House
Hermès
Founded 1837 · Thierry Hermès · France
Hermès has been making fragrance since 1951, but the house only got a dedicated in-house perfumer in 2004 when Jean-Claude Ellena was hired. Ellena defined the modern Hermès style: minimalist, transparent, focused on three or four notes done extremely well. Christine Nagel took over in 2014 and pushed the catalog slightly warmer and more textured. The Hermessence collection is the niche tier (Vétiver Tonka, Ambre Narguilé, Brin de Réglisse) and is where the most interesting work sits. Mainline Hermès (Terre d'Hermès, H24, Twilly) skews quieter than most designer competitors. That's intentional, and it's why people who love Hermès tend to really love Hermès.