The Dries Van Noten perfume line was launched in March 2022, alongside a set of 30 lipsticks. The fragrances are all genderless, and I had a great time smelling most of them when I was in London for Fashion Week earlier this year… and a less great time trying to narrow down which one I was going to buy.

This series about the Dries Van Noten perfume collection is divided into four sets to cover all eighteen fragrances; these are divided by fragrance family. This first set covers the floral fragrances, Set 2 features the amber fragrances, Set 3 the aromatics, and Set 4 the woody, leather, and chypre fragrances. (In case you’re wondering – probably not – Set 4 includes the fragrance I finally bought: Voodoo Chile.)

Floral fragrances feature notes from flowers, either soliflore (a single flower) or in a floral bouquet (multiple flowers). They’re often grouped in particular ways – white flowers like jasmine, gardenia, and tuberose; yellow flowers like ylang ylang, mimosa, and osmanthus; or paired with other elements, like rose with oud. Each of the five Dries Van Noten florals takes a different approach: fruity, lactonic, citrus, photorealistic, and woody. The below image (click to enlarge) will help you decide which one is best for you. Then we’ll explore each fragrance one by one. While individual samples aren’t available, there are sample sets that include some of these floral fragrances: the Floral Nomadic 3-Piece Set and the House Classics 4-Piece Set.

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Dries Van Noten Perfume Set 1: Floral Fragrances

Click each fragrance image to view a larger version to discover notes, year of release, concentration, and the perfumer behind the fragrance.

Fleur du Mal: The Juicy, Fruity Floral

Fleur du Mal (a nod to Baudelaire’s poetry collection Les Fleurs du Mal – “The Flowers of Evil”) is the juicy, fruity floral of the set. It was created by Quentin Bisch, who also gave us Parfums de Marly Delina and Amouage Purpose. The opening is a juicy peach that flows into a floral and suede base, making it a great perfume for work and everyday wear. The key note here is osmanthus: this flower naturally smells like peaches with a warm, soft, leathery undertone – the perfect bridge between the peachy top notes and the suede base.

What reviewers are saying:

• “Blended to absolute perfection”
• “Lush, juicy peach opening with a sophisticated suede rounding it out”
• “The smoothest suede I have ever smelt”

Shop now: Fleur du Mal or get a sample: Floral Set • House Classics Set

Alternative to try: Lanvin – Éclat d’Arpège: includes peach blossom, osmanthus, and amber notes

Jardin de l’Orangerie: The Creamy, Lactonic Floral

Jardin de l’Orangerie is the lactonic floral of the set, created by Daniela Andrier, who also developed Miu Miu Fleur d’Argent (sadly now discontinued) and Prada La Femme L’Eau – both of which also tackle white florals – though they feature tuberose rather than the neroli buds you’ll find here. This top note – the unopened white flowers of the bitter orange tree – gives the fragrance a fresh, green, slightly spicy citrus quality. In the heart, jasmine and ylang ylang play off each other beautifully: the jasmine is rich and heady, while the ylang ylang brings a softening sweetness that stops it from becoming overwhelming. The base is where it gets interesting: the orange blossom milk – a synthetic accord that smells creamy and smooth, almost like marshmallows – rounds everything out into something warm and enveloping. Despite that creaminess, Jardin de l’Orangerie works well as a summer fragrance as the brightness of the neroli keeps it feeling fresh rather than heavy, and it doesn’t go indolic in the way that some white florals can.

What reviewers are saying:

• “This is Florida or the French Riviera in a bottle”
• “Powdery orange blossom neroli flower followed by sweet, creamy, powdery marshmallows”
• “Calming and comforting”

Shop now: Jardin de l’Orangerie

Alternative to try: Prada – Infusion De Fleur d’Oranger: another citrus and white flower combination, without the ylang ylang

Orange Smoke: The Zesty, Citrus Floral

Orange Smoke is the zesty, citrus floral, the work of Annick Menardo, who also created Dior Hypnotic Poison and Frédéric Malle Contre-Jour. The top notes set the tone: citrus (mandarin), fresh (neroli), and green (petitgrain). The latter two notes come from the same plant, the bitter orange tree, petitgrain extracted from the leaves and twigs, and neroli steam-distilled from the flowers. This tree appears again in the heart as orange blossom, which is also from the flowers, but extracted using solvents for a richer, headier scent. It bring just enough freshness to stop the jasmine from becoming too cloying. Incense emerges in the drydown, alongside myrrh and musk from the base.

What reviewers are saying:

• “Subtle incense grounds the sharp, somewhat bitter neroli”
• “Soft, clean, summery, and easy-to-wear”
• “Well balanced fragrance: the incense creeps in slowly without being intrusive”

Shop now: Orange Smoke

Alternative to try: Tom Ford – Neroli Portofino: citrus top notes, orange and neroli heart with jasmine

Raving Rose: The Photorealistic Floral

Raving Rose is the photorealistic rose. It was developed by Louise Turner, who also gave us Genyum Writer and Maison Margiela Lazy Sunday Morning. It opens sharp and spicy thanks to the pepper notes, blending into a heart notes that combine rosa absolute – an extract derived from the petals of Rosa damascena or Rosa centifolia, rich and sweet – with rosa water, the byproduct of steam-distilling fresh rose petals. Rosa water gives a smooth transition from the fresh top notes into the heavier base. This is more of a springtime scent, and leans a touch feminine.

What reviewers are saying:

• “There’s something foody but not sweet about this”
• “Almost photorealistic rose scent without being girly”
• “Realistic rose with musky drydown and a hint of tobacco”

Shop now: Raving Rose

Alternative to try: Swiss Arabian – Rose 01: combines pink pepper, rose, musk, and cashmeran

Rosa Carnivora: The Woody, Earthy Floral

The final one of the five floral fragrances, Rosa Carnivora is the woody, earthy floral. It was created by Daphne Bugey, who also developed Christian Louboutin Loubikiss (a must-try if you love tuberose) and Jean Paul Gaultier Scandal by Night. The rose is realistic and full-bloom, with a green quality that suggests the leaves and stalks of the plant along with the petals. Decidedly not a sweet rose, this fragrance seems to be like Marmite: you either love it or hate it. While some consider it to be elegant and classic, others find it too mature. Ultimately, both Raving Rose and Rosa Carnivora share a sharp, realistic rose at their core but where Raving Rose leans more spicy and peppery, Rosa Carnivora takes on the woody characteristics of the vetiver, cistus, and patchouli in the blend, often described as a more unisex rose fragrance.

What reviewers are saying:

• “Smells like the church ladies who hugged you close”
• “Opens green and fresh – a rose that feels a little out of my tax bracket”
• “A good replacement for Elizabeth + James Nirvana Rose“

Shop now: Rosa Carnivora

Alternative to try: Juliette Has A Gun – Lady Vengeance: an earthy, mature rose fragrance

Dries Van Noten Perfume Set 1: Floral Fragrances

Five floral fragrances, five very different takes on the category. Fleur du Mal is the entry point with juicy peace and suede; if you prefer lactonic warmth, reach for Jardin de l’Orangerie. Orange Smoke plays with the bitter orange tree in three forms, and the two roses – Raving Rose and Rosa Carnivora show how the same flower can read as bright and peppery or earthy and grown-up depending on what surrounds it. If you’re not sure where to start, the Floral Nomadic Sample Set includes Fleur du Mal alongside two ambers, which is a great way to get a feel for the collection.

See the rest of the collection in Set 2 (amber fragrances), Set 3 (aromatic) or Set 4 (woody, leather, chypre).

Note: This post was originally written in May 2023, when the Dries Van Noten perfume collection launched with twelve fragrances – ten Eaux de Parfum and two Eaux de Toilette. More fragrances were added in 2024 and 2025, and this post has been updated to reflect those additions, along with other articles added to the series.

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