What Happened To The Different Company? + A Review Of Sel De Vetiver (Celine Ellena; 2006)

It’s interesting to compare The Different Company with Editions De Parfums Frederic Malle. Both launched their first releases in 2000. Both gave prominence to the role of perfumers. TDC may not have featured its creator’s name on the bottles in the same way that Malle did on his, but it was co-founded by none other than Jean-Claude Ellena and his role in the enterprise was not downplayed. Both debuted with scents that came to earn critical acclaim and a firm fan base. And yet, somewhere along the line, their trajectories diverged: Malle became one of the most revered houses of the century, whereas The Different Company sank further and further into irrelevance.

I hasten to mention that I’m well aware Editions De Parfums doesn’t enjoy quite the same respect it did a few years ago. Following Malle’s sale of the brand to Estee Lauder and, more recently, his own departure from it, its status is in question. However, there’s no denying that at a certain point in its life, it was considered to be the perfume house to beat, which is more than can be said about The Different Company.