The Art & Olfaction Awards shine a light on independent perfumers, artisan perfumers, and experimental practitioners with scent. The awards, known as the Golden Pears, recognize excellence in this growing segment of the fragrance universe. Submissions are only open until December 6 th, so get your applications in now. This year’s awards are open to perfumers and projects that came to market (or are coming to market) between January 1 and December 31, 2024. More details in the article.

It’s hard to deny that we’re all still a bit afraid of AI and it’s potential. Technological breakthroughs from Osmo are providing tools for fragrance creation that will truly change the face of the industry. Perhaps artistic brands may be less affected by the developments, but it’s crucial to stay informed so as not to be left behind.

You read about her here first! On the eve of seeing her brand hit the ten year mark, Maya Njie talks about her career path and the challenges she has faced, and overcome, in being in the indie perfumery world. With fragrances that bring memory to life through scent, she comments on key learnings and what it takes to be successful.

Our under-rated sense of smell is finally getting the attention it deserves! But how do you fine tune the ability to really use our nose? In this article, top perfumers provide tips on how to do smell training, how to make associations and use our individual olfactive memory as a library to identify scents thus increasing our olfactory awareness.

In a candid interview, fragrance expert and industry icon Michael Edwards talks about a lifetime in the world of perfume. From his acclaimed classification system to his in-store tools and the database of 50k fragrances, his work is the undisputed impartial resource for the industry. In this article he talks about his latest book, American Legends, and he comments on everything from banned ingredients to dupes to the rise of niche perfume.

There’s a growing interest in niche perfumery in Ghana and Yusif Jnr Meizongo is leading the way. With a background in olfactory training and a passion for scent, he’s launched Maison Yusif, where inspiration comes from Ghana’s rich cultural heritage and biodiversity.

Fragrance performance has been strong ever since the pandemic, but will it continue? How may fragrance figure into M&A’s next year? In this article a group of investors and investment bankers share their predictions, and for the most part, the future looks bright!

We are in the throes of Fall and just weeks from the busiest gift-giving time of the year, which means fragrance launches are in full swing. Here is a recap of the major new releases from mass to class, from luxury to indie and everything in between.