If You Want to Smell Like Old Money, These Italian Perfumes Will Deliver

As a beauty editor that’s used to spending her days swimming through a sea of perfume launches, I can totally understand how overwhelming it must be to try and pick a new fragrance when the market is so saturated. Especially when, let’s be honest, it’s often bright packaging, trending notes or celebrity endorsements that mean a perfume earns viral status these days. To find something genuinely refined, you often have to look to heritage fragrance houses or historic bestseller lists. So when a perfume that is meticulously composed and quietly luxurious does cross my desk, I sit up and pay attention. And Brunello Cucinelli’s fragrances are exactly that.

I’ll be honest, while I was aware of Brunello Cucinelli as a fashion house—one synonymous with understated luxury—the fragrances hadn’t really been on my radar. Harking back to the 1970s, the brand’s aesthetic is rooted in refined Italian tailoring and impeccable craftsmanship, but its fragrance line didn’t come until much later. In fact, it’s only two years old—a newbie in a busy perfume landscape.

However, you’d be forgiven for thinking that Brunello Cucinelli had been formulating perfumes for decades, as these perfumes ooze the same heritage feel as a fragrance powerhouse like Chanel. At first spritz, it was clear to me that what makes these perfumes so incredibly special is their restraint. You see, in an industry that’s often obsessed with loud statements, Brunello Cucinelli’s scents are the opposite. They aren’t loud or trendy, they’re sophisticated, enveloping and endlessly sophisticated. Plus, whether you’re drawn to spicy, woody perfumes, airy citrus scents or meditative musks, there’s a perfume that will appeal. Ready to discover a new favourite? Ahead, my pick of the very best Brunello Cucinelli perfumes to add to your collection.