Esxence 2024

From April 25 to 28, Milan hosted the most representative and, in my opinion, the most interesting exhibition of niche perfumery — Esxence. Four hot days of meetings, presentations and conferences in the pavilion itself and at many sites outside it. Four days of communication with wonderful people, four days of fun and delight.

220 brands came to show themselves, and 7900 industry professionals — distributors, store owners, journalists and bloggers — came to see them.

There were, frankly, too many events and impressions for one person, but I tried to capture the most important.

Packaging

The first thing that caught my eye was how attentive niche brands have become to the appearance of perfumes. The bottle now has to justify its considerable price and be photogenic like an Instagram star, and to do this, please provide transparent expensive glass, a carefully fitted spray and lid, and an eco-friendly box. There is less and less homemade and frankly careless packaging, which is good news! It is also good that many brands have small-volume bottles, a variety of travel options, and introductory sets.

Names

Many manufacturers this year decided to play it safe and order fragrances from famous perfumers, authors of hits. But talent, name, past achievements do not guarantee a successful fragrance if the customer himself is poor in ideas. As a result, we have many launches with names on the boxes and about the same number of interesting perfumes as before. Except that Jean-Claude Ellena lit up the house for Perris Monte Carlo and the brand Houbigant, which is getting its second wind.

No Boundaries — without borders

This is the name of the new collection by the Turkish brand Nishane, and this idea suits the entire Esxence 2019. For the first time, it seems, there were no borders at the exhibition. If earlier the participants were dominated by Italians and French with their national perfume traditions, then Arab brands with ouds cautiously joined, now the Milan pavilion was flooded with cosmopolitan and talented Turks, Spaniards, Scandinavians, Australians, and Slavic brothers. Everyone solved their own problems at the exhibition without interfering with each other: commercial brands established connections, creative ones inspired, artisans handed out awards to each other in their sandbox, practical ones traded a little, the Versailles Osmotheque educated the people. Everyone had their own clients and their own press.

Roses

If we talk about the perfume themes of the exhibition, the most noticeable one is the rose. Roses have become fashionable and are not going away. Roses are now mixed with red and black berries, with patchouli and cardamom, with saffron and cinnamon, roses are drowned in wine and painted with pink watercolors, and they do it so talentedly that you come to the exhibition thinking that you know everything about roses, and leave with a broken heart and a wishlist of several thousand euros.

In first place on my list is a whole bathtub of rose water with rose petals - Rose de Mai Perris Monte Carlo. I will get it at any cost.

I regret that I did not buy Rose Muscade at the exhibition - a sharp, exciting spicy rose from the French brand La Closerie des parfums.

I am looking forward to the spicy alcoholic rose There`s a Place Francesca Dell`Oro and the rose-berry compotes Red Shoes Jaques Fath and Rose Rebatchi in Moscow.

I don't hope to ever own it, but I just dream of the refractory, red-hot pink lava of Nefs Nishane.

For lovers of chypres with a noticeable rose, I advise you to take a closer look at Kintsugi Masque Milano.

Corporeality/tactility

A theme that has only just emerged at the exhibition, but will soon seep everywhere — the perception of body odors and by the body. In the new modern corporeality, the smells of cleanliness, expensive soap, talc, cream and other cosmetics become perfumery, and traditional perfume odors — flower bouquets, aldehydes, light gourmands seem to change their texture, dissolve in lotion and are applied to the entire body. As an example — the subtle powdery aroma of baby powder on a baby's bottom — Musc Panache Maison Rebatchi, and a powdered shoulder — Touche Finale Jovoy, and the already mentioned bath with rose hydrolate — Rose de Mai Perris Monte Carlo, which you perceive not as perfume and not only with your nose, but as if with your whole skin, and stomach and even heels.

Modern gourmand perfumery is also changing towards greater corporeality/tactility. This is no longer a burning sticky sweetness concentrated on the tongue. Now these are complex flavors with retronasal aromas and the most diverse textures in terms of sensations.

I will try to write separately about all the discoveries and notable phenomena of the Esxence 2024 perfume exhibition, but for now here is my shortlist:

The most desired fragrance is (two) magical rose and jasmine Rose de Mai and Jasmin de Pays Perris Monte Carlo.

The most long-awaited fragrance is a perfume that has been tried, discussed and named by the whole world since autumn - Splendiris Parfums Dusita

The most niche fragrance and the most niche collection is Ani, No Boundaries Nishane. An incredible, bold, talented project dedicated to how two peoples, separated by a terrible tragedy, take a step towards each other. That rare case when perfumes, ideas, perfumers change us and change the world.

Perfumer (two) — Jean Claude Ellena (for Perris Monte Carlo and Houbigant), Cecile Zarokian (Ani Nishane)

The most budget launches — Maison Rebatchi and Essential Parfums

The most beautiful bottle — transparent and tactilely pleasant Genyum flasks.

Discovery — Turkish brand Regalien with absolutely classic and well-made compositions. I especially appreciate iris.

Collection — Soul Couture. I liked it for its lightness and optimism. Tuberose Love Twist and Weekend Postmoderno are especially good.

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