Not Everyone Knows About This Niche Fragrance Brand, But I'm Spilling

Even though I've amassed 50 perfumes and counting through my job as a beauty journalist, there is always space on my shelf for just one more bottle. Rather than remaining loyal to one signature scent, I prefer to switch up my fragrance daily to suit my mood, what I'm wearing and where I'm heading. With niche perfumes becoming more popular as many of us go in search of not smelling like everyone else (am I the only one getting a bit bored of smelling Baccarat Rouge 540 and Santal 33—not to mention all of their dupes—everywhere I go? They're starting to smell a little dated.) The data backs it up, too, with searches for "niche perfumes" up 175% on Google. It seems many of us are ready to find something a little more unique to add to our perfume wardrobes.

One niche fragrance brand that often flies under the radar is D.S. & Durga—and it's a sure-fire way to smell totally unique. The Brooklyn-born perfume house was founded by a very cool husband and wife duo: David (aka the "D.S." in the brand's name), a self-taught perfumer, and Kavi (aka "Durga"), a trained architect who brings her eye for design into D.S. & Durga. Their unique take on scent creation sees them conjuring fragrances of far-flung destinations, specific moments in time and concepts of imaginary landscapes that transport you to fantasy places. Want to smell like a cowboy riding horseback? They have a perfume to take you there. Or perhaps you want to feel like you're immersed in a bustling New York bistro in the '90s? There's a fragrance for that too. D.S. & Durga describe it as "armchair travel", and each fragrance also has a corresponding playlist to allow you to fully immerse yourself in the mood.

D.S. & Durga Perfume samples

(Image credit: @eleanorvousden for Who What Wear UK)

You'll find D.S. & Durga in some of the coolest perfume halls in the UK, however, if you're not near one to try a sample before investing in a full bottle, I'd recommend trying its discovery sets, which allow you to find your favourites before buying the full size.

After trying some of D.S. & Durga's most-loved and newest scents, I've shared my favourites below. Scroll ahead to find your next perfume—I can guarantee it will make you stand out.

Best D.S. & Durga Perfumes

1. D.S. & Durga I Don't Know What

2. D.S. & Durga Pistachio

3. D.S. & Durga Debaser

4. D.S. & Durga Coriander

5. D.S. & Durga Rose Atlantic

6. D.S. & Durga Cowboy Grass

7. D.S. & Durga Black Magenta

8. D.S. & Durga Wear At Maximum Volume

9. D.S. & Durga Amber Kiso

10. D.S. & Durga Radio Bombay

11. D.S. & Durga Steamed Rainbow

12. D.S. & Durga Jazmín Yucatan

Shop more D.S. & Durga Perfumes

13. D.S. Durga Bowmakers

14. D.S. & Durga Italian Citrus

15. D.S. & Durga Vetyver

16. D.S. & Durga Bistro Waters

17. D.S. & Durga Burning Barbershop

Eleanor Vousden
Beauty Editor, Who What Wear UK

Eleanor Vousden is the beauty editor for Who What Wear UK. She was previously deputy editor at Hairdressers Journal, health writer at Woman & Home and junior beauty editor at beauty website Powder. She has also contributed to Wallpaper and Elle Collections with written and styling work.Working as a beauty journalist since 2015 after graduating in fashion journalism at the London College of Fashion, she has been highly commended at the BSME Talent Awards for her work on Powder and also contributed to the title winning Website of the Year at the PPA Awards.Eleanor’s journalistic focus is to provide readers with honest and helpful beauty content. Through words, video and live broadcast, she has interviewed several celebrity makeup artists, hairstylists and top dermatologists throughout her career, as well as celebrities such as Sarah Jessica Parker and Scarlett Johansson. She has a particular interest in finding solutions for acne and eczema, which she has experienced firsthand. She has also amassed a large collection of fragrances and can never say no to a new candle.When she’s not writing or testing the latest beauty product or treatments, she’s on the seafront in her hometown of Brighton and Hove, where she lives with her partner and her miniature dachshund.