État Libre d'Orange

Founded 2006 · Paris, France · Étienne de Swardt

État Libre d'Orange makes a business of discomfort: unprintable names, declared notes of blood and sweat, and compositions often far better than the provocation lets on. Jasmin et Cigarette and Fat Electrician are among its best work.

History

Étienne de Swardt founded the house in Paris in 2006 with an avowedly irreverent manifesto and a catalogue whose names — Sécrétions Magnifiques, Putain des Palaces, Jasmin et Cigarette — were designed to shock. Behind the gesture there is serious work: the house hires first-rank perfumers and several of its compositions have a solid reputation with critics. Sécrétions Magnifiques, which declares accords of blood, saliva and milk, is probably the most deliberately unpleasant perfume ever put on sale, and the house knows it.

Iconic models

Jasmin et Cigarette (2006)
Jasmine with tobacco and leather; among the house's best work, with no provocation involved.
Fat Electrician
Vetiver and chestnut; restrained and very well resolved despite the name.
Sécrétions Magnifiques (2006)
Blood, saliva and milk, declared. Probably the most uncomfortable perfume sold over a counter.

Worth knowing

Sécrétions Magnifiques tops almost every list of the most unpleasant perfume ever made, and the house has kept it in the catalogue since 2006 without changing a comma.