Close
Fragrance

Discover the signature fragrances worn by London’s most famous women

From Adele to Kate Middleton, these are the cult scents that celebrities actually wear

Finding a signature fragrance can be overwhelming, with so many options on the market. To help narrow down the possibilities, we’ve taken a look inside the bathrooms and make-up bags of some of London’s most stylish women including Victoria Beckham, Kate Moss and Sienna Miller. From cult favourites like La Lebo’s Santal 33 and Byredo’s Gypsy Water to hidden gems from boutique perfumers, these are the fragrances the A-list truly love. 

From Victoria Beckham to Sienna Miller, these are the signature fragrances worn by celebrities

Rosie Huntington-Whiteley

The model and founder of the Rose Inc beauty website is an avid fragrance fan, often documenting her latest find on her Instagram and YouTube channels. Currently at the top of her list is Gypsy Water, the most popular scent from cult brand Byredo. A gender-neutral, woody fragrance that blends base notes of pine needle, sandalwood and lemon with a hint of vanilla and bergamot, the perfume – like all Byredo products – uses raw ingredients to create a particularly intense, complex scent that, in this case, is reminiscent of woodland and campfires.

From Victoria Beckham to Sienna Miller, these are the signature fragrances worn by celebrities
Byredo
Gypsy Water Eau de Parfum
50ml, £122
Discover The Signature Fragrances Worn By Celebrities
Dua Lipa for YSL Libre Intense Fragrance

Dua Lipa

Yves Saint Laurent has form when it comes to creating signature scents, having been responsible for some of history’s most notorious fragrances throughout the years. For her trademark fragrance, Dua Lipa opts for YSL’s Libre Intense, proclaiming it was going to be her scent “forever” – not surprising, considering she helped to develop it. Launched in 2019, Libre Intense packs a powerful punch, described as being aimed at the woman who likes to “live everything with excess”. Lavender and jasmine blend with Moroccan orange blossom, tonka and vanilla extract to create a smouldering, sensual scent. 

Discover The Signature Fragrances Worn By Celebrities
Yves Saint Laurent
Libre Intense Eau de Parfum
90ml, £112
Discover The Signature Fragrances Worn By Celebrities

Naomi Campbell

When it comes to fragrances, the supermodel likes to keep things classic and revealed that her favourite scent was Dior Diorissimo at the 2018 Fragrance Foundation Awards, telling the interviewer: “I love florals, florals that linger and that’s what lily-of-the-valley does, it lingers all night long.” The romantic perfume was first created in 1956, when Christian Dior referred to it as “the scented expression of his soul”. Lily-of-the-valley – Dior’s lucky flower – sits at the heart of the fragrance, combined with lilac, jasmine and green leaves to evoke the scent of fresh dew on a spring morning in the woods.

Discover The Signature Fragrances Worn By Celebrities
Dior
Diorissimo Eau de Parfum
100ml, £107
From Victoria Beckham to Sienna Miller, these are the signature fragrances worn by celebrities

Victoria Beckham

 Victoria Beckham declared herself an ardent fan of Room Service by Vilhelm Parfumerie on Instagram stories, calling it “super chic”. Founder Jan Vilhelm is known for creating perfumes based on stories, and for Room Service, he imagined the floral aromas of Greta Garbo’s bath at The Carlyle hotel in New York in the ’50s. The result is a sumptuous mix of mandarin and blackberries, plus violet, black amber, sandalwood with a musky base.

From Victoria Beckham to Sienna Miller, these are the signature fragrances worn by celebrities
Vilhelm Parfumerie
Room Service Eau de Parfum
100ml, £185
Discover the signature fragrances worn by London's most famous women

Adele

She’s one of the most prodigiously talented artists on the planet, selling over 120 million records. And yet with the world at her feet – including, no doubt, every beauty brand – Adele is unwavering when it comes to her fragrance choice, wearing Dior’s iconic Hypnotic Poison since her mid-teens. Designed to encapsulate a bold, conquering spirit, it’s little wonder this heady, musky scent, with its notes of sambac jasmine, tonka beans and vanilla, is a long-time favourite of the singer-songwriter.

Discover the signature fragrances worn by London's most famous women
Dior
Hypnotic Poison Eau de Parfum
50ml, £74.70
Discover the signature fragrances worn by London's most famous women

The Princess of Wales

Clarence House has confirmed that for her wedding day in 2011, the Princess of Wales chose a floral perfume from British perfumer Illuminum. With top notes of bergamot, cassis and lily alongside hints of gardenia, ylang ylang and jasmine, this refreshing and delicate fragrance is certainly a summery pick, with a touch of amber to give it some weight. For every day, the Princess wears Jo Malone’s Orange Blossom. The best-selling fragrance features top notes of clementine flower, middle notes of white lilac and water lily with base notes of orris and vetiver.

From Victoria Beckham to Sienna Miller, these are the signature fragrances worn by celebrities
Illuminum
London White Gardenia Petals
100ml, £90
From Victoria Beckham to Sienna Miller, these are the signature fragrances worn by celebrities
Jo Malone
Orange Blossom Cologne
100ml, £102
From Victoria Beckham to Sienna Miller, these are the signature fragrances worn by celebrities

Kate Moss

The supermodel has previously revealed her favourite perfume is Serge Lutens Fleurs D’Oranger Eau de Parfum, noting that she “wouldn’t leave the house without scent on.” This spicy, citrus-based fragrance was inspired by the perfumer’s visit to Morocco in 1968, where he was taken by the smells of the orange blossom being knocked off the trees by local women. The bitter orange blossom is combined with Egyptian jasmine and white rose for an intoxicating result. Kate’s other go-to fragrances include Clarins Eau Dynamisante and Nadia Narain Lua.

From Victoria Beckham to Sienna Miller, these are the signature fragrances worn by celebrities
Serge Lutens
Fleurs d'Oranger Eau de Parfum
100ml, £160
Discover The Signature Fragrances Worn By Celebrities

Jane Birkin

The famously enigmatic French star once asked the perfumer Miller Harris to “create a fragrance I can bear to wear.” The result was L’Air de Rien, which literally translates as ‘The Essence of Nothing’. The scent instantly conjures Birkin’s trademark insouciance, and was designed to represent elements that are particularly close to her heart: hints of weary books, dust and loved skin. The result is a playfully androgynous scent, made up of notes of earthy moss, dry vanilla, neroli, patchouli and bourbon.

Discover The Signature Fragrances Worn By Celebrities
Miller Harris
L'Air de Rien
100ml, £125
Discover The Signature Fragrances Worn By Celebrities

Emma Corin

There’s one thing you’ll always find in Emma Corrin’s bag: a bottle of Aesop Marrakech. The actor revealed that it’s their fragrance of choice due to its famed spicy notes. Inspired by the intoxicating smells and sights of its namesake Moroccan city, the fragrance uses evocative aromas of spices used in local dishes, as well as drawing on the vibrant colours found in its souks and the surrounding desert. Clove and cardamom are combined with sandalwood to create the rich woody, floral fragrance. 

Discover the signature fragrances worn by London's most famous women
Aesop
Marrakech Intense Eau de Parfum
50ml, £110
Discover the signature fragrances worn by London's most famous women

Cynthia Erivo

Multi-hyphenate Cynthia Erivo has been nominated for an Oscar, twice, and won an Emmy, Grammy and Tony for her show stopping performances. Indeed it was when talking about her revered role as Aretha Franklin in Genius: Aretha, that she referenced her favourite fragrance Jo Malone Myrrh and Tonka Cologne Intense, explaining that she likened the sweet, smoky scent to her musical heroine. With a top note of lavender, mingling with Omumbiri Myrrh and rounded off with accents of almond and vanilla, the blend exudes warmth and sensuality.

Discover the signature fragrances worn by London's most famous women
Jo Malone
Myrrh & Tonka Cologne Intense
100ml, £130
From Victoria Beckham to Sienna Miller, these are the signature fragrances worn by celebrities

The Duchess of Sussex

Thanks to her now defunct blog The Tig, where she often wrote about her beauty routine, we have some insight into Meghan Markle’s everyday fragrance preferences. One of her favourites for daytime wear is Oribe’s Côte d’Azur, a zesty floral blend of bergamot, jasmine and sandalwood. Bergamot is clearly a favourite of Meghan’s — while she wore a custom-made perfume by British fragrance house Floris on her wedding day, we do know that it was inspired by the brand’s Bergamotto di Positano perfume, a rich, warm, unisex scent that mixes the citrusy plant with notes of ginger, amber and vanilla to conjure memories of Mediterranean sea breeze.

From Victoria Beckham to Sienna Miller, these are the signature fragrances worn by celebrities
Oribe
Côte d’Azur Eau de Parfum
50ml, £65
From Victoria Beckham to Sienna Miller, these are the signature fragrances worn by celebrities
Floris
Bergamotto di Positano Eau de Parfum
100ml, £120
Discover the signature fragrances worn by London's most famous women

Alexa Chung

The cult of Santal 33 doesn’t look like fading any time soon – it’s famously known as “that perfume you smell everywhere” and as such boasts legions of  fans, including London cool-girl Alexa Chung. Niche New-York based fragrance brand Le Labo’s classic unisex perfume is a heady mix of spices and musks. Inspired by the American West and the masculinity of the great American cowboy, this is a sensual blend of cardamom, iris and violet, with spicy, leathery notes.

From Victoria Beckham to Sienna Miller, these are the signature fragrances worn by celebrities
Le Labo
Santal 33 Eau de Parfum
50ml, £141
From Victoria Beckham to Sienna Miller, these are the signature fragrances worn by celebrities

Sienna Miller

The London actress is known for preferring unisex fragrances, and her everyday go-to is Lime Basil & Mandarin by Jo Malone. Bright and sharp, the citrusy blend is reminiscent of Caribbean holidays, combining the peppery notes of basil with the muskiness of aromatic white thyme and a warmth from base notes of amberwood. 

From Victoria Beckham to Sienna Miller, these are the signature fragrances worn by celebrities
Jo Malone
Lime Basil & Mandarin Colonge
50ml, £70
From Victoria Beckham to Sienna Miller, these are the signature fragrances worn by celebrities

Laura Bailey

The model detailed her love for Chanel No. 19 in an essay for British Vogue, “despite ongoing flirtations with Boy and Gabrielle,” also by Chanel. The bold blend of geranium and iris notes, which was the last fragrance Gabrielle Chanel ever launched or wore and is numbered after the date of her birth, was created at the height of second wave feminism, and to Laura represents “the fragrance of freedom, of optimism, of strength.”

From Victoria Beckham to Sienna Miller, these are the signature fragrances worn by celebrities
Chanel
No 19 Eau de Parfum
100ml, £113
From Victoria Beckham to Sienna Miller, these are the signature fragrances worn by celebrities
Photograph: Philip Gay

Gemma Arterton

Colonia, the original cologne from the famed Italian brand Acqua di Parma is Gemma Arteton’s signature fragrance. The timeless fragrance, created in 1916, is a unique blend of Sicilian citrus fruits; lemon, orange and bergamot, alongside aromatic herbs of rosemary and cloves. Arterton has previously said, “I love it because it’s really fresh and citrusy, but not sharp or heavy. It reminds me of fresh laundry. People know I love it so much that every Christmas I get gifted the matching candle.”

Discover the signature fragrances worn by celebrities including Kate Moss, Victoria Beckham, Adele, Meghan Markle, The Duchess of Cambridge
Acqua di Parma
Colonia
100ml, £113
RECOMMENDED
Subscribe to our curated London guides for the very best in contemporary culture across the capital. Plus the latest style and beauty news and reviews.