Pitti Fragranze 2024 – brand new brands

WOHA PARFUMS

WOHA is an acronym for World Of Holistic Architecture, and WOHA Parfums is a brand founded by an architectural studio from Alicante.

The brand introduced the concept of “liquid architecture,” or the metamorphosis of architecture into fragrance, with great respect for the specificities of artistic perfumery.

The author of the concept is the owner of the WOHA studio, Antonio Maciá, and the three presented perfumes are signed by Spanish perfumer Alejandro Ponsá.

The brand plans to introduce 10 perfumes in limited editions, each tied to one of the studio’s architectural projects. At Pitti Fragrance, the first three were exhibited – Calahorra, Los ojos de tu piel, and a prototype of the third fragrance, expected to be released in a year.

Calahora

The perfume Calahorra is inspired by the project of a café within a vertical garden, which was also presented with a model.

It is a compact, woody-aromatic composition of pronounced depth, where the dominant earthy-woody layer is paired with balsamic notes and dynamically and richly intertwined with contrasting cool-fresh, sweet, and citrus elements.

I was captivated by the perfume that is yet to be released:

Los ojos de tu piel

Los ojos de tu piel is a warm and (again) very rounded and deep perfume in which crystal-clear fresh aromatics immerse into a vibrant and warm musky base.

The name of the perfume translates to: The eyes of your skin.

WOHA conveys the very essence of the idea of liquid architecture, as the vital fusion of the philosophical and the technical, the two inseparable parts that form the core identity of both architecture and perfumery.

The holistic approach is present down to the finest detail: both perfumes come in differently designed 30-millilitre bottles and are also offered in a uniquely constructed roll-on.

Bravo.

KV by Kateryna Vel’menko

KV by Kateryna Vel’menko – The Italian brand, whose face and name are represented by its creative director, showcased a large collection of 11 perfumes and presented them following a proven formula — and flawlessly so.

Kateryna is a kind and lively communicator, skillfully steering the conversation from the brand’s story to the perfumes themselves.

The fragrances are created by several perfumers: Flair, namely Amelie Burgois, Camille Chemardin, and Elia Chice, as well as Patrice Revillard and Antonio Alessandria. Kateryna Vel’menko herself signs 4 perfumes.

The names of the perfumes bring a fresh, playful, and clear mix of general and popular references from everyday conversation: One Mojito for the Road, Chilly Candi Crush, El Badia, Amore Dolce Amaro, Laconic. Less is More, Not A Morning Person, Good Mood Is Loading, Isicle Popsicle, She is Glowing, A Bit Hazelnutty, Silent Serenity.

Somewhere along the conversation with Kateryna I felt the authentic overlap:

The names of the perfumes truly reflect Kateryna’s communication style.
From a quick sniff of the large collection, I got the impression that the perfumes also communicate in a playful yet uncomplicated way.
But — beyond that — they are also smart.

I look forward to testing the perfumes outside the hustle and bustle of the fair.

LA SERRA

“Lassera” in Italian means “greenhouse” – a sheltered living environment for plants that thrive in optimal conditions.

I find the idea that, on a personal level, a perfume essentially serves the same function quite true: I wear certain perfumes because of their protective profile, as they nurture and enrich my personal space and the microclimate inside it.

Alberto Anselmi, the owner of the brand, is a clinical psychologist.

The names of the perfumes reflect the idea of deviating from, in fact, the nonexistent concept of “normal.”

La Serra introduced four monothematic perfumes.
Their names — Binge Eating Vanilla, Borderline Neroli, Compulsing Musk, Obsessive Leather — intriguingly express the dominant fragrance profile, with an attached clinical personality disorder.

The fragrances were created by Fabrice Pelegrin (Binge Eating Vanilla, Compulsing Musk, Obsessive Leather) and Olivier Cresp (Borderline Neroli).

All four perfumes are beautifully polished, but with much less deviation than their names would suggest.
I smelled moderate contrasts and accents, instead of the noticeable shifts and twists that might be interpreted as a disorder from the perfume’s name.

I wear fragrances with bolder shifts, so my perception of “normal” is somewhat more inclusive.

I liked Borderline Neroli the most.
The perfume is based on the contrast between the dry and sharp, almost angelic-soapy neroli with prominent citrus facets and the fuller, sweeter, slightly fleshy fig, supported by a discreetly indolic white floral accord.

The presentation includes fully refillable bottles and waist-free cardboard packaging.

The blotters are also very carefully designed:
Following the instruction, the brand representative directed the sprayer towards the image of the nose, right where it says “spray area“. Then, he inserted blotte into a printed booklet, which on one side describes the brand and Borderline Neroli, while the other side serves as a notebook for personal notes.

I’m sure that the “bookmark” method for recollection is proven to work — usually.

However, because of the dynamic and performative identity of the scent, recalling the subtler nuances in the composition and character of the perfume rarely works this way.

I will be reminded of the character of Borderline Neroli by the borderline – the printed nose and the flattened traces of the woody base on the blotter.

Without sensibility for scents, authentic ideas, and love – what is the meaning?

In the last 5 years, the annual number of new perfumes has dramatically increased. It is no longer difficult to produce a perfume, but it is becoming increasingly hard to sell it.

The lifespan of brands has significantly shortened, but it’s not just because of the saturated market.

The first contact with a brand new brand sometimes achingly shows the importance of sensibility for scents, passion for such a specific business, and knowledge.