Comment from Jonny Webber, PerfumeDirect.com’s fragrance expert who says the ‘Quiet Luxury’ fragrance trend is skyrocketing in popularity.
Quiet luxury has been gaining pace on the fashion scene throughout 2023 with the hashtag #quietluxury now amassing over 42 billion views on TikTok. Essentially the opposite of flamboyant displays of wealth, this is about the art of subtlety and choosing timeless quality products.
And the trend has now infused perfume purchasing.
Quiet luxury in fragrance choice represents a refined and understated approach to selecting and wearing perfumes that exude sophistication without being overtly flashy or attention-grabbing. It embodies a shift away from ostentatious displays of wealth and a preference for more nuanced and discerning tastes.
Instead of choosing eye wateringly expensive perfumes or aftershaves because of the ‘label’ and what the aroma ‘says’ in terms of wealth, consumers are selecting quality fragrances, that have all the necessary benefits of a well-produced perfume, but that subtly say ‘confident class’.
The wearer of a quiet luxury fragrance embraces a sense of self-assuredness and confidence, valuing quality and refinement over flamboyance. They appreciate the subtle nuances of a fragrance and understand that true luxury lies not in flashy displays but in the discerning choices they make.
Quiet Luxury in fragrance is grounded in increased knowledge about what makes a quality and long-lasting perfume.
There is a heightened appreciation of what makes a good quality perfume as part of this movement.
Rather than buying budget supermarket sprays and dupes, consumers are valuing the benefits of a perfume created in luxury perfume houses using superior ingredients.
One of the most significant factors that contribute to the price difference between perfumes lies in the quality of ingredients used. Luxury perfumes often incorporate a higher concentration of natural, rare, and exotic ingredients. These ingredients, sourced from various corners of the world, can be scarce, require special cultivation techniques, or have a limited production quantity, driving up the cost. Cheap perfumes, on the other hand, tend to rely on synthetic alternatives or less costly raw materials, resulting in a less nuanced and often more generic scent.
Similarly, creating a high-quality perfume is an art form that requires expertise, time, and meticulous attention to detail. Luxury perfume houses employ skilled perfumers and olfactory artists who spend years honing their craft. These artisans carefully blend and balance aromatic notes, striving to achieve a harmonious composition that evokes specific emotions and captures the essence of the brand.
One of the hallmarks of a high-quality perfume is its longevity and projection, i.e., how long the fragrance lingers on the skin and how far it projects into the surrounding environment. Luxury perfumes often contain a higher concentration of aromatic compounds, resulting in a more potent and long-lasting scent. The quality of ingredients, careful formulation, and meticulous blending contribute to the perfume’s ability to endure and make a lasting impression. Cheaper perfumes, on the other hand, may have a lower concentration of fragrance oils, leading to a shorter lifespan on the skin and a less pronounced projection.
By choosing perfumes based on the fragrances notes and ingredients that they favour, consumers are respecting and acknowledging carefully crafted compositions rather than it being ‘the new fragrance that is considered as a wealth barometer.”
The Quiet Luxury Perfume Brands Growing in Popularity
Embrace the quiet luxury movement by investing in fragrances that embody the qualities of craftmanship and luxury ingredients, rather than the external symbol of status.
Quiet luxury fragrances trending right now include brands Bottega Veneta and Kilian Roses on Ice.
Maison Francis Kurkdjian is also a brand that is renowned for its craftsmanship and quality.
Fragrances by Lavin, Tom Ford and Ellie Saab have also gained traction as part of Quiet Luxury.
As a result of the Quiet Luxury movement, there is a resurgence of nostalgic fragrances, inspired by vintage and retro scents, invoking a sense of nostalgia and familiarity.
The fragrance notes associated with quiet luxury often lean towards classic and timeless profiles, avoiding excessive trend-chasing. They may include elegant floral notes like rose, jasmine, or iris, combined with subtle hints of woods, musks, and delicate spices. These fragrances are designed to evoke a sense of sophistication, refinement, and a touch of exclusivity.
Once a fragrance achieves that iconic classic perfume status shared between generations, the chances are that it’ll remain a fashion favourite forever which consumers keep coming back to. Some of our favourites pieces are Obsession, by Calvin Klein first launched in 1985 and Beautiful, by Estee Lauder also from 1985.
