- Etat Libre d'Orange perfumes and colognes:
Country:France
Main activity:Fragrances
Brand website:link
Niche designer
Etat Libre d'Orange ("Free State of Orange")is a French perfume house founded by Etienne de Swardt in 2006. Embracing the motto"Le parfum est mort, vive le parfum!"("Perfume is dead, long live perfume!"), the house has swiftly earned a reputation for its bold, unconventional compositions—marked by provocative names and imagery.
The Visionary Behind the Brand
Etienne de Swardt, born in South Africa, journeyed to Paris where he contributed to projects for Givenchy and crafted the "Oh My Dog!" and "Oh My Cat!" fragrances for pets. He established Etat Libre d'Orange to break free from the constraints of the traditional perfume industry and challenge modern taboos. The house’s fragrances celebrate sexuality and eroticism through their scents, titles, and visual identities.
Creative Collaboration and Aesthetic
De Swardt acts as the "editor" of the perfume house, partnering with veteran perfumers to develop each scent. Etat Libre d'Orange also boasts a distinct visual aesthetic, brought to life by the graphic design teamIch & Kar, which creates cohesive imagery for every fragrance.
A Declaration of Perfumery Independence
Citing their founding year as the "Year Zero of perfumery," the brand penned aDeclaration of Independencewith six articles. These outline their creative philosophy, commitment to premium materials, minimalist packaging, and subversive concepts. Their fragrances are genderless, initially housed in identical bottles featuring the company name and logo. In 2007, this uniformity shifted with theTom of Finlandedition, introducing distinct packaging. The brand has collaborated with celebrities like Rossy de Palma, Tilda Swinton, and the Sex Pistols for special editions, and has honored icons such as Tom of Finland and Josephine Baker through dedicated fragrances.
Fragrance Portfolio
Etat Libre d'Orange currently has 56 perfumes in its fragrance library. The earliest edition debuted in 2006, with the latest released in 2025. These scents were created in collaboration with renowned perfumers, including Antoine Maisondieu, Christine Nagel, Quentin Bisch, Antoine Lie, Mathilde Bijaoui, Shyamala Maisondieu, Violaine Collas, Nathalie Feisthauer, Cécile Matton, Ralf Schwieger, Daniela Andrier, Jordi Fernández, and Caroline Sabas.
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