The old money perfumes has been building steadily across fashion and beauty for several seasons. It was Gwyneth Paltrow’s understated wardrobe choices that drew early attention to the movement, followed by the collective fixation on the costuming in Succession and, more recently, renewed interest in Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy’s pared-back style as seen in Love Story. The through-line across all of it is the same: wealth signaled through restraint rather than volume.
Fragrance has arrived at the same conclusion. Where scent-maxxing, the practice of wearing bold, room-filling perfumes that announce a presence before a person enters, has dominated recent years, old money fragrance operates on entirely different principles. These are scents that sit close to the skin, noticed only by those in immediate proximity. They are not designed to make an impression on a crowd. The impression they make is more personal than that.
What makes a perfume old money
Scent expert Thomas Dunckley describes the approach as one built around the art of subtlety. The old money fragrance philosophy holds that the ability to find something that most people have not discovered carries more value than wearing a recognizable name loudly. It is less about the label than about discernment, knowing what to look for and being willing to look beyond the obvious.
For those drawn to major fragrance houses, Dunckley suggests exploring lesser-known lines within those rosters rather than flagship scents. The Hermès Hermessence collection and Gris Dior within the Dior range represent the kind of under-the-radar luxury that fits the old money framework better than a best-selling launch would.
The old money perfumes worth knowing
Papillon Angélique is a soft iris-forward scent built around the imagery of a spring garden in bloom. Its sillage is delicate and powdery, the kind of fragrance that rewards closeness.
Nancy Meiland Perfumes, a Brighton-based perfumery working with sustainably sourced ingredients, produces Jasmin Sacre, a full and narcotic jasmine composition that sits at a remove from anything mass-market. The brand also offers the scent in a limited-edition ceramic bottle designed in collaboration with Liv and Dom.
Strangelove’s Fall Into Stars occupies the more opulent end of the spectrum, built around a deep amber accord with a richness that Dunckley considers without comparison. It has a devoted following among well-heeled New York consumers and positions quality and artistry well ahead of commercial concerns.
Perfumes H’s Dust, created by British perfumer Lyn Harris, blends powdery iris, orange flower, and soft vanilla into something that reads as both ethereal and current. The reference point is closer to a Sofia Coppola film than to a department store counter.
Guerlain’s Neroli Plein Sud brings warmth and complexity to the category through neroli anchored by saffron and clove. It carries the feeling of the South of France in summer without leaning into the obvious holiday fragrance territory.
Chanel Les Exclusifs Comète draws its inspiration from the jewellery collection Coco Chanel designed in 1932. The result is a skin-soft scent with almond-adjacent cherry blossom and iris that sits on the body the way a well-chosen necklace does.
Hermès Hermessence Santal Massoia offers a creamy sandalwood with an unusual airiness that prevents it from reading as heavy. The balance between richness and lightness is where the scent finds its character.
Balenciaga Muscara closes the list with a musky iris that functions almost like a powdery watercolour. Nothing about it is sharp or insistent. It is, in the most deliberate sense, a scent that declines to announce itself.
