For decades, Duran Duran has dominated music and style. Now, the legendary band is expanding its creative reach beyond sound and vision into an entirely new sensory experience: SMELL. In collaboration with the luxury Italian perfume house Xerjoff, the band has rolled out the red carpet for their own unisex fragrance with two scents, NeoRio and Black Moonlight.
NeoRio and Black Moonlight
Duranies first got a sniff of the new fragrances at the band’s Halloween show where samples were included with the Danse Macabre merch. Simon Le Bon describes Black Moonlight as “moody and romantic, but with an edge.” This darkly seductive fragrance is a bold blend of bergamot, mandarin, saffron, hazelnut, and jasmine, balanced by deeper base notes like patchouli, vetiver, and tonka bean. In contrast, NeoRio is vibrant and sun-soaked, evoking the energy of a tropical morning with its mix of candied fig, rum, saffron, and rose oil. Inspired by the band’s 1982 hit Rio, the scent is lively, layered, and undeniably magnetic.
Nick Rhodes, ever the aesthete, explains the project as an extension of the band’s dedication to sensory storytelling. “With music, we’ve always been about engaging the senses—primarily sound and vision. The idea of incorporating scent into our world felt like a natural progression.”
“During the creation of these perfumes, we realised we were striving to achieve similar criteria as we do when writing songs,” says Rhodes. “Ultimately aiming for something seductive, unique and irresistible.”
Nick Rhodes
Simon adds: “We’ve always liked the idea of doing things outside of the band, in the art, fashion and design world. We love the idea of being able to excite a new sense – in this case, being smell – because we’ve mostly spent our careers with sound and visuals. We looked at it as though the project was what we would have done if we’d been a band of perfumers. The process was absolutely fascinating. We all knew the different things we liked. And just like when we’re writing songs, everybody’s pulling in completely different directions. Somebody wants something that’s really joyful and uplifting, and somebody else wants something dark and moody and more musky. So that’s exactly how the atom got split.”
Better to launch two scents than cause dissent.
The band hosted an Immersive London launch party on March 24, 2025 in London, England with a bevy of celebrity Duranies. Set within a reimagined Rum Runner, the iconic Birmingham nightclub where the band’s journey began, the night blurred the lines between reality and performance, past and present.
Attendees received “Lost City” visas from the fictional Lost Citizenship Bureau, along with an invitation instructing them to dress in red and black and remain silent upon entry. Inside, they navigated surreal, theatrical encounters: Simon Le Bon as a scribe at a dressing table, John Taylor lounging on a bed, bass in hand, while models danced around him, and Nick Rhodes conducting photoshoots in his signature effortless cool. Each scene unfolded like a living memory, culminating in a nightclub straight out of an 80s fever dream—strobe lights, high cheekbones, angular silhouettes, and pounding beats.
Photos by Dave Benett
Shaping Music and Style
The partnership with Xerjoff, known for its meticulously crafted luxury fragrances, ensures that NeoRio and Black Moonlight are more than just vanity projects. The bottles themselves reflect the band’s identity, featuring elegant, sculptural designs and Le Bon’s handwritten signature. As Xerjoff founder Sergio Momo puts it, “Duran Duran has shaped music and style for over four decades, making them ideal partners for this collaboration.”
“Scent is powerful. It’s memory, it’s atmosphere—it’s the invisible thread that connects moments in time. With these fragrances, we wanted to bottle up something that feels like Duran Duran, but also something that invites people to make it their own.”
Simon Le Bon
Duran Duran Black Moonlight
Black Moonlight is inspired by Duran Duran’s darker side – an homage to the eerie and mysterious world that the band so often explores through their music and videos with a scent that oozes intrigue and awe. Black Moonlight wraps you in a veil of sophistication, daring you to explore the enigmatic corners of the soul and celebrate the complexity within
Sensuous, daring and irresistibly evocative, Black Moonlight accompanies the wearer on a journey deep into the heart of the night, where untold secrets whisper and the edge of darkness ignites intrigue. Inspired by the interplay of light and shadow that defines Duran Duran’s music, this exquisite scent embodies the allure of mystery and the quiet power of self-expression.
Black Moonlight wraps the wearer in a veil of sophistication, daring the mind to explore the enigmatic corners of the soul and celebrate the complexity within. Bergamot and mandarin awaken the senses, whilst saffron, lavender, sambac jasmine and hazelnut envelop the senses in an intimate embrace.
It’s all grounded by the base notes of patchouli, vetiver, tonka bean and benzoin to create a sensual, timeless scent that mirrors Duran Duran’s legacy: constantly-transforming yet introspective – a harmonious blend of art, innovation and emotion. The name of the perfume is printed on the flacon and coffret in Simon Le Bon’s handwriting.
- Bergamot Cardamom Mandarin, Saffron
- Lavender Myrrh Sambac Jasmine Absolute Ylang-Ylang
- Labdanum Patchouli Tolu Balm Tonka Bean
Duran Duran NeoRio
NeoRio is the first Xerjoff perfume to debut in four distinct variations of its iconic flacon, embodying a bold fusion of creativity and artistic expression. Just like Duran Duran, it thrives on evolution and pushing boundaries, capturing a spirit that defies time. This fragrance is a dynamic collision of past, present, and future—magnetic, unpredictable, and undeniably captivating.
NeoRio opens with an irresistible burst of candied fig and rum, brightened by the sparkling freshness of elemi absolute. As it unfolds, the fiery warmth of saffron intertwines with the soft elegance of rose oil, culminating in a rich and sensual base of Tonka bean and the deep, timeless allure of Peruvian balsam. A true celebration of energy, freedom, and the electrifying moments that make life extraordinary.
Pink Falcon
- Candied Fig Elemi Absolute Rum Spanish Cistus Oil
- Maple Syrup, Rose Oil Saffron
- Balsam Of Peru, Patchouli Tonka Bean
Green Falcon
- Candied Fig Elemi Absolute Rum Spanish Cistus Oil
- Maple Syrup, Rose Oil Saffron
- Balsam Of Peru, Patchouli Tonka Bean
Yellow Falcon
- Candied Fig Elemi Absolute Rum Spanish Cistus Oil
- Maple Syrup, Rose Oil Saffron
- Balsam Of Peru, Patchouli Tonka Bean
Orange Falcon
- Candied Fig Elemi Absolute Rum Spanish Cistus Oil
- Maple Syrup, Rose Oil Saffron
- Balsam Of Peru, Patchouli Tonka Bean
Celebrity Fragrances
Duran Duran’s entry into the fragrance industry is part of a long tradition of musicians, actors, and cultural icons translating their personas into scent. The celebrity fragrance market exploded in the early 2000s, largely fueled by the success of Glow by J.Lo, which redefined the category by proving that a celebrity name alone could move massive numbers. Since then, a wave of artists and actors—from Britney Spears to Rihanna, from David Beckham to Beyonce—have launched fragrances that became instant bestsellers.
Among the most iconic celebrity scents of all time, White Diamonds by Elizabeth Taylor remains one of the highest-selling celebrity fragrances in history, having generated over a billion dollars in sales since its launch in 1991. Britney Spears’ Curious and Fantasy defined the fragrance landscape of the 2000s, while Rihanna’s Fenty Eau de Parfum brought a modern, luxury aesthetic to the category. More recently, Billie Eilish’s Eilish fragrances have garnered attention for their warm, gourmand profiles and sculptural packaging, proving that the market for celebrity-backed perfumes remains as strong as ever.
The roots of the celebrity fragrance industry stretch back further than many realize. Before the modern boom, Old Hollywood stars like Audrey Hepburn and Sophia Loren had bespoke perfumes crafted for them, often becoming public-facing releases. In the 1980s, designer collaborations with pop culture figures—like Cher’s self-titled perfume—paved the way for the mainstream explosion of the 1990s and 2000s.
Xerjoff: A Fusion of Art, Nature, and Luxury
Xerjoff continues to redefine luxury perfumery with an ever-expanding portfolio of unique collections. Among its most renowned lines is Shooting Stars, where each fragrance comes with an authentic fragment of meteorite, adding a celestial touch to the experience. Meanwhile, the Oud Stars collection pays homage to the ancient Arabian art of perfume making, using rare and precious oud oil to craft fragrances that transport the wearer into entirely new olfactory realms.
The Vision Behind the Brand
Founded in 2007 in Turin, Italy, Xerjoff was the brainchild of Sergio Momo and Dominique Salvo, who set out to create a perfume house that seamlessly blends old-world craftsmanship with the finest raw materials. Their vision was to cater to the most refined global lifestyles, delivering scents that are not only luxurious but also artistically profound.
At the core of Xerjoff’s success lies an unparalleled dedication to quality, tradition, and innovation. Every perfume is crafted using the finest ingredients sourced from around the world and housed in meticulously designed Italian-made flacons, created by master artisans.
Momo, born in Turin in 1964, pursued a background in art, graphics, and design before entering the world of perfumery. After studying at the European Design Institute (IED) in Turin, he moved to London, working with various design and advertising agencies. However, his passion for fragrance was deeply ingrained in him from childhood.
For Momo, perfume was never a passing interest but a deeply personal connection to his past. He recalls:
“I was born into a perfume-loving family. Some of my earliest memories include my grandmother showing me her exclusive Lanvin and Coty flacons. My father, a world traveler, introduced me to natural essences like incense and sandalwood during his time in Eastern countries.”
Sergio Momo
What Does Xerjoff Mean?
The name Xerjoff is a blend of personal history and refined elegance. It originates from co-founder and creative director Sergio Momo’s childhood nickname, “Joff,” lovingly given to him by his maternal grandmother. Paired with “Sir,” a title of respect used by his former colleagues in London, the name embodies both heritage and sophistication, reflecting the brand’s fusion of tradition and innovation.
Wondering how to pronounce Xerjoff? It’s “serj-off”.
Duran Duran’s Luxury Niche
While many celebrity scents are mass-market ventures, Duran Duran’s collaboration with Xerjoff places them in a different category—luxury niche fragrance. Unlike department store celebrity perfumes designed for mass appeal, NeoRio and Black Moonlight cater to connoisseurs, much like the band’s devoted fanbase.
For those who have followed Duran Duran’s career, this expansion into fragrance is just another example of their restless creativity and refusal to be boxed in. The band has consistently pushed the boundaries of music, fashion, and visual art, and now, with scent, they really do smell like they sound – AMAZING.
Both NeoRio and Black Moonlight are available for purchase worldwide at Xerjoff.com.