ESXENCE 2023
IridESXENCE!
5 min.
04/07/2023
“Bigger than ever!“, “Hectic, as always, and a little bit more…”, “Better organised than the last, also with a better program.” – that sums up the impressions on Esxence 2023, which I agree with.
Though the official numbers have not been released yet, more than 280 exhibiting brands were present, and the number of professionals registered in the first two B2B days will surely outgrow those from last year.
The full corridors, the people meeting and hugging, the quick briefs on everything that happened since the meeting, the colleagues exchanging impressions and just released information, a tap on a shoulder and sharing the great news about who “didn’t plan to come, but then yesterday decided just to sit on the plane for Milano“, the schedules being adjusted by the skill of squeezing out a little bit more time for the encounters that will become precious memories – I enjoy covering Esxence!
With so much going on, a map of the Pavilion 16 seemed to be everyone’s best friend:
I also like the theming word of this Esxence — IrideSCENT — so I’ve been searching for equivalents of beautiful natural phenomena throughout the whole event.
I found many, and still wish for more.
PERFUME HIGHLIGHTS
While preparing for Esxence 2023 and going through the long brand list and the linked websites, I noticed many new brands.
The majority I visited fall into the category of “project brands”. I borrowed the term from a colleague who used it for the brands launched by entrepreneurs who invested in the perfume business, following more or less the same principles:
“6 – 8 perfumes for a start (“cover all groups!“), make impressive/expensive visuals and packaging, tweak the already known story, and do your best to keep “About us” vague!”.
It is what it is, but – speaking about the “project brands” I continue to hope for more iridescence.
-
Abîme by Maison Violet
Nathalie Lorson, 2023.
Back in 2018., when Anthony Toulemonde, Paul Richardot, and Victorien Sirot launched the first four perfumes of their brand Maison Violet, the story of young business partners whose friendship goes back to the first years of studying at the Ecole Supérieure du Parfum in Paris looked charming and promising. Now, five years and three more perfumes later, I am fully ready to exclaim: “Well done!”
-
Eau de Boujee collection
Pia Long and Nick Giblert, 2023.
Eau de Boujee naturally derived from the candles’ olfactive profiles, but Nick and Pia of Olfiction reworked and adapted the formulas and presented small but well-thought-out, skillfully crafted, and emotionally awakening perfumes: Verdant, Guilded, Queen, and Quir.
-
Rosae Virtus collection
Davide Dalla Libera, 2023.
Rosae Virtus is a brand-new Italian brand, launched on the first day of Esxence, and founded by Davide Dalla Libera, the botanist and the creator of the perfumes. The “Rosae Virtus” brand was born from the activities of the Novaspina farm, which produces and sells roses and irises of its own selection throughout Europe.
-
X COLLECTION by NISHANE
Mert Güzel and Murat Katran celebrate 10 the birthday of Nishane with the X Collection, which includes five most loved perfumes, reinterpreted: Ani X, Fan Your Flames X, Hacivat X, Hundred Silent Ways X and Woolong Cha X.
The balance, smoothness, and richness of the Nishane’s originals stayed intact; the “old” olfactive profiles remained fully preserved and are unmistakably recognisable to those who know them. However, each new interpretation presents a lighter, airier, and brighter character.
The X in the collection’s name stands for the Roman number 10, but after smelling all the perfumes, I feel that it may as well stand for “X-factor.”
10 years of that, and excellence is the reason for the deep respect.
I like the transparent and slightly floral Wolong Cha X even more than the initial creation, which I love.
From the program
-
In love with patchouli – history and trends of an iconic raw material
A Givaudan’s presentation held by Eugenie Briot and Arnaud Guggenbuhl
The “All things patchouli” presentation was informative and enriching. Still, I wish Givaudan had opened the door to its patchouli materials a bit more and enriched our olfactive experience with a slightly wider palette of patchouli materials.
-
Leading by the nose – perfumers speak out on education, diversity & creativity
A panel with Alexandre Helwani, Hiram Green, Veronique Nyberg and Alex Lie. Moderator: Karen Marin.
“Leading by the nose” enabled some precious insights into the compromises and personal struggles of perfumers working in the industry or as independent and self-taught perfumers. It scratched the surface of many issues we rarely witness exposed to the public.
-
L’Osmotheque’s exhibition – “Tribute to Italy, land of perfumes”
15 perfumes from L’Osmotheque’s conservatory
The exhibition about Italian olfactive heritage included perfumes made in Italy and/or created by Italians, or connected to Italy by the recognisable Italian spirit or emotion, such as “dolce vita”. Read the informative catalogue, published thanks to L’Osmotheque.
Art and olfaction 2023
The announcement of finalists
On Friday, the second day of Esxence, Saskia Wilson Brown, the Director of The Institute for Art and Olfaction, together with Spyros Drosopulos and Chi Wai Tang as judges, announced AOL Awards finalists 2023 in juried categories.
I am very glad that this year’s announcement included honourable mentions. It gave welcomed visibility to perfumes and a push for the mentioned brands. It also provided more quality information for perfume lovers.
From 50% more finalists and two winners per independent and artisan category in 2022 to this year’s “almost a subcategory” in the form of honourable mention of noticed creations that did not make it to the finals, each year’s announcements bring a slight shift.
I see that as part of the AOL Awards’ open and flexible character and a specific manifestation of iridescence appearing each time the light is cast over the successful creations.
However, I regret that the program did not include the opportunity to smell perfumes made by small, independent and artisan brands, especially those outside of Europe.
Considering that the AOL Awards are global and that each part of the fascinatingly prolific organism called independent and artisanal perfumery starts small and is often limited in resources, I wish the colleagues and professionals present at Esxence 2023 didn’t miss the opportunity to smell those who were significant enough to make it to the finals but—quite understandably—could not make it to Milano.
From the personal angle and the reporter’s perspective, this deviation from inclusiveness seemed like the fluid, delicate, and shimmering iridescence had been flattened into a scentless, one-dimensional surface, only a bit more vivid than a PPT presentation.
I choose to remember the beauty of the shared moment when announced finalists took a stand at the same time, surrounded by applauding colleagues and friends shouting “Bravo!“.
Off-Esxence
Zoologist
Victor Wong
Last autumn, when Victor Wong of Zoologist announced that he was coming to Esxence 2023, I was already off to a low start and ready for a sprint when I saw him somewhere in the crowd.
I fell in love with the brand in the first half of 2017. (I say, “since Nightingale…”) I love it for many reasons: the concept, the list of representative independent perfumers who imprinted their uniquely different signatures into the brand’s identity, the versatile and complex library of perfumes, and Victor’s honest approach to the buyers and fans.
I met Victor early on Thursday (Day 1), while I was exiting the pavilion for a short break – he was at the entrance, presenting the perfumes that will be released later this year.
This was the opportunity to smell Spyros Drosopulos, Tomo Inaba, and Prin Lomros’s new creations. I promised not to disclose the names of the animals they refer to, but I am very excited that the perfume I liked the most has a name I feel especially connected to.
MISKEO PARFUMS
Marie-Pierre Blanchette and Pep Dalasandri
I finally met the beautiful team behind Miskeo Parfums, a new brand from Berlin: Marie-Pierre Blanchette, the founder of the brand and the perfumer, and Pep Dalasandri/Scentinel, the evaluator of Miskeo’s perfumes.
I am captivated by the good vibe they calibrate together and their synergy.
We caught a moment to talk about the current state of the perfumery and the business, exchanging open thoughts. That’s just it: Miskeo is great because Pep and Marie are creative, imaginative, and “no BS” people.
I tested Miskeo’s collection just before the Esxence, and I happily endorse the opinion that their Brume is fantastic.
GALLIVANT
Nick Steward
I also spent precious time with Nick Steward, the founder and owner of Gallivant, which is always an enriching and insightful experience.
Gallivant’s new perfume will be launched soon, and I like it. As a spoiler, here is the quote: it is “a fusion between Timbuktu and Noir Exquis.”
COLLEAGUES AND FRIENDS
Last, but not least, Esxence would be unimaginable without dear colleagues.
We met for dinner on Wednesday evening, before the Esxence started, shared many great moments after that, and hugged each other firmly before leaving Milano:
“See you next year!”.
