What STUDIO Is and Why It Matters
M&S STUDIO fragrances are a new collection of eight unisex eau de parfums, created to be worn alone or layered, that signal how mainstream retailers can offer premium, gender‑neutral scents at accessible prices for modern fragrance users. The range builds on the success of M&S’s Discover line, which sold over one million bottles in its first three months on sale, but marks a shift in ambition. Instead of focusing on perfume dupes, STUDIO is positioned as an original, design‑led collection with complex, long‑lasting structures inspired by iconic and contemporary olfactive families. Genderless positioning and a clear emphasis on layering make it a case study in unisex fragrances affordable enough to experiment with daily. For shoppers, this reframes perfume as part of a personal wardrobe of scent rather than a single signature bottle reserved for special occasions.
From Dupes to Original Premium Scents
M&S has spent years building credibility through high‑street perfume dupes that echo cult favourites while costing less. Apothecary Warmth earned comparisons to Le Labo Santal 33, while Discover Pear Blush drew parallels with Merit’s first house fragrance, making M&S a go‑to for premium scents on a budget. However, dupe culture often raises doubts about ingredient quality and staying power. According to Grazia, M&S is now “shedding its former reputation and expanding into premium beauty with Studio.” STUDIO’s compositions, such as Sheer Musk with pink pepper, cashmere and musk, are described as elevated and long‑lasting, surviving a full working day while drawing compliments. This pivot from mimicry to original creation points to a wider shift: supermarkets and department‑store chains are not content to imitate designer launches; they want a seat at the premium fragrance table.
Layering Perfumes and the ‘Scent Wardrobe’ Mindset
STUDIO is explicitly designed around layering perfumes. Each scent stands on its own yet is built to blend, allowing wearers to create a personalised “scent wardrobe” that changes with mood, moment and outfit. The range spans light and airy options through to deeper, gourmand styles: Darkest Vanilla folds vanilla, amber, patchouli and tonka into a cocooning base, while Salted Haze mixes pear blossom, seaweed and cedarwood with a soft aquatic lift. Other compositions include florals like Dewy Rose with oud and amber, and ambers built from brown sugar, tonka, plum, tobacco leaf and myrrh. The idea is that fragrance no longer plays a supporting role; it is styled with the same intent as clothes—layered, mixed and switched up. For consumers exploring unisex fragrances affordable enough to combine freely, STUDIO’s modular design feels both practical and creative.
Genderless Design for a New Fragrance Consumer
Every STUDIO bottle is genderless by design, from the olfactive structures to the visuals. The packaging features clear glass, minimal lines and deep aubergine magnetic caps, with neutral‑toned boxes that outline notes and fragrance families rather than gender cues. Scent profiles also avoid traditional “for him/for her” binaries: clean musks, warm ambers, delicate florals and deep gourmands are presented as options for anyone. M&S says STUDIO is aimed at fragrance wearers who are “confident, expressive and style‑led,” reflecting a shift toward personal expression over gendered marketing. This aligns with Gen‑Z‑targeted launches elsewhere in beauty, such as Valentino’s mix‑and‑match Born in Roma mists. In practice, it means shoppers can build combinations like a soft musk under a bright floral or a smoky amber over a salted skin scent, without being steered by labels toward masculine or feminine territory.
Accessible Pricing and the Challenge to Luxury
STUDIO’s impact lies in its pricing as much as its aesthetics. Each 100ml bottle is set at £22.50, a figure that positions the range as premium yet attainable within everyday beauty budgets. For many consumers used to triple‑digit designer price tags, this lowers the risk of experimentation: building two or three layering perfumes becomes realistic rather than aspirational. For M&S, the launch signals a broader strategy to compete with traditional luxury fragrance houses by offering premium scents on a budget, backed by expert perfumers and attention to longevity. It also capitalises on the momentum of Discover’s rapid sales without locking shoppers into a single hero scent. If successful, STUDIO could encourage other mainstream retailers to move beyond dupes and invest in original, unisex fragrance portfolios—reshaping what “affordable luxury” smells like on the high street.
