ESXENCE 2015: What to Expect in Stores?

by: Serguey Borisov

Serguey Borisov, trying to be everywhere in Milan

At a huge show like Milan's Esxence, it's proper to observe the trends of the future in perfumery. In the previous overview, we noted a tsunami of new products, from well-known brands as well as very new houses. Now it is time to discuss the new trendswe observed and confirm the ongoing ones.

Oud persists.

Michael Edwards, who presented at Esxence a lecture called "How The West Fell in Love with Oud," said that the first fragrance with a note of oud was Balenciaga Pour Homme (1990). And with a light hand the trend began to develop: in 1994 there were only two European fragrances with a note of oud. In 2004, nine, and in 2014, 75 were released. Of course, oud's popularity in Europe already peaked (in 2012 there were 110 oud releases!), but to say that it's over? No way! London-based company Florishas introduced two versions: more sweet and pink Honey Oud and hard, masculineLeather Oud. Forbidden for Parisians oud showed up as Jovoy Paris Jus Interdit. Au Pays de la Fleur d'Oranger crossed an Arab barbarian and the Italian countess neroli in flavor Neroli Oud, a fresh cologne with a sweet and dingy trail. Old house Le Galionjust developed two velvet oriental fragrances with notes of leather and oud: Aesthete and Sovereign. Plunging deeper into the stories of their love, Jul et Mad told a story of the bird of happiness via oud notes with Garuda. The French company Fragrance Du Bois has developed a technology of renewable wood production and oud oil and offers to the market not only the oil, in bulk, but also fragrances. What is surprising: not only are European houses targeting their Oud at the Eastern market, but Arab producers with their Oud also hope to conquer the world (a collection of powerful Arab fragrances was presented by The Spirit of Dubai, for example). So oud is not going anywhere.

Jul et Mad, three oriental perfumes

Au Pays de la Fleur d`Oranger, new Neroli Oud

Fragrance du Bois with countless novelties

Oriental luxury persists.

Hot and spicy aroma Chaleur Gitane Gypsy by Paul Emilien, with its bright red hot appearance. The collection of Dr. Gritti, which tells how the ancestors of the modern doctor Gritti were Venetian merchants who traded with the East. Replenishment of the Persian-Paris collections of fragrances Chaugan and sixteen brand new Turkish fragrances from Nishane Istanbul (among them Rosa Turca, and Pachuli Kozha, and even Africa Olifant—a good product for tourists in Istanbul). Franco-Arab noveltyAtelier des Ors in vials with a star, French perfumes Une Nuit a Bali, dedicated to Southeast Asia (cardamom, musk, Mr. Vetiver!). The first fragrance, Oriental Woody, in the oriental collection Golden Treasures from Friedemodin, and revived VolnayAmbre de Siam. And this is just a quick listing of what I remembered immediately and without strain. Plus the Moorish collection of Moresque, and alchemical collectionKemi with dense and rich oriental perfumes. And all this is just the novelties, with huge budgets and luxury packaging in five layers.  Plus Montale, Mancera, Stephane Humbert Lucas, Xerjoff, Sospiro, AJ Arabia, Alexandre J. and others are not even thinking of closing.

Chaleur Gitane by Paul Emilien

Nishane, 16 perfumes describing Istambul and 4 eaux de cologne

Nishane, leathery perfume Pachuli Kozha

Golden Treasures by Friedemodin

The green wave grows.

On the other hand, perfume brands have begun to respond to the fatigue of buyers of the Eastern themes, for example, using fresh green scents. Issuing a series of greens, Elodie Pollet's brand Eutopie opened paradise in the well-known Parisian gardens: galbanum and currants Eutopie №7, the lentique and galbanaum of Eutopie №8, the sage of Eutopie №9. Perfumers got all the options of initial fresh green notes: violet leaves in I miss Violet by The Different Company, lentisque in Ys-Uzac BOM Jasmine, galbanum-wasabi-lentisque in city park Panorama by Olfactive Studio, lively and bright rhubarb in Prudence Paris Alexis, and even the fir resin (nulu balm, Canada balsam) with wormwood in the same green and resinous Franck Boclet Fir Balsam.

I miss Violet from The Different Company

Evody Blanc de Sienne

Aquatics meet florals.

Another response to the intensely sweet and spicy flavors of the East looks like fresh sea aromas with tropical flowers or gourmet components. Parfumerie Generale's La Collection Croisière fragrances are not just a few exceptions. Gardenia and oceanJacques Zolty Flowersea, the tropical bouquet of flowers Message in a Bottle by Mark Buxton, the sea rose and lily of the valley Verde di Mare from Bois 1920, tuberose and ylang-ylang Olibere Paradis Lointaints—any tropical flowers can be perfectly combined with the aroma of the sea breeze. The only exceptions are Gabriella ChieffoAcquasala and Mendittorosa Sogno Reale—the sound of their waves is weaker,  through the hot sand and wood and amber notes are more explicit.

La Collection Croisiere Parfumerie Generale

Enzo Galardi, creator of Bois 1920

Colognes are eternal.

Frédéric Burtin reported on the appearance of its revival at Institut Tres Bien, although all three of the cologne under the authorship of Pierre Bourdon have been reformulated. New grapefruit cologne Eau Impatiente was the fourth in the collection of French colognes, La Manufacture. Le Galion Eau Noble became a cologne-perfume, Le Galion Essence Noble,  with a reinforced leather base. Revised and restoredindustrial relations Humiecki & Graef resubmitted honey citrus aroma Nouveau-Ne, a cologne of shining sparks.

La Manufacture, Cologne Impatiente

Social themes.

The interesting perfume trend may cease if art perfumes are used as the social environment in order to attract attention to the problems of the world. At the exhibition, I noticed a couple of fragrances with similar subjects. Majda Bekkali Tulaytulah isdedicated to the city of Toledo, in which Christians, Muslims and Jews lived peacefully together. The general meaning of the message "let's be friends" is always perceived better when it's from a beautiful woman. Fragrance Eau de Madeleine fromAu Pays de la Fleurs d'Oranger was created in memory of Madeleine—but not the cookies, as one might think, but about a deceased grandmother. The aroma of patchouli, incense and cedar were created to remind us of the appearance and smell of the grandmothers of the world. And even the bottle, with an oval metal label, in a colorful bag, is reminiscent of an old-fashioned grandmother.

Santi Burgas White Collection

Home fragrances.

Usually this part involves a variety of candles from Tiziana Terenzi, Paul Emilien, and the collection of fragrances by Anna Paghera, Herve Gambs, Hedonism and other niche manufacturers. In this exhibition, the list was supplemented by a collection of fragrances for use in ultrasonic diffuers in children's rooms—Milk & Friends. Also, by a secret way I was able to learn about the inexpensive and terribly useful fragrances from Office Beb`Air, by Amélie Bourgeois and Anne-Sophie Beagel. The office can also smell good—and it even helps in the work!

All these fragrances and trends will be described in detail, but later, after a detailed study and testing on the skin, sometimes in conjunction with interviews of the perfumers and brand owners.

Photos by Eugeniya Chudakova