Niche poll

[Roc_Xel]

You welcome buddy !

I m sorry to say that but I m amazed to see that Creed is no. 1 .
I have nothing against this niche of course, and think that quality is nice, specially the top notes, much less fond of the dry downs. But I can't have decent longevity with this house. And I don't ask for 10 hours, but often after 1-2 hours my Creed is gone...

I still have samples of all the "water" + erolfla + millesime imperial + Himalaya + GIT ... They are all so weakkkkkkkkk and so often very common and without any surprise!!! Also the drydown of many of the aforementionned ones is very similar, with this powdery smell.. My samples are sleeping since month with 90% remaining in it (they are 2 or 2.5 ml samples) ... Only BDP gave me decent longevity.

Creed is by far one of the niche that impressed me the less.

Well I guess that s also what is that great and beautiful with the world of perfume, we all have different tastes, even sometimes totally opposite tastes.

[bbBD]

First of all, to those that questioned it - Hermes and Guerlain have niche lines (and yes, Hermessence is Hermes) - Chanel should have gotten a spot too.

I'm glad to see Santa Maria Novella on the list - they deserve more chatter. i'd have selected Micallef because what I've tried I've liked, but I've only tried 4-5 fragrances and they are VERY expensive.

It is unfortunate only 20 options are permitted... Malle, Montale, Etat Libre d'Orange, Ava Luxe all deserve a spot on the list, but I know it's impossible to get them all.

[SlimPickins]

There seems to be a lot of confusion about what defines niche. It's very simple. It has nothing to do with subjective traits like quality of ingredients or size of the company or how expensive the fragrances are. It simply defines a company that produces products within a small niche category. In this case, a niche fragrance house is defined as a company that only produces perfume. The category is expanded somewhat here to include lotions, home fragrances, etc. This is opposed to companies that produce clothing, purses, etc. and are more accurately defined as designer houses. They design a wide variety of products, with (at times) a defining house theme or concept. By this definition, which is largely accepted in business and economics, many of the above would more accurately be defined as designer houses (Hermes, Comme des Garcons, etc).
I know some object to this strict definition of "niche." Personally, I like it because it is clearly defined and understandable, with very little gray area.

-Slim

[silverbullet]

There seems to be a lot of confusion about what defines niche. It's very simple. It has nothing to do with subjective traits like quality of ingredients or size of the company or how expensive the fragrances are. It simply defines a company that produces products within a small niche category. In this case, a niche fragrance house is defined as a company that only produces perfume. The category is expanded somewhat here to include lotions, home fragrances, etc. This is opposed to companies that produce clothing, purses, etc. and are more accurately defined as designer houses. They design a wide variety of products, with (at times) a defining house theme or concept. By this definition, which is largely accepted in business and economics, many of the above would more accurately be defined as designer houses (Hermes, Comme des Garcons, etc).
I know some object to this strict definition of "niche." Personally, I like it because it is clearly defined and understandable, with very little gray area.

-Slim

Thanks Slim, that's my conception of "niche" as well

[jrd4t]

I think I misunderstood the poll - I thought it was what we've been giving the most business to in the last month, but I think most here are doing overall thoughts. If only I could vote again

[Sloan]

No surprise to many of you here, Serge Lutens has been emptying my wallet the most among those listed. Restocked Borneo 1834 and Iris Silver Mist and Serge Noire is at the top my Next list.

[Asha]

I voted the same way, jrd4t--based on what I bought in the last month. Plus it says "niche" but has designer houses. I only voted for niche purchases.

[bluesoul]

Is Hermessence a fragrence made by the house of Hermes, or are they two seperate houses?

It's part of Hermés.

[silverbullet]

It's part of Hermés.

Thanks, I was just a little confused about that

[cusut]

There are only a few niché houses available to my country (Vietnam), such as Serge Lutens, Chanel, Guerlain. Anyway my votes go to SL, as I've just received a full jar bottle from my friend in the UK.

[narcus]

I know that the difference between "Niche" and "Niche as used within BN" is not a small one, but this selection destroys the rest of that concept by admitting the two houses with the longest line of perfumes since god knows when, and excluding véritable niche like Malle, Caron, or Montale. I had to look twice to believe that!

Top runners: the two houses which offer a multiple of what all others do - who's surprised?

That said, I love polls! Thanks for taking that upon yourself, Jenson.
Just beware of the hawks!

[TwoRoads]

I'm no engineer, but don't the percentages seem wrong?

The percentages are calculated by dividing the number of votes a house receives by the total number of voters (not by the total number of votes). Since people can vote for more than one house, the percentages will add up to more than 100%.

[narcus]

Since people can vote for more than one house, the percentages will add up to more than 100%.

...which renders the per hundred absurd! But it doesn't have to be that way; one could modify that formula so it makes sense in multiple votes also. (This has been suggested before.)

[moltening]

From the list, I chose Parfumerie Generale, SL, and Guerlain.

[JaimeB]

Hmmm... Guerlain and Hermès as niche houses? I always thought of them as more mainstream, but I guess they do share some characteristics of niche perfumery, even according to my own recent definition. Still, I think they both have a more marketing-based, brief-focused approach than what I would call hardcore niche, especially Guerlain since the LVMH takeover — but I can see some niche-like aspects in both of them.

In any case, since you listed them in your poll choices, and I admire many of their scents greatly, I voted for them...

[supracuhz]

The percentages are calculated by dividing the number of votes a house receives by the total number of voters (not by the total number of votes). Since people can vote for more than one house, the percentages will add up to more than 100%.

Only in basenotes, where the words favorite and best is plural.

[JaimeB]

Only in basenotes, where the words favorite and best is plural.

lol... fer sure! It's one of the things I love about Basenotes logic: it's not too linear... That's a good thing!

[GGA]

My additional votes go for these brands - Chanel's Les Exclusifs, Clive Christian and Bond 9!

[Johnny_Ludlow]

It's easy for me to name three; one, two or four would be impossible.

Lorenzo Villoresi, Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier and Czech & Speake.

[ROBERTO]

sorry but... dont you guys consider Caron as a niche house?

I agree with Basteri. Where is CARON ????
Also where is Annick Goutal, Divine, etc ????

[Lian]

bathing in Le Maroc for warmth

[jenson]

I agree with Basteri. Where is CARON ????
Also where is Annick Goutal, Divine, etc ????

we have top notch lawyers in our forum...so, sue me !

[jenson]

Creed & Guerlain lead! with CdG taking second place closely followed by Serge lutens.

[TwoRoads]

...which renders the per hundred absurd! But it doesn't have to be that way; one could modify that formula so it makes sense in multiple votes also. (This has been suggested before.)

I look at it differently.

The current method allows a person who voted for only one house to have as much weight in that house's 'favorability percentage' as a person who voted for many houses. To alter the calculation so that it added up to 100% would significantly dilute the impact of the single-house voter.

[bluesoul]

lol... fer sure! It's one of the things I love about Basenotes logic: it's not too linear... That's a good thing!

Bahaha, great thing to read this morning. Cheers.

And the problem with Niche threads is invariably people become indignant that their favorite was left out.

[Tony T]

Cdg

[hednic]

Guerlain - from this resurrected 2009 list