If you're a fan of fragrances that tell a story, you're likely already obsessed with D.S. & Durga. Founded by a musician and an architect, the brand is celebrated for its unique, unisex scents that feel like captured moments in time - think "Cowboy Grass," "Debaser," or "I Don't Know What." They are masters of crafting olfactory worlds inspired by music, history, and imaginary landscapes.
For those who love D.S. & Durga's inventive and artistic approach to perfume, the good news is there's a whole world of niche fragrance houses with a similar spirit. Here are 18 other brands that channel that same blend of storytelling, creativity, and unforgettable scents.
1. Byredo
Byredo is the epitome of Scandinavian cool, offering luxury fragrances wrapped in minimalist packaging. Like D.S. & Durga, their scents are built around specific concepts and memories, but with a more polished, contemporary edge. Their compositions often feature unexpected notes that create clean, complex profiles, making them perfect for someone who loves D.S. & Durga's creativity but wants a sleeker, more modern aesthetic.
Shop now at byredo.com
2. Le Labo
Known for its industrial-chic "fragrance labs," Le Labo champions slow perfumery and handcrafted scents. They share D.S. & Durga's commitment to artisanal quality and stand out from the crowd with compositions like the iconic Santal 33. The focus here is on celebrating the raw ingredients and the craftsmanship behind each bottle, often hand-blended for you at the time of purchase.
Shop now at lelabofragrances.com
3. Amouage
If you're drawn to the complexity and richness of D.S. & Durga's scents, Amouage is a must-try. This Omani luxury house creates opulent, multi-layered perfumes inspired by the history and traditions of the Middle East. Using precious ingredients like frankincense, myrrh, and rare spices, their fragrances are bold, grand, and unapologetically narrative-driven - a more regal and exotic interpretation of storytelling through scent.
Shop now at amouage.com
4. Aesop
While known for its incredible skincare, Aesop's Eaux de Parfum are standout gems. Their fragrances are earthy, botanical, and intellectual, often inspired by landscapes, artistic movements, and philosophies. They share D.S. & Durga's knack for creating unisex scents that feel both grounded and conceptual, appealing to those who appreciate understated elegance and scents that evoke a specific mood or place.
Shop now at aesop.com
5. Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle
Frédéric Malle acts as an "editor" in the fragrance world, giving the world's best perfumers total creative freedom to develop their masterpieces without brief or budget constraints. This results in an incredible collection of high-concept, artistic fragrances that are as rich in story as they are in composition. It's a brand for true perfume connoisseurs who appreciate the art form, similar to how D.S. & Durga's audience values olfactory creativity.
Shop now at fredericmalle.com
6. Juliette Has a Gun
Juliette Has a Gun brings a modern, rock-and-roll attitude to perfumery. Founded by Romano Ricci, great-grandson of Nina Ricci, the brand creates perfumes with a distinctly rebellious and feminine-but-not-girly edge. Their scents, especially the cult-favorite "Not A Perfume," are sleek and minimalist yet full of character, appealing to the individualistic spirit that D.S. & Durga fans love.
Shop now at juliettehasagun.com
7. Serge Lutens
A true pioneer of niche perfumery, Serge Lutens is for those who view fragrance as a powerful form of expression. His creations are often dark, poetic, and enigmatic, blending rich spices, woods, and animalic notes into complex olfactory artworks. Like D.S. & Durga, a Serge Lutens scent is more than a perfume - it’s a statement and an experience.
Shop now at sergelutens.com
8. Miller Harris
Miller Harris captures the beauty of nature through its distinct brand of London-based "perfumer-storybook" artistry. Their fragrances often blend natural ingredients with urban sensibilities, creating scents that are both refined and unconventional. If you appreciate D.S. & Durga's ability to turn inspiration - a field, a book, a style - into a scent, you'll love Miller Harris's evocative compositions.
Shop now at millerharris.com
9. Ormonde Jayne
This British perfume house is celebrated for its elegance and use of rare, unusual ingredients like black hemlock and champaca. Ormonde Jayne's fragrances are sophisticated, layered, and often a little mysterious, much like the compelling narratives found in a D.S. & Durga bottle. They're perfect for those who want a refined fragrance that still feels wonderfully unique and undiscovered.
Shop now at ormondejayne.com
10. Fornasetti Profumi
Combining the surrealist art of Piero Fornasetti with masterful home fragrances, this brand is an exercise in visual and olfactory storytelling. While they focus on candles and home scent, the perfumes themselves are theatrical and transportive, designed to fill a room with a specific mood or "scene." This creative approach aligns perfectly with D.S. & Durga's talent for building worlds through scent.
Shop now at fornasettiparfums.com
11. L’Artisan Parfumeur
One of the original niche fragrance houses, L’Artisan Parfumeur was founded on the idea of creating perfumes that were natural, inventive, and different from everything else on the market. Their scents are inspired by nature, travel, and memories, much like D.S. & Durga, resulting in timeless and highly evocative fragrances that celebrate the poetry of the natural world.
Shop now at lartisanparfumeur.com
12. Maison Francis Kurkdjian
While often known for the globally beloved Baccarat Rouge 540, Maison Francis Kurkdjian offers a fragrance "wardrobe" full of nuanced, masterfully crafted scents. Francis Kurkdjian is a legendary perfumer who approaches scent with the precision of an architect and the soul of an artist. If you love the high-quality ingredients and purposeful composition of D.S. & Durga but crave a touch of Parisian luxury and polish, this brand is for you.
Shop now at franciskurkdjian.com
13. Gallivant
As its name suggests, Gallivant is a brand for explorers. This independent, London-based perfumery creates unisex fragrances inspired by charismatic cities around the world, from Tel Aviv to Tokyo. Each perfume is an impression of a place, designed to capture its unique energy. This travel-centric storytelling makes it a kindred spirit to D.S. & Durga's more history-and-mythology-focused tales.
Shop now at gallivant-perfumes.com
14. Arquiste
Founded by architect and historian Carlos Huber, Arquiste meticulously researches and recreates scents inspired by specific historical moments and places. Each fragrance is an olfactory time capsule designed to transport you to another era - be it a royal party in 17th-century Spain or a secret encounter on the Côte d'Azur. This deep commitment to historical narrative makes Arquiste a perfect match for fans of D.S. & Durga's specific and fascinating backstories.
Shop now at arquiste.com
15. Vilhelm Parfumerie
Vilhelm Parfumerie creates vibrant, narrative-rich fragrances housed in instantly recognizable saffron-yellow packaging. The brand's inspirations range from the Jazz Age to old Hollywood glamour, with each scent telling a vivid and colorful story. They share D.S. & Durga's bold expressiveness and knack for quirky, memorable names, making them a fantastic choice for anyone who loves perfume with a big dose of personality.
Shop now at vilhelmparfumerie.com
16. Neela Vermeire Créations
This niche brand creates luxurious perfumes that tell the rich, multifaceted story of India. Perfumer Bertrand Duchaufour translates Neela's personal history and cultural heritage into intricate compositions that blend Eastern spices and woods with classic French techniques. Like D.S. & Durga, the scents are deeply tied to a specific cultural narrative, offering a beautiful and nuanced journey in a bottle.
Shop now at neelavermeire.com
17. Escentric Molecules
Escentric Molecules takes a radically different but equally conceptual approach to fragrance. The brand focuses on single, rare aroma-molecules (like Iso E Super or Ambroxan) that smell different on everyone. While stylistically very minimalist compared to D.S. & Durga's layered stories, they appeal to the same perfume lover: someone experimental, curious about ingredients, and wanting a scent that feels entirely their own.
Shop now at eccentricmolecules.com
18. Imaginary Authors
Perhaps one of the most conceptually similar brands, Imaginary Authors is built on the concept that "scent is art and art is provocation." Each fragrance is based on a fictional story from a non-existent author, with scent notes listed like character elements and plot points. This imaginative commitment to pure storytelling makes it a must-shop for any D.S. & Durga enthusiast who loves getting lost in the world a perfume creates.
Shop now at imaginaryauthors.com
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