"Which of the perfumes are for women and which for men?" A common question asked by visitors of the MIGLOT Fragrance Lab. This is not surprising since all the bottles look the same and they're not presented by gender. This was and is a very conscious choice made by perfumer Kristof Lefebre when he created the MIGLOT Fragrance Lab.
The habit of classifying products, such as perfumes, according to gender is not even questioned. Think about clothing, the use of certain colors (pink for girls, blue for boys) and the choice of hairstyle (long versus short).
Take skirts and dresses, for example. Our first thought would be that those garments are meant for women, but what if we see a monk or Scottish man dressed in a tunic or kilt. Feminine? In my opinion, powerful visuals.
- Kristof Lefebre, founder of MIGLOT Fragrance Lab
This gender stereotype thinking pattern is very recognisable within the perfume world. For a long time, we have associated certain scents with a particular gender. Wood notes are often considered masculine and fruity or floral notes feminine. Marketing campaigns have played a big role in this way of thinking. Perfumes for women are usually described as soft, while fragrances for men often portray the image of a cool and strong individual. Yet some women prefer the smell of warm or powerful wood scents rather than florals, but often feel constrained by the statement "For men" on the bottle.
At MIGLOT Fragrance Lab, we want you to have the freedom to wear what makes you happy. That's why our perfumes are genderless. We go with the term 'genderless' and not 'unisex'. The latter often implies that the perfume can be worn by both women and men because we cannot classify it according to gender, as is the case with marine fragrances. Whereas 'genderless' simply makes no distinction and every perfume can be worn by anyone.
The concept of genderless perfumes is not a trend but the future.
- Kristof Lefebre, founder of MIGLOT Fragrance Lab
A survey conducted by IVOX commissioned by MIGLOT Fragrance Lab, in February 2022, shows that 2 out of 3 Belgians (65%) feel that there's no gender when it comes to fragrances, and that everyone can just wear the perfume they like best. Yet 1 in 3 Belgians still consider it inappropriate for a man to wear a woman's perfume. Even for themselves, men are more persistent than women in sticking to gender norms when it comes to perfumes. Still, 1 in 3 men (36%) think that women's perfume generally smells better than men's perfume. 27% of women find that men's perfume actually smells nicer.
Read more about the survey results in Knack weekend. [Willot, I. (2022, 05 October). Geur zonder gender. Knack Weekend, 40, 40-41.]
An added benefit of our gender-neutral perfumes is that you can share them with others. No longer yours, no longer mine, but our perfume.
Minimalist packaging harbors the essence: genderless Eau de Parfums. Let's stop thinking in boxes where flowers are for ladies and woods for men. We have replaced marketing names that lead, mislead or seduce you with Formula numbers. At MIGLOT, freedom of choice is priority. Who are we to decide which perfume you should wear.
Wear your freedom. It's up to you.
Explore MIGLOT and experience genderfreedom.
Discover our 18 formulas with The Perfume Box.