All the pieces’s coming up roses for the fragrance category.

After years of decline, sales of scent are on the rise again, providing pandemic-weary consumers a much-needed shot of luxury and indulgence. Within the U.S, the category registered double-digit growth against each 2020 and 2019, in response to The NPD Group, with sales of perfumes, colognes and other juices up 61 percent.

What higher time than to ask the individuals who know fragrance best — beauty industry insiders — to vote on the highest 100 fragrances of all time.

In early January, we sent out greater than 300 ballots to industry insiders, comprised of founders, marketers, retailers, influencers, editors, perfumers, analysts and C-suite types, then tabulated their responses. (The total list of those willing to be identified as electors is below, although, in fact, what they voted on is for his or her eyes only.)

The parameters were broad. Voters could single out their top 10 to twenty fragrances, and were asked to make use of the next parameters when making their alternative: originality of concept; olfactive originality; retail performance; marketing innovation; quality of ingredients, and packaging and bottle design.

Here, the ten biggest fragrances of all time, as voted on by the wonder industry.

 

1. Chanel No. 5

Launched: 1921

Perfumer: Ernest Beaux

Olfactive Family: Floral aldehydic

“The gold standard,” one voter said. “The start of every part we predict of in modern fragrance,” said one other, of the bestselling scent of all time, which comprises 1,000 jasmine flowers in every 30-ml. flacon. “It not only endures, it triumphs.”

 

2. Le Labo Santal 33

Launched: 2011

Perfumer: Frank Voelkl

Olfactive Family: Woody fragrant

What began as a candle has turn out to be some of the “cultish fragrances of all time,” said a voter. “The primary big iconic area of interest fragrance,” said one other. “It helped make area of interest relevant and was the fragrance for all Millennial opinion leaders for over 10 years.”

 

3. Thierry Mugler Angel

Launched: 1992

Perfumer: Olivier Cresp

Olfactive Family: Gourmand

“A key milestone in perfumery’s modern history,” wrote one voter, echoing the emotions of many, of the scent that created the gourmand category. Its popularity is undiminished: in 2021, 27 units were sold every hour.

 

4. Frédéric Malle Portrait of a Lady

Launched: 2010

Perfumer: Dominique Ropion

Olfactive Family: “Mysterious elegance”

Malle made two finalist attempts of the scents that may turn out to be Portrait of a Lady. He perfumed his wife with one in all the 2 and asked her to go for a walk. When she returned 10 minutes later, she reported that she had been asked 4 times within the streets of Manhattan concerning the name and origin of her perfume.

 

5. Chanel Coco Mademoiselle

Launched: 2001

Perfumer: Jacques Polge

Olfactive Family: Amber fresh

Chanel tasked Polge with making a scent Coco Chanel herself would wear. Today, it’s the fourth-bestselling prestige fragrance in America, and helped “relaunch Chanel as a top fragrance player and set a recent olfactive trend,” one voter said.

 

6. Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue

Launched: 2001

Perfumer: Olivier Cresp

Olfactive Family: Citrus woody

Voters credit this Sicilian-inspired scent that took Cresp two years to develop with starting a recent olfactive trend, noting its “uniqueness” available in the market. “Uses few but powerful molecules and only a few naturals to create a natural sensation,” wrote one.

 

7. Dior Eau Sauvage

Launched: 1966

Perfumer: Edmond Roudnitska

Olfactive Family: Fragrant citrus

“The primary time hedione was used, which was eventually to be utilized in almost every fragrance,” wrote a voter, of the newly synthesized molecule called methyl dihydrojasmonate that was a scientific breakthrough in perfumery.

 

8. Tom Ford Black Orchid

Launched: 2006

Perfumer: Pierre Negrin and David Apel, Givaudan

Olfactive Family: Amber floral

“The most effective perfume to be shared by each genders,” wrote a voter. “It wasn’t the primary — CK One was — but it surely is the most effective.”

 

9. Giorgio Armani Acqua di Giò

Launched:  1996

Perfumer: Alberto Morillas

Olfactive Family: Citrus

The bestselling men’s fragrance since its launch has sold greater than 25 million units since launch and “personifies the long-lasting, clean, fresh, watery feeling,” a voter said. “Amazing first two TV campaigns,” noted one other.

 

10. Calvin Klein CK One

Launched: 1994

Perfumer: Alberto Morillas

Olfactive Family: Citrus fragrant

“Genderless before its time,” said a respondent, “and answerable for a transition from heavier ’80s scents into the sheerer, easier scents of the 90s.” CK One was also the primary fragrance to be sold in Tower Records, a disruptive distribution strategy consistent with the changing attitudes around consumer accessibility.

For more from WWD.com, see:

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