International luxury study reveals: Distinctiveness, premium ingredients and brand identity define luxury fragrances – while cultural codes vary significantly across markets
Luxury has never been more visible – yet it has never been harder to define. Premium brands and status symbols dominate social media feeds around the clock, while consumers are becoming increasingly selective about what justifies a premium price. Nowhere is this tension more evident than in the fragrance market. A perfume may attract attention and appeal to consumers, but it is only perceived as truly luxurious when exceptional quality, individuality and a distinctive brand vision come together. The conclusion is clear: appearance alone is no longer enough. Today, luxury must embody a compelling combination of quality, personality and cultural relevance.
The international study “Redefining Luxury”, conducted by the Mäurer & Wirtz Group in collaboration with sasserathNOW, explores how consumers in Germany, France and the United States perceive luxury today. Around 4,000 respondents were surveyed about their understanding of luxury, purchasing motivations, preferred product categories, brand and country-of-origin perceptions, and their expectations of luxury fragrances.
Luxury is defined by substance – not surface
A luxurious fragrance experience is no longer created through image and presentation alone. Across all three markets, respondents identified a fragrance’s uniqueness (49%), high-quality ingredients (48%) and a strong brand (45%) as the three defining characteristics of a luxury perfume. Which of these factors ranks highest varies by market. By contrast, limited editions, elaborate packaging and social media visibility are considered far less important. The findings underline a fundamental shift: luxury fragrances are defined primarily by the substance of the product and the credibility of the brand – not by decorative embellishments. While eye-catching marketing may successfully create desire in other price segments, true luxury follows different rules. In the premium segment, lasting desirability is built on originality, exceptional quality and a distinctive brand identity.
“Today’s luxury crisis is, above all, a crisis of sameness. Brands that ask consumers to pay a significant premium must offer an equally significant difference – in the product itself, in its quality and in the underlying brand idea.”
Stephan Kemen, Group CEO Mäurer & Wirtz Group
The fragrance that stands apart
Across all three countries, around two-thirds of respondents say they deliberately want to wear a fragrance that not everyone else wears. Agreement reaches 65% in both Germany and the United States, and 61% in France.This desire is particularly strong among consumers aged 25 to 34, who increasingly use fragrance as a means of expressing their individuality and distinguishing themselves from others. The appeal lies not simply in rarity, but in distinctiveness: consumers are looking for fragrances with a recognisable character that make a lasting impression precisely because they are different.
Beauty is a key gateway to luxury
Beauty, fragrance and cosmetics rank among the most frequently purchased luxury categories across all three markets. In France, 51% of respondents purchased products from this category within the past twelve months, compared with 38% in Germany and 36% in the United States. Beauty is therefore far more than a niche segment within the luxury market –for many consumers, it represents one of the most accessible and emotionally relevant entry points into luxury. At the same time, the broader understanding of luxury confirms that substance matters most: quality and durability are the leading reasons for purchasing luxury products in every market, cited by 69% of respondents in Germany, 74% in France and 80% in the United States.
Luxury doesn’t smell the same everywhere
Across all three markets, warm and oriental fragrance profiles are most strongly associated with luxury, cited by 31% of respondents. They are followed by clean, skin-like scents (27%) and aromatic-herbal compositions (25%). Creamy, woody and gourmand fragrance profiles also rank closely behind. Beneath these overall results, however, lie clear cultural differences.
| GERMANY | Warm and oriental fragrances are perceived as the most luxurious. The findings suggest that luxury in Germany is not associated exclusively with restraint, but equally with warmth, depth and a distinctive olfactory character. |
| FRANCE | Woody compositions rank highest. This highlights a fragrance family that is often associated with craftsmanship, structure and sophisticated perfumery. |
| UNITED STATES | Clean, skin-like fragrances lead the ranking, closely followed by warm oriental and creamy scent profiles. In the U.S., luxury is strongly linked to fragrances that feel polished, intimate and effortlessly wearable. |
“Does a luxury fragrance have to mean the same thing in every market? No. But it must evoke something everywhere. A strong niche brand does not bend to every market. It trusts in fragrances with character, quality you can truly experience and a carefully curated universe that makes it unmistakable.”
Herbert Stricker, CEO Classic Parfums and The Nose Behind
Understatement wins
When asked about their preferred luxury aesthetic, a majority of respondents in all three countries chose Quiet Luxury—defined by understatement, timelessness and minimalism.
- Germany: 51%
- France: 58%
- United States: 66%
By comparison, Opulent Luxury, characterised by boldness, visibility and sensuality, was preferred by 30%, 29% and 27% respectively. The findings do not suggest that luxury must be invisible. Rather, they indicate that visibility alone is no longer enough. Today’s consumers expect luxury to communicate substance as much as style.
France defines luxury – Germany represents quality
Consumers’ spontaneous associations with luxury-producing countries reveal clear cultural patterns.
Among German respondents, France ranks first (17%), followed closely by the United Arab Emirates (16%) and Italy (13%). In France, 66% naturally associate luxury with their own country, while Italy follows with 9%. In the United States, France (24%) and Italy (22%) lead ahead of the U.S. itself (18%).
Germany, by contrast, is rarely perceived as a country of luxury. Only 6% of German respondents identify their own country with luxury, while Germany is not mentioned at all by French respondents.
At the same time, “Made in Germany” continues to stand for quality. Within a luxury context, it is primarily associated with quality and the automotive industry. However, “I don’t know” is the most common response in both France and the United States when respondents are asked what “Made in Germany” represents in luxury. The findings suggest that Germany enjoys strong credibility for engineering excellence and quality—but lacks an internationally recognised luxury narrative.
“Germany explains products. France creates meaning. We talk about materials, functionality and craftsmanship; the French talk about heritage, maisons, founders, cultural codes and savoir-faire. We build arguments—they build myths. For German companies, this represents a tremendous opportunity. Product quality is already there. What is often missing is the courage to transform quality into a truly distinctive brand idea.”
Marc Sasserath and Anna Lüders, sasserathNOW
Shared foundations, different luxury codes
Beyond perceptions of luxury-producing nations, the study also explores what consumers in Germany, France and the United States actually understand by the concept of luxury. Germany presents the least clearly defined picture. The most common responses—”I don’t know” and “quality/value”—are tied at 13%, narrowly ahead of “expensive/high price” (12%). In France, quality ranks first with 21%, while in the United States luxury is most strongly associated with high prices, followed by quality, elegance, style and design.
Consumers’ purchasing motivations also differ by market. French consumers associate luxury particularly strongly with aesthetics and craftsmanship. In the United States, quality is complemented by ideas such as self-reward, owning the very best and social recognition. Germany, meanwhile, demonstrates a more ambivalent relationship with luxury: quality remains highly valued, yet the broader emotional meaning of luxury is less clearly defined. Whether in fragrance or any other luxury category, quality remains the common foundation across all three markets. The way desirability is created, however, is shaped by distinct cultural expectations.
About the study
For the international study “Redefining Luxury”, a total of 4,000 consumers were surveyed in May 2026 using a standardised online questionnaire: 1,000 respondents in Germany, 1,000 in France and 2,000 in the United States. The quantitative study was designed to be representative in terms of age, gender, income, place of residence and educational background.
The study examined consumers’ overall understanding of luxury, purchasing motivations, preferred product categories, brand and country-of-origin perceptions, as well as expectations of luxury fragrances. Minor deviations may occur due to rounding.
About sasserathNOW
sasserathNOW is an independent strategic consultancy that helps people, brands and organisations make their uniqueness effective. The sasserathNOW team works with clients including Porsche, ALDI Süd, CARFAX, Straßen.NRW and the Sparkassen Group.
For more information, visit www.sasserathnow.com
Über Classic Parfums und The Nose Behind
Classic Parfums is one of the leading distributors of luxury and niche fragrances in the German-speaking market. The company currently distributes twelve fragrance brands and has played a key role in building the profile and awareness of international brands such as Widian, Pana Dora Sweden and Gritti. Under the leadership of Herbert Stricker, Classic Parfums has established an outstanding reputation through curated exclusivity, strategic brand expertise and deep industry knowledge.
The Nose Behind is a fast-growing distribution company specialising in the luxury segment, representing established fragrance houses such as Clive Christian and the recently added London-based fragrance house Thameen. The Nose Behind GmbH is also responsible for Herbert Stricker’s own exclusive perfume collections.
The Roberto Ugolini collection, with its focus on craftsmanship, captures the spirit of Florence, a Renaissance city where history and artisanal expertise are tangible at every turn. The second proprietary fragrance brand, The Nose Behind, captures special places, moments and memories and transforms them into sophisticated, long-lasting compositions. Each fragrance tells its own story and is created for lovers of complex perfumes who seek the extraordinary.
For more information, visit www.classicparfums.com and www.nosebehind.org
