Is it a coincidence that the Paris Marathon was the day after Paris Perfume Week ended? This year’s fragrant event was a physically taxing exercise in endurance not only for the nose but also for stamina, for patience and for sensorial overload. With 180 exhibiting brands, lectures, workshops and off-site events, everyone had their running shoes on, trying not to miss a moment.

Organized by Nez, a leading international perfume publication, the three day event was held at the Palais Brongniart, the former stock exchange built under Napoleon’s direction. PPW has grown exponentially into an international platform for independent and emerging perfume houses looking to carve their niche in a rapidly expanding global market. The event has also landed on the radar of retailers, distributors, content creators and fragrance lovers coming from all over the world with visitor attendance reported at 11,500.

Beyond showcasing fragrances, the event offered a rich “Smell Talks” program of round tables, masterclasses, and lectures during which participants discussed innovation, sustainability, artistic creation, ingredients and more. Among the most highly attended were the masterclasses with Olivier Cresp, Dominique Roucel and Hiram Green, and the lectures on “Decoding Gen Z” and the “Tidal Wave of Dupes” and their impact on the sector. The Smell Talks will be available by podcast at a later date.

This year marked the debut of the “Behind the Scent” forum where education, knowledge and professional career pathing were in the spotlight. Institutions such as ISIPCA, the Institute Marangoni, the Ecole Supérieure du Parfum et de la Cosmétique rubbed shoulders with CPL Aromas, Robertet, dsm-Firmenich, Cinquième Sens, Centdegrès and others. A full program of lectures aimed at the professional and the student included topics about training, product development, technology, marketing and employment opportunities in the industry.

Immersive exhibitions guided visitors from raw materials to final product, offering a deeper understanding of scent creation. If one still had the olfactory capacity for more, Paris Perfume Week “Hors les Murs” (outside the walls) extended the fragrance experience to over 30 Parisian venues hosting exhibits, workshops and masterclasses, while Friday evening’s Paris Perfume Night on Rue Saint Honoré was an open house for all to visit over a dozen boutiques on what is now Paris’ “perfume street”.

Quite frankly, it is more than one person can absorb. Here are my highlights and observations.

Exhibiting Brands

I was intrigued by Param Sara’s new duo, The Nagi and the Naga, named after semi-divine deities who are half-human half-serpent. With these scents, perfumer Maxime Exler and brand founder Ankita Gill explore how warmth and coolness can be expressed through fragrance. The Nagi starts cool and icy, then melts into fire, releasing an inner heat. Fresh gourmand top notes of fig and coconut are warmed by steamed rice and clove, ending with a musk base. The Naga is fire then ice: saffron and black pepper stir the senses before the earthy, powdery notes of orris and cypriol calm the flames.

I found my way to the China Village section of the show where a cluster of brands were crowded together in very close quarters. At the recommendation of a friend I went to the Zhufu stand which did not disappoint. With a name that echoes the sound of “blessing” in Chinese, this brand was also a breath of fresh air. Brand founder Bobber Yuzhong has created a perfect balance between East and West, with elegant packaging that even sports a message in braille, and a flacon in the image of the bamboo reed. My favorites were Donglin Temple, a calm and introspective scent where the tranquility of the monastery transports us to a Zen state, and Above the Clouds, inspired by the Jinmao Tower from Shanghai’s skyline. The green, fruity top notes charm with their freshness, before opening into white florals and a woody base.

My next stop was L’Atelier Mobius where young perfumer and founder Lorenzo Lou is gaining acclaim. Only 25 years old, he has already been a finalist for an Art and Olfaction award, and he is the first Chinese perfumer to be included in L’Osmothèque’s fragrance archive. The range of fragrances runs the gamut from floral to ambery though the standout for me was Passion Chypre. Fruity scents are trending now, but here we have an exotic, uncommon note, a juicy scent that stays bright and lively, imparting cheerfulness.

While still in the China Village I came across the vibrant American brand, Free Yourself. Their latest releases are stellar. Aether (Ralf Schweiger, perfumer), with its earthy, salty and green notes, seemed to take me up into the heavens, into a nimbus cloud. It felt slightly metallic to me, but wildly different than anything I’d smelled at the show. Then Numinous by Matilde Bijaoui took me on a neo-gourmand jaunt where coffee, incense, and vanilla notes awaken the senses.

I came across a few innovative concepts as I made my rounds. French brand FEUAS (Fragrance Exclusive Unique And Seasonal) was inspired by couture fashion, where creations are produced in very limited quantities and never reproduced. Their Summer Collection, Mémoires d’un Sultan, comes out later this year, a trio of three scents inspired by Istanbul, Seville and Algiers.

Music and fragrance are often bedfellows in multi-sensorial experiences. Independent perfumer and composer Antoine Coelho of French brand Drymer invited me to smell his fragrances while listening to his original compositions. Ambre Club sets the scene as patchouli and amber accords pull you in to a dark Parisian club while Carnal Night leads with intoxicating tuberose to the end of a night to remember.

Smell Talks

I was planning to attend several panel discussions during PPW, but even with a larger space, the room was always at capacity, or even bursting at the seams. I managed to attend one session, standing at the back of the room, however the doors to the adjacent room were open and the spillover noise made it impossible to appreciate the discussion. Amouage was a sponsor of the program, and perhaps given their relationship with L’Oréal, spokespeople from the conglomerate were on panels. Of course this is understandable, but when the bulk of the exhibiting brands are independent, strategies presented that work for a company with big pockets aren’t going to work for niche brands.

Behind the Scent, Expos & Installations and Events

I fully support the effort that was put into this program and think it is a terrific idea. How lucky are students to benefit from this program? Many of the workshops were limited in size and required prior registration, so I missed all of them.

I was able to walk through some of the multi-sensory installations such as the “Scents of Italy” by dsm-Firmenich. The visit began with a deep dive into ingredients and the smells characteristic to key cities such as Turin and Venice. At the end there was an amusing call out of ten items that mark the Italian culture, from tomato sauce to Pino Silvestre shower gel, from espresso to Marseille soap! And on a more serious note, L’Osmothèque had a fine exhibit on the exceptional noses who shaped the industry from the late 19th century until today.

I didn’t have time to leave the show to take advantage of the events in boutiques and oil houses as part of the Paris Hors Les Murs program, but I did pop in to some shops during the Friday night event. Boutiques got a throng of activity when the show closed for the day, but rather than fight the crowds, I was ready for an olfactory break.

Observations

The show was amazing and overwhelming. I partnered up with two other people to split the brand list to try to attack the booths with a plan. The first two hours of the show on the opening day were given over to professionals, but even with that much-appreciated restriction, the event was crowded. I’m old school where I wait my turn but that doesn’t work here. People were pretty aggressive, reaching over me to smell caps and grab bottles, interrupting conversations, banging into me with their bags. This is where we must call on patience. It was also unseasonably warm on the first day, so the venue got pretty hot. The professionals I spoke with all said they would appreciate a full day dedicated solely to the industry.

In terms of organization, it was a plus to have the China Village and the aisle dedicated to the African brands represented by the organization, The Colors. It gave purpose and direction, however, these two spaces were highly visited. Sometimes it just wasn’t possible to walk down the aisle. In many cases the stands were quite small – maybe 2 feet wide – and the crush of people in front was daunting. I have to say it, and I hate to say it, but these are not ideal conditions in which to evaluate fragrance.

I also have to point out that many brands just aren’t educated about fragrance protocol. I can’t tell you how many times I was handed blotters that weren’t made of the proper paper for fragrance testing, or the wrong end of the blotter was sprayed. When I asked for information about the brand sometimes I was directed to Instagram. That may work for the public, and this was a selling event, but it doesn’t work for the industry who wants more specific information. These are easy fixes that simply require attention to detail and professionalism.

The Palais Brongniart is a large space and yet there were no areas (that I ever found) where you could just sit and review your notes or organize your bags. There was a café on site and a pop-up coffee cart outside the entry, but people take over these spaces for impromptu meetings that linger on. This happens at every show, however, and there is little hope of changing it.

Final Thoughts

I laud Nez for hosting a comprehensive industry event, but I wonder if in offering so much, they lose people who value and appreciate fragrance. This third edition of Paris Perfume Week was overwhelming to the point of being almost too much. It’s so Parisian to critique rather than praise and identify areas to improve, but one can only be jostled so many times in tight quarters before needing to break free, find a quiet space and smell some fresh air. Would a full day dedicated only to the industry help? Absolutely. Would a student-centric event have appeal? Clearly. What about making one day of lectures for all to attend? There are more options than answers today, but there can be no question that PPW is a must-attend event for any professional or perfume lover.

2027 dates to be announced at a later date.