Bleu de Chanel is the safe, versatile crowd-pleaser of the designer world: a smooth, woody-aromatic citrus that works at the office, on a date, and in any season. That very smoothness makes it well suited to cloning, and the affordable Middle Eastern houses have had a good go. Here are the alternatives the community actually rates in the UK, with the honest caveats. We covered the original in full in our Bleu de Chanel EDP review.
1. Maison Alhambra Maitre de Blue (around £20)
The cleanest direct clone for the money. It tracks Bleu de Chanel closely through the grapefruit, lemon, mint and pink-pepper opening into an incense, vetiver, cedar and sandalwood base. Maison Alhambra is made by the same group as Lattafa, and for roughly a fifth of the designer price this is the one to try first. Check price at Amazon UK →
2. Lattafa Maahir (around £20)
Not a forensic copy, but it lives in the same smooth, woody-aromatic, blue-fragrance lane and is a genuine community favourite in its own right. It leans a touch sweeter and woodier than Bleu de Chanel, with strong longevity for the price. A great pick if you like the BdC vibe but want a bottle with its own personality. Check price at Amazon UK →
3. Maison Alhambra Blue de Chance (around £20)
A sibling to Maitre de Blue, also openly inspired by Bleu de Chanel and built on the same aromatic-woody idea. Reviews are a little more mixed than for Maitre de Blue, so treat it as the backup option rather than the headline, but at this price it is a low-risk way to find your preferred take. Check price at Amazon UK →
Which should you buy first?
Start with Maison Alhambra Maitre de Blue. It is the closest of the cheap clones and the easiest to recommend. If you would rather have something a little sweeter and more distinct, Lattafa Maahir is the better-loved bottle in its own right. Either way you are getting most of a £90 designer experience for around £20.
Trying to choose between the big two designers? See our Sauvage vs Bleu de Chanel head-to-head.
More clone guides: Creed Aventus · Baccarat Rouge 540 · Dior Sauvage · JPG Le Male