I don't have a Soho House membership, and I haven't seen the inside of a nightclub in a long while. Thankfully, the only club I am remotely interested in these days is Ffern's. Ffern is the British fragrance brand that celebrates nature in the most heavenly way—with limited edition seasonal scents and a small batch subscription model. Its unique offering, which is ever so considered, is inspiring. And I'm by no means alone in my thinking. The waiting list to join its exclusive ledger is rumoured to be half a million-strong.

Somerset-based Ffern is headed up by brother and sister, Founder Owen Mears and Creative Director Emily Cameron. They launched their first fragrance in 2019 with the simple goal of "restoring perfumery to its artisan roots".

How it works

The brand creates a new fragrance four times a year, one for each of the seasons. The release dates coincide with either an equinox or a solstice, the points of the year that mark our planet's seasonal changes.

Getting your hands on one isn't easy, though, almost akin to landing Glastonbury tickets. It all starts with the infamous Ffern ledger, which is essentially the brand's subscription list. If you make it on the ledger, you'll receive a new perfume each season. They are £89 per perfume, and you can stop it at any time. However, the ledger has a strict number, and the brand only opens up to new members periodically. To put your hat in the ring, you first have to join the waiting list. If you don't manage to make it onto the ledger, then fear not, there is another option. The brand opened its boutique on London's Beak Street in 2022, and it's here that non-members can experience Ffern and its fragrances. It also plays host to all of the archival fragrances, which ledger members can order whenever they want.

There's a reason why the brand doesn't want to make the scents too readily available. "Our production volumes are tightly controlled to ensure that our commitment to process and ingredient quality is not compromised," the brand says. "Each season, we will blend just one bottle for each of the names on our production ledger." By keeping their numbers down, the brand won't create any unnecessary packaging or ingredient waste or excess stock. Demand is plain to see, yet, opposing traditional economic responses, Ffern has no plans to increase supply.

What is so special about Ffern?

That's one of the FAQs on Google when you search the brand's name. And that's it, you see—the intrigue and the FOMO that its small-batched world creates. Well, what is so special about Ffern? Why do so many people want to be in the Ffern club?

Naturally, the fragrances are beautiful—each one is hand-crafted using natural and organic ingredients that are linked to the specific season and barrel-aged. Alongside Mears and Cameron, is Elodie Durande, a Grasse-trained perfumer.

But the industry is not short of pleasing fragrances. For me, what makes Ffern stand out in a very saturated market is everything else that the brand creates to exist alongside its scents. It curates moments that celebrate nature at that specific time—the scent is just one aspect of the tale.

Ffern partners with creatives across all industries to tell the story of each fragrance—from ice skaters turning perfect choreography on a frozen lake in the Canadian Rockies for last year's Winter scent, Cotwolds-based florists creating a bouquet that captures the essence of Autumn 25, and the Japanese artist who uses watercolours to paint an original piece that looks exactly how Summer 25 smells. Each fragrance's moodboard comes to life through the brand's visual approach and emotional and sensory collaborations. Just two weeks ago, the brand dropped the trailer for the Winter 26 film starring Ruth Wilson, a brooding clip that seems to quietly represent the feeling that this season's perfume is trying to portray. There's also a podcast—As the Season Turns—which is presented by nature writer Lia Leendertz. Each month, Leendertz talk guides listeners through the effect the changing season has on the natural landscape, as well as extra episodes, Found Sounds, which are created with sound artist Alice Boyd, who captures sound recordings befitting the season.

What comes with your delivery each season?

Each season, your delivery will arrive, and from the outside, it looks almost identical to the previous season's. However, inside tells a different story. Yes, the contents are always the same each time, but they are also unique to the new scent.

Inside your package, you will find your bottle of fragrance housed inside a small box with a seal down the side. There's also an original frameable print (yes, I do have five of them on my bedroom wall) and a leaflet that contains everything from the full ingredient list and the beautiful story of the scent written by Ffern's Creative Director, Emily Cameron.

You'll also find a little envelope, which contains a movie stub, a small vial of perfume, which is your tester, a terracotta diffusion stone for home scenting, two fragrance blotters, seasonal organic tea and your sampling guide.

The guide is a crucial part of the pack. It takes you through the best way to try the scent—first after 20 seconds, then every 10-20 minutes, followed by an hour and then over the course of the next couple of days in different places and at alternate times of the day. The brand wants you to discover if you form a bond or a connection with the scent before you fully commit. If you love it, then break the seal to reveal your bottle. If you don't, the brand includes a returns slip, which goes back to the HQ and is added to the archive.

Each scent comes with its own cinematic clip, and the movie stub inside your package has a QR that directs you to that season's film. Past seasons have seen stars such as Bill Nighy and This Country's Charlie Cooper feature.

Instead of double-page ad campaigns in monthly fashion magazines or billboards on the side of bridges, Ffern has chosen creative storytelling to cut through the deafening noise of the big fragrance houses and their even bigger marketing campaigns. This is the secret to the brand's success and why people patiently hope to one day make it onto the ledger. The Ffern club is worth the wait.

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The fragrance industry is a saturated market, and while it's brilliant there's so much choice, it can feel overwhelming. In fact, even if you dedicated your entire life to it (and, as a beauty editor, I do), you'd never be able to smell every perfume out there. Through my job, I have learned one thing—the best advice often comes from the real experts.

So, in a bid to help establish what the world's best perfumes are, I wanted to speak with some of the most respected perfumers out there and pick their brains on the scents they adore most. Because if it's good enough for some of the most esteemed noses in the industry, it's got to be worth a try, right?

Along with their own proudest creation, I asked 11 perfumes for their personal favourite creations and the fragrances they wish they had made themselves From floral perfumes to some of the most classic scents ever, this is perhaps the most reliable perfume edit the world has ever seen.

1. Ruth Mastenbroek, Master Perfumer

My proudest creation as a perfumer: My Signature fragrance will always hold a special place in my heart because it was the first fragrance I launched under my own brand. However, I recently created a perfume with my son, Nic, who I have trained to become a perfumer for the last six or seven years. Our new fragrance, London Dusk, blends some of our favourite ingredients and I loved creating this together; I am proud of both the creation and our ability to work together.

The perfume I wish I had created: The first fragrance I fell in love with was Mitsouko by Guerlain; it was an iconic fragrance and spoke to the woman I wanted to be. With its artful use of peach to complement the floral rose and jasmine, there was something magical about Mitsouko and part of me wishes I could have been the one to create this.

2. Nic Mastenbroek, Perfumer

My proudest creation as a perfumer: For me I would have to say London Dusk. It was like getting to create my ideal fragrance with Ruth to guide and steer the way, and I think the result is amazing. London Dusk is the perfect combination of mellow but with personality, which I think reflects me, too.

The perfume I wish I had created: A fragrance I grew up in love with was L’Eau D’Issey Pour Homme by Issey Miyake; I loved the freshness but there was a rugged aromatic texture and woody depth that I adored (and still do). It has certainly inspired me to create a legendary 'fresh' fragrance—I’ve been working on this for the last two years, so watch this space!

3. Stina Seger, Founder and Creative Director, Bibbi

My proudest creation as a perfumer: It’s hard to pick a favourite creation because each one means so much to me. They all come from such a deep, personal place of inspiration, and just like your own children, you simply can't choose. That said, I have loved watching the reactions to Ghost of Tom and Swimming Pool, which have quickly gained a cult following simply by word of mouth.

The perfume I wish I had created: Even though it might be a bit expected, I adore Chanel No5. For me, it’s a masterpiece—utterly timeless and iconic. It’s the little black dress of fragrances, and what’s remarkable is that it continues to remain relevant and elegant. I describe it as time travel in a bottle, because it conjures up a sense of sharing a connection with old Hollywood movies stars. There's something truly magical about that.

4. Aurélien Guichard, 7th generation perfumer & Co-Founder of Matiere Premiere

My proudest creation as a perfumer: My proudest fragrance creation has to be Radical Rose for Matiere Premiere. It was a dream come true to use the rose centifolia flowers that are grown on my family’s estate in Grasse to create a fragrance for my own brand.

The perfume I wish I had created: There are many fragrances that I wish I had created; some of my favourites are Issey Miyake L'Eau D’Issey and Le Labo Santal 33.

5. Nicolas Bonneville, Perfumer

My proudest creation as a perfumer: I loved creating LBTY Ianthe Oud because it allowed me to immerse myself in the heritage of Liberty. Liberty is renowned for its floral prints, which are distinctive for being visible on both sides of the fabric. Inspired by this, I adapted my creative process to reflect the same principle, aiming to explore the dual aspects of the violet. Deeply rooted in English culture, the violet is both very green and vegetal, yet also dark and leathery. This fragrance has a strong personality and striking contrasts, providing a unique opportunity to delve into the unisex facets of violet.

The perfume I wish I had created: Dior Homme. It is an iris for men that embodies elegance and sensuality.

6. Arnaud Poulain, Founder and Perfumer at Les Eaux Primordiales

My proudest creation as a perfumer: Santal Superfluide is my favourite creation because it's the most complex, elegant and balanced perfume from Les Eaux Primordiales.

The perfume I wish I had created: A perfume I wish I'd created is Musc Ravageur (the old version) from Frederic Malle, because it's vintage and modern at the same time. Sweet, classic and visionary.

7. Mark Constantine OBE, Lush CEO, Co-founder and in-house Perfumer

My proudest creation as a perfumer: I was inspired to create Lush Vegan Leather Jacket by a line in the song Gunga Din by The Byrds. It has notes of clove, tonka and tobacco. It made me think that as a vegetarian company, many of us don’t wear real leather, and this inspired me to make a leather-inspired, 100% vegan fragrance.

The perfume I wish I had created: I come from a family of perfumers. My son Simon (also a perfumer) had an idea for a perfume called Breath of God where the doors of a church or temple open and the air that comes out is the breath of God. Simon then went travelling, and I thought it was a lovely idea for a perfume and I really wanted to do it. Anyway, I didn’t do the perfume and Simon returned and then created it, and it received a 5 star review from Luca Turin!

8. Jacques Chabert, Master Perfumer

My proudest creation as a perfumer: 23 years after its launch, I am still pretty fond of Molton Brown Re-charge Black Pepper. I enjoy using it and rediscovering its many facets, fresh on top and warm in the dry down. It is also rather comforting knowing I am not the only one!

The perfume I wish I had created: I tend to like classics that stand the test of time, such as Guerlain Shalimar, Aramis or (relatively) more recently, Fahrenheit. But some, now disappeared, like Grey Flannel or Cabochard, remain a model of creativity to me.

9. Carla Chabert, Senior Perfumer

My proudest creation as a perfumer: I am genuinely happy with the outcome of Molton Brown Coastal Cypress & Sea Fennel, whose starting point was a masculine marine but was developed through the prism of the colour blue: fresh, tonic, and vibrant, generating loyal consumers over time.

The perfume I wish I had created: There are so many beautiful fragrances out in the world! Old and new: I love the elegant fruity chypre Mistouko by Guerlain that launched after WW1 and am fascinated by the nagarmotha trail left by Santal 33 of Le Labo and many more!

10. Hamid Merati-Kashani, Founder of Fabbrica Della Musa and Perfumer

My proudest creation as a perfumer: My favourite fragrance is Dolcetto Romano from Fabbrica Della Musa because I absolutely love the combination of patchouli and caramel. The vision behind this fragrance was to craft a deeply addictive scent that lingers in memory and draws compliments. I blended these two ingredients to create a unique unisex caramelised patchouli fragrance.

The top, middle, and base notes are beautifully balanced and the scent’s projection and longevity are exceptional, which is vital for today’s discerning consumers who truly understand and appreciate fragrances. I am always inspired to create, and I create to inspire. This scent reminds me of enjoying a lovely aperitivo in Italy, as the sun sets and the warm evening breeze lingers—a perfect moment of serenity and beauty.

The perfume I wish I had created: Terre d’Hermès is one of my favourite fragrances because it features both patchouli and incense. I love how the earthy depth of patchouli blends seamlessly with the smokiness, creating a beautifully balanced scent. Each ingredient interacts uniquely with the others, so it's crucial to achieve the perfect harmony between all the elements in the formulation.

11. Gabriela Chelariu, Principal Perfumer at DSM-FIRMENICH

My proudest creation as a perfumer: Ravaged Rose for AllSaints, because it is a modern take on rose. Rose is such a legendary flower but at the same time it can be polarising because of people’s preconceptions, thinking that it is mostly feminine. Ravaged Rose by AllSaints has intense woodiness with pepper, ivy green and citrus that breaks the rose in multiple facets and the result is dynamic, daring and luminous with just enough grit to make you want to smell it again and again.

Sometimes we love the things that are most challenging. During the creation of Ravaged Rose, I did a lot of modifications to balance the rose, and although it remains the hero ingredient, the final result is a fragrance that has hard edges, some rough textures and spans across gender lines and can be embraced by all.

The perfume I wish I had created: One of my favourite scents is Dolce and Gabbana Light Blue by master perfumer, Olivier Cresp. It brought a new daring woody signature in a feminine fragrance. The overdose of cedar, amber woods and lemon could easily fall in a masculine territory, but the way these notes were balanced with floral, apple and musky notes was brilliant and resulted in a fragrance with a highly memorable signature that was very innovative and addictive. In wear, it has long-lasting trail and a strong identify. It created a new trend in perfumery and inspired numerous other creations subsequently.

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This German beaut has it all going on. She shares her seduction tips with us...

Having Alexander Wang’s muse as the new face of BOSS The Scent For Her is a no brainer. With countless campaigns, covers, and runway shows under her belt, she is ranked as one of the top it-models in the industry. Wang stumbled across Ewer’s photograph on a blog, then sent the image to casting director Anita Bitton who said "Lets find this girl!” The rest is history.

The 23-year-old German beauty, with unmistakable facial structure and blonde locks to make Rapunzel #jel is a firm favourite here at MC HQ. Her cool laid-back, ‘be yourself’ attitude is not only inspiring but 100% empowering.

About the fragrance: take it from the MC Beauty Desk, the scent isn’t what you’d expect. This is the most sophisticated seduction. The honeyed peaches are light, fresh and delicate. An interesting blend of Osmanthus flower, Cocoa and Freesia Bloom means this perfume is a great option for layering scent. It isn’t overpowering, so spritzing more only refreshes the intensity. The aesthetics of the bottle are a total treat too: the juice is the colour of rosé with a feminine-style cufflink as the lid of the flacon. 

The ethos of the new scent is all about allure and seduction: feeling powerful and feminine – which may sound like hard work (we resemble anything but feminine on the weekend, wearing our PJs with a face full of Sudocrem.) But don’t overlook the power of scent. This freesia, honeyed peach fragrance does the hard work for you (Although it won’t rid you of the Sudocrem look.)

“Scent plays a very crucial role inseduction for me,” Anna told us. “When I wear Hugo Boss The Scent For Her, I feel more confident, attractive and seductive – it’s the perfect fragrance for a date.” Her application method of choice is to walk through a cloud of the fragrance. (*Runs home and walks through fragrance cloud*. Nope. Still not Anna Ewers.)

To read the rules of ‘the new sexy’ and see the full Anna Ewers shoot, pick up our September issue, which is on sale now

Boss The Scent For Her is available from the 17^th August from Debenhams. Prices start at £44 for 30ml. Here are all the latest Hugo Boss discount codes. 

The design duo talk celebrating 10-years of Flowerbomb, the creative process behind making the fragrance and their dreams of expanding into colour cosmetics.

Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb – how many of us own it? A quick poll of the Marie Claire offices reveals that three quarters of us either have owned it or own it. I, for one, have a total of three Flowerbomb bottles on my dressing table at home. Obsessed? Me?

Much like Jean Paul Gaultier’s sexily clad Classique, or Davidoff’s Cool Water, there’s something about Flowerbomb – something that we can’t quite put our finger on – that makes it a keeper. Fragrance boffs Luca Turin and Tania Sanchez, said in their book ‘Perfumes: The A-Z Guide’ that Flowerbomb is a ‘sweet-tooth fantasia that smells like a shop where you buy gummies by the pound.’ And they’re not wrong, maybe we just fans of the sweet stuff.

No surprises here then to discover that Flowerbomb has this year reached a bit of a milestone; it has been tickling our fancies for 10-years. That’s a whole decade! Allow us a minute to feel our age…

We caught up with Dutch designers Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren to talk about the magic behind Flowerbomb and why 10-years after hitting us with what they describe as ‘a weapon to transform anything into something beautiful’. Flowerbomb is still a favourite among fragrance fans – including us! Viktor tells us that after 10-years on the market ‘it’s still so great to see that people are truly fanatical about it.’

When we ask how the name Flowerbomb came about, Viktor tells us; ‘We were very drawn to flowers when we started smelling and then we said well not one particular type of flower, we would like an explosion of flowers and then we thought oh a flower bomb! That would be a very cool name, because that makes the perfume almost like a weapon’. An apt name, because Flowerbomb certainly leaves its mark and can easily be sniffed-out amongst a crowd. Rolf tells us this is part of Flowerbomb’s allure: ‘The fact that it’s so distinctive is part of its appeal, it’s was original when we launched it and it still is today’ he says. ‘It’s so rewarding to see how people still, after all this time, love it.’

The duo celebrated the 10th anniversary of Flowerbomb in Paris earlier this year where American singer and musician Tori Amos performed for their guests. ‘Tori performed at one of our shows 10-years a go,’ explains Rolf. ‘Flowerbomb inspires such loyalty so we wanted to show our own loyalty and invite her back to perform at our anniversary.’

Viktor & Rolf’s passion for scent comes part-and-parcel with being fashion designers. ‘Thinking about beauty, thinking about this whole universe, that is fashion, not just clothes’ adding ‘we were both drawn in to fashion in the first place by perfume ads, the mystery of perfume and the glamour of perfume’. Rolf says ‘its something that has stayed with us always’.

When it comes to personal scent preferences Viktor speaks fondly of his dog ‘My dog doesn’t need Flowerbomb, I love her natural smell, that’s one of my favourite smells in the world’. Rolf however describes his love for clean smelling Japanese incense and candles ‘I always bring them round to Viktor’s home’ he tells.

Viktor & Rolf seem to perfect all that they lay their hands to, when we ask them if they would ever consider expanding into colour cosmetics (can you just imagine the packaging?!) they both agree that they’d love to‘ That is one of our biggest dreams’ says Viktor and after revealing that they are working on something that will be revealed soon, we can only hope it’s something we can put on our face!

To celebrate the anniversary of Flowerbomb nab the Limited Edition Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb, £74 for 50ml edp