5 niche brands created by perfumers

Niche perfumery is the youngest segment of the industry, with its first representatives making themselves known in the late 1970s. For decades, "niche" has been associated with independence, artistic freedom, and the experimental nature of compositions. Moreover, most renowned perfumers eventually come up with the idea of their own project. Today, we are going to talk about five cult brands created by masters.

Maison Francis Kurkdjian

The biography of entrepreneur Francis Kurkdjian is worthy of a Hollywood film script about true success. The perfumer graduated from the prestigious ISIPCA school in Versailles. At the age of 26, he created Le Male by Jean Paul Gaultier, which remains one of the best-selling fragrances in the world to this day. Having conceived more than 50 fragrances for fashion houses, he established his own niche perfume brand, which publications such as WWD describe as a true breakthrough. Currently, the perfumer's portfolio includes 240 fragrances.

On March 20, 2017, Marc Chaya and  Francis Kurkdjian announced the sale of their company to the Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton (commonly known as LVMH) French multinational holding. The former owners retained their previous positions. In 2021, Kurkdjian became the new in-house perfumer for Dior.

The concept of Maison Francis Kurkdjian is to be immersed in a cloud of beloved fragrances 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, through perfumes, home fragrances and candles. The unique fragrances are created in the spirit of high French perfumery, and each of them has its own character and story: Aqua Universalis - a fragrance of crystal purity; Lumiere Noire - the struggle of opposites; Amyris - a fiery whirlwind; Aqua Vitae - Yin and Yang; Absolue Pour Le Soir - the companion of sleepless nights.

Ella K Parfums

Sonia Constant is not just a perfumer collaborating with Lanvin, Kenzo, and Les Liquides Imaginaires. She is a true third-wave feminist, and her own newborn brand, Ella K, is dedicated to renowned women. The brand takes its name from Swiss adventurer, travel writer and photographer Ella Maillart, an emancipated woman who challenged traditional notions of female destiny. Following in her footsteps, Sonya also explores the world, capturing exquisite fragrances instead of travel notes. Roses, spices, and the spirituality of India are embodied in Lettre de Pushkar, the mist in Thailand is captured in Brumes de Khao-Sok, and the essence of Japanese culture is depicted in the recent creation Camélia K.

Ramón Monegal

Ramón Monegal comes from a family of hereditary perfumers who founded Myrurgia, the official perfumery of the Spanish royal family. Devoting himself to this project, he later established his own company. The first collection of the brand was created following the patterns of traditional French perfumery, as Monegal received a classical education in France and Switzerland.

His own perfumery style evolved over time, and the fragrances became more "Spanish" in spirit, that is, Arabic, as the Spanish perfumery tradition has its roots in the Arab world. In addition to releasing four collections, the brand also holds licences for fragrances under the Adolfo Dominguez and Massimo Dutti labels.

Mizensir

Perfumer Alberto Morillas is a renowned hitmaker who created Acqua di Gio Giorgio Armani, Good Girl Gone Bad By Kilian, and other bestsellers. After 40 years of work and over 200 fragrances in his portfolio, he founded his own perfume brand, Mizensir, in Geneva. Morillas' favourite citrus notes, vetiver, geranium, and white musk harmonize with captive molecules from Firmenich, such as Clearwood.

"Far from the hustle and bustle of launching new brands, I created a perfumery that tells the story of my life, my memories, travels, and passions. I would compare this intimate territory to a small piece of musk," he explains.

The name of the brand hides a play on words: the letter "M" is the first initial of the author's surname, and "mis en cire" in French means "placed in wax." There is no conceptual connection between the compositions: within his own brand, Morillas often dedicates his work to his family and friends, or to specific fragrant materials and perfume trends (thus the idea of a woody line was born, which includes Bois Iridescent, Original Oud, Épine de Rose, as well as powdery, floral, and refreshing series).

Parle Moi de Parfum

The founder of the brand, perfumer Michel Almairac, is the creator of popular fragrances such as See by Chloe, Bottega Veneta L'Absolu, London and Body by Burberry, as well as Ambrette 9 by Le Labo. The name translates as "Talk to me about scent," and that is the main idea of the brand. "It expresses our intention to talk about fragrances and nothing else," says Michel.

Together with his wife Elizabeth and sons Benjamin and Romain, Almairac opened a boutique-laboratory in the Marais - a historic district of Paris. Here, one can witness the creation of all 17 fragrances of Parle Moi de Parfum. In contrast to the abstract and avant-garde works of his colleagues, Almairac creates more simple and accessible scents for a wide audience. Furthermore, all compositions contain 20% natural oils and 100% Parisian spirit.