Perfume pairings we loved last year

Two is better than one. Dynamic duos. Peas in a pod. Sometimes it takes two, baby, to get a really great perfume moment.

1. Miu Miu enlists Stacy Martin as the face of its first eau de parfum

When we first laid eyes on the bottle for Miu Miu’s premiere fragrance we fell in love. That blue pillowed bottle, that translucent red disk—it was playful and graphic, timeless but new. Luckily for us, the campaign was just as stunning. Stacy Martin channeled the sixties with her black cat eye, soft pink lips, pastel Mary Jane’s and pretty printed frock. The look: clean and elegant but also cheeky. Martin, known for her X-rated role in Lars Von Trier’s Nymphomaniac, plays the sixties ingenue well—a perfect match between brand and spokesperson. We’re still on the fence about the scent itself—perhaps our expectations were too high—but this campaign knocked it out of the park. Plus Martin’s co-star—a super cute black and white cat—certainly helped.
Read more about Miu Miu EDP.
Miu Miu EDP, $100 (50 ml), www.holtrenfrew.com

2. L’Occitane’s Olivier Baussan collaborates with Pierre Herme for two holiday scents

“Contrasts are affinities,” legendary Parisian pastry Chef Pierre Herme explained as he spoke about the two scents he created for L’Occitane En Provence. Which accounts for two unusual blends that are nonetheless stunning: Jasmine-Imortelle-Neroli and (our favourite) Grapefruit-Rhubarb. Sure, we were excited before we even smelled the scents—a pastry chef and a perfumer collaborating? We were sold. But the fragrances themselves are really good (read more here), indulging our love of tasty treats and good perfume with two knockout perfumes, available in a whole range of products.
L’Occitane En Provence Grapefruit-Rhubarb EDT, $65 (75 ml), www.loccitane.com

3. Byredo partners with Oliver Peoples for a synesthesia-inspired scent

Perfume house Byredo teamed up with eyewear company Oliver Peoples for a collection of limited edition sunglasses and an exclusive fragrance. Synesthesia is a neurological condition that causes certain stimuli to trigger multiple senses (for example a sensation of hearing colour, or seeing music). The collaboration was a bit of a stretch for the imagination—in the best possible way—and the result was this writer’s favourite perfume of the year. Defying categorization, the fragrance was earthy and citrus, slightly sweet and powdery, but undeniably warm. Seven months later and I still cannot get the scent our of my head. Read more about the collaboration here.
Byredo X Oliver Peoples, $210 (100 ml), www.holtrenfrew.com