Known for pushing the boundaries of the fashion world, German-born fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld released his first fragrance in 1978. The best Karl Lagerfeld perfumes blend fruits, flowers and tree blossoms that are feminine and ever-so delicate.
His foray into female fragrances began in 1990 with Sun, Moon, and Stars. Today his fragrances are perhaps less well-known than Chanel, or Dior scents yet have a dedicated following of loyal fragrance fans.
Best Karl Lagerfeld Perfumes
Like the iconic creator himself, the best Karl Lagerfeld perfumes are stylish, attention-grabbing, and a little bit quirky. Here are 6 to consider.
1. Karl Tokyo Shibuya Eau de Parfum
Review
Karl Tokyo Shibuya Eau de Parfum is a feminine and youthful, fresh, juicy, lightweight scent that seems to have a little bit of springtime distilled into every drop.
Opening with aquatic notes, citrus fruits, and a touch of rhubarb, Tokyo Shibuya is initially bright and refreshing. Heart notes of peony, cherry blossom, and magnolia add femininity.
This overall blend can fade quite quickly, as the base notes of cedar, amber, and white musk are only discreet. Settles to a fresh and zesty watery floral scent similar to some of the Euphoria collection by Calvin Klein.
Top Notes:
Sudachi, Rhubarb, Aquatic Note
Mid Notes:
Peony, Cherry blossom, Magnolia
Base Notes:
Cedarwood, Amber, White Musk
Seasons & Longevity
Ideal for spring and summer daytime wear, this scent is punchy but short-lived sillage and projection with staying power of 3+ hours.
Benefits & Drawbacks
| Pros | This perfume evokes feelings of classic, Parisian chic |
| Cons | Only lasts about 3 hours |
2. Fleur D’Orchidée Eau de Parfum
Review
A classic floral perfume with flashes of citrus and spice, Fleur D’Orchidée Eau de Parfum is sophisticated, elegant, and utterly enchanting.
Grapefruit and neroli top notes make the opening bright and sweet with a slightly sharp edge. A heart of jasmine, orchid and pink pepper softens this scent while adding some seductive peppery heat.
Tonka bean, cedar, and patchouli ensure that the dry-down is earthy and sweet with a smoky edge. Settles to an elegant white floral scent with touches of vanilla and pepper.
Top Notes:
Grapefruit, Neroli
Mid Notes:
Jasmine, Orchid, Pink Pepper
Base Notes:
Tonka Bean, Cedar, Patchouli
Seasons & Longevity
Perfect for lazy summer days, Fleur D’Orchidée has enough earthy and smoky edges to maintain itself long beyond the otherwise fleeting and delicate florals and fruits.
This moderately durable scent will last you 3+ hours with good sillage and projection.
Benefits & Drawbacks
| Pros | Classically feminine, seductive scent that evolves and changes as you wear it |
| Cons | Quite sharp on the opening but let it settle. Not super long-lasting. |
3. Fleur De Thé Eau de Parfum
Review
Fleur de Thé Eau de Parfum is the most Karl Lagerfeld scent on this list; it is undeniably stylish, attractive, and well put together. It is also the most niche and head-turning.
Top notes of tangerine, lemon, and neroli make the opening of this scent sparkling and bright, albeit fleeting. Soon, green tea, camellia, and jasmine make the heart of fragrance herbal and sweet.
Upon dry-down, blond woods, musk, and amber add a resinous finish that is delicate, sophisticated and seductive. Settles to a honey-floral scent with bright citrus.
Top Notes:
Tangerine, Lemon, Neroli
Mid Notes:
Green Tea, Camelia, Jasmine
Base Notes:
Blond Woods, Amber, Musk
Seasons & Longevity
Though this is a spring and summer daytime scent on paper, I really like it for cool summer evenings.
Sadly, performance is poor. Expect 2+ hours of wear before you need to re-apply to re-energise this pretty scent.
Benefits & Drawbacks
| Pros | An almost edible citrusy, floral scent with a charming honeyed note |
| Cons | Performance is poor for an EDP, so expect to over-spray |
4. Fleur de Pecher Eau de Parfum
Review
Fleur de Pecher Eau de Parfum is just what the proverbial doctor ordered. Sweet, fruity-floral, and fresh, it evokes spring and summer days. Think blooming flowers and cool breezes.
Sweet fruity Nashi pear and yuzu quickly melt into a heart of fragrant peach blossom and semi-sweet jasmine tea with a slight herbal tone.
The base notes of cotton musk and blond woods create a rich, musky, and resinous base that is spicy, warming, and sweet. Settles to a pretty fruity-floral scent similar to Burberry Brit Sheer.
Top Notes:
Yuzu, Nashi Pear
Mid Notes:
Peach Blossom, Jasmine Tea
Base Notes:
Musk, Blond Woods
Seasons & Longevity
Perfect for day to night wear in spring and summer, Fleur de Pecher is ideal for daytime lunches, shopping trips, and even a night on the tiles.
Expect 4+ hours of wear from a single application with lasting projection, good sillage and great overall staying power for such a fresh fragrance.
Benefits & Drawbacks
| Pros | An easy-going fruity floral blend that feels youthful and feminine |
| Cons | It does smell like a lot of other scents on the market |
5. Karl Paris 21 Rue Saint-Guillaume Eau de Parfum
Review
Fresh, green, and bright, Karl Paris 21 Rue Saint-Guillaume Eau de Parfum is sophisticated, elegant, and incredibly luxurious. It’s almost Miss Dior-esque in its delivery.
The initial wave of zesty grapefruit and mandarin is soothed by violet leaves. This juicy, sweet, and sharp opening mellows as the middle notes of rose, jasmine, and gardenia bloom to reveal a floral heart.
The patchouli, sandalwood, and musk base start to bleed through as the dry down takes hold. The overall result is a sophisticated and traditional female fragrance with a twist of green.
Top Notes:
Mandarin, Grapefruit, Violet Leaves
Mid Notes:
Rose, Jasmine, Gardenia
Base Notes:
Patchouli, Sandalwood, Musk
Seasons & Longevity
If you want to get the best out of this perfume, you should wear it on fresh spring days and cool summer evenings.
The overall projection and sillage are fairly gentle, but I found that the blend has reasonable staying power; you should expect 4+ hours of wear from each application.
Benefits & Drawbacks
| Pros | Ideal for a slightly more mature woman looking for a beautiful day-to-day scent |
| Cons | Maybe a little too intimate as this fragrance does not project too well |
6. Fleur de Murier Eau de Parfum
Review
Juicy, tart, and fresh, Fleur de Murier Eau de Parfum is a punchy and bold addition to this list that nonetheless has some traditional floral elements to bring in some sweetness.
A blast of redcurrant and raspberry leaves provides a fresh and zingy opening that leads to a heart of delicately feminine blackberry blossom and violet petals.
The base of sandalwood and musk never entirely bleeds through. This scent settles to a juicy, fruity, berry scent with moreish sharp edges.
Top Notes:
Redcurrant, Raspberry Leaves
Mid Notes:
Blackberry Blossom, Violet Petals
Base Notes:
Sandalwood, Musk
Seasons & Longevity
Though this is a summer perfume, I personally would wear it on crisp autumn days when the red berries can really pop.
The opening is sharp but fresh and quickly softens and becomes sweet. Once the initial wave passes, you can expect 3-4 hours of wear before the scent fades.
Benefits & Drawbacks
| Pros | Vibrant, fruity, with a head-turning sharp edge |
| Cons | It may be too sharp initially for some noses |
Ingrid’s Top Pick
Fleur D’Orchidée Eau de Parfum
My top pick is Karl Lagerfeld Fleur D’Orchidée Eau de Parfum. This is a timeless and elegant white floral scent of jasmine and orchid with delightful touches of vanilla and pepper.
Conclusion
If you love your fragrances quirky and unusual, then the best Karl Lagerfeld perfumes should hit the spot. Each scent mixes a feminine combination of fruits and flowers with more unusual tea or tree blossoms notes.
I will say that I found most of these fragrances don’t perform too well, and you will find you need to overspray. However, if you want a discreet scent that is classic and little avant-garde, then look no further.
Karl Lagerfeld perfumes are currently available in 30, 50 and 100ml (1.0, 1.7, and 3.4 oz) size bottles depending on the scent.
I usually recommend you try each fragrance in-store (or order samples online) and then decide which one you prefer. Let them dry down for at least 20-30 minutes before making your final decision!
Also read: 3 Latest Victoria Beckham Perfumes (Tried & Tested)
Further Reading
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