Duran Duran’s in Their Fragrance Era

Duran Duran has long thrilled fans with their glamorous blend of sound and style, but now the legendary band is tapping into a new sensory realm—scent. In a recent Vogue interview with Christian Lacroix Laird Borrelli-Persson, keyboardist Nick Rhodes revealed the band’s latest creative leap: two genderless fragrances inspired by their music and aesthetic legacy. Created in collaboration with perfumer Sergio Momo of Xerjoff, NeoRio and Black Moonlight are “the yin and yang of Duran Duran,” Rhodes said, describing them as “an A-side/B-side” of the band’s identity.

From Bright Lights to Dark Mystique

“NeoRio is just full of light and energy and bright colors,” said Rhodes, with top notes of candied fig and rum that give way to saffron and soft rose oil. In contrast, Black Moonlight is “mysterious and musky and attractive,” built on a moody base of patchouli, vetiver, and Tonka bean. What began as a single scent evolved into a dual-fragrance release as the band realized, much like their music, there’s always a light and dark side to explore.

The Creative Process: Treating Fragrance Like Music

Rhodes and Simon Le Bon led the project, with the full band involved in creative decisions over the course of an 18-month development process. The collaboration was grounded in the same curiosity and reinvention that’s fueled Duran Duran for over four decades. “We’ve spent most of our career trying to excite people’s senses, particularly sound and vision,” Rhodes said. “But we’ve never really had the opportunity to use the other senses so much. So the idea of making a Duran Duran scent that would affect people… was exciting to us.”

A Blank Sheet and a Wild Vision

The band approached fragrance-making the same way they might an album—“with a blank sheet of paper.” Rhodes credited Momo for translating their wild, poetic scent inspirations into actual formulas. “We talked about things like freshly cut grass, petrol… things you just catch a hint of. It’s a fantastic experience that makes you remember certain things.”

Day-Glo Bottles and Design Instincts

Packaging also played a key role, with John Taylor and Rhodes leaning into their visual instincts. Momo’s idea for a dayglow NeoRio bottle “was a master stroke,” Rhodes said. “We all folded immediately and said, ‘Yeah, that’s it.’”

The Return of Individuality in Fashion

Naturally, Duran Duran’s signature aesthetic—rooted in the New Romantic movement—still resonates. When asked why 1980s style is seeing a resurgence, Rhodes pointed to a cyclical return to individuality and defiance. “People want to show their individuality now, and that was very much part of the ’80s.” Fashion then, he said, was about standing out—“not being afraid of what people thought… and looking different.”

A Personal Scent Memory

As for the ‘80s scent memory that lingers for Rhodes? “I used to wear Jungle Gardenia,” he admitted with a laugh. “It wasn’t expensive, but I rather liked gardenia… I often used female fragrances instead of men’s.” That inclusive approach carried through to the new Duran Duran scents, which are designed for “absolutely anybody and everybody.”

A Legacy That Lingers

The launch of NeoRio and Black Moonlight marks another chapter in the band’s evolution—this time through scent. As Rhodes put it: “We’re always looking at different ways to express what Duran Duran is.”

And now, that expression lingers a little longer—on the skin.

Read more of this interview in Vogue Magazine, April 4, 2025, By Laird Borrelli-Persson