Frequently Asked Questions


Q:  Who’s the guy?
A: Etienne de Swardt. And he’s not just a cute face, he’s also our brilliant founder. After years of working at LVMH, Etienne found himself bored and trapped within the confines of traditional perfumery. In 2006, he set out to emancipate perfumers and their juices from these traditional restrictions by creating his own perfume house. Thanks to him we have perfumes that are luxurious, provocative, sometimes ironic, often subversive, and always elegant.
 

Q: What does ‘Etat Libre d’Orange’ even mean?
A: “Nobody knows what it means, but it’s provocative… it gets the people going!” – Will Ferrell in "Blades of Glory"
A great quote, although it couldn’t be further from the truth. Etienne formed Etat Libre d’Orange with the idea of starting a revolution. Translating to ‘The Free State of Orange,’ the brand name is a declaration of this independence. It is also a homage to South Africa, his birthplace, which declared independence from British rule in 1854 and thereafter became a rainbow mosaic of people and cultures — unrestrained, unrestricted.


 
Q: What fragrance should I buy?
A: Fragrance is subjective. It smells different to different people and also smells different on different people. We always suggest starting with a Discovery Set since it offers a little taste of everything – an ‘amuse-bouche’ if you will. However, we’ve also categorized our fragrances by best sellers, fragrance family, and collection for your ease of navigation. And if you’re eager to get to the ‘entrée’, I Am Trash, Remarkable People, and You or Someone Like You are a few fragrances you definitely cannot go wrong with.


Q: I just can’t get enough - How do I learn more?
A: We’re blushing. We encourage you to follow us on Instagram, Facebook, or on our Blog. We also occasionally upload videos to our YouTube Channel, and in those rare and incredible occasions, you’ll get to hear directly from our favorite Frenchman himself, Etienne. Of course, if you have any other questions, please feel free to email us at uscustomerservice@etatlibredorange.com