Walking On Scented Clouds: An Overview of Pitti Fragranze 2015

by: Raluca Kirschner

At an exhibition as big as Pitti Fragranze, unlike other similar events, niche brands have the opportunity to showcase their collections in an artistic manner, surprising the visitors not only with their olfactory creations but also visually. If some exhibitors have preferred to let their perfumes speak for themselves without decorating their booths, others have used the maximum potential of the inner space of Stazzione Leopolda to install their perfumes in original settings. Light and sound installations, flowers, feathers, gunpowder, photos and butterflies added a touch of color and prolonged the artistic dimension of the show. It was an amazing experience to stroll through this perfumed heaven for three full days and smell so many interesting perfumes, while hearing the stories that influenced them directly from their creators. 

Here are some pictures that show the diversity of the presentations:

 

Eau d`Italie

 

Baruti

 

nu_be

 

Regarding new trends, I haven`t noticed any particular ones showing up at Pitti this time. It seems that the brands are continuously relying on themes and genres that are already well known and expected. There are several favorite and well defined directions which almost everyone tends to follow, as they have proven to be successful recipes over time. Only a few are daring to explore virgin paths and offer surprising, unexpected compositions. For example the Swiss brand Richard Lüscher Britos, a house that creates their scents using 100% natural raw materials, without adding even the tiniest synthetic molecule, which is not very common these days because first of all naturals don`t usually project so well and secondly, they cost too much. But after I`ve experienced how beautiful they developed on my skin and feeling quite astonished of their sillage, I have to tell you that this brand is quite unique and we will hear a lot more from them, I'm sure.  

 

The Natural Terroire Collection from Richard Lüscher Britos

 

As for the most popular ingredients, oud still remains above the rest. Even Annick Goutal has made an unexpected, daring move launching their first oud based perfume, named 1001 Ouds. This scent is part of the new collection Les Absolus that encompasses also the editions Vanille Charnelle and Ambre Sauvage, presented in modern, minimalistic designed bottles far from the girly chic spirit of the basic collection.

 

I also noticed the presence of oud in a creation from Mancera - they brought the new scent Black Prestigium, based on a potent mixture of leather and oud of high-impact. But still, after sniffing many new variations of oud at Pitti, in my opinion the most fascinating one remains Garuda, created by Luca Maffei for Jul et Mad (launched earlier this year). In Garuda the oud is dominant but really different from what we're used to, with beautiful smoky facets and not so heavy or harsh edged, in fact, extremely smooth and versatile.

 

Vanilla is also gaining more and more territory, presenting its unisex sides in Fetisch,the new scent from J.F. Schwarzlose Berlin that was met with enthusiasm at Pitti, as well as in Jack and Jackie from the US brand Ineke. Fetisch has a delicious vanilla, pinched by a whip of leather and a gorgeous note of saffron towards the base. On the other hand, perfumer Ineke Ruhland juggles with various contrasting cool and cozy accents for Jack and Jackie, creating a textured vanilla that can be worn by both women and men. The scent, named after Jack and Jackie Kennedy, reminds me a bit of the homogeneous vanilla from Van Cleef & Arpels' Orchidee Vanille but less sweet, and it also has vibes of The Architects Club from Arquiste. 

 

Fetisch by J.F. Schwarzlose Berlin

 

Ineke

 

Musk was another ingredient I encountered a lot at the expo. The house Montalepresented their new scents Intense Roses Musk, which shows a sparkling rose, enveloped by a generous amount of synthetic musk, and Starry Night; a vibrant, woody composition that also features a dominant tone of musk, layered with an earthy and dark shade of patchouli and rose. 

 

Francois Henin, the owner of Jovoy Paris, has launched a new line which is also build around the musk theme, called Jeroboam.The new collection offers five editions, available in 30 ml extrait. 

 

Jeroboam

 

Speaking of long existing trendy ingredients: let's finally bring up incense. In Rocher Princier from the French house Making of Cannes, an unholy accent of incense surrounds the spices in a sensual way, after which it rests on a woody base. I was also pleasantly surprised by Lavs from the Italian brand Unum. This creation of Filippo Scorcinelli seems to explore the atmosphere of a Gothic cathedral. It`s a very evocative and creative perfume that puts you in a meditative mood. 

 

Audrey Guetta Courbier, owner of Making of Cannes

 

Unum

 

As for other novelties, I was charmed by Rose No Man`s Land from Byredo which pays a tribute to the nuns who saved thousands of French soldiers' lives in WWII. The fragrance is rounded and velvety, with a dark rose in the heart, enveloped by a smooth melange of melted resins. Besides this, Byredo released three scented candles and I must admit; the Prune Glacée smells absolutely gorgeously of frosted sweet plums. 

 

Rose of No Man`s Land and the new candles

 

Enzo Galardi, the owner of Baldi and Bois1920, launched a new brand inspired by the forces of water, named Olfattology. Eight strong compositions are offered in EDP and Pure Perfume concentrations. 

 

Also at Andy Tauer`s booth did we encounter new scents. The Swiss perfumer presented two editions belonging to his special project Tauerville. They are Incense Flash, with a leathery-woody incense, and Vanilla Flash, a very dense and multilayered vanilla, sprinkled with rose petals. Tauer launched furthermore the much anticipated tuberose scent Sotto La Luna Tuberose which emphasizes the challenging and narcotic sides of the flower. It is not a green or dusty tuberose, but a flashy, peppery one, in perfect agreement with the gardenia of last year and definitely suitable for both women and men.

 

Andy Tauer 

 

The house Amouage added the IXth chapter in their Opus collection. The new addition, which comes in a red bottle, is a statement scent that mixes strong elements of spices, leather and civet, juxtaposed to an indolic jasmine.

 

The presentation of the new Opus IX

 

Black ostrich feather fans, scented candles, a warm atmosphere and alluring fragrances seduced everybody at Tiziana Terenzi`s stand. They surprised us with a number of new compositions: three additions in the base collection plus a new brand all debuted here at Pitti. The three scents are called Al Contrario (whose bottle has an inverted design in comparison with the rest), Kirké and Orion (which is part of the white collection).

 

Tiziana Terenzi

 

As for the new brand, it is called V Canto and counts ten editions presented in elegant, dark blue, velvety bottles with silver caps. The nose behind them is the same Paolo Terenzi.

 

V Canto

 

Still more detailed news and reviews about our many interesting discoveries at Pitti Fragranze are to come. Stay tuned!