Even if travelling abroad is off the table this summer, you can still transport yourself out of London with a few spritzes of fragrances that will remind you of holidays abroad. From D.S and Durga’s Caribbean-inspired St Vetyver to Creed’s Acqua Originale Citrus Bigarade that is reminiscent of Mediterranean breezes, this season’s perfumes are bursting with notes that capture the essence of warm, exotic locations around the world. Whether you’re after something fresh and light, or comforting and sweet, these are the best new summer fragrances to wear this season.
Inspired by master perfumer Olivier Creed’s love of travel, the new collection of unisex Acqua Originale perfumes are an intoxicating blend of opulent ingredients, presented in an elegant Art Deco bottle. In addition to the house’s classic Vétiver Géranium and Iris Tubéreuse, the collection now includes three new creations. The first, Citrus Bigarade, is designed to capture the Mediterranean sun with lemon and mandarin layered with white pepper and ginger. Zeste Mandarin is similarly citrusy, immediately transporting you to Sicily with a blend of lemons, patchouli flowers and orange blossom. Finally, Green Neroli offers a herbaceous, aromatic fragrance, with lemon and orange warmed with hints of tarragon.
Capturing the essence of the Calabrian bergamot is at the heart of this limited-edition fragrance, which is created using centuries-old artisan techniques, and presented in a refillable hand-poured porcelain bottle. Notes of mandarin, orange and grapefruit play to the bergamot’s accents, while galbanum and geranium strike a green, floral chord.
Taking inspiration from the scents of the Caribbean, perfumer David Seth Moltz has created an amber, woody fragrance that takes the pure base accord of Haitian Vetyver and combines it with sweet notes of cane plant and spiced rum. Fresh island grass and tropical citrus further transport you to exotic, sun-drenched climes.
To celebrate Diptyque’s 60th anniversary, Orphéon is inspired by the infamous Saint-Germain’s jazz club where the parfumerie’s founders often met up for all-nighters in the Sixties. It’s woody, floral and spicy all at once, blending together tonka bean, cedar, jasmine and juniper berries to evoke wisps of tobacco and the scent of make-up powder.
Rich, powerful and sensual, this reimagination of the classic ‘tobacco’ scent is an oriental blend of smoky hookah embers contradicted with fresh, fruity notes of plum and peach and the golden sweetness of honey.
Designed to capture the current state of mind and conflicting feelings that have come with a year of lockdowns and political unrest, Byredo’s latest fragrance is zeitgeist in a bottle. Comforting notes of maté, birch, cassis and black tea are contrasted with the sharp sweetness of cassis and violet leaf to create an intriguing aroma.
Green Glossary
In 2006, rule-breaking perfumer Geza Scheon released Molecule 01, designed to be the most minimal fragrance on the market. The warm, cosy unisex fragrance was an olfactory hit. This season sees a new trio, with a single ingredient added to Molecule 01’s velvety-woody basenote – patchouli, iris and mandarin – to give a new dimension to the cult classic.
The French Maison has encapsulated lazy days on sun-kissed beaches with heart notes of Yuzu – a rare citrus fruit from Japan – giving a bright, fresh burst that’s tempered with neroli and aromatic herbs.
Yellow Hibiscus Cologne Intense, 100ml, £105
Say aloha to two new Hibiscus colognes inspired by the tropical Hawaiian islands that join Jo Malone’s Blossoms Collection. A heady layer of Jasmine Sambac is met with mandarin, ylang ylang and warming vanilla in Red Hibiscus, while Yellow Hibiscus bursts with a sparkling, floral top note, underpinned by rose and white musk.
The latest fragrances in the Aqua Allegoria collection blend rich floral scents with unexpected notes. Nettare Di Sole evokes honey made from white flowers blended with magnolia, rose and jasmine, while Flora Salvaggia embodies spring meadows, with wild flowers setting the tone, finishing with powdery iris and violet.
