Perfumes Similar to Penhaligon's Bluebell

Pergola opens with the most incredible rush of twisted green vegetation and instantly transports you back to the heyday of that decadent walkway. There is so much happening in here but the notes of galbanum, bergamot, and ivy are particularly spectacular. The floral heart is a swooning blend of narcissus, tuberose, and jasmine but the pergola’s passage of history is provided by an earthy pairing of patchouli and vetiver. You get a real impression of its heritage from touches of resins and moss and, whilst it’s described as a fougere, there is definitely a feeling of the most glorious aromatic chypre.

White is a bright and lively fragrance built around the friction between hot spices and suave florals. The cinnamon, clove and cardamom opening suggests candied red hots, which makes it all the more surprising when the melange of rose de Mai and lily of the valley softly asserts itself. The undertone of tagete, with its bitter herbalness, keeps White from getting too “pretty-pretty”.

Japan has a rainy season from June to July, called “tsuyu.” Embodying tsuyu is hydrangea, blooming in the gentle rain. Here, hyacinth and violet entwine with the fresh floral scent of jasmine and iris, with an undertone of humidity and the smell of soil.

Inspired by the concepts of “green” and “freedom”, Terra Hedera evokes horseback riding on the Mongolian steppe. A green hyacinth intertwined with tenacious ivy and crisp galbanum.

Perfumer: Corinne Cachen

A modern interpretation of a classic chypre, this is an unapologetic  abundance of statement florals: hyacinth, rose and narcissus. The entrance to this hidden garden is garlanded with the herbal bitterness of galbanum, cushioned by a dark green carpet of vetiver and moss. Like a geisha’s serene beauty that hides her inner power, this extrait de parfum is a statement of mystery and strength.

Perfumer: Ralf Schwieger 

The legend of a happy island and eternal youth: there, beyond the north wind, in the perpetual spring, the fresh northerly breeze carries the scent of blossoming flowers searching for the first ray of sun in the morning dew. A vibrant fragrance of the freshest flowers with citrus notes and light fruity touches that opens up in a radiant heart of Lily of the valley, Magnolia, Mimosa and Cyclamen.

Warm sunshine at twilight. Tangerine dances with bergamot in this cashmere, jasmine and patchouli-based choreography. With a whopping 50% of perfume oil, this extrait is persuasive enough to beguile any unsuspecting soul who crosses your path.

Matilde Bonaparte, niece of Napoleon I, was known for her breasts (“le plus beau décolleté”) and her talent as a painter. She also hosted a celebrated 19th-century Parisian salon attended by the greatest artists and writers of her time. This namesake perfume is an olfactory salon of provocative white florals (ylang-ylang, narcissus, jasmine) given tropical succulence with passion fruit and papaya. Mathilde’s heady brightness is softened by iris and sandalwood.

A contemporary orange blossom cologne.

Perfumer for 002: Karine Dubreuil – Sereni. 

Inspired by the dream of waking up in a Provençal country house next to the one you love. Linen curtains sway open in a breeze to reveal a meadow dappled with wildflowers. The sound of a fast-moving brook fills the air. Where Love Belongs sings with the delicate essence of lily of the valley, laced with citrus, musky and woody notes.

Perfumer: Julia Rodriguez Pastor