The house and the Château de Marly
Julien Sprecher built the house around the 18th century, which he considers the golden age of perfumery, and the logo draws on the Marly Horses by the sculptor Guillaume Coustou. The perfumes are made in France, and among the raw materials the house puts front and center are Damask rose, natural oud and Bourbon vanilla from Madagascar.
Women's fragrances
Delina and its versions
Delina is a fruity floral with lychee, rhubarb and bergamot in the opening, Damask rose at the heart and a base of musks. From the same line, Delina Exclusif comes in parfum concentration with pear, incense, vanilla and tonka bean, while Delina La Rosée, an eau de parfum, has pink pepper, pear, peony and white musks.
Valaya
Valaya is a musky floral that the house describes as a veil of linen on the skin, with white peach and mandarin in the opening, orange blossom and white flowers at the heart and a base of white musks. Valaya Exclusif, also an eau de parfum, opens on almond and settles on a base of creamy white woods and sandalwood.
Other women's signatures
Among the other women's fragrances is Oriana, a fruity gourmand with raspberry, black currant and a cream accord. Athalia has iris, orange blossom and white musk, and Meliora combines rose, jasmine tea and ylang-ylang. Finally, there's Athénaïs, built on neroli, yuzu and tonka bean.
Men's fragrances
Layton and Layton Exclusif
Layton is an amber fougère that pairs apple and cardamom with lavender over a base of vanilla and praline. Its new version, Layton Exclusif, comes in parfum concentration with bergamot and lavender over a base of oud, sandalwood and leather.
Althaïr and Haltane
Althaïr puts Bourbon vanilla at the center, with orange blossom, cinnamon, cardamom and praline. Haltane starts with bergamot, has saffron and praline at the heart and a base of oud and leather.
Pegasus and the thoroughbreds
Pegasus pairs anise, bergamot and almond with a base of vanilla and sandalwood, and Pegasus Exclusif is its parfum version. Then there's Herod, built on vanilla, and Kalan, recognizable by its scarlet bottle.
Fresh scents
If you're looking for something fresh, start with Greenley, with green apple, petitgrain and cedar, or with Percival, which pairs bergamot, lavender and iris with tonka bean. Sedley is aquatic, with spearmint, and Perseus is a grapefruit citrus with a vetiver heart. Finally, Galloway is citrus and amber, with iris and orange blossom.
Extraits, gift sets and body care
Les Extraits and travel sizes
The Les Extraits collection brings together the house's extraits de parfum. Carios has red mandarin, red thyme and roasted tonka bean, Valero is a woody fougère with Bourbon geranium, lavender and sandalwood, and Eragon is amber and spicy, with cinnamon, patchouli, vanilla and leather. There's also the sample collection, which brings together Pegasus, Percival, Layton and Haltane, and the travel sets for Layton, Pegasus, Valaya and Delina Exclusif contain three 10 ml refills, some with a refillable case.
Body and hair
The Delina line includes shower gel, body cream, body oil, hand cream and a hair perfume to spray on the lengths or on your brush. For Valaya there's the hair mist and a refillable body cream; Layton and Percival have a shower gel.
Amber, woody and signature bottles
Among the warmer compositions is Oajan, with honey, cinnamon and osmanthus in the opening and a heart of amber and benzoin. Habdan is named after a stallion from the Crusades and has saffron and incense with an amber trail. Safanad pairs pear, jasmine sambac and orange blossom with a base of amber and vanilla. Carlisle is built on sandalwood, with vanilla, patchouli, opoponax and green apple. Two fragrances stand out above all for their story and their bottle. Palatine recalls the Princess Palatine, a guest at the Château, and comes in a purple bottle. Castley is inspired by 18th-century French voyages of exploration and has a clear smoked bottle.
Frequently asked questions
What are the Parfums de Marly extraits de parfum?
The Parfums de Marly extraits de parfum are gathered in the Les Extraits collection. Carios has red mandarin, red thyme, saffron and roasted tonka bean. Valero is a woody fougère with juniper, Bourbon geranium, lavender and sandalwood. Finally, Eragon is amber and spicy, with cardamom, cinnamon, davana, leather and vanilla pod.
Who founded Parfums de Marly?
Parfums de Marly was founded by Julien Sprecher, who is also its artistic director. A lover of 18th-century history, he wanted a house that captured the free spirit of the Château de Marly, where the king's guests escaped the rigid etiquette of the court at Versailles.
Why are Parfums de Marly fragrances named after horses?
Many Parfums de Marly fragrances are named after horses because the house looks back to the thoroughbreds of the 18th century and to Guillaume Coustou's Marly Horses, shown in the logo. Herod, Godolphin, Byerley and Darcy are names of historic stallions; Pegasus recalls the winged horse of mythology.
What does Parfums de Marly Delina smell like?
Delina is a fruity floral built on Damask rose, with lychee, rhubarb and bergamot in the opening and a base of musks. The house also offers it in two other versions: Delina Exclusif, in parfum concentration, and Delina La Rosée.
What does Parfums de Marly Valaya smell like?
Valaya is a musky floral that the house describes as a veil of linen on the skin. It has white peach and mandarin in the opening, orange blossom and white flowers at the heart and a base of white musks. Valaya Exclusif, also an eau de parfum, has almond and sandalwood instead.
Layton or Althaïr: which one should I choose?
Choose Layton if you want an amber fougère, Althaïr if you want vanilla at the center. Layton pairs apple and cardamom with lavender over a base of vanilla and praline, while Althaïr is built on Bourbon vanilla from Madagascar, with orange blossom, cinnamon and cardamom. Haltane, on the other hand, has oud and leather in the base.
What's the difference between Parfums de Marly eau de parfum and Exclusif?
The Exclusif versions are reinterpretations of the original fragrances, almost always in parfum concentration, like Delina, Layton and Pegasus Exclusif. Valaya Exclusif stays an eau de parfum but changes its structure, with almond and sandalwood, while Layton Exclusif has a different base from Layton, with oud, sandalwood, patchouli and leather.
Does Parfums de Marly make body and hair products?
Yes, Parfums de Marly offers a body line tied to its fragrances. For Delina there's shower gel, body cream, body oil, hand cream and hair perfume; for Valaya, the hair mist and a refillable body cream; Layton and Percival have a shower gel.
What are the fresh Parfums de Marly fragrances?
The fresh Parfums de Marly fragrances are Greenley, Percival, Sedley, Perseus and Galloway. Greenley pairs green apple, petitgrain and cedar. Percival has bergamot, lavender and iris over a base of tonka bean. Sedley is aquatic, with spearmint, Perseus is a grapefruit citrus with a vetiver heart and Galloway is citrus and amber.
