As the luxury sector encounters its biggest downturn in years, brands are embracing innovation in packaging to address consumer concerns. Beauty and sustainability are still important and with the soon to be standard Digital Product Passport (DPP), technology will allow the outer pack to communicate transparency, sourcing and the brand story.

It’s music festival season so why not take an olfactory trip down memory lane to the first mega-events and the smells that accompanied them? From the patchouli fueled era of psychedelic rock to the quest for clean smelling scents to counteract days of partying, this escapist article pairs many niche perfumes with moments at Glastonbury.

If, after our series on Soviet Perfume, you are hungry for more history about fragrance in Russia, here’s an interesting article that covers the relationship between luxury goods company Fabergé and fragrance. The brand history spans a product cycle from Imperial jewel-encrusted eggs to Brut fragrance.

Fragrance consumption – especially niche fragrance – continues to rise, and as seen before, Gen Z has been a key driver. They’re fueling their passion for scent on TikTok and in dedicated forums, gaining knowledge and some are even pursuing the craft. An interesting look at the historical context.

There’s a reimagined way to shop for fragrance, now available at the Thameem counter at Selfridges. Users select words that resonate with them while testing scent and then Kaorium, a high tech diagnostic tool powered by AI can recommend fragrances that align with their emotional response and sensory preferences. Check it out on your next trip to London.

A very interesting opinion piece that warns us of the power of AI. When the creative elements are left to automation, are we losing the arts of craftsmanship and design? Is AI enabling fast fragrance that will be forgettable? Will fragrances be created as easily as content is generated? A thought provoking read.

Essencional scans the press for news of interest to the niche perfume community. Here is a recently opened boutique in London that has created the feeling of a curated salon with an eclectic mix of local and international artisan fragrance brands. It’s a place to linger, to discover and to revel in the universe of scent.