État Libre d'Orange: which fragrance suits me?

État Libre d'Orange is the perfume house in our store that raises the most questions, starting with its name. The scents are called Rien, Hermann, or You or Someone Like You, and each smells completely different. Here, we present the scents we carry, sorted by character, so you know where to start when testing.

Who is behind État Libre d'Orange?

The Parisian house was founded in 2006 by Etienne de Swardt. The name recalls the Orange Free State in South Africa, the founder's region of origin. The motto, loosely translated, is: Perfume is dead, long live perfume. The names and compositions are correspondingly unconventional.

Fresh and green

You or Someone Like You is the scent many start with. It was created in 2017 in collaboration with author Chandler Burr, whose novel gave it its name, and composed by Caroline Sabas. Mint, grapefruit, bergamot, and anise open the fragrance; the heart features green notes, blackcurrant, and rose, while white musk forms the base. The result is bright, clear, and easy to wear.

Remarkable People also starts fresh, with grapefruit, a champagne accord, and cardamom, but then becomes spicier: black pepper, curry leaf, and jasmine, followed by sandalwood and labdanum.

Green and smoky

Hermann is inspired by a poem by Victor Hugo. Blackcurrant, black pepper, and galbanum open with green and spicy notes. At the heart, rose, frankincense, and geosmin—a scent molecule with an earthy-mineral character—provide a slightly mystical depth. Patchouli, vetiver, and ambroxan give the fragrance longevity.

Warm and spicy

Nostos draws its inspiration from Greek mythology and the feeling of returning home. Frankincense, mandarin, and saffron open the fragrance, while Turkish rose, jasmine, and an oud accord form the heart, with sandalwood, suede, and musk in the base.

Let's Pretend is structured as an olfactory theater piece. Mandarin, pink pepper, and saffron lead to a velvety peach note with osmanthus and jasmine sambac, while cedarwood, styrax, and benzoin add depth.

Dark and powdery

Rien is the most radical scent in the selection. Aldehydes, pepper, and cumin feel almost metallic, iris and rose bring elegance, and in the base, leather, patchouli, frankincense, and amber unfold their full intensity.

Putain des Palaces is reminiscent of lipstick, powder, and warm skin. Mandarin, ginger, and raspberry open the scent, iris, rose, violet, and lily of the valley make it powdery, while leather, musk, amber, rice powder, and tonka bean provide warmth.

Which scent suits me?

• You like fresh, clean scents: You or Someone Like You.
• You like fresh, but with spice: Remarkable People.
• You like green, earthy scents: Hermann.
• You like warmth, saffron, and wood: Nostos or Let's Pretend.
• You like leather and frankincense: Rien.
• You like powdery, feminine scents: Putain des Palaces.

État Libre d'Orange as scented candles

Some scents are also available as vegetable wax candles, for example Herrmann and Exit the King. The complete selection can be found in our État Libre d'Orange collection.

Testing in Dortmund

A perfume that convinces you after ten seconds might be different after two hours. That is why you can test all the scents in our store at Brauhausstraße 3-5, both on paper and on your skin. You can find more niche fragrances in our fragrance selection, for example, the oriental scents by The Spirit of Dubai.