Flower Power: 10 Fresh Floral Fragrances For Summer

From fashion heavy hitters Prada and Mugler, to spirited avant-garde upstarts like the LA-based Boy Smells and niche labels including 250-year-old Parisian perfumer Houbigant, scent makers around the globe continue to celebrate the power of the flower. These are our favourite floral perfumes of the moment.

Les

A California label favoured among clued-in millennials, Boy Smells’ latest eau de parfum harmonises sweet pomelo and vanilla with the fresh, soft undertones of peony blossoms and a hint of cedarwood to create a delightfully urban, maximalist aroma.

Paradoxe Intense

This striking evolution of one of Prada’s most beloved fragrances showcases an alluring contrast of bergamot and jasmine. Fans of the original scent won’t be disappointed by this lavish floral symphony, which many will find offers a richer, more opulent olfactory experience.

Lavande 31

Lavender, old-fashioned? Hardly, says NYC-based Le Labo, who complements the classic scent with a sophisticated blend of bergamot and neroli essential oils. The result is a musky yet refreshingly clean perfume that feels very now.

Rose

In a novel approach to perfumery, La Bouche Rouge pairs a wealth of natural extracts with upcycled materials. Our current favourite? Rose, a sublimely fruity and woody rose-petal blend by noted scent maker Nicolas Bonneville, who took inspiration from serene early mornings in Paris’ Jardin de Bagatelle.

New York Flowers

Quintessential NoHo perfumer Bond No. 9 artfully unites invigorating notes of jasmine and Rose de Grasse with Anjou pear in this joyful homage to the lush public gardens of Manhattan, named Harper’s Bazaar’s Best Fragrance of 2023.

Moonlight Rose

A highlight from iconic French jeweller Van Cleef & Arpels’ Collection Extraordinaire, this sweet-and-spicy unisex scent proposes an enchanting fusion of Bulgarian and Taif roses with notes of pink pepper, honey, patchouli and farm-fresh raspberries.

AQ

Decorté’s olfactory ode to the life of a rose, from bud to blossom, resides in a delicately crafted frosted-glass bottle. With heady middle notes of magnolia champaca and rose, citrusy top notes, and woody, musky base notes, this is an extraordinarily rich and complex aroma.

Angel Elixir

Mugler has outdone itself with this fruity and floral Angel Elixir. A delectable creation imbued with spicy pink pepper, jasmine, ylang-ylang, sandalwood and bourbon vanilla, it sits prettily in the marque’s iconic star-shaped bottle.

Daisy Wild

A fresh iteration of one of the world’s most beloved scents, Marc Jacobs’ Daisy Wild is bold and delicate at once, combining pleasing notes of jasmine, vetiver and banana blossom for a refreshingly youthful scent. 

Pétales de Magnolia

Houbigant’s new eau de parfum poignantly captures the scent of blossoming magnolia trees. Co-stars include Japanese pear, pomelo and coconut, which do much to evoke the soft and delicately sweet essence of a sun-drenched summer day.

[Image at top: iStock/lady_in_red13]