Paris and perfume, a love story of many decades. Yet it took until two years ago for the city to have its own perfume fair. Fortunately, the team behind NEZ, the renowned perfume magazine, saw the same lacuna and put Paris Perfume Week on the map. This year, the second edition took place and, of course, we were there to stick our noses literally and figuratively into other people's business.

The fair stretched over four days and consisted of three main sections. First, the Salon, where some 50 niche brands presented themselves. Then the Smell Talks, a series of master classes and debates on the ins and outs of the perfume industry. And as icing on the cake, there was the ‘hors les murs’ programme, with events scattered across the city, from exclusive perfume launches to intimate conversations with perfumers.

As a niche perfumery, we were especially keen to make new discoveries as well as to catch up with the people behind the brands we already work with.

A compact salon with a democratic approach

The salon took place in a modest two-storey hall, where each brand presented itself at a uniform desk: small, functional and unadorned. No towering stands with shiny displays here, but pure focus on the product. This meant that both small brands (like the amazing Isabelle Larignon, who presented her 4th fragrance Mandi Rhubi) and established houses were on equal footing. A relief in a world where image often weighs as much as scent.

Isabelle Larignon presented her new perfume Mandi Rhubi

Yet this concept also had drawbacks. Because everything was so close together, discreet snooping around was virtually impossible. In-depth conversations were also a challenge, as neighbours inevitably listened in. And it was also oppressively hot.

The offer was predominantly French, supplemented by a few international players. For instance, we saw Spyros again, perfumer and founder of Rotterdam-based Baruti Perfumes. Apart from the stallholders, there were a lot of other nice guests walking around. We bumped into Tomáš Ric (founder of Pigmentarium, who was in Paris for the launch of his new perfume Brutal) and Anthony Toulemonde (co-founder of Maison Violet). Always great to see our dear partners again.

Spyros Drosopoulos from Baruti, and Tomas Ric from Pigmentarium

Smell Talks and a touch of poetry

The Smell Talks sounded promising, but had a small catch: most of them required you to register in advance and pay per session. That quickly added up, and we like investing in smells more than admission tickets.

We did sign up for a number of Hors Les Murs sessions, including an evening programme where perfume was delightfully combined with poetry, fairy tales and music. We also made time to visit Patricia de Nicolaï's laboratory. This grande dame of niche perfumery can captivate us time and again with her exceptional knowledge and stories. Her latest creation Crème Ébène will be launched in September and you will of course be able to discover it with us then.

At the lab of Patricia de Nicolaï

Perfume spotting in Paris: an indispensable excursion

A perfume fair in Paris has the added benefit of being... well, in Paris. So between networking and smelling, we headed out to scour the best department stores, niche perfumeries and brand shops. Finding inspiration, spotting trends and just enjoying all the beauty this city has to offer.

We also spent time with perfumers and brand founders such as Sarah Baker, Manos Gerakinis and the team behind the amazing candle and home fragrance brand Lola James Harper. Because we only work with smaller independent brands, we find it essential to have regular personal contact.

Catching up with Sarah Baker, and a visit to the flagship store of Lola James Harper

And... did we find any new gems?

Yes and no. We certainly discovered interesting brands, but we don't rush to expand our selection. Each new brand must not only be of high quality, but also fit perfectly with our vision. We take our time for that.

What do we take away from this edition? A good dose of inspiration and energy. And the news that Paris Perfume Week is moving to a more spacious venue next year. An excellent move, if you ask us. So lots of chances of seeing us back there next year.

But most importantly ...

Our many meetings were not only fun, they also resulted in a few concrete agreements. In the coming months, you can expect events with perfumers and perfume house founders at Smell Stories again. Which ones? We're keeping that as a surprise for now. Subscribe to our newsletter below to be the first to know!