Nicole Miller Perfume & Cologne

Fashion designer Nicole Miller has made her career mixing artistic edge with sophistication. The American designer, who describes herself as "downtown and uptown," launched her clothing line in 1982, adding her first fragrance in 1993. Raised by her Parisian mother, Miller shows a natural knack for combining unexpected influences, from sheath dresses tailored in futuristic fabric to creative fragrance notes. She credits her father, an engineer, with her talent for elegant cuts and flattering proportions.

Her first scent, Nicole Miller, exemplifies her style of bold femininity. Working with professional nose Xavier Renard, the designer blended traditional floral notes with unanticipated scents such as plum and coriander to create an evocative signature fragrance. Nicole Miller launched a version for men the following year. In 1998, she introduced Nicole, a sharp floral with pronounced peony notes. In 2009, she worked beside perfumer Caroline Sabas to create Frenzy, a spicy women's fragrance that layers musky patchouli and cedar with violet and currant leaf for a dark edge.

Since opening her first shop on Madison Avenue in 1986, Miller's career continues to take her to new places. She has designed costumes for the stage, including Houston's Stages Repertory Theatre, and created clothing for toddlers with a 2004 Sesame Street line. In 2005, Miller launched her exclusive J.C. Penney collection Nicole, bringing her ever youthful style to a broader market of fashion-forward women. Fashion Group International presented her with the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012 in recognition of Miller's contributions and passionate artistry.