scents, which are most often found in colognes, so we decided to create another family of colognes with the character and concentration of eau de parfum - Cologne Absolue.”
Site selection: Love Coconut Eau de Parfum, Honore Des Pres; Cologne Dark Amber&Ginger Lily, Jo Malone; Eau de parfum A Rebours, Friendly Fur; Musk Oud Eau de Parfum, Kilian; Eau de toilette No. XII Santalum, Mad Et Len;
Is there a fashion for certain notes when creating perfume?
“Niche fragrances are just a marketing definition. What interests me about a fragrance is what exactly it expresses. In short, the main difference is in you and in your level of self-awareness, sensitivity, demandingness, self-criticism and creativity, because by choosing a perfume you add charisma, a readable character to your image.
Before you want to stand out, you first need to know who you are. But niche perfumery will not answer this question. This is just marketing. To choose your perfume, you need to recognize yourself in it. This is the essence of creativity, which leads you to discover your own “I.”