The 10 Greatest Fragrances of All Time
Everything’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. In the U.S, the category registered double-digit growth against both 2020 and 2019, according to The NPD Group, with sales of perfumes, colognes and other juices up 61 percent.
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What better time than to ask the people who know fragrance best — beauty industry insiders — to vote on the top 100 fragrances of all time.
In early January, we sent out more than 300 ballots to industry insiders, comprised of founders, marketers, retailers, influencers, editors, perfumers, analysts and C-suite types, then tabulated their responses. (The full list of those willing to be identified as electors is below, although, of course, what they voted on is for their eyes only.)
The parameters were broad. Voters could single out their top 10 to 20 fragrances, and were asked to use the following parameters when making their choice: originality of concept; olfactive originality; retail performance; marketing innovation; quality of ingredients, and packaging and bottle design.
Here, the 10 greatest fragrances of all time, as voted on by the beauty industry.
1. Chanel No. 5
Launched: 1921
Perfumer: Ernest Beaux
Olfactive Family: Floral aldehydic
“The gold standard,” one voter said. “The beginning of everything we think of in modern fragrance,” said another, of the bestselling scent of all time, which contains 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 aromatic
What started as a candle has become one of the most “cultish fragrances of all time,” said a voter. “The first big iconic niche fragrance,” said another. “It helped make niche relevant and was the fragrance for all Millennial opinion leaders for over 10 years.”
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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 sentiments of many, of the scent that created the gourmand category. Its popularity is undiminished: in 2021, 27 units were sold every hour.
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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 would become Portrait of a Lady. He perfumed his wife with one of the two and asked her to go for a walk. When she returned 10 minutes later, she reported that she had been asked four times in the streets of Manhattan about the name and origin of her perfume.
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5. Chanel Coco Mademoiselle
Launched: 2001
Perfumer: Jacques Polge
Olfactive Family: Amber fresh
Chanel tasked Polge with creating 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 new olfactive trend,” one voter said.
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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 new olfactive trend, noting its “uniqueness” in the market. “Uses few but powerful molecules and very few naturals to create a natural sensation,” wrote one.
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7. Dior Eau Sauvage
Launched: 1966
Perfumer: Edmond Roudnitska
Olfactive Family: Aromatic citrus
“The first time hedione was used, which was eventually to be used in almost every fragrance,” wrote a voter, of the newly synthesized molecule called methyl dihydrojasmonate that was a scientific breakthrough in perfumery.
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8. Tom Ford Black Orchid
Launched: 2006
Perfumer: Pierre Negrin and David Apel, Givaudan
Olfactive Family: Amber floral
“The best perfume to be shared by both genders,” wrote a voter. “It wasn’t the first — CK One was — but it is the best.”
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9. Giorgio Armani Acqua di Giò
Launched: 1996
Perfumer: Alberto Morillas
Olfactive Family: Citrus
The bestselling men’s fragrance since its launch has sold more than 25 million units since launch and “personifies the long-lasting, clean, fresh, watery feeling,” a voter said. “Amazing first two TV campaigns,” noted another.
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10. Calvin Klein CK One
Launched: 1994
Perfumer: Alberto Morillas
Olfactive Family: Citrus aromatic
“Genderless before its time,” said a respondent, “and responsible for a transition from heavier ’80s scents into the sheerer, easier scents of the 90s.” CK One was also the first fragrance to be sold in Tower Records, a disruptive distribution strategy consistent with the changing attitudes around consumer accessibility.
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