My Favourite Fragrances of 2024 – The Candy Perfume Boy
As the year draws to a close it’s time to reflect on all that 2024 was. Personally 2024 was a year that can only be described as ‘hot garbage’ but we get through these things, as we do. We move. From an olfactory standpoint things were more positive and whilst I haven’t been writing about fragrance for some time, I have been keeping my finger on the pulse, or nose on the scent as it were. Yes, there is a lot of crap out there still (and dupes, so, so many dupes!!) but amongst the not so good there were lots of beautiful things that piqued my interest.
So what stood out to me in 2024? The answer is a few, very varied things. I discovered a new (to me) brand, fell in love with a perfectly-executed flanker, fanboyed over one of my favourite perfumers, was surprised by daring olfactory exploits, bought things on a whim, and loved yet another instalment in a fragrance franchise I already love. I think that’s a pretty good summary, so without further ado here are my six favourite fragrance launches of 2024! Please note that I fully intended to pick only five but I wasn’t able to be that strict with myself, soz.
Eau d’Ombré Leather
Tom Ford
People usually roll their eyes at fragrance flankers (i.e. variations on a fragrance that use the name and bottle – think of it like a sequel) because they are often an easy (and cheap) way for a brand to launch something new without tooling a new bottle or creating a new campaign, instead they simply capitalise on the success of an existing scent in their catalogue. But good flankers are worth celebrating and Eau d’Ombré Leather is just that, balancing a strong family resemblance to the original Ombré Leather whilst offering something new.
Tom Ford has often sold raunch in all that he does. Lest we not forget that he is the man that shaved a ‘G’ into a lady’s downstairs area for a Gucci campaign shoot. That sense of sexuality hasn’t always translated into his fragrances but in Eau d’Ombré Leather, it’s right there for all to see like a big hairy ‘G’. Taking the sleek, sexy leather accord of the original OL, this Eau version opts for something more PVC-like, using saffron to evoke a rubbery, fetish vibe. It’s all very Tom of Finland, very YSL Body Kouros, and very addictive. I love it.
Eau d’Ombré Leather is available in 100ml Eau de Toilette for £125.
Tilia
Marc-Antoine Barrois
Marc-Antoine Barrois has been the surprise brand discovery of the year for me. It’s weird, the brand launched their first fragrance in 2016 but somehow all knowledge of the brand passed me by and it wasn’t until I reentered the world of perfume a few months ago that I hitched myself to the MAB bandwagon. Talk about late to the party! The cult fragrance Ganymede (with its hot, electric spaciousness) was my first exposure to the brand and it has become a staple of mine, but I’ve also fallen head over heels for Tilia, which launched earlier this summer.
Created by perfumer Quentin Bisch (as all of Marc-Antoine Barrois’ fragrances are), Tilia is an ode to linden blossom, with beautiful white flowers accented by the greenery of vetiver, the softness of cedar and wispy, airiness of Ambroxan. It’s a masterful floral composition that feels dramatic and bold managing to be spacious and present whilst also transparent. I love the clash of sweet, bubble-gum like jasmine and the green, menthol nature of the linden. It is completely modern and gets so much attention. I am obsessed with it and often reach for it when I want to make a statement, especially when that statement is ‘BEHOLD MY OLFACTORY SPLENDOUR, I AM YOUR QUEEN’, which is surprisingly often, ngl.
Tilia is available in 30ml and 100ml Eau de Parfum, from £110-£190.
Infleurno
Eau de Boujee
If you read my “what makes a fragrance good?” post from a few weeks back you’ll remember me saying that a good perfume must smell good. I’m all for scents that are challenging and artistic, bold and brave, but unless the result actually smells good to wear, then it’s a big fat ‘no’ from me. Infleurno is certainly challenging, artistic, bold and brave, but it’s also fascinating. It is infinitely wearable and I simply cannot wait until summer because I think that’s when it’s going to really come into its own. When summer comes I’m going to wear the hell out of it….
So what makes Infleurno one of my favourite fragrances of this year? The answer is simple: it’s clever. Taking the acerbic, sulphuric facets of grapefruit, passion fruit and blackcurrant, and pairing them with white flowers, incense smoke and vetiver, Eau de Boujee have created a bubbling pool of lava in fragrant form. I always think of Eau de Boujee as a comic strip, its two protagonists being Nick and Pia (the brains behind the brand) and Infleurno is the instalment where they fall into the River Styx for a brief moment but cleverly (and in a way that is incredibly entertaining) fashion their way out of trouble on a bridge made of magnolia flowers. What ever will they get up to next?!
Infleurno is available in 100ml Eau de Parfum for £160
New Look
La Collection Privée Christian Dior
The news that legendary perfumer Francis Kurkdjian was taking over as nose-in-residence at Dior certainly filled me, a card-carrying member of the FK fan club (we call ourselves “The Franny Pack”), with a sense of glee. Kurkdjian has created some of my favourite fragrances (I will die for Le Male) and has even created some of Dior’s best modern scents, prior to taking up the mantle as their nose (see Eau Noire) so I was into him being at Dior in a big way. I enjoyed his first creation for Dior’s La Collection Privée (Dioriviera) but it was this year’s edition, New Look, which absolutely blew my socks off.
Like many of Kurkdjian’s best creations, New Look boasts a simple structure where materials overlap to create something entirely new. At the core of the fragrance is incense and aldehydes, both of which feel silvery and clean, creating a bubbly, fizzy effect that has a rich, oily warmth underneath. Taking inspiration from Christian Dior’s bold new look which debuted in 1947, New Look the fragrance is a bold olfactory statement that is equally as chic as Dior’s silhouette. For me it’s absolutely timeless and fits no matter the outfit or occasion. It’s perfect.
New Look is available in 40ml, 125ml and 250ml Eau de Parfum, from £130-£375.
Shalimar Millésime Jasmin
Guerlain
Over the last four years or so, Guerlain have released an annual ‘Millésime’ edition of Shalimar where one facet of the original’s Guerlinade base has been amplified. So far they’ve done vanilla, tonka and iris, and this year’s edition focuses on jasmine. Whilst my favourite overall is the Millésime Tonka, which felt like a really modern, almost-gourmand twist on the 1925 classic, Millésime Jasmin comes in a close second, and is easily one of my favourite fragrance launches of the year.
For me, Shalimar has always smelled best in its lighter formats. OK, yes, the Extrait is exquisite with its diamond-like bergamot and smooth, buttery, and smoky everything else. But for everyday wear I tend to reach for the Eau de Toilette or some of the classic cologne. Jasmin lightens up Shalimar’s powdery-amber signature with sweet, waxy white blooms which feel breezy and clean. The rest of the development feels just like Shalimar, but less heady. It’s a simple twist but it works and I find myself reaching for it quite regularly. I wonder which edition we’ll get for next year’s centenary? I’ve heard a rumour it’s rose…
Shalimar Millésime Jasmin is available in 50ml Eau de Parfum for £109.
Infusion de Gingembre
Les Infusions de Prada
I’m a sucker for ginger in anything, I love it. It’s just so refreshing. Pepsi did a limited edition Pepsi Max Ginger a few years back and it tasted like hand soap, I bloody loved it. I also adore the Prada Infusions – they are the perfect capsule collection of scents, each focusing on a single note but boasting that signature bubbly iris-benzoin accord that is undeniably ‘Prada’ in every single way. With that in mind I had no choice but to love Infusion de Gingembre. It was literally written in the stars.
Infusion de Gingembre is the perfect ginger. It is sticky and fizzy, with a candied ginger vibe. Vetiver adds a grapefruit-like sharpness that cuts through to stop things becoming too sugary, but overall there’s an energetic, humid feel to it. I wore this on a trip to Barcelona earlier this year and honestly, I smelled so good I think I went down in history as the only tourist they weren’t mad at this year. Prada has already announced an Infusion de Rhubarbe for 2025 (in a really cute pink bottle) so check back here in 12 months to see if that makes my best of 2025 list, odds are it will..
Infusion de Gingembre is available in 100ml Eau de Parfum for £135.
What were your favourite fragrance launches of 2024? Let me know in the comments below!
Disclaimer
The following were gifted by the brands: Marc-Antoine-Barrois Tilia, Eau de Boujee Infleurno. The following were purchased by me with my own money: Tom Ford Eau d’Ombré Leather, Dior New Look, Shalimar Millésime Jasmin, Prada Infusion de Gingembre.