Etat Libre d'Orange

Etat Libre d'Orange - Australia

Etat Libre d'Orange (commonly abbreviated to ELO or ELDO) is an alternative, audacious and provocative French perfume house known for taking risks and breaking the rules of the established fine fragrance industry. With an emphasis on originality, audacity, authenticity and freedom of expression, they propose surprising olfactory compositions without any limitations in creativity. They are fragrances of sensuous pleasure and of minimal moral constraint.

With a revolutionary and charmingly irreverent attitude, Etat Libre d'Orange makes perfumes for everyone. The brand is often inspired by (in)famous figures and scenes: revolutions, adult film stars, fashion designers, cybernetics, and sci-fi. For instance, Like This takes cues from Tilda Swinton's Scottish heritage, You or Someone Like You is a minty fresh summertime scene in sunny Los Angeles, and Eau de Protection is a bloodied portrait of Rossy de Palma’s rose garden in Madrid.

• Revolutionary French niche perfumery house, whose business is pleasure.
• Etat Libre d'Orange perfumes are concept perfumes, guided by evocative narratives and strong names to match. They champion the "perfume-as-art" movement. Evocative stories and memorable ones, too. 
• Check out the gothic and umbrous Hermann a Mes Cotes, the charmingly semi-modern vetiver that is Fat Electrician, or the perverse Rien Intense Incense.
• You may have heard of their infamous Secretions Magnifique - a perfume that makes us question the moral lines of perfumery.
• Their company motto: les parfums et mort, vive les parfums! Perfumes are dead, long live perfumes!
• Read all about it: Thinking Future With Etat Libre d'Orange

Frequently Asked Questions:

1. What is Etat Libre d’Orange?
État Libre d’Orange is a niche perfume house founded in Paris in 2006 by Etienne de Swardt. The brand is known for its rebellious, boundary-pushing approach to perfumery and its fusion of art, provocation, and scent. 

Freedom, irreverence, creativity, and sensual exploration. Etat Libre d’Orange aims to liberate perfumery from cliché, inviting wearers to express their identity boldly through scent.

2. What does the name "Etat Libre d’Orange" mean?
The name translates to "Free State of Orange," referencing the founder’s birthplace (South Africa’s Orange Free State) and suggesting a territory of creative and olfactory freedom.

3. What makes Etat Libre d’Orange perfumes unique?
Their fragrances are known for bold concepts, unconventional ingredients, and subversive names. Each perfume is conceived as a narrative or artistic statement, often challenging social norms or expectations in perfumery.

4. Are Etat Libre d’Orange perfumes unisex?
Yes. The brand champions genderless perfumery, inviting wearers to choose fragrances based on personality, emotion, or story rather than traditional gender labels.

5. Who are the perfumers behind Etat Libre d’Orange scents?

Etat Libre d’Orange collaborates with renowned perfumers such as Antoine Lie, Quentin Bisch, Antoine Maisondieu, and Daniela Andrier.

6. Is Etat Libre d’Orange only about shock value?

Not at all. While the brand uses irony and provocation, it pairs this with high-quality ingredients and sophisticated compositions. The shock is often a gateway to deeper artistic commentary or emotion.