Fragrance brands have been collaborating with other companies for quite some time now. It’s a winning strategy that boosts brand exposure, opens new markets, sparks creativity, and builds credibility. For niche perfume houses, such collaborations offer a unique opportunity to grow their audience and deepen community engagement.

Yet with all one stands to gain, why are so few brands getting in on the game?

Forms of Collaboration

Brand partnerships in the fragrance arena can take many forms: joint marketing campaigns, event sponsorships, or the creation of an olfactory identity for someone else. However, what stands out most in the niche sector are co-branded products — where two companies blend their strengths and expertise to craft something entirely new.

What does it take to make a winning combination?

• Look for a partner whose values are aligned with yours and who has a shared target audience.
• Come up with a unique concept that adds value and brings excitement to your existing portfolio.
• Tease your audience about what’s coming to build anticipation and create momentum.

Surely it’s not so simple so let’s look at some case studies.

Success Stories

Several niche houses have already explored this creative path:

Way back in 2020 Fragrance du Bois partnered with Influencer Demi Rawlings on “Minuit et Demi”, which could translate to half past midnight, but was clearly a play on words. Could the rich gourmand have been a catalyst in this olfactory trend?

Over the years French brand Pierre Guillaume has partnered with several companies, primarily to create an olfactory identity in the form of an ambient scent, such as a candle or a room spray. Typically the clients are luxury hotels, boutiques and even artistic installations.

In Amsterdam niche brand Annindriya led by Tanja Deurloo, has been collaborating with creative professionals, emerging and established noses including Christophe Laudamiel and Meabh McCurtin. Each bottle sports the X, representing the crossroads where people connect, and coincidentally, the symbol of three X’s is part of Amsterdam’s heritage. Recently Deurloo partnered with fashion glossy Mirror Mirror on the newest release.

Last year, in an unexpected move, Editions Frederic Malle released a fragrance in partnership with Acne Studios. Young perfumer Suzy Le Helley was challenged to craft an olfactory rendition of the eclectic, eccentric, Stockholm-based luxury apparel brand.

One of the more surprising and avant-garde collaborations came when Dutch brand Fugazzi and Korean brand BORNTOSTANDOUT teamed up to create fragrances representing each other.

And then there is the amusing story behind Red Sora Dora x Jovoy which apparently came about in a Milan night club during Esxence. Brand founder Quentin Dorado is said to have spritzed an unfinished scent into the air only to have Jovoy’s François Henin claim it for his shops.

I have it on good authority that the brand is in development of a second fragrance for Jovoy set for launch in 2026.

Spotlight: Budapest’s 7Scents – A Personal and Passionate Vision

One of the most compelling stories comes from 7Scents, a perfumery in Budapest founded by Ákos Pozsgai. Located on a calm street near the Karolyi Garden, 7Scents opened during the pandemic and quickly gained a reputation among fragrance aficionados. 7Scents is more than a perfumery: it’s a place people like to come to discover fragrance in an unpretentious setting.

Founder Ákos Pozsgai came to perfume from a marketing background. His philosophy about fragrance is “I don’t have to understand everything to love everything”. He has built a unique, curated assortment of roughly 70 brands, taking cues from the Institute for Art and Olfaction (IAO). The international roster includes brands from Saudi Arabia, India, and Thailand as well as Europe.

His shop has in fact become a destination. “We wanted to be off the main drag. It’s kind of like, ‘if you know, you know.’ Our customers trust us and they feel they are in safe hands. People never feel stupid about fragrance with us.” Clients include locals as well as shoppers from Dubai, Serbia and Israel. Last year Grammy winning pop singer – and fragrance fan – Billie Eilish made a pilgrimage to the boutique while in Budapest for a festival.

Ákos, in fact, has a deep connection with music which is a guiding force. He likens his assortment to a carefully selected playlist. To build community and stand out, he began hosting DJ parties and events that now draw so many people that they require crowd control.

Exclusive Collaborations – An Overwhelming Success

While 7Scents already had the key ingredients for success—prime location, strong assortment, and knowledgeable staff—Ákos wasn’t content to stop there.

An idea came to him after Filippo Sorcinelli launched a home fragrance line in early 2024. Ákos recalls, “One of the fragrances, Una Noia Sul Mare D’Inverno, was an aquatic remix of our bestseller Ennui Noir. I couldn’t stop thinking how amazing it would be as a perfume, so when I brought it up to Filippo at an event at 7scents Perfumery, he immediately said yes.” The fragrance was launched in August 2024 as a worldwide exclusive collaboration between Filippo Sorcinelli x 7scents. Only 100 bottles of the limited edition release were produced and they sold out in two weeks. I asked Ákos to tell me how he made that happen.

“Due to Filippo’s busy schedule we did not have a store event for this release, we released it with a video message and the customers created the perfect storm. First customers could not believe it existed, and we had an incredible store traffic due to the 7scents fragrance community and our online reach. It felt like this fragrance made everyone so happy, you could sense the excitement, and I can’t thank Filippo enough to have made it happen.”

Exclusive Collaborations – The Scent of Friendship

For his sophomore project Ákos collaborated with his good friend, brand founder and perfumer Pissara Umavijani on Blue Danube (Dusita Parfums x 7Scents). I asked both of them to tell me about how the project came about, starting with Pissara.

According to Pissara, “It began with a conversation by the Danube, Ákos shared a dream, a desire to bottle the spirit of Budapest. From that moment, he gave me complete creative freedom. I let my heart wander through the city, through memory and imagination, and Blue Danube was born.”

Ákos spoke about another facet behind the collaboration. “With Pissara the idea was to make a fragrance about friendship, something that neither of us thought had been done yet. She also has a long relationship with the city of Budapest. Her father, a poet, came to the city and she spent time with him here when she was teenager.”

Indeed, Pissara speaks about the city with sincere affection. “Budapest feels like a memory from a novel, graceful, melancholic, full of soul. I remember walking by the Danube as the sky turned lavender, the scent of coffee in the air, the soft sound of a violin playing nearby. It’s a city that doesn’t shout, it sings gently, and lingers.”

Ákos enlightened me with a totally new perspective on the river and the famous music, fine points I had never heard of previously. “The river is very symbolic to the countries it crosses, and of course the Blue Danube is a very popular waltz composed by Johann Strauss, Jr. It’s a waltz that you dance with a friend, it evokes happiness, togetherness, joyfulness. It connects people across many countries.”

Intrigued, I wondered, how would a fragrance about friendship smell? What notes would go into the composition and what emotions would it stir?

Key Learnings

“I wish I’d known how big the demand for these perfumes can be; I would have produced more.” Learning from his first successful experience, Ákos increased the quantity he commissioned on Blue Danube to 500 limited edition bottles, available exclusively at 7Scents or on the eCommerce site. Five days after the launch he had already sold 100 bottles.

Why, I wondered, does this concept work so well with his customers? "I believe what makes these perfumes special is the collaboration behind them. There’s a unique magic when two visions come together. For Dusita fans, it’s exciting to see her co-create, and for 7scents fans, it’s a chance to experience my vision shaped through partnership."

Doubtless he will soon be on to his next collaboration. “I can tell you the secret that we are already working on the 3rd venture which will coincide with the 5th Birthday of 7scents this September. We are planning something spectacular!”

And what about Pissara?

“Blue Danube was my first exclusive collaboration, and I can confidently say it won’t be the last.”

Let’s see which boutique in the world approaches her first.

Final Thoughts: Storytelling Through Collaboration

Just as in the world of fashion and beauty, collaborations are a way to tap into a new audience while broadening the brand portfolio. The success of 7Scents’ collaborations proves that even small, independent retailers can share in this opportunity which heightens creativity, builds strong community connections and brings a fresh perspective and newness to the mix. As we go to press, Juliette Has a Gun and the Dutch retailer Skins have announced a collaboration; we suspect more companies and retailers will test the waters in the near future.