Unisex perfumes: why good fragrances have no gender
Where exactly is it written that women have to smell floral and sweet, and men dry and heavy? Nowhere. Unisex perfumes do away with that cliché – and a good thing too.
• Unisex fragrances are made for everyone, regardless of gender.
• The split into "for her" and "for him" is historically recent and mostly marketing.
• Many niche houses skip gender labels altogether.
• At 4D OUTFITTERS you will find unisex fragrances from Histoires de Parfums, Maison Margiela and Montale, among others.
It should smell good. Full stop.
Unisex perfumes are not a compromise for the sake of convenience. They are the more honest answer to the question of what makes a good fragrance. Your nose knows no gender – it only knows "I like it" and "I don't". Whether the bottle says "Femme" or "Homme" hardly matters.
So anyone with a good nose goes unisex. A lovely side effect: couples can share a scent. Romantic ("we belong together – you can smell it") and practical at the same time – only one bottle goes in the suitcase.
Calvin Klein and the breakthrough in the '90s
The unisex idea had its big breakthrough in 1994 with CK One by Calvin Klein. Created by Alberto Morillas and Harry Fremont, it is considered the first fragrance openly marketed as unisex – and the first unisex fragrance to become a mass success in the US. Since then, niche houses in particular have perfected the principle. Here are three of them.
Our unisex highlights
Histoires de Parfums – This is not a Blue Bottle
The name is a wink at René Magritte's famous painting "Ceci n'est pas une pipe". This is not a Blue Bottle 1.1, created by founder Gérald Ghislain and Julien Rasquinet, opens with aldehydes and orange; geranium and honey sit at the heart, with amber, musk and patchouli in the base. The series has since grown to several numbers, from 1.1 to 1.8.
Maison Margiela – Replica
The Replica fragrances capture moments almost everyone knows: a lazy Sunday morning in fresh sheets, an evening in a jazz club, a crackling fire. Whether Lazy Sunday Morning, Jazz Club or By the Fireplace: memories simply have no gender.
Montale – Soleil de Capri, White Musk and Intense Café
Montale stands for intense compositions in its distinctive aluminium bottle. Soleil de Capri is summer in a spray: Italian citrus, grapefruit and kumquat, with white flowers and white musk at its heart. White Musk is clean, soft and close to the skin, while Intense Café pairs coffee with rose and vanilla. If you like it even sweeter, you will find more ideas in our article on gourmand perfumes for autumn and winter.
Curiosities about unisex fragrances
Things you probably didn't know
- Once, everything was unisex
Until the late 19th century, men and women alike wore rose water, violet, lavender, musk or ambergris. The strict split into women's and men's fragrances only came with industrial perfume production and 20th-century marketing.
- Napoleon's eau de Cologne
Napoleon is said to have got through eau de Cologne in huge quantities – fragrance historian Annick Le Guérer speaks of up to 120 litres a month. Back then, men and women wore the fresh citrus scent alike.
- 5 million dollars in 10 days
CK One took more than five million US dollars in its first ten days after its 1994 launch. By the mid-'90s, annual sales were around 90 million dollars.
- This is not a pipe
"This is not a Blue Bottle" alludes to Magritte's "Ceci n'est pas une pipe". The eighth edition is called "Sold Out!" – for founder Gérald Ghislain "an idea, an emotion, a sensation".
- Aluminium from Grasse
Montale's aluminium bottles are a tribute to Grasse, where perfumers traditionally let their concentrates rest in aluminium containers. Founder Pierre Montale previously worked as a perfumer in Saudi Arabia and brought his love of oud back with him.
- Replica was fashion first
"Replica" has existed at Margiela since 1994 – as a clothing line of faithful copies of vintage finds from around the world. The first three Replica fragrances only followed in 2012.
Every fragrance you order comes with a sample of it. On top of that, you can write up to four more fragrances in the order note in your cart and receive them as free samples. Perfect for finding a shared scent. Shipping is free from € 200, and you have a 14-day right of return.
How best to apply your fragrance? Read Perfume.Gio: 10 tips for applying perfume correctly. And if you'd like to combine two unisex fragrances, you'll find inspiration in 20 tips for perfume layering. Learn more about Histoires de Parfums in our look back at our afternoon with Histoires de Parfums.
Frequently asked questions
What is a unisex perfume?
A fragrance that is not designed for a particular gender. All that matters is whether you like it and whether it suits your skin.
Does a unisex fragrance smell the same on everyone?
No. Every skin reacts differently, so the same fragrance can come across differently on two people. It's best to test with a sample.
Which unisex fragrances does 4D OUTFITTERS carry?
For example This is not a Blue Bottle by Histoires de Parfums, the Replica series by Maison Margiela and Montale fragrances such as Soleil de Capri, White Musk or Intense Café.
Your 4D OUTFITTERS team, Bregenz
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