Our take
What does Fleurs d'Oranger smell like?
Christopher Sheldrake composed Fleurs d'Oranger for Serge Lutens in 1995, and it soon joined the house's export range. Don't expect a cologne. Neroli flashes for a couple of minutes before orange blossom moves in, thick and almost honeyed. Jasmine and Indian tuberose give it weight while a white rose stays in the background. The cumin is what makes it. It adds a salty skin note with an animal edge, which some people will find awkward at the office. The base settles into dry woods and warm musk. The formula was reworked around 2010, and the current version reads brighter and more vanilla than the older, butterier one. Next to Robert Piguet's Fracas, another big white floral, Fleurs d'Oranger is less creamy and spicier. Think of a garden at noon rather than a bathroom shelf.
When to wear it
Best in spring and on warm evenings, when heat helps it open. One or two sprays are plenty because the cumin spreads fast.
It belongs to the Floral family. Fleurs d'Oranger is one of 31 creations by Serge Lutens in our encyclopedia.
