Coming from China, Japan, Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, India and even Tibet, forty fragrance brands gathered for the Asia Perfume Show. This marked the second edition of the event which was co-organized by Nez and Notes Shanghai. In this recap discover several houses that stood out from the crowd.

The quirky Dutch brand which first came on the scene in 2018 is known for its playful scents with names inspired by nicknames for drugs. An indie, niche breath of fresh air, now the brand is scaling with Sephora, who wants to “get into the kitchen” – to be involved in development. Will brand founder Bram Niessink and team hold steady or cede creativity?

Fragrance as a category continues to perform well, consumer demand remains unsated, hence the launches keep coming. But are they quality, meant to last, or just to garner attention? How does the consumer navigate the sea of choices? Do they try, or do they just follow trends and influencers? And do they ever develop an attachment to a fragrance, or are they forever fickle?

Wellbeing fragrance brand Vyrao has been bought by Tresalis, a recently established beauty business backed by German investment firm Athos. Known for stradling a category between fine fragrance and wellness, the brand was one of the first to link scent and emotion in the selfcare context. The strategy under Tresalis has not been communicated yet.

Image: Thanks to Myriam Jessier

In an unexpected move British perfumer and eponymous brand founder, Roja Dove, has sold his maison to Extravanganza Beauty. The new owner, a key player in the Middle East’s luxury and prestige beauty sector, with experience in distribution, retail services and brand management, intends to expand market presence and boost product development amongst the five collections.

Image courtesy of Taurus Emerald

The doors have shut once again on Stazione Leopolda after an intense 3 day show. What were the key trends and takeaways? In this article one visitor shares her observations from amberwood fatigue to the resurgence of citrus, from the influx of Asian brands to the megastands of major distributors.

Givaudan has just marked 8 decades of training perfumers and welcomed the latest group of students. The school, originally begun under Jean Carles who created a method to learn ingredients, is now under the direction of master perfumer Calice Becker. Today, students learn the traditional system while incorporating science, technology and global perspectives.