Better-Know-A-Niche Perfumery: The Different Company

On my second day in Paris, I went to what turned out to be one of my favorite niche perfumeries in the city: The Different Company. This perfumery was created at the beginning of this century with the goal of creating luxurious fragrances with rare and precious ingredients and keen attention to detail and craftsmanship.

Located on a quiet side street in the 2nd arrondissement, this boutique has a very clean, zen-like feel to it. The minimalist approach is reflected in the clean lines of the bottles made of carefully blown glass and topped with hefty bronze caps.

The press relations associate, Julie, was extremely helpful and very knowledgeable about the line. I was able to test the different fragrances at my own pace, and Julie answered my many questions with great patience and charm.



The Different Company collection currently has nine beautiful fragrances:

• Bois d'Iris: Iris, vetiver, cedarwood, narcissus, geranium, musk


• Osmanthus: Chinese osmanthus, leaf green, bergamot, orange, tangerine, rose, rose bay, castoreum, hay, and musk


• Rose Poivrée: Damascus Rose, centifolia rose, rose bay, pepper, coriander, vetiver, civet


• Bergamote: Bergamot (70%), ginger, orange blossoms, leaf green, rhubarb and musk


• Jasmin de Nuit: Egyptian jasmine, star anise, cinnamon, cardamom, black currant, sandalwood, musk, and amber


• Sel de Vétiver: cardamom, grapefruit, geranium, Haitian vetiver, Indonesian patchouli, ylang ylang and iris


• Charmes et Feuilles: marjoram, peppermint, sage, wild thyme, jasmine sambac, grapefruit, clementine and patchouli


• Sens et Bois: Chinese cedar wood, white violet, black pepper, elemi resin, ginger, patchouli, vervain, bergamot and incense


• Ailleurs et Fleurs: neroli, petigrain, tuberose, hazelnut- and elder-flowers, mandarin, star anise, Bigarade orange, soft musk and plum

Choosing a favorite is difficult because they are each delightful and full of unique character. So I will choose two: Jasmin de Nuit and Ailleurs et Fleurs. Both of these gorgeous florals were created by Céline Ellena. Jasmin de Nuit is made with a particularly high concentration of Egyptian jasmine blended with warm cinnamon, cardamom and star anise on a bed of golden amber. It has a delicious dry-down and very good staying power. I am a big fan of jasmine in any form, and this fragrance is one of my favorite jasmine blends.

Ailleurs et Fleurs combines the delicate white flowers, neroli and tuberose, with petigrain oil and elder blossoms on a soft, musky base. This is a sheer, yet elegant transparent floral with unexpected depth. It calls to mind summer afternoon garden parties with white organza dresses and pearls.

These fragrances are available directly from The Different Company website. They are also available at luckyscent and lusciouscargo, $130-$150 for 90 ml eau de toilette.

photo credits: Christine Pierce