A wealth of new scents for men and women have wafted their way into UAE department stores this season – from florientals to fruity numbers, ouds to orange blossoms. We pick 10 of the best new fragrances:
For her:
Chloé
Seven years ago, Chloé debuted its signature white rose-based scent and it was an overnight success. This season marks a new chapter for the best-seller, with the roll-out of an upgraded version. Thoroughly modern and fresh but still exhibiting the powdery, feminine bouquet of its predecessor, we’re loving how the latest Chloé lingers all day. We’re also loving the bijoux glass bottle with knotted ribbon and silver-plated cap.
•Additional notes: rose, vanilla, citrus
• The Chloé Eau de Toilette costs Dh360 for a 50ml bottle. Available at various stores including Sephora, Debenhams and Paris Gallery in the UAE
Chanel Chance Eau Vive
Think Chanel, think iconic fragrance maison. The newest launch is no exception and Chance Eau Vive is selling like hot cakes in the UAE. The perfume, which comes in the wake of Chance Eau Fraîche and Chance Eau Tendre in recent years, marks the 12th birthday of the scent and exhibits energetic notes of grapefruit and blood orange. The fragrance smells expensive, elegant, oozes class and, although it’s part of a well-established family of Chance fragrances, it stands proudly apart.
•Additional notes: jasmine and white musk
•Chanel's Chance Eau Vive EDT costs Dh380 for a 50ml bottle. Available at beauty counters and leading UAE department stores
Calvin Klein Euphoria Gold
Boldly named, Calvin Klein’s Euphoria Gold, delivers a fittingly bold fragrance for women this season. It’s best described as a fruity-floriental, as apricots, kumquats and daffodil zing through every spritz. If you favour sweet notes of honey and gardenia, you’ll adore this scent. It delivers a strong, long-lasting fragrance and feels like a new avenue of exploration for the brand. The brushed gold bottle is wonderfully tactile and beautifully sculptural, making it a pretty addition to any dressing table.
•Additional notes: apricot, tangerine, white patchouli, sandalwood
•Calvin Klein's Euphoria Gold EDT costs from Dh480 for 100ml. Available at leading department stores across the UAE
Paco Rabanne Olympea
If you want to stand out from the crowd, Paco Rabanne has just the fragrance for independently spirited ladies this September. Olympea is a highly memorable scent that’s packed with aquatic accords and creamy vanilla.
It’s a playful scent that doesn’t take itself too seriously and is perfectly suited to a brunch and making a cheeky statement. As a maison that has long set the trends for unique fashion and fragrance, this new roll-out is no exception.
•Additional notes: ambergris, jasmine, sandalwood and mandarin
•Paco Rabanne Olympea will be available at beauty counters from mid-September and costs Dh395 for an 80ml bottle
For him:
Calvin Klein Euphoria Gold for men
The newest addition to CK’s fragrance portfolio for men is an absolute must-have. The more I smelt it, the more I loved it. There’s something about the mix of ginger, cinnamon bark and basil that made for an invigorating yet seductive scent at the same time. It’s fresh but warm, light but lingering – it’s every contradiction and a true standout of the season. Aptly named, this fragrance has gold-hued notes of honey, lemon and amber, which make for a very sophisticated combo.
•Additional notes: patchouli and vanilla
•Calvin Klein's Euphoria Gold EDT costs from Dh355 for 100ml. Available at leading department stores across the UAE
Bottega Veneta Pour Homme
The new spicy, woody scent for men launched by Bottega Veneta this season would seem to perfectly encapsulate the iconic brand. Distinctive features are its deeply masculine leathery notes, Siberian pine and notes of juniper. The bottle also stands out from this season’s competitors, mainly for its sleek simplicity. It’s a compact, smoked-grey glass design with Bottega Veneta’s trademark woven leather lattice etched into its base. A sure-fire hit for all seasons, this is a scent most definitely worth smelling.
•Additional notes: calabrian bergamot, Jamaican pimento and Canadian fir balsam
•Bottega Veneta Pour Homme costs Dh300 for 50ml and is available at Debenhams, Vavavoom and Sephora stores, among others in the UAE
King of Seduction by Antonio Banderas
Don’t let the name deter you, this is a remarkably good fragrance. Created by the Spanish actor Antonio Banderas, its notes comprise leather, pomelo, grapefruit and a deep, lingering cardamom element. While I wasn’t sold on the packaging or the bottle at first, the smell quashed all my preconceptions. It’s a robust, hypnotic fragrance which doesn’t cloud the head nor overpower the senses. One for the hit-list of those looking for an affordable, easily wearable scent for day and for night.
•Additional notes: green almond, lavender, oak moss
•King of Seduction by Antonio Banderas costs Dh150 for 50ml and is available at Debenhams across the UAE
Carolina Herrera Privé
CH Privé is the new men’s fragrance by Carolina Herrera. It’s an all-enveloping scent that is rich, warm and deep due to prominent notes of intense black leather, tonka bean and whiskey. It’s a very grown-up, masculine scent that is guaranteed to turn heads and prompt people to ask what you are wearing. The packaging is equally impressive and the bottle is modelled on a classic hip flask. It stands tall with a black, lacquered layer and a cap attached by a metal chain.
•Additional notes: grapefruit, sage, thyme and cardamom
•Carolina Herrera Men Privé costs Dh390 for 100ml and will be available across the UAE at Carolina Herrera boutiques from October
Unisex fragrances:
Jadis
One of the latest releases by the fragrance house Ne’emah is Jadis. It’s a highly wearable unisex perfume with soft hints of rose and prominent notes of orange blossom and vanilla. The scent is the brainchild of Kuwaiti perfumer Mohammed Ne’emah and the name is derived from the French for “yore” or “days of old”. While the inspiration may have been Ne’emah’s nostalgia for times spent in France as a child, the scent is contemporary and a hypnotic one.
•Additional notes: citrus, musk, jasmine
•Jadis by Ne'emah starts from Dh330 and is available at Sephora stores across the UAE
Akowa by M Micallef
Luxury perfume house M Micallef has unveiled a unisex fragrance, Akowa, this month. Its layers are many, its depth is impressive and the time-honoured blend of amber, bergamot and orange blossom is irresistible. There are hints of fig and cacao pod which lend themselves to a highly individual perfume and it’s likely to do well in a region where many men and women favour bold oud and earthy tones. The imposing, weighty bottle is worthy of note, too; with its look and feel of being cut straight from a piece of granite. Something of an investment or rather special gift for any discerning lady or gent.
•Additional notes: musk, vetiver, the roots of African plants
• Akowa by M Micallef costs Dh1,075 for 100ml EDT and is available at M Micallef boutiques in Dubai's Grosvenor House hotel, BurJuman Centre and Al Ain Mall