Frederic Malle Explained: French Lover, Bigarade, Une Fleur de Cassie and Which Malle to Choose
Frederic Malle works like a publisher. Each perfume in the Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle range is credited to the perfumer who made it, whose name is printed on the bottle, the way an author's name sits on a book cover. That is why a Malle perfume is often discussed by its author as much as its title: French Lover by Pierre Bourdon, Bigarade Concentrée by Jean-Claude Ellena, Une Fleur de Cassie by Dominique Ropion. This guide explains the house, walks through the Frederic Malle perfumes we carry, and helps you choose. All 13 ship from Parfum Central in Dubai.
What is Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle?
Frédéric Malle founded the house in 2000. The brand describes it as "the first and only perfume publishing house in the world," and its tagline reads: "Unique works of art signed by the world's greatest perfumers."
The idea, in the house's own words: "Frédéric Malle was the first to pull perfumers out of the shadows by emblazoning their names on the bottles in black and white." Perfumers "receive unlimited time to create fragrances using the most beautiful raw materials. With no limits." The house launched with 9 perfumes in 2000, and it says it "does not engage in mass advertising; the success of the perfumes is an organic success that develops over time."
Frédéric Malle himself puts it simply: "A great perfumer brings together two things: real dreams and a real technique."
A perfume publisher commissions a perfume from an independent perfumer, gives them freedom over materials and time, and then signs the finished work with the perfumer's name, instead of presenting it as the brand's own anonymous creation.
Frederic Malle French Lover, by Pierre Bourdon
Frederic Malle French Lover is Pierre Bourdon's 2007 portrait of what the house calls "the masculine ideal." Malle describes a man "who has nothing to prove," and an "intuitively self-evident virility."
The brand lists pimiento, angelica and juniper at the top, and patchouli, vetiver and frankincense in the base. Its description adds capsicum, galbanum, iris, cedar and white musk, and centres everything on angelica: "angelica brings its aromatic, spicy notes together with the sleek elegance of iris, cedar and vetiver." Spicy, green and woody, it is an Eau de Parfum and one of the seven perfumes the house singled out as "classics of tomorrow" at its 20th anniversary. 100 ml, AED 1,325.
Frederic Malle Bigarade Concentrée and Cologne Bigarade, by Jean-Claude Ellena
Jean-Claude Ellena's two bigarade perfumes are built on the same idea: bitter orange, handled as purely as possible.
Frederic Malle Bigarade Concentrée is the more concentrated of the two, an Eau de Toilette. The house explains that it "enhances the purity of a bitter orange essence obtained by molecular distillation," with pink peppercorns and cardamom "to enhance its effervescence" and cedar "for a more lasting pleasure on your skin." Its notes are bitter orange, cardamom and pink pepper over cedar. Malle calls it "A scent that is literally essential, naturally vibrant. For her, for him, anytime, anywhere." It is also one of the house's seven anniversary "classics of tomorrow." 100 ml, AED 1,225.
Frederic Malle Cologne Bigarade is the lighter Eau de Cologne on the same structure, with "cardamom and pink pepper on a woody base of hay and cedar." In the brand's words, "Cologne Bigarade is also available in a more concentrated form as Bigarade Concentrée." Choose the Cologne for a quick, clean lift and the Concentrée if you want the orange to stay with you longer. 100 ml, AED 1,300.
Frederic Malle Une Fleur de Cassie, by Dominique Ropion
Frederic Malle Une Fleur de Cassie dates from the house's first year, 2000, and is by Dominique Ropion, whom Malle calls "the master of flowers." Cassie is a rare flower from the mimosa family, which the house describes as "Powdery, honeyed, slightly animalic."
The brand lists rose at the top, cassie and mimosa absolute at the heart, and sandalwood and vanilla in the base, with jasmine, musk and aldehydes in its description. Malle pictures "a silhouette from the Paris of the Roaring Twenties," and calls it "As downy as a feather boa." It is an Eau de Parfum, and the choice for anyone who wants a powdery, elegant yellow floral. 100 ml, AED 1,375.
The Desert Gems: Promise and Hope, by Dominique Ropion
Desert Gems is Malle's tribute "to Middle Eastern perfumery," a collection where perfumers were given "complete freedom and no limits on the use and quantities of raw materials."
- Frederic Malle Promise (2017) is, in the brand's words, "An olfactory illusion" that "recreates the alluring power of oud" with cypriol, a plant from India, and "precious essences of Turkish and Bulgarian roses." Its notes run from pink pepper, rosemary and apple to rose and clove, over patchouli, ambroxan, labdanum and cypriol. An Eau de Parfum. 100 ml, AED 1,550.
- Frederic Malle Hope is "The third masterpiece by Dominique Ropion for the Desert Gems collection," an amber and woody perfume that, the house says, "highlights the absolute nobility of an exceptional oud essence," with incense, vetiver, pink peppercorn, cypress and juniper. 100 ml, AED 3,350.
If rose and oud are what draw you here, our rose and oud perfume guide goes further.
More Frederic Malle we carry
| Perfume | Perfumer (brand) | Notes (brand) | At Parfum Central |
|---|---|---|---|
| En Passant | Olivia Giacobetti | Lilac, cucumber, white musk, cedar | AED 1,375 |
| Dans tes Bras | Maurice Roucel | Violet, cashmeran, heliotrope, sandalwood, white musk | AED 1,350 |
| Noir Épices | Michel Roudnitska | Orange, geranium, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon, pepper, patchouli, sandalwood | AED 1,400 |
| Rose & Cuir | Jean-Claude Ellena | Geranium, blackcurrant, vetiver, cedar, leather accord | AED 1,225 |
| Outrageous | Sophia Grojsman | Bergamot, tangerine, green apple, cinnamon, musk, ambroxan | AED 1,300 |
| Eau de Magnolia | Carlos Benaïm | Lemon, grapefruit, bergamot, oakmoss, patchouli | AED 1,275 |
| Angéliques sous la Pluie | Jean-Claude Ellena | Juniper berries, pink pepper, bergamot, angelica, cedar, white musk | AED 1,200 |
A few of these in the house's words: En Passant is "Paris, on a bright morning in May" and the scent of lilac; Dans tes Bras is "the power of tenderness"; Outrageous is Sophia Grojsman's take on "the scent of a glass of caipirinha"; Rose & Cuir is "a fragrance of contrasts between flower and skin." En Passant also appears in our Carolina Herrera Cedar Chic guide as a close relative in style.
Which Frederic Malle should you choose?
- For a spicy, green signature: French Lover.
- For bright citrus: Bigarade Concentrée, or Cologne Bigarade for something lighter.
- For a powdery floral: Une Fleur de Cassie.
- For rose and oud: Promise, or Hope if you want a true oud.
- For lilac and spring: En Passant.
- For a soft, skin-close scent: Dans tes Bras.
- For spice: Noir Épices.
Frederic Malle prices: the house's and ours
Frederic Malle prices most of its range the same whatever the concentration: in the US, 100 ml of French Lover, Bigarade Concentrée or En Passant is $410. Here is how our AED prices compare (checked September 2026):
| Perfume, 100 ml | Frederic Malle US price | At Parfum Central |
|---|---|---|
| French Lover | $410 | AED 1,325 |
| Bigarade Concentrée | $410 | AED 1,225 |
| En Passant | $410 | AED 1,375 |
| Une Fleur de Cassie | $470 | AED 1,375 |
| Promise | $470 | AED 1,550 |
Every bottle is batch code verified, sourced from reputable suppliers and shipped in its original packaging, insured with DHL Express from Dubai to 130+ countries, with delivery in 3 to 5 business days.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Frederic Malle?
Frédéric Malle founded Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle in 2000. The house works as a perfume publisher, crediting each perfume to the perfumer who created it by printing their name on the bottle.
Who made Frederic Malle French Lover?
French Lover was created by Pierre Bourdon in 2007. It is an Eau de Parfum built around angelica, with pimiento, juniper, patchouli, vetiver and frankincense.
What is the difference between Bigarade Concentrée and Cologne Bigarade?
Both are by Jean-Claude Ellena and built on bitter orange, cardamom, pink pepper and cedar. Cologne Bigarade is an Eau de Cologne; Bigarade Concentrée is the more concentrated Eau de Toilette version.
Who made Une Fleur de Cassie?
Dominique Ropion created Une Fleur de Cassie in 2000, the house's first year. It is a floral built on cassie and mimosa over sandalwood and vanilla.
Why does Frederic Malle put perfumers' names on the bottles?
The house presents itself as a perfume publisher. It credits the perfumer the way a book credits its author, and gives them freedom over time and materials.
Where can I buy Frederic Malle in the UAE?
We stock 13 Frederic Malle perfumes at Parfum Central in Dubai. DHL Express delivers them across the UAE for 30 AED and to 130+ other countries for 88 AED, in 3 to 5 business days.
The short answer
Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle, founded in 2000, is a perfume publisher that prints each perfumer's name on the bottle. French Lover by Pierre Bourdon is its spicy green signature, Bigarade Concentrée by Jean-Claude Ellena its bitter orange, and Une Fleur de Cassie by Dominique Ropion its powdery floral. Shop French Lover or Bigarade Concentrée at Parfum Central, shipped from Dubai.
Shop the Scents
The fragrances featured in this piece, authentic and shipped worldwide to 130+ countries.
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