Everything evolves and certainly there are those who are nostalgic for the small world of great enthusiasts that gave birth to this event, but I believe that many brands that we saw in their early days are today more than satisfied to have joined our initiative that has accompanied them in becoming recognised and very vital international realities. Some brands have been acquired or have received the attention of investment groups that have supported their development and I believe that this is a tangible sign of the results that this sector has achieved to date and how it has attracted interest for its future growth prospects in the global markets in the coming years.

The international network has been enriched with new retail realities, in Africa, South America and also in other continents, and there is a remarkable uprising in the Brick&Mortar business, in a sort of post-pandemic renaissance that sees the return of the public to the shops, but which also calls for an evolution o in terms of the greeting for in-store experiences and services.

It is with great pleasure that we also welcome this year's Chinese Minoritè Artistic Perfumery Awards, adding to our long-standing collaboration with the American Art&Olfaction Awards.

It shows how the two hemispheres dialogue and make mutual contributions that will increasingly enrich olfactory creativity without borders.

With Essencional, our Study Centre, we continue to monitor the sector and its trends throughout the year in order to organize with Equipe a program of workshops and debates that chronicles the evolution of the sector and its enthusiasts.

The market is growing internationally everywhere and we will analyze its peculiarities. Perfumers who have made history and newcomers will confront each other in debates and workshops. Artificial intelligence, educational and training aspects, and the new retail formats that the sector needs to develop and promote will be analyzed, always with the aim of making suggestions, creating synergies and comparing notes.

Sponsors, leading experts and educational institutions confirm their trust in us year after year, and the quality of the operators who visit us is clearly growing.

Sustainability issues have become more and more indispensable for brands, even though great care must be taken with greenwashing.

For some years now, increasingly restrictive legal regulations and non-governmental guidelines on the use of certain raw materials, together with the international political climate, which affects transport and general costs, have been a source of concern.

Nonetheless, in the face of declarations of a net contraction in luxury growth estimates, I remain very optimistic because I am seeing a considerable increase in interest in narrative, engaging, intriguing and original perfumery, and growth, for what used to be niche, is less difficult to achieve than in the mass-tige world that caters to a less characterized and more generalist clientele.

With a smile full of satisfaction for a 2023 that has been decidedly positive, let us prepare to make 2024 a cause for debate and comment for even surpassing its predecessor.

Silvio Levi

Chairman of the Technical Committee and Co-founder of Esxence The Art Perfumery Event