The Orange Extraordinaire collection.
500 years is an homage to the role of rose in Western perfumery and culture. In a way this perfume is like a Rose line on the tube map starting from the rose water of Tudor times and then going through some classic rose recipes: a chypre, oriental rose, gourmand rose. 500 years is a complex story, however it is a clever progression through nuances rather than all of them exploding all at once.
All about this fragrance
Vibe check
This is a fragrance for close conversation and composed presence, when you want a rose that feels learned rather than ornamental. It suits a setting where the air is still and attention is measured, letting the spice, woods and powdery floral trail register gradually rather than announce itself at once.
How to wear
Best in cool to mild weather, where its rose, spice and amber woods can unfold without feeling heavy. Apply sparingly at first; a few sprays are enough to create a refined, persistent trail. On skin it turns softer and more powdery, while in the air the oud, saffron and woods give it a deeper, more textured presence.
Who it’s for
For someone who likes rose fragrances with structure, depth and a slightly dark edge. It will appeal to wearers drawn to floral-leather, woody oriental and powdery compositions, especially if they prefer a rose that feels layered, intellectual and a little unconventional.
Release year
2019
The nose
Cécile Matton. Matton is known for composing with a polished, contemporary hand, often balancing floral richness with spice, woods and textured warmth. Her work tends to feel architectural rather than decorative, with clear movement from opening to drydown. In 500 Years, she builds a rose that feels historical without becoming old-fashioned: saffron, oud, amber woods and geranium give the flower depth, shadow and a slightly suede-like edge. The result is a fragrance that reads as narrative-driven and carefully structured, with each phase unfolding in sequence rather than all at once.
Collaborators
Étienne de Swardt shaped the concept and creative direction for the fragrance, framing it as part of État Libre d'Orange’s rose-focused Orange Extraordinaire collection and guiding its historical, provocative narrative.
Etat Libre d'Orange’s story
État Libre d'Orange treats perfumery as a space for freedom, irony and provocation, but also for serious composition. The house is known for giving perfumers room to push ideas without smoothing them into convention, favoring bold concepts, strong identities and a direct focus on the juice itself.
500 years’s concept
500 Years is part of the Orange Extraordinaire collection and was conceived as an homage to rose in Western perfumery and culture. The brand frames it as a journey through rose history, from Tudor rose water to chypres, oriental roses and gourmand interpretations, while also evoking Renaissance merchants who helped open a third path for art and perfume beyond religious and military power.
Extra info
It launched in 2019 as part of the Orange Extraordinaire collection, alongside Spice Must Flow. The perfume is built as a rose homage, tracing different rose styles across perfumery history rather than presenting a single straightforward bouquet.
The Orange Extraordinaire collection.
500 years is an homage to the role of rose in Western perfumery and culture. In a way this perfume is like a Rose line on the tube map starting from the rose water of Tudor times and then going through some classic rose recipes: a chypre, oriental rose, gourmand rose. 500 years is a complex story, however it is a clever progression through nuances rather than all of them exploding all at once.
All about this fragrance
Vibe check
This is a fragrance for close conversation and composed presence, when you want a rose that feels learned rather than ornamental. It suits a setting where the air is still and attention is measured, letting the spice, woods and powdery floral trail register gradually rather than announce itself at once.
How to wear
Best in cool to mild weather, where its rose, spice and amber woods can unfold without feeling heavy. Apply sparingly at first; a few sprays are enough to create a refined, persistent trail. On skin it turns softer and more powdery, while in the air the oud, saffron and woods give it a deeper, more textured presence.
Who it’s for
For someone who likes rose fragrances with structure, depth and a slightly dark edge. It will appeal to wearers drawn to floral-leather, woody oriental and powdery compositions, especially if they prefer a rose that feels layered, intellectual and a little unconventional.
Release year
2019
The nose
Cécile Matton. Matton is known for composing with a polished, contemporary hand, often balancing floral richness with spice, woods and textured warmth. Her work tends to feel architectural rather than decorative, with clear movement from opening to drydown. In 500 Years, she builds a rose that feels historical without becoming old-fashioned: saffron, oud, amber woods and geranium give the flower depth, shadow and a slightly suede-like edge. The result is a fragrance that reads as narrative-driven and carefully structured, with each phase unfolding in sequence rather than all at once.
Collaborators
Étienne de Swardt shaped the concept and creative direction for the fragrance, framing it as part of État Libre d'Orange’s rose-focused Orange Extraordinaire collection and guiding its historical, provocative narrative.
Etat Libre d'Orange’s story
État Libre d'Orange treats perfumery as a space for freedom, irony and provocation, but also for serious composition. The house is known for giving perfumers room to push ideas without smoothing them into convention, favoring bold concepts, strong identities and a direct focus on the juice itself.
500 years’s concept
500 Years is part of the Orange Extraordinaire collection and was conceived as an homage to rose in Western perfumery and culture. The brand frames it as a journey through rose history, from Tudor rose water to chypres, oriental roses and gourmand interpretations, while also evoking Renaissance merchants who helped open a third path for art and perfume beyond religious and military power.
Extra info
It launched in 2019 as part of the Orange Extraordinaire collection, alongside Spice Must Flow. The perfume is built as a rose homage, tracing different rose styles across perfumery history rather than presenting a single straightforward bouquet.