The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
The Liberty print archive stretches back nearly 150 years. Thousands of hand-drawn patterns, each one a snapshot of a specific moment, a particular aesthetic. The Orchard print, with its leafy trails and clusters of blossoms, had been waiting in that archive since the 1970s. In 2023, perfumer Gabriela Chelariu was handed the print and asked to do something unusual: translate a visual pattern into something you could wear on skin. Liberty's approach treats perfumers not as technicians executing a brief but as creative interpreters, which meant Chelariu had room to think about how the print felt, not just what it depicted. The result is Liberty Maze, a fragrance built on the tension between crisp citrus and something deeper, greener, more shadowed.
What makes this composition unusual is the base. Hawthorn and birch give Liberty Maze a silvery, almost atmospheric quality, not the warm cream or sandalwood of typical floral-citrus scents, but something that reads as green and almost cool. Dreamwood™ (a proprietary material) anchors it without adding weight. The honeysuckle in the heart is solar but not syrupy, held in check by primrose's powdery softness. Earl Grey tea, the bergamot-black tea combination, is the thread that connects opening to drydown, present throughout rather than vanishing after the first spray. This is what reviewers mean when they call it distinctive: most fragrances in this category use tea as a passing fancy.
The evolution
The opening arrives crisp and bright, bergamot, neroli, and Earl Grey tea arriving together in a single wave of cool air. No delay. It smells like opening a window in a sunlit room. The tea note is immediate, not subtler, which is the first sign this isn't a standard citrus-floral. Within twenty minutes, honeysuckle climbs over the citrus and takes command. Jasmine follows, then primrose, a white floral trio that doesn't crowd but layers. This heart phase lasts the longest, and it's what people are smelling when they describe Liberty Maze as garden-like, fresh, wearable. The drydown arrives gradually: birch and hawthorn emerge from beneath the florals, giving the composition a green, woody finish that feels more like a woodland edge than a flower bed. By hour six, only a trace of Dreamwood™ and soft musk remain, close to skin, barely projecting. The longevity is real but the sillage is moderate. This is a fragrance that stays with you, not one that announces you.
Cultural impact
The LBTY collection arrived in 2023 as Liberty's first dedicated fragrance line, positioning itself in the space between heritage department store and niche perfumery. Liberty Maze specifically has found an audience among people who appreciate the Earl Grey note, it's specific enough to be a conversation starter among fragrance people while remaining accessible enough for everyday wear. The moderate sillage and six-to-eight-hour longevity make it practical for office and daytime use, which aligns with how it's reviewed: most commonly described as fresh, pleasant, and garden-like.
The House
Liberty LBTYLiberty LBTY is the fragrance division of Liberty London, the historic department store on Carnaby Street in central London. Founded in 1875, Liberty has long been celebrated for its eclectic curation of international goods and its extensive archive of hand-drawn fabric prints. The LBTY fragrance collection launched in October 2023 as part of Liberty's broader beauty expansion, translating the store's iconic textile patterns into wearable scent compositions. Each fragrance in the line takes its name or inspiration from specific Liberty prints, converting visual texture and pattern into olfactory experience. The collection emerged from the brand's tradition of sourcing unique objects from around the world, applying that same curatorial approach to perfumery. Initial releases included five scents drawn from the archive, with subsequent releases expanding the line through new floral, woody, and aromatic interpretations.
The Creator
Gabriela ChelariuBased on her work with Kayali, Gabriela's style appears to lean toward gourmand and sweet notes, with a particular emphasis on vanilla. She demonstrates a knack for creating rich, layered fragrances that are both comforting and alluring.
