Is Ex Nihilo a Luxury Brand? Why It Costs What It Does
Ex Nihilo is a Paris perfume house founded in 2013, and its 100 ml bottles sell for several hundred euros on its own website. That price puts it alongside the most recognised niche houses, and it raises two fair questions: is Ex Nihilo a luxury brand, and why does it cost what it does? This guide answers both from what the house itself publishes, then walks through the Ex Nihilo fragrances Parfum Central carries.
Who is behind Ex Nihilo
Ex Nihilo was founded in 2013 by three partners from Paris: Sylvie Loday, Olivier Royère and Benoît Verdier. The house describes them as "3 insiders from the luxury world" who set out to create "from scratch" the perfume house they wanted.
The name is Latin. The house translates it as "Created out of the blue", a nod to building something new rather than inheriting an old perfume dynasty.
Each founder brings a different angle, according to the house. Sylvie Loday, an engineer by training, imagined the house's Osmologue blending system and is drawn to what the house calls "biotechnology captives". Olivier Royère "particularly treasures natural raw materials from all over the world". Benoît Verdier, born in Provence, focuses on the creative process with the perfumers.
Is Ex Nihilo a luxury brand?
Yes. Ex Nihilo is a niche luxury perfume house. It works with named perfumers, and it sells through its own flagship stores, its website and selected department stores and perfumeries. Four things place it in the luxury tier:
- Its own flagship stores. The house's store locator lists Paris, London, Los Angeles, Hong Kong, Taipei and Doha.
- Personalisation. In its flagship stores, clients can create a personalised version of a fragrance with the Osmologue, which the house calls "an exclusive high precision fragrance blending system". These SIGNATURE fragrances are, in the house's words, "weighed, filtered, bottled and perfected by the hand of our experts."
- Collectible details. The house offers engraved caps "made of refined materials such as Mother of Pearl, Onyx and Buffalo Horn", engraving on the glass on request, and a "numbered, stamped and signed certificate of authenticity" with a personalised creation.
- Selective distribution. Beyond its own stores and website, Ex Nihilo sells through "the most iconic department stores, niches perfumeries and concept stores," rather than through mass beauty chains.
Niche perfume is the term for fragrance houses that focus on perfume alone, work in small collections and sell through selective channels, as opposed to designer fragrances made under fashion brand licences and sold everywhere. Ex Nihilo fits that definition.
Why is Ex Nihilo so expensive?
The house does not publish a cost breakdown, but it does say where its priorities lie. Five factors explain most of the price.
1. Creative freedom for the perfumers
Ex Nihilo says it offers its perfumers "a Carte Blanche", working "in total creative freedom". Its fragrances carry the perfumer's name: Gold Immortals is by Jordi Fernández, whom the house calls a "Master Perfumer", and Chandigarh Express is by Gaël Montero.
2. The materials
The house says it uses "only the most exceptional perfumery materials". Its own note lists name several trademarked materials, marked with ™ on the house site: Petalia™ and Ambrofix™ in Gold Immortals, and Mahonial™ in Chandigarh Express. Trademarked materials are specific branded ingredients rather than generic notes.
3. Concentration
Ex Nihilo sells some fragrances in more than one concentration, and the stronger version costs more. On the house site, the 100 ml Gold Immortals Eau de Parfum is 280 euros, while the 100 ml Gold Immortals Extrait de Parfum is 390 euros. The house describes the extrait as highlighting "the most sophisticated and intense facets of the original." If you are unsure how the two differ, our guide to perfume concentrations explains Eau de Parfum and Extrait.
4. Small, selective distribution
A house with a small number of flagship stores and a short list of stockists sells far fewer bottles than a designer brand in every duty free shop. Lower volume means each bottle carries more of the cost of creation, boutiques and marketing.
5. The services around the bottle
Personalisation, engraving and collectible caps are part of the Ex Nihilo offer. Even if you never use them, they are part of how the house positions itself, and that positioning is priced in.
| What you pay for | What the house says |
|---|---|
| Perfumers | "a Carte Blanche", named perfumers such as Jordi Fernández and Gaël Montero |
| Materials | "only the most exceptional perfumery materials", trademarked materials listed with ™ |
| Concentration | Gold Immortals: 280 euros as Eau de Parfum, 390 euros as Extrait (100 ml, house site, September 2026) |
| Distribution | Own flagship stores, selected department stores and perfumeries |
| Services | Osmologue personalisation, engraved caps, numbered certificate |
The Ex Nihilo fragrances we carry
Parfum Central carries four Ex Nihilo fragrances in 100 ml.
Ex Nihilo Gold Immortals Eau de Parfum is what the house calls an "Infinite floriental". It opens with pear and bergamot, has a heart of ylang-ylang and Petalia™, and settles on Ambrofix™, tonka bean and musk. AED 1,125.
Ex Nihilo Gold Immortals Extrait de Parfum keeps the same opening and heart, and swaps the musk for vanilla in the base, with what the house calls "addictive notes of Vanilla and Amber". AED 1,375.
Ex Nihilo Chandigarh Express is inspired by the modernist city of Chandigarh in northern India, which the house describes as a "Union between India and France". It opens with cardamom, mandarin and bergamot, moves to a leather accord with jasmine, davana and Mahonial™, and dries down to vetiver, patchouli, benzoin and tonka bean. AED 1,750.
Ex Nihilo Scarlet Sands launched as a Dubai exclusive in 2024 and does not appear on the house's own website. It pairs raspberry and mandarin with orange blossom, jasmine and freesia over amber, Akigalawood and vanilla. AED 2,100. We explain its appeal in detail in why Ex Nihilo Scarlet Sands is so popular.
Is Ex Nihilo worth it?
Yes, if you want a fragrance built by a named perfumer with less common materials, from a house that is not a fashion label. It is also a house you rarely smell on other people, which is much of the appeal of niche perfume.
A few practical points help:
- Start with the style you already like. Gold Immortals suits people who enjoy fruity florals with a warm amber base. Chandigarh Express suits people who like spice, leather and vetiver.
- Decide on concentration before price. The Gold Immortals Extrait costs more because it is richer, not because it is a different fragrance.
- Compare like with like. Other niche houses sit in a similar range, as we explain in why Baccarat Rouge 540 is so expensive.
Buying Ex Nihilo from Parfum Central
Parfum Central carries four Ex Nihilo fragrances in 100 ml, from AED 1,125 for Gold Immortals Eau de Parfum to AED 2,100 for Scarlet Sands, the top-selling fragrance in our store. 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
Is Ex Nihilo a luxury brand?
Yes. Ex Nihilo is a niche luxury perfume house from Paris, founded in 2013. It sells through its own flagship stores, its website and selected department stores and perfumeries, and offers personalisation, engraved caps and a numbered certificate with personalised creations.
Where is Ex Nihilo from?
Ex Nihilo is a French perfume house from Paris. The house's store locator lists Paris, London, Los Angeles, Hong Kong, Taipei and Doha.
Who founded Ex Nihilo?
Ex Nihilo was founded in 2013 by Sylvie Loday, Olivier Royère and Benoît Verdier.
What does Ex Nihilo mean?
Ex Nihilo is Latin. The house translates it as "Created out of the blue".
Why is Ex Nihilo so expensive?
The house points to creative freedom for its perfumers, "only the most exceptional perfumery materials", selective distribution and personalisation services. Stronger concentrations cost more: the 100 ml Gold Immortals Extrait is 390 euros on the house site, against 280 euros for the Eau de Parfum.
What is the difference between Gold Immortals Eau de Parfum and Extrait?
Both share the same pear and bergamot opening and ylang-ylang and Petalia™ heart. The Eau de Parfum finishes on Ambrofix™, tonka bean and musk, while the Extrait replaces the musk with vanilla and is more intense.
Where can I buy Ex Nihilo in the UAE?
Parfum Central carries Gold Immortals Eau de Parfum, Gold Immortals Extrait, Chandigarh Express and Scarlet Sands in 100 ml, shipped from Dubai with DHL Express: 30 AED within the UAE and 88 AED to 130+ other countries, with delivery in 3 to 5 business days.
The short answer
Ex Nihilo is a niche luxury perfume house founded in Paris in 2013 by Sylvie Loday, Olivier Royère and Benoît Verdier. It costs what it does because of named perfumers with a free brief, trademarked materials, stronger concentrations such as the Gold Immortals Extrait, selective distribution and its personalisation services. At Parfum Central you can buy Gold Immortals, Chandigarh Express and Scarlet Sands in 100 ml, shipped from Dubai.
Shop the Scents
The fragrances featured in this piece, authentic and shipped worldwide to 130+ countries.
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