This iconic 00s perfume was my signature as a teen, but it still smells so fresh and modern today

It takes a lot for a perfume to stand the test of time, and the classic fragrances that transcend decades tend to be bold and sophisticated scents like Chanel No.5 or YSL Opium. So as someone who gravitates towards softer, more easy-to-wear scents, a lot of my perfume collection is made up of fairly modern fragrances—think Phlur Missing Person, Glossier You and anything by Bibbi. However, while revisiting some of the first perfumes that I ever wore for a feature written by a fellow beauty editor friend, I started thinking about some more nostalgic fragrances and whether any of them left a lasting impression. And, it turns out, there is one Y2K classic that really does hold up—DKNY Be Delicious.

First launched in 2004, this fruity perfume quickly became a cult favourite, blending crisp green apple, cucumber and grapefruit with magnolia and violet. Housed in an instantly recognisable apple-shaped bottle, it was one of the most popular perfumes of its time and something of a status symbol for 15-year-old me. Now, two decades later, I’ve rediscovered the appeal of this fresh and juicy scent and can confirm that it’s just as delicious as ever. Here’s what makes it so timeless…

Unlike some of the sweeter, celebrity-founded fragrances that my friends and I were obsessed with in the early noughties, DKNY Be Delicious launching onto the fragrance scene in 2004 felt like a welcome breath of fresh air. Much like the DKNY fashion brand—launched as a diffusion line to Donna Karen in 1989 to draw in a younger consumer—there’s no doubt that Be Delicious was created to appeal to a new generation of perfume wearers. And it undoubtedly captures that youthful spirit of freedom and carefree optimism in the freshness of its scent.

Interestingly, although the bottle, the marketing and all of the imagery surrounding Be Delicious places the green apple centre stage, there’s so much more complexity to this perfume. Of course, the heart of the fragrance does have that fresh green apple note—I’d say this is a tart, crisp Granny Smith rather than a sticky, sweet Pink Lady—but there’s also a huge bouquet of florals balancing out the fruity note. Lily-of-the-valley springs to the forefront, but there’s tuberose, violet and rose which provide a rounded floral sillage.

To me, though, the first spray of Be Delicious is all about the cucumber—it’s ultra-fresh and uplifting, supported by a zesty squeeze of grapefruit which further elevates this light and airy feel. It’s like taking a sip of a gin spritz in an English country garden during a summer afternoon. Then, once your skin has been doused in all of that reviving goodness, Be Delicious has a surprisingly woody dry-down. Once it’s settled into the skin, the warmth of sandalwood and amber comes through, which is why this perfume has had such enduring appeal. On the surface, it might look like a fun and fruity perfume for young people, but it has many layers and notes that appeal to everyone.

I wore Be Delicious pretty religiously from my mid-teens to my early 20s and now, at 35, I am so surprised at how timeless, easy-to-wear, and elegant this perfume is. Rest assured, I will be working my way through the entire bottle this spring/summer.

More DKNY Be Delicious perfumes

Even better? The DKNY Be Delicious lineup has expanded even further. If you like a muskier scent then there’s DKNY Golden Delicious, a celebration of summer in DKNY Be Delicious Coconuts About Summer, and this year’s bright and dynamic iteration DKNY Be Delicious Orchard Street—my favourite thanks to its sparkling pink pepper and raspberry notes and creamy hits of cedarwood and leather.