The Subversive Fragrances of Etat Libre D’Orange

Etat Libre D’Orange was founded by Etienne de Swardt, who declared his independence from “business as usual” in 2006. Freeing himself from the predictable sterility of market-driven fragrance and beauty, he formed his own perfume house where he brought to life a new freedom of expression in scent. Ever since, Etat Libre D’Orange has been creating evocative, often thought-provoking gender-fluid-scents that push the limits of perfumery while maintaining a sense of ironic whimsy, wrapped around distinctive fragrance profiles that are inspired by culture, the arts, technology, cinema, and Anime.

Recently featured on Netflix’ Queer Eye Etat Libre D’Orange Your or Someone Like You is one of the most popular perfumes in the collection. It has a cool, crisp, green herbal cologne vibe that is clean and fresh. There is the aromatic smell of fresh mint and fresh light florals, translucent white flowers, and perhaps wet rose leaves or buds. Mint can be a very tricky note in fragrance, as it can recall the scent (or flavor) of toothpaste and chewing gum, but not here, In You or Someone Like You, the mint effect is simply exquisite.  As the fragrance wears on, there are hints of eucalyptus and pepper, eventually drying to a honeyed jasmine over a wet, clean, slightly rosy musk.

The Afternoon of a Faun was a collaboration with Mx. Justin Vivian Bond (transgender Avant Garde singer/songwriter, actor), who loved the idea of doing something with the ballet dancer Nijinsky. Imagine a relaxed hot afternoon in a field and that is what first comes to mind. Opening with citrus, pepper, cinnamon, and sweet immortelle, the perfume dances as iris and dewy moss swirl with incense and jasmine. The Afternoon of a Faun leaves the stage after a long day with a bow to jasmine, rose, and resinous benzoin. Afternoon of The Faun is an incandescent dream of dance, melody, and seduction.

A collaboration with the Scottish actress Tilda Swinton, Etat Libre Like This, is as fascinating as the Oscar-winning actress known for her androgynous appearance and ginger hair. Her alliance with Etat Libre D’Orange and perfumer Mathilde Bijaoui contains ingredients that Swinton loves and is based on a poem from Sufi poet Rumi.

If anyone wants to know what “spirit” is, or what “God’s fragrance means, lean your head toward him or her. Keep your face there close. Like This”.

Like This has a bright burst of ginger up top, accompanied by pumpkin, vetiver, and immortelle in the base.  There’s a sweet quality as the fragrance beautifully comes together. One of the most loved fragrances from the brand. it is especially great in cooler or anytime you want to smell…Like This.

“Straight, gay… These words are irrelevant here. Tom of Finland is beyond sexuality — he is sex, in all its fullness and magnitude”-Etienne de Swardt

So who was Tom of Finland? His real name was Touko Valio Laaksonen a Finnish artist known for his stylized highly masculine erotic fetish art, and for his influence on late twentieth-century LBGTQA+ culture. Like the artist it was named for, Etat Libre D’Orange Tom of Finland straddles the line between in your face and enigmatic, including its use of ingredients.  Etat Libre D’Orange Tom of Finland uses a note called Safraleine©, arid and dry giving the impression of leather, cedar and saffron. Yet it’s not a heavy leather, as the tonka and vanilla at the drydown leads Tom of Finland into the gourmand territory

One of the most surprising twists on jasmine is Etat Libre Jasmin et Cigarette which was created to capture the glamour of Old Hollywood. At first spray, the realistic jasmine even includes the hint of ripe tropical fruits that that you would find, newly opened on a vine. It is dewy, vaguely melancholic — suggesting the lipsticked pout of a moody silent film star.  It is complex and changes throughout, damp and green one moment, exuding the elegance of a delicate white floral the next. The “cigarette” is the tobacco note that adds a smoky aura.

Etat Libre D’Orange Eau de Protection was originally created for the Spanish actress Rossy di Palma, known for her roles in Spanish director Pedro Almodar’s films. It unfurls bold and in charge, like Rossy’s dragon tattoo. A deep red Bulgarian rose made three-dimensional with the addition of jasmine, it offers a touch of danger with the zest of bergamot, ginger, and black pepper and rests on a bed of sweet, dark secrets (benzoin, incense, cacao, and patchouli). Like the actress it was created for, Eau de Protection successfully straddles the line between over-the-top and enigmatic.

Sécrétions Magnifiques was the first Etat Libre D’Orange scent created. It is the most controversial and still to this day evokes strong emotions. The idea of a perfume inspired by the aromas of blood and semen may disturb some people. Secretions Magnifiques is an ode to bodily fluids not the least of which would be the fluid spraying from the fleshy atomizer on the label. Along with sperm, the perfumer Antoine Lie wanted to include blood, adrenaline, mother’s milk, sweat; even vomit. There are those who think it stands as one of the most singular artistic statements in fragrance.