It’s easy to slip on your clothes, make up and perfume without really thinking too much about where they came from or what went into making or designing them. Spotlight aims to show a little glimpse of the years of experience and work that goes into becoming an icon of the industry, alongside reviews of some of the brand’s products.

This month we take a look at DKNY, where they began and how they have they have expanded into one of the most well-known and easily recognised (not to mention multiple-award-winning) brands in the world.

Founded in 1984, fashion giant DKNY, like many others who now have a stake in the fragrance game, began by designing clothes and fashion accessories. Taking their name from the initials of its founder, Donna Karan, and its home city of New York, DKNY were originally based around women’s fashion alone, and were very successful in this area.  Aiming to design “modern clothes for modern people”, the brand showcased their first fashion collection for women in 1985 and they haven’t stopped to breathe since.

The success of this, and following lines, led to the creation in 1988 of a range aimed at a younger audience for a lower price, then in 1990, the still-iconic DKNY denim was born, followed by a menswear line in 1992. These were later joined by childrenswear and homeware collections, all of which were hugely popular and helped make the brand the household name that it is today.

Also in 1992, the brand diversified further, releasing lines of beauty products under the Donna Karan Beauty name. The original DKNY perfume, DKNY woman, is still available today and is considered a classic fragrance.

In the 30 years since, DKNY have not rested on their laurels, and have produced over 170 fragrances, many in collaboration with other world-renowned perfume and beauty specialists, such as Estee Lauder, who helped produce several DKNY fragrances throughout the 1990s.

Their most prolific and well-known beauty range today is the Be Delicious range. Begun in 2004 with the original Be Delicious scent, there are now an astonishing 39 scents in the range, with the latest, Be Delicious Guava Goddess, being released in 2022. Mostly sharing the iconic, apple-shaped bottle, inspired by Donna Karan’s love of her home city, New York, these are instantly recognisable and are available in fragrances for men and women, as well as many being available in gift sets with complementing body wash, shampoo, body lotions or other cosmetic goodies.

These are a few of our favourites from our own range of DKNY products.

DKNY Be Delicious EDP for Women

The original Be Delicious fragrance, released in 2004, is a sweet, light fragrance with a fruity floral scent. Top notes of cucumber, grapefruit and magnolia give a soft a citrussy opening, while the sweet green apple takes centre stage in the mid notes, alongside lily of the valley, tuberose, violet and rose. Combined with a base of amber, sandalwood and woodsy notes, this is a delicate and feminine scent and, as mentioned earlier, the apple-shaped bottle has become a brand icon. This first edition was released in pale apple green with a silver topper.

DKNY Be Delicious Fresh Blossom EDP for Women

This soft, fruity-floral delight was launched in 2009. Inspired by the springtime, it is a fresh and light and airy fragrance. Top notes of grapefruit, apricot and cassis give a smooth and fruity opening, which gives way to the softer mid notes of rose, lily of the valley and jasmine. The red apple and woodsy notes in the base carry the citrus sweetness all the way through this scent, keeping it feminine and giving it a youthful air. This one shares the iconic, apple-shaped bottle, this time presented in silver and blossom pink.

DKNY Golden Delicious EDP for Women

Golden Delicious was released in 2010 and is a floral, woody, musk fragrance for women. Deeper and heavier than the previous Be Delicious scents, this one has an adult feel to it and though it shares many of the mid notes of its siblings, the top notes of red apple, African orange flower and plum give an intensity that the others do not possess. The base of sandalwood, musk and teakwood give an exotic depth and help the scent to last all day. This little apple is all in gold, the lid matt metal and the bottom gold-tinted glass, matching its name.

DKNY Nectar Love EDP for Women

Launched in 2017, this one has exactly what the label says – a delightfully sweet and floral-inspired fragrance. Top notes of nectarine, yellow freesia, grapefruit and mandarin orange give a sweet and fruity opening, which is mellowed by the mid notes of Mirabelle, jasmine and lily of the valley. The base of beeswax, vanilla, musk cedar and neroli really set the scene for this sweet little number. The bottle is similar to the Be Delicious set, but longer, shiny gold-coloured and embellished with tiny bees.

DKNY Women Energizing EDP Spray

This energising spray was released in 2011 and is a fresh, floral, woodsy fragrance. Top notes of vodka, citrus and violet leaf give a punchy, fresh opening. Mid notes of lotus, narcissus and orchid give a dark, floral centre and the birch and woodsy notes in the base keep this fragrance crisp and clean. The bottle is perfect illustration of the contents – a crisp, clean, clear oblong with the brand down the front in fresh white-silver.

These fragrances share many attributes and ingredients, but each is quite distinctive itself and their colourful, classy and elegant packaging makes them the perfect addition to any bedside table collection.

The perfumes reviewed here represent just a tiny sample of what we have available on our website, all with huge discounts applied as standard and with many promotional and discount codes on offer. Keep up with the latest in Be Delicious, DKNY or a whole host of other designer fragrances at low prices if you sign up to receive emails from us.