From a Stockholm Café to a Lemon Grove in Palermo: The 12 Best Maison Margiela Scents for an Instant Escape
Wearing these perfumes is just like jet-setting.
By now, it's common knowledge that my fellow beauty editors and I are fragrance enthusiasts with overflowing collections to test and fall completely in love with, from our shared fragrances to the niche scents that are currently shaking up the market to my roundup of scents that capture the energy of Pinterest's 2026 beauty color palette. The five of us make up the dream team of perfume reviewers and sprayers. We've spent countless hours doing deep dives into heritage brands, such as Trudon and Penhaligon's, and newer heavy hitters that have claimed a spot in our perfume cabinets.
I have expensive taste when it comes to my fragrance lineup, but when I come across a brand that delivers everything I want in a perfume at an affordable price point, you can bet a few favorites will land in my virtual shopping bag. Maison Margiela's cult-loved Replica line smells worthy of a luxury price tag but is offered at just over half of that. With its large bottles averaging $170, they're the key to smelling good without worrying about putting a dent in your paycheck.
To learn more about the line's iconic fragrances, their development, and how to get the absolute most out of them, I reached out to the Maison Margiela HQ for all the helpful intel. Curious to see the nostalgic scents I can't stop talking about? Scroll on for the grand reveal!
Capturing a moment in a scent
Sandrine Groslier, global president of luxe fragrance brands at L'Oréal Group, tells me the development process for each of the brand's beloved scents is much more intimate than you'd expect. Rather than beginning with ingredients and market trends, they start with a sensation, memory, or fleeting impression they'd like to capture. "There's an extensive research phase where we're essentially posing the question, What does this memory smell like? We collaborate with experts who comprehend the intricate relationship between scent and emotion—identifying which ingredients can trigger that profound sense of nostalgia, that experience of déjà vu, or transport you to a place you've never visited but somehow instinctively recognize," explains Groslier.
After the vision becomes crystalline, the brand conducts creative casting of perfumers. In doing so, Maison Margiela hopes to find a perfumer who Groslier says "possesses not only technical mastery but a genuine personal affinity with what [Maison Margiela] is endeavoring to capture." These artistic collaborations give way to two distinctive philosophies: the Memory collection dedicated to scents that capture universal moments and the Fantasy collection, which ventures into surreal spaces. "Essentially, each fragrance functions as a temporal capsule or a sensory portal. You apply it, and you're immediately transported elsewhere," she says.
Layering Maison Margiela Fragrances
If you've been mixing and matching Maison Margiela fragrances or have yet to add one to your collection, expect to create a scent world with every spritz. "We've always understood that our clients were experimenting, intuitively blending scents," Groslier says. Maison Margiela set out to formalize and elevate this practice through what the brands refers to as "memory overlay." By blending two existing memories, one can construct an entirely new one. She compares this process to overlaying two photographs and suddenly seeing something that was previously hidden.
"There's something profoundly poetic about this—like watching two watercolors bleed into one another on paper, creating hues that didn't exist before," Groslier explains. Need a place to start? Try her three favorite eau de toilette combinations below featuring the line's best sellers and new additions. "What makes these three particularly compelling is how beautifully they speak to one another, which is exactly what led us to explore the art of layering them in unexpected way," says Groslier of her top picks.
1. Coastal Campfire (By the Fireplace and Beach Walk): "Envision yourself on a beach at twilight as someone kindles a bonfire. You experience that smoky, woody warmth interwoven with saline air and coconut. It's summer and winter engaged in an exquisite dialogue on your skin. Utterly mesmerizing."
2. Amalfi Daydream (Never-ending Summer and Lazy Sunday Morning): "This is for those moments when you wish to inhabit the feeling of awakening in a sun-drenched villa along the Italian coast. Citrus and neroli encounter fresh linens. It achieves that perfect equilibrium between vitality and serenity—like a leisurely breakfast on a terrace overlooking the Mediterranean."
3. Jamming in Saint-Germain (Jazz Club and Afternoon Delight): "Picture yourself in a Parisian jazz club, live music filling the air while you savor an exquisitely decadent vanilla-laced cocktail. The tobacco and rum from Jazz Club acquire this gorgeous sweetness from Afternoon Delight. It's refined, slightly indulgent, utterly compelling."
Experiencing Each Eau de Toilette
With so many nostalgia-drenched Maison Margiela Replica fragrances to choose from, there are endless ways to ensure you have a well-rounded experience. "It's about discovering which ritual resonates with your lifestyle and the intensity of experience you're seeking," explains Groslier. She recommends classic pulse-point application as a helpful technique due to how placement on the warm territories of the body can amplify scents and allow them to evolve with your body chemistry.
She also raises the air-mist technique as a good option. "This creates a soft, allover veil that settles evenly on hair, clothing, and skin," Groslier tells me. "It's particularly beautiful for lighter compositions like Lazy Sunday Morning." Can't get enough of these stunning scents? Try layering Maison Margiela's eaux de toilette collection with fragranced daily rituals such as The Hand Wash, The Hand Cream, The Hair Mist, and The Body Cream. "Fragrance is three-dimensional: intimacy (close to skin), presence (your immediate space), and sillage (the memory you leave behind)," adds Groslier.
The Best Maison Margiela Replica Scents
- Best citrus woods: Replica From the Garden Eau de Toilette
- Best fougère spices: Replica Coffee Break Eau de Toilette
- Best fresh floral: Replica Lazy Sunday Morning Eau de Toilette
- Best green citrus: Replica Under the Lemon Trees Eau de Toilette
- Best warm spices: Replica Under the Stars Eau de Toilette
Maison Margiela Replica By the Fireplace
Scent Type: Warm spices
Notes: Pink pepper essence, orange flower absolute, clove oil, chestnut accord, guaiac wood oil, cade oil, vanilla accord, Peru balsam resinoid, cashmeran
"In the U.S. market, we see a strong gravitation toward these warmer, more enveloping compositions. Jazz Club and By the Fireplace consistently rank as favorites—particularly as we seek comfort and sanctuary. There's this desire to be wrapped in something substantial, something with depth and character." — Groslier
Customer Review: "It is so innately human to have a connection with fire and burning wood. This is a fragrance that will truly transport you and ground you in the memories you have with fire. We all have this connection—this memory of sitting By the Fireplace. It's warm, sweet burning wood, sticky marshmallows, cloves, smoke and vanilla. It's so delicious."
Maison Margiela Replica Bubble Bath
Scent Type: Fresh florals
Notes: Soap bubbles accord, pink pepper essence, bergamot essence, lavender flower accord, rose super essence, jasmine absolute, patchouli essence, coconut milk accord
Bubble baths offer an opportunity to relax and breathe without worrying about anything else outside of the tub. This perfume evokes all the slow, soothing feelings that come from dipping into the warm water of a decadent bath with a quieting blend of soap bubbles accord, bergamot essence, and lavender-flower accord against a comforting coconut milk accord.
Customer Review: "Be still, my heart. This is so nice. Maison Margiela Replica really knows how to do fresh scents right—or at least the way I like them. This is an authentically sweet, creamy, bubbly soap, with coconut, aromatic lavender, gentle rose and skin-like musk. It's clean without being harsh, chemical, artificial or aldehydic, sweet without being cloying. Those soft-spoken floral and coconut notes are also romantic, friendly and even, by heck, a little bit sexy."
Maison Margiela Replica Coffee Break
Scent Type: Fougère spices
Notes: Coffee accord, red apple accord, lemon essence, lavender essence, spearmint essence, orange-flower absolute, milk mousse accord, sandalwood essence, cedarwood essence
Coffee has been catching my attention (and that of TikTok's scent-loving content creators) over the past few months. Replica Coffee Break offers a creamy, warm option for lovers of coffee who would prefer perfumes that balance smoky coffee beans with lush florals and a creamy base. This perfume opens with a coffee accord before offering crisp red apples and lemon essence. Just as your senses pick up on those, it shifts again—this time into orange flower petals and a smooth milk mousse accord.
Customer Review: "This fragrance captures the warm, soothing essence of unwinding with a smooth latte in hand, mingled with soft, creamy notes. It instantly transports me back to my university days, hours spent in coffee shops with lecture readings and a comforting mug by my side. It's a blend of nostalgia and calm, a scent that's as relaxing as the quiet hum of a café."
Maison Margiela Replica Afternoon Delight
Scent Type: Warm gourmand
Notes: Madeleine accord, carrot heart, absolu ambrette, heart of New Caledonia sandalwood, infusion of premium Madagascar vanilla pod, musks
If you've been on the hunt for a grown-up gourmand that takes all that you love about vanilla scents with added dimension, Replica Afternoon Delight should be at the top of your list. It opens with a warm and buttery madeleine accord coupled with creamy sandalwood and a mouthwatering infusion of Madagascar vanilla pod to paint the picture of a French café just after all its sweet treats have been put on display. It's soft and sweet but not overly sugary.
Customer Review: "This smells like you've just sat down at a French patisserie to enjoy some madeleines and profiteroles. It's not a warm, fresh baked cake scent—rather it's madeleines made earlier that morning sitting in the served from the display. The profiteroles are light and airy with cold cream inside and you get that sensation of them being served right out of a chilled display."
Maison Margiela Replica Never-ending Summer
Scent Type: Fresh citrus
Notes: Spritz accord, bitter orange, pepper duet, Earl Grey accord, cardamom heart, nutmeg essence, vetiver, cedarwood, patchouli
While there are some members of our beauty team who have yet to travel to the Italian coast for a sticky, sweet summer spent sipping on spritzes in between dips in the sea, those who have say this fragrance captures it in a bottle. Never-ending Summer opens with a yummy spritz accord coupled with bitter orange spiked with pepper duet. The fragrance is finished with a nutmeg and vetiver blend set alight by cedarwood and patchouli.
Customer Review: "Incredible. It's a super realistic orange peel (bitter, not overly sweet) and gives the feeling of peeling a realistically sweet and juicy orange. The spritz accord just adds a nice white boozy touch and it goes together so well, nothing overly done. The dry down is a simple base of cedar & patchouli, it's not overwhelming or dried out, the orange mostly lingers."
Maison Margiela Replica From the Garden
Scent Type: Citrus woods
Notes: Green mandarin essence, grapefruit essence, black currant accord, tomato-leaf accord, geranium bourbon heart Madagascar, rose accord, patchouli Indonesia, cristal moss, white musks
For those of us who frequent farmers markets and slip out to the garden to feel inspired and grounded by the colorful world of produce, this perfume is the closest thing to finding the juiciest tomato of the season. It's vibrant and earthy with a mouthwatering composition of green mandarin essence and grapefruit blended with juicy berries, florals, cristal moss, and musk for a dry finish. In other words, it makes me want to grab my basket and hilariously oversize sun hat.
Customer Review: "My great grandma had a huge garden when I was little. In the summer, I would help her pick tomatoes, cotton, and cherries. We'd go run the cotton through the gin and wash the produce in the sink with castor soap. This smells like my hands would when we'd be finished—spicy from the tomato leaves, a little soft and creamy from washing up, and just a little bit of [sweetness] left over from the cherries."
Maison Margiela Replica Beach Walk
Scent Type: Sheer floral
Notes: Ylang-ylang essence, transluzone, heliotrope accord, coconut milk accord, cedarwood essence, white musks, benzoin resinoid
"What's interesting is how Beach Walk has also become a staple, creating this beautiful counterpoint. There's the warmth of hot sand beneath your feet, that sun-heated coconut oil on skin. It instantly brings back memories of coastal lifestyle, whether it's California beaches, the Hamptons, or Florida shores. It's that effortless salt-air freedom, the sensation of endless summer days stretching before you." — Groslier
Customer Review: "Wish this had been created earlier. When I was younger, I was desperate to find a fragrance that smelled just like warm sand, sun-kissed skin, salty air and happiness. I've finally found it. It's beautiful, so soothing, so peaceful, so bright. Like an endless blue sky with no clouds in sight. Kids are laughing and playing on the beach, I'm enjoying the weather on a freshly washed cotton towel, eating fruit and drinking lemonade. This is the good life."
Maison Margiela Replica On a Date
Scent Type: Fruity floral
Notes: Black currant liquor accord, bergamot oil, pink pepper oil, Isparta rose petal essence, geranium oil, davana oil, patchouli essence, vetiver oil, moss accord, musks
Whether you prefer to spend your late summer evenings strolling through the park with a loved one or sharing a patchwork picnic blanket with your friends while you catch up on reading, Replica On a Date is familiar, sweet, and inviting. The first thing you may notice when you spritz this one is the opening note of black currant liquor accord and a splash of bergamot. (It's definitely a citrus-leaning scent.) Upon dry-down, you'll fall head over heels for the soft rose petals, patchouli, and sheer musks that really bring this one to life.
Customer Review: "From the very first spritz, it opens with a juicy burst of black currant liquor accord, mingling with the zesty brightness of bergamot and a subtle kick of pink pepper. It's playful, yet sophisticated—like the flutter of excitement before a first kiss. The heart of the scent blooms with Isparta rose petal essence, delicately layered with geranium and davana, evoking the feeling of fresh flowers in the warm dusk air. As it settles, the base notes of patchouli, vetiver, and moss create a sensual, earthy finish that lingers like a memory you don’t want to fade."
Maison Margiela Replica Under the Lemon Trees
Scent Type: Green citrus
Notes: Calamansi lime accord, petitgrain essence, cardamon essence, coriander essence, mate absolute, green tea extract, cedarwood essence, cistus absolute, musks
You don't need to have spent lazy summer days in the company of lemon trees to know that this Maison Margiela perfume can transport you there. It's limoncello ice cream, the Mediterranean sea, and fresh-cut herbs in a bottle with a bright lime accord, cardamom, mate absolute, and green tea extract blend. As citrus leaning as this one is, it's also incredibly green and fresh. It's the quintessential summer scent that will keep you dreaming of bike rides, cutesy sandals, and lemon groves.
Customer Review: "This is my go-to late spring/early summer scent, I bought this in Venice on my honeymoon and every time I wear it I'm reminded of sun-kissed skin, crashing salty waves, and aperol spritz. Under Lemon Trees [smells] 'freshly picked' and clean by itself but is a wonderful fruity layering fragrance as well. It lasts all day on my skin and Replica's atomizers always distribute beautifully and dry perfect."
Maison Margiela Replica Lazy Sunday Morning
Scent Type: Fresh floral
Notes: Pear accord, lily of the valley accord, aldehydes, iris accord, rose absolute, orange-flower accord, Indonesian patchouli oil, ambrette seeds absolute, white musks
Who doesn't love catching a few extra hours in bed with wisps of sunlight and freshly washed linen sheets? This perfume is one of the brand's most popular fresh, floral fragrances for a reason. It transports you right back to a breezy spring day the second the crisp pear accord, powdery lily of the valley, and rose absolute capture the senses. It also wears beautifully on the skin throughout the day, becoming sheer and skin-like without losing its warmth. You can thank the addition of white musk for that.
Customer Review: "If this is a lazy Sunday morning, it's a lazy Sunday morning in the late summer after a rainy night. You're freshly showered and smell like soap and lotion and warm body. The windows are open, and there's a welcome cool breeze, bringing with it the smell of the wet roses and late blooming irises outside. This Sunday morning is the first cool morning after a long, hot summer—it's crisp and refreshing, rosy and vegetal, but with a hint of remaining warmth in the musk."
Maison Margiela Replica Under the Stars
Scent Type: Warm spices
Notes: Black pepper essence, cinnamon leaves essence, cypriol essence, Virginian cedarwood essence, labdanum resinoid, oud infusion, leather accord
One of the biggest trends I'm expecting to see this year is perfume that draws inspiration from a starry night sky. Replica Under the Stars Eau de Toilette is my pick for one of the best smoky and leathery scent that's balanced by soft woods. Opening with black pepper essence, this scent reveals a heart of cinnamon leaves and a dash of cypriol to give it an undeniable warmth that enchants the senses. It's pure magic.
Customer Review: "I think this is a beautiful and palatable take on oud and leather—notes that are known to be a little bit more challenging than your average white floral. I don’t usually gravitate towards these notes since I often fear they’re too pungent or too hyper-masculine, but this isn't the case with Under the Stars. Yes, it's smoky, leathery, and has that burnt rubber tire smell so characteristic of oud, but it’s also airy and a bit sweet."
Maison Margiela Replica Jazz Club
Scent Type: Woody spices
Notes: Pink pepper essence, Primofiore lemon oil, neroli oil, rum absolute, clary sage oil, Java vetiver oil, styrax resin, tobacco-leaf absolute, vanilla bean
"Jazz Club possesses this remarkable universal magnetism, and it's particularly resonant in the U.S., which makes perfect sense given its origins. The fragrance was inspired by Brooklyn's intimate jazz bars, those dimly lit spaces where music hangs thick in the air alongside smoke and the warmth of shared experience. There's something deeply evocative about that smoky, rum-infused atmosphere that feels almost nostalgic, even if you've never set foot in those specific venues. It captures a very American romance with jazz culture." — Groslier
Customer Review: "This has a very intoxicating scent. You do not need much to get a lasting effect. I reserve this for evenings (in or out) and am always left with a very sexy, sultry scent. I say 'boozy', but in the best way, not like you can smell liquor on you, but just like a hint of an Old Fashioned or Manhattan at your side."
How I Chose
As with all of our buying guides at Who What Wear, we compile our edits based on original testing and expert recommendations. To identify the 12 best Maison Margiela Replica perfumes that deserve a spot in your scent collection, I leaned on firsthand knowledge and testing of the products as well as expert input from Sandrine Groslier, global president of luxe fragrance brands at L'Oréal Group. As part of my research, I considered many factors, including overall longevity, sillage, and wearability. I'm aware of how important these factors are for a wide range of preferences, so I made sure to list out all the helpful details. Of course, customer reviews were kept in mind when creating this list.
Why Trust Who What Wear
At Who What Wear, we know that beauty isn't one-size-fits-all. Over the years, our editors have tested thousands of products—including skincare, makeup, haircare, and nails—while also working closely with trusted experts, like renowned dermatologists, celebrity makeup artists, and other leading industry insiders. Together, this ensures every guide is well-researched, inclusive, and relevant to you.
We focus on formulas that deliver, whether they're affordable favorites or luxury investments. Our product selection is based on tangible results, ingredient know-how, and what we'd truly recommend to our closest friends and family members.
