What are niche perfumes and why should you buy them?
The word 'niche' is often used in perfumery, but what is a niche perfume? Is it better than other fragrances and is it worth the expense? There are many types of fragrances available from designer and celebrity perfumes to indie and niche perfumes. They can be defined as the following:
Designer Perfumes – Perfumes from larger companies, especially established fashion houses. Names such as Dior, Yves Saint Laurent and Chanel can be found in every department store, duty free or perfume shop. These fragrances appeal to a wide audience with several variants of their most popular lines.
Celebrity Perfumes – Fragrances bearing the name of a celebrity such as David Beckham or Beyonce. These scents are often a luxury form of merchandising, perfect for celebrity fans who follow their brand and value their products.
Indie Perfumes – These scents often come from very small brands where the owner is also the perfumer. They can stick to the owner’s favourite compositions or be quite diverse.
Niche Perfumes – Perfumes from smaller companies where the focus is solely on luxury scents that enhance your lifestyle. Niche brands usually hire external perfumers but offer more unique fragrances overall. They produce a limited number of perfumes, made in small quantities and can only be found in a few, select outlets, making them very exclusive and in some cases rare. Above all, they are the passionate life's work of the Founder. The most established niche brands tend to be luxurious and exclusive companies such as Creed, Serge Lutens and Byredo. Designer brands have also noticed the success of niche brands, creating more exclusive lines such as Dior Collection Privée as a response.
Are niche perfumes better?
Niche perfumes have grown in popularity over the past couple of years with their demand sparking a movement in the fashion industry. With exotic names and unique bottles, they are easily recognisable and can be spotted across perfume lovers’ Instagram feeds or in stylish boutiques.
When it comes to non-conformity and exclusivity, niche scents are leagues above the more-conservative fragrances you get on the high street. They reject gender-targeted scents for ‘him’ or for ‘her’, instead favouring unisex scents and you won't find classic blue or pink packaging.
Niche perfumes are centred around their complexity, focusing on notes and scent profiles rather than selling an idea or a concept. Niche brands focus on the quality of the perfume itself, reflecting the passion behind the fragrance.
Instead of placing emphasis on packaging and marketing like designer brands, they use more expensive, better-quality ingredients which provide an air of luxury, rarity and opulence. Niche perfume is considered more luxurious because of the expertise, the quality of ingredients, and the artisan process that goes into making each scent.
Subsequently, niche perfumes do tend to have a higher price tag as they are produced in much smaller quantities which escalates production costs. However, you can be comforted in the knowledge that you are paying for the quality of the actual fragrance and not just the packaging or brand name.
Another advantage to niche perfumes is that due to smaller production numbers, niche brands can be far more creative with their scents. Their perfumes don’t have to appeal to most of the population. Instead, niche fragrances are original, inspirational and unique, allowing perfume connoisseurs to buy a truly personal scent made with love and dedication. With alluring concepts, beautifully complex composition and unorthodox bottles, niche perfumes are pleasing to the eye and exciting for the nose!
Should I buy a niche perfume?
Buying a new perfume or cologne can be a complex process, so it’s easy to fall back on well known brands, classics or scents that are trending. But while these are safe choices, you may miss out on a fragrance that truly moves you or fits your personality.
Niche perfumes serve as the luxurious and beautiful counterparts to standard brand fragrances. Equivalent to hiring a tailor to create a bespoke suit, niche perfumes drive the idea of craftmanship, personality and luxury. It’s all about finding that new and unique fragrance that you can connect with. Fragrance is very personal and no scent wears the same on each person, so buying a niche fragrance is a great way to explore an expression of yourself. With niche perfumes, you can enjoy the discovery of a fragrance that is rare and exquisite.
Buying a niche perfume can set you apart from the crowd as it works as a personal token of identity and style. Ultimately, the idea of using one favoured, signature scent for life is long gone. The demand for new and unique scents is still growing and there are some very interesting brands that are pushing niche perfumes to new heights such as Bond No.9, Nishane, Acqua Di Parma, Mancera, Montale, Carner Barcelona, NICOLAÏ and Parfums De Marly.
At Knass Perfumeria, we’re passionate about offering luxury, niche and rare perfumes at the very best prices. Our dedicated team select our scents with care and diligence to offer you perfumes that tell a story, showcase passion and allow you to open a new window of opulence. Discover our range of niche perfumes here.