Michelle Feeney on signature scents, as seen in Refinery29

Is the signature scent still relevant, or has the fragrance wardrobe taken its place? In this Q&A, Floral Street founder Michelle Feeney shares her thoughts on how fragrance has evolved, why scent should reflect mood and moment, and how modern perfume lovers are embracing a more playful, personal approach. As seen in Refinery29, this is a fresh perspective on the way we discover and wear fragrance today.

1. Is the signature scent outdated?

I don’t think the signature scent is outdated — it’s evolved. When I set up FLORAL STREET 8 years ago, I saw that fragrance was extremely old-fashioned in comparison to other categories of beauty, as modern women we do not just have one lipstick or one outfit, we dress and make-up according to our mood or the occasion. What prolonged the signature scent idea was a lot to do with how perfume was marketed and also the price point, if you are paying £250 a bottle you are not going to use it every day and you probably cannot afford more than that scent. Today we treat fragrance the way we treat fashion: it shifts with our mood, our energy, our day. Some mornings you want something bright and uplifting like Arizona Bloom, and other days you reach for something cocooning and soft like Wild Vanilla Orchid. I love the idea that fragrance can move with you through different moments of your life. That’s why I talk about building a fragrance wardrobe — it gives you the freedom to express every side of yourself.

Floral Street Bestsellers | Award-winning British vegan fragrances

2. Are we romanticising the signature scent?

There’s something beautifully romantic about the idea of a signature scent — those Marilyn‑Monroe‑and‑No.5 moments are part of fragrance folklore. But the world has changed. Today we’re embracing the many sides of who we are, and fragrance is such a powerful way to express that. Rather than one scent defining you forever, you can choose a scent that reflects who you are in that moment — whether that’s something bold and confident like Ylang Ylang Espresso or something soft and spectacular like Enchanted Masquerade. That feels much more modern.

I think what would have been a signature scent could be framed as a ‘classic’ your little black dress of the wardrobe.

Floral Street Enchanted Masquerade Eau de Parfum for Bridgerton bottle in hand
Enchanted Masquerade Eau de Parfum for Bridgerton

3. Has the fragrance wardrobe replaced the signature scent?

I’ve always believed in the idea of a fragrance wardrobe. We don’t wear the same outfit every day, so why would we wear the same scent? Fragrance should be playful and intuitive — something you reach for depending on how you feel. And it doesn’t need to be expensive or complicated. A wardrobe can be two or three scents you rotate, or layer when you want something uniquely yours. At Floral Street, we actually have a Fragrance Wardrobe that has all our 12 original scents so you can try them all depending on your mood and decide if you want to drench yourself in sunlight and happiness with Sunflower Pop or feel like rock royalty with Black Lotus — so people can build their own scent story. Floral Street was crafted on mood muses with softer florals being for the girly romantic days (Wonderland Peony) and deeper darker edgier ones for a night out (Black Lotus).

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Fragrance Discovery Wardrobe

4. Has TikTok encouraged experimentation?

Social media has opened up the world of fragrance in such an exciting way. There’s this brilliant community of people discovering scents, sharing tips and experimenting with layering. It’s made fragrance feel less intimidating and far more inclusive. People feel freer to explore different scent families — maybe trying a floral one day and a gourmand the next — and even playing with alternative formats like our Floral Street mists when they want to effortlessly layer. That curiosity is a wonderful thing.

Floral Street x Van Gough Museum Sweet Almond Blossom Perfume Mist 125ml | Super-Scented, Mood-boosting, Skin-Loving, Vegan Fragrances Ingredients
Sweet Almond Blossom Perfume Mist

5. Do you need to spend a fortune to find a fragrance you love?

Absolutely not. When I created Floral Street, my mission was to bring fine fragrance to a wider audience. Luxury today isn’t about price — it’s about creativity, emotion and connection. The real luxury is finding a scent that lifts your mood or makes you feel confident. That’s why we offer discovery sizes and a full fragrance wardrobe: so everyone can explore and find the scent that speaks to them, whether that’s something radiant like Neon Rose or something warm and enveloping like Wild Vanilla Orchid. The fragrance wardrobe from Floral Street has twelve 2ml vials of each scent with a wrap around guide to help you navigate what you might like — we have tested this in the office and that gives 100 sprays per 2ml so in total 1,200 sprays all for £30 — it also means you can find a favourite before you invest in the larger size!!

Fragrance Discovery Wardrobe

From signature scents to fragrance wardrobes, fragrance today is less about rules and more about self-expression. As Michelle Feeney shares in this interview with Refinery29, choosing a perfume should feel personal, playful and led by mood. Whether you stay loyal to one favourite or switch scents depending on the moment, it should feel true to you.