The house of Serge Lutens is a fragrance house known for its bold and unusual fragrances. However, this is by no means a bad thing, as this is what they specialize in, and they have some true masterpieces in their collection. But what are the best Serge Lutens fragrances for men?
The House Of Serge Lutens And Its Fragrances
The house of Serge Lutens is a French fashion house, founded by Serge Lutens himself. Serge Lutens has a rich history that started as an apprentice for a hairstylist. He then went on to work as a makeup artist, and he was even commissioned by Christian Dior to produce a line of cosmetics.
Later on, in 1980, he was hired by Shiseido to design packaging and cosmetics. This is where Serge Lutens first got into the fragrance world, as in 1982, a fragrance, Nombre Noir, was created. Later on, in 1992, he created another masterpiece, called Feminite Du Bois. In the year 2000, Serge Lutens went out to make his own fragrances.
Most Serge Lutens fragrances were made in collaboration with Christopher Sheldrake, and together, they made unusual and interesting fragrances. Serge Lutens fragrances are classed as niche fragrances, and they definitely deserve that title. These fragrances are not your typical crowd-pleasing fragrances. No, these explore the art and beauty of perfumery, which sometimes results in a fragrance that you don’t want to wear.
A few niche fragrance houses similar to Serge Lutens are Amouage, Arabian Oud, Mancera, and Montale!
Most often, though, they create something that fragrance lovers will absolutely adore. With its unique and interesting scents, Serge Lutens has become a staple in the niche fragrance world and has created many fantastic fragrances. Below are some of the best Serge Lutens fragrances for men, in no particular order!
1. Serge Lutens Borneo 1834
Scent: Serge Lutens Borneo 1834 is a beautiful fragrance with a floral, oriental scent. This fragrance opens with a gorgeous hint of cacao, creating a dusty, chocolatey scent. Added to this are some fresh spices, giving the fragrance a bit of depth. When this fragrance starts to dry down, a beautiful wall of florals makes itself known, blending in beautifully with the spices and cacao. This creates a powdery, almost tropical scent with a lot of depth that truly smells amazing.
Notes: The notes of Serge Lutens Borneo 1834 are French labdanum, galbanum, cardamom, cacao, white flowers, and patchouli.
Best for: Serge Lutens Borneo 1834 is a fantastic cold weather fragrance with a warm and cozy scent. This fragrance has quite an adventurous scent, making it perfect for active men who like to learn. The adventurous vibe gives off a sense of sophistication, which makes it work perfectly with creative men. This, in turn, also means that it works great in a formal setting. However, it works just as nicely when worn casually. If you’re interested in this fragrance, you can check it out over here on Amazon!
2. Serge Lutens Chergui
Scent: Serge Lutens Chergui is a beautiful tobacco fragrance with a sweet and slightly spicy scent. This fragrance opens with a gorgeous scent of sweet cherry tobacco. This is quickly supported by a thick scent of honey, lifting up the tobacco and making it stronger. This combination of honey and tobacco is what truly makes this fragrance. Only in the dry down does it change a bit. An earthy hint of vetiver and incense is added, as well as a subtle touch of animalic musk, creating an interesting and complex scent.
Notes: The notes of Serge Lutens Chergui are amber, sandalwood, hay, rose, iris, incense, honey, musk, and tobacco leaves.
Best for: Serge Lutens Chergui is a fantastic fragrance to wear during the fall and winter. During these colder months, this fragrance is perfect for everyday wear, but it truly excels at night. The sweet scent of honey and tobacco has a seductive and sophisticated vibe to it, grabbing the attention of the people around you. Besides casual wear, you can also wear this formally, as long as you go easy on the number of sprays. If you’re interested in this fragrance, you can check it out over here on Amazon!
3. Serge Lutens Cuir Mauresque
Scent: Serge Lutens Cuir Mauresque is an interesting and bold fragrance with a balsamic, animalic scent. This fragrance opens with a strong scent of leather, supported by a background scent of florals. Later on, some spices are added, and together with the florals, they create a scent that ‘battles’ with the dark scent of leather. This creates a unique and bold scent. All the while, there’s an animalic presence, giving the fragrance a dirty, musky feel.
Notes: The notes of Serge Lutens Cuir Mauresque are nutmeg, mandarin, oud, amber, incense, leather, cedar, styrax, caraway, African orange flower, cinnamon, civet, musk, cloves, and myrrh.
Best for: Serge Lutens Cuir Mauresque is a fantastic winter fragrance. Due to its bold and challenging scent, this fragrance is best worn during the cold winter days, as it will be too offensive in the other months. During the winter, this is a fantastic casual fragrance, perfect for both the day and the night. The bold attitude does restrict it a bit in terms of versatility, but this is truly a magnificent fragrance. If you’re interested in this fragrance, you can check it out over here on Amazon!
4. Serge Lutens Gris Clair
Scent: Serge Lutens Gris Clair is a fantastic fragrance with an aromatic scent of lavender. This fragrance opens with a soothing scent of lavender, supported by a woody undertone. After quite a while, a smoky scent starts to emerge, courtesy of the note of incense. This creates an interesting unique combination of lavender and incense. The dry down of this fragrance is on the warmer side, leaving you with a warm, smoky scent of lavender that works surprisingly well.
Notes: The notes of Serge Lutens Gris Clair are woodsy notes, lavender, amber, incense, tonka beans, and iris.
Best for: Serge Lutens Gris Clair is a fantastic fragrance to wear all throughout the year. This fragrance works nicely in every season, as it has both a fresh and warm side. In the warmer months, this makes for a fantastic fragrance to wear in the evenings, but it can also be worn casually throughout the day as well. During the colder months, this makes for an amazing office fragrance, as long as you don’t overapply. If you’re interested in this fragrance, you can check it out over here on Amazon!
5. Serge Lutens La Fille De Berlin
Scent: Serge Lutens La Fille De Berlin is a fantastic rose-based fragrance. This fragrance immediately opens with a scent of rose, supported by a sweet, fruity undertone. Quickly after the opening, a hint of geranium makes itself known, adding to the floral scent. When this fragrance starts to dry down, a herbal scent of honey comes forth. This smells very interesting, as the honey is not the usual syrupy sweet. It’s more natural and fresh, which works perfectly with the fresh scent of rose.
Notes: The top notes of Serge Lutens La Fille De Berlin are geranium and rose. The middle note is palmarosa and the base notes are moss, honey, and patchouli.
Best for: Serge Lutens La Fille De Berlin is a fantastic fragrance that works great all year long. The fresh scent of rose, combined with the honey creates a scent that works during both the colder, as well as the warmer months. Throughout the year, this fragrance is perfect for casual everyday wear, but it also works great in the office as well. This fragrance is inoffensive, but smells great, making it safe enough for the office. If you’re interested in this versatile fragrance, you can check it out over here on Amazon!
6. Serge Lutens Fumerie Turque
Scent: Serge Lutens Fumerie Turque is a beautiful fragrance with a sweet, oriental scent. This fragrance opens with a sweet scent of honey, supported by a few spices. This immediately creates the oriental vibe but manages to keep it on the lighter side. After the opening, a beautiful scent of tobacco is added, adding another layer of sweetness. In the dry down, some florals make themselves known, giving the fragrance a powdery feel, blending in nicely with the vanilla that also appears in the base.
Notes: The notes of Serge Lutens Fumerie Turque are patchouli, styrax, chamomile, tobacco, suede, tonka bean, red currant, juniper berries, Turkish rose, honey, and vanilla.
Best for: Serge Lutens Fumerie Turque is a fantastic fragrance to wear during the colder months. This fragrance is a sweet oriental fragrance that would be a little too overpowering for the warmer months. In the colder months, however, this fragrance is perfect for casual wear, during both the day and the night. The sweet oriental scent gives this fragrance a sensual, seductive feel, which makes it perfect for dates or nights out. If you’re interested in this fragrance, you can check it out over here on Amazon!
7. Serge Lutens Arabie
Scent: Serge Lutens Arabie is an interesting fragrance with a sweet and spicy scent. This fragrance opens with a sweet scent of dried fruits, creating a rich and almost dusty scent. This is later accompanied by spicy notes, creating a strong and bold scent. One of the spicy notes in here is the note of cloves, which gives the fragrance a Christmasy scent. Overall, this is a very bold and strong fragrance. Nevertheless, the scent itself is amazing and it’s a fragrance that if you like it, you’ll love it.
Notes: The notes of Serge Lutens Arabie are bay leaves, fig, myrrh, sandalwood, dried fruits, tonka beans, Siam benzoin, cedar, resin, caraway, cloves, dates, nutmeg, and mandarin.
Best for: Serge Lutens Arabie is a fantastic fragrance to wear during the cold winters. This fragrance has a strong and bold scent that would be too overpowering for the other seasons, but during the winter, it works quite well. The sweet and spicy scent is best worn at a time where you want to make a statement. This fragrance will grab the attention of the people around you, and since not everyone will like it as much, it requires some confidence as well. If you’re interested in this fragrance, you can check it out over here on Amazon!
8. Serge Lutens Ambre Sultan
Scent: Serge Lutens Ambre Sultan is a gorgeous, warm oriental fragrance. This fragrance opens with a sweet, almost dusty scent of resins, supported by the note of amber. This immediately sets the tone for this fragrance, being a warm and sweet one. After the opening has settled down a bit, some herbal notes come forth, balancing out the initial sweetness. In the dry down, some woody notes make themselves known, but this fragrance is mainly about the amber and resins.
Notes: The notes of Serge Lutens Ambre Sultan are angelica, myrtle, patchouli, oregano, vanilla, bay leaves, amber, benzoin, sandalwood, myrrh, coriander, and resins.
Best for: Serge Lutens Ambre Sultan is a true masterpiece that works perfectly during the colder months. This warm and sweet scent is perfect for those cold days and can be worn pretty much all the time. It’s great for casual daytime wear, but it’s also seductive enough for nighttime wear and dates. On the other hand, it’s also luxurious enough for a formal setting as well. You just can’t go wrong with this rich and stunning fragrance. If you’re interested, you can check it out over here on Amazon!
9. Serge Lutens Jeux De Peau
Scent: Serge Lutens Jeux De Peau is a fantastic fragrance with an interesting scent. This fragrance opens with a milky, sweet scent with a waxy undertone. There’s also a buttery vibe in the opening, creating a beautiful gourmand opening. After the opening, some fruits come forth, giving the fragrance a natural sweetness, which goes perfectly with the milky sweet opening. In the dry down, a few woody notes are introduced, but they mainly serve as a strong base. In the end, you have an interesting and unique gourmand fragrance with a fantastic scent.
Notes: The top notes of Serge Lutens Jeux De Peau are wheat and milk. The middle notes are immortelle, licorice, and coconut. The base notes are sandalwood, woody notes, spices, amber, apricot, and osmanthus.
Best for: Serge Lutens Jeux De Peau is a beautiful cold weather fragrance, perfect for the cold winter days. This fragrance has a warm gourmand scent that provides you with a cozy and welcoming scent. Such a scent is perfect for casual wear, but you could also wear this formally as well. But where this fragrance truly shines is at night. The gourmand scent works perfectly during the cold winter nights, where it can be worn to a date or to a night out. If you’re interested in this fragrance, you can check it out over here on Amazon!
10. Serge Lutens Serge Noire
Scent: Serge Lutens Serge Noire is a challenging, but beautiful fragrance. This fragrance opens with a strong and dry scent of spices, in particular cloves, setting the tone for this fragrance. After the opening, the scent doesn’t change too much for a bit. Only when this fragrance starts to dry down can you start to notice some other notes. Woods, cinnamon, and incense come forth, strengthening the dry feel, but adding a layer of depth. Overall, a gorgeous fragrance, but you’ll have to like it.
Notes: The notes of Serge Lutens Serge Noire are incense, woody notes, Ebony woods, amber, spices, cinnamon, clove, and patchouli.
Best for: Serge Lutens Serge Noire is a fantastic fragrance for the colder seasons. This fragrance has a strong and challenging scent of spices, which would be too strong for the warmer months. During the colder months, however, it can actually work pretty well. Because this fragrance is o bold, its best worn casually or at a time you want to grab the attention. Otherwise, this fragrance might be a bit out of place. This is a love or hate fragrance, but if you love it, you’ll love it with a deep passion. If you’re interested in this fragrance, you can check it out over here on Amazon!
Are Serge Lutens Fragrances Worth It
The house of Serge Lutens is an interesting fragrance house with many unique and unusual fragrances that actually smell amazing. However, due to them being unusual, not everyone will like them as much. On the other hand, though, if you like a certain Serge Lutens fragrance, chances are you absolutely love it.
Due to the scents being hit or miss, and tied to a high price tag, it is recommended to try a Serge Lutens before you buy. The best way to do this is to purchase a fragrance decant. A decant is basically a smaller bottle, usually 5ml or 10ml, filled up with the original fragrance. This way, you can try out a small amount of it and give it a few wearings to see how you like it. Then, you can always decide if you want a full bottle or not. If you’d like to learn more about fragrance decants and where to purchase them, you can read this article I wrote here!
In the end, though, a Serge Lutens fragrance is wonderful. They show the true beauty of perfumery, and with that comes a higher price, but it’s well worth it. I’d recommend you take a look at the fragrances above and see which of these Serge Lutens fragrances would fit you perfectly!