For those who grew up during the ‘90s, you may notice a wave of nostalgia ignite your senses as you walk down the street, are nestled among strangers on the Tube or as the doors close in a lift.
The revival of the decade is ubiquitous – and this is not just limited to clothing. Sure, baby tees, bucket hats, slip dresses and cargo trousers are dominating the fashion space but admiration for Y2K is infused into aroma trails too.
These fragrances may have played a part in your scent wardrobe since their inception, or you may be looking to revoke memories of the simpler pre-social media time through the power of perfume. No matter your intention to stock up on 90s fragrances, you’re not alone.
In fact, in the retailer’s annual report, the experts at John Lewis noticed an uptake in the heady, intoxicating scents of the 1990s. It detailed that sales of Mugler's Angel, which was unveiled back in 1992, were up 23 per cent, whilst those of Armani’s Aqua di Gio which came to market in 1996 increased by 29 per cent.
And who can deny the endurance of CK One, an era-defining fragrance that broke the convention of perfume-making at the time as the first fragrance to be marketed as unisex? CK One walked so that the likes of Le Labo, Byredo and Escentric Molecules could run.
The marketing campaign was a testament to the power of advertising. The iconic images, shot by Steven Meisel in black and white, are hard to forget – even in this age of mass consumerism. “The initial vision was inspired by 1969 photography by Dick Avedon, Andy Warhol and members of the Factory,” Calvin Klein explained at the time. “I wanted to capture a liberal and rebellious attitude, featuring unique people, for our anti-perfume”.
With Kate Moss front and centre, it reflected the grunge and counter-culture movement that flung gender fluidity from the shadows to the forefront of what was considered cool. Dressed in distressed jeans, basic tank tops, bras or topless, makeup-free and with messy hair, she was surrounded by a diverse group of models of all shapes and sizes – something that was not commonplace at the time.
Inject a touch of nostalgia into your fragrance collection through the most iconic 90s scents below.
Mugler Angel
It is no surprise that Mugler’s Angel scent has remained as popular today as it was in 1992 when it launched. The aroma is truly distinctive and unique with endless repurchase appeal – to the delight of its legion of fans.
For some, it’s irresistible and an immediate signature, while others turn away from the strong scent. It’s certainly heady, which makes it ideal for the winter season and it creates a scent trail that lasts and lasts. The award-winning aroma opens with bright notes of peony and mandarin before drying down with gourmand praline and woody patchouli.
Buy now £110.50, lookfantastic
Armani Acqua Di Gio Eau de Toilette
The Armani Acqua Di Gio Eau de Toilette takes your olfactory on a journey. It’s classified as an aromatic, aquatic fragrance and is masculine in its makeup. While the opener is one of citrus with green tangerine, lime and bergamot, it’s the spice elements that take over with nutmeg and coriander. The fragrance is anchored with the warming notes of amber, patchouli and cedar.
While it was released back in 1996, the brand has not shied away from innovation by transforming the classic eau de parfum into a refillable format and through its selection of sustainably sourced ingredients.
Buy now £55.20, lookfantastic
CK One
CK One was an immediate bestseller as soon as it came to market in 1994. Just 10 days after it was unveiled, it has already generated sales of $5 million with one sold every 20 seconds, according to reports. This genderless fragrance is defined as a citrus aromatic chypre with a lengthy ingredient list that may give the impression of a sensory overload but is universally beloved – hence the messaging “One for all” that dominated the ads.
The composition of possibly contradicting notes is the point. This was not designed to be overpowering, but instead be an unassuming aroma. It has top notes of pineapple, mandarin orange, papaya, bergamot, cardamom and lemon. This is set alongside nutmeg, violet, orris root, jasmine, lily-of-the-valley and rose and a base of sandalwood, amber, musk, cedar and oakmoss
Buy now £28.00, Amazon
Jean Paul Gaultier Classique Eau de Toilette
Don’t let the name fool you, this fragrance is anything from Classique. Launched in 1993 under the name JPGaultier Eau de Parfum and rebranded in 1995, it’s a dynamic, evolving and surprising scent where sweet orange is paired with rice powder and vanilla meets ginger. The floral amber combination is seductive and intoxicating.
The bottle, now a signature of the brand, resembles a curvaceous torso and was compared to the corset Madonna wore during her 1990 Blond Ambition World Tour which was designed by Gaultier.
Buy now £61.00, The Perfume Shop
Issey Miyake L'Eau d'Issey Eau de Toilette
When Issey Miyake unveiled his first fragrance back in 1992, it was said to have sold out every 14 seconds. The scent reached icon status and is perhaps more synonymous with the label than its signature pleats.
L’Eau d’Issey is a fresh aroma made up of delicate flowers; rose and lotus with a springtime feel that has the seemingly contradicting ability to be spritzed come night or day. It takes inspiration from a waterfall in a rich forest and thus the base of earthy wood anchors the aquatic floral nature.
The idea for the bottle was born out of a moment in Paris when the fashion designer saw a full moon suspended over the Eiffel Tower, creating a cast that led to the triangular design featuring the orb top.
Buy now £66.00, Lookfantastic
Clinique Happy Perfume Spray
How do you bottle happiness? This was a goal that Clinique set itself back in 1997 with its fragrance of the same name. Since it was created, it has been a recurring bestseller, so clearly the skin and fragrance house nailed the assignment.
The scent has hints of citrus and floral, fresh notes with ruby red grapefruit, bergamot, Hawaiian wedding flower and spring mimosa stimulating the olfactory. The combination is revitalising, uplifting and feel-good.
Buy now £40.50, Clinique
Diptyque Philosykos
The power of Diptyque has never wavered – and you only need to look to Philosykos as a testament to the endurance of the luxury French fragrance house that is as popular today as was on its inception back in 1996.
The notes take inspiration from summers in Greece with earthy touches of bark and sweet fig, the latter of which is the predominant scent. One whiff of this fragrance will transport you to the warmer climes of the Mediterranean, resembling a fig grove with green notes anchored by the wood base.
If you’re a fan of fig, this is the scent for you with its hyper-realistic vegetal scent that is uplifting, comforting and distinctly summery. It’s also complex considering the price, but is not as long-lasting as some of its contemporaries.
Buy now £95.00, John Lewis
Jean Paul Gaultier Le Male Eau de Toilette
Francis Kurkdjian – the nose behind the legendary Baccarat Rouge 540 fragrance – created this aroma in 1995 for Jean Paul Gaultier. It was designed as a counterpart to the Classique scent above as a masculine alternative to the distinctly feminine notes. But don’t for one minute think this is an ordinary male woody EDT, far from it. It takes a unique approach with the main accord of lavender that took inspiration from men’s hairdressers in the ‘50s and a sweet, deep vanilla base that makes it as popular with women as it is with men.
The muscular torso wearing a marinière bottle shape has become iconic as a trademark of the Gaultier universe, while acting as the precursor to the Le Male fragrance range with new iterations still developed by the brand.
Buy now £67.00, The Perfume Shop
