World Perfumery Congress 2018 ‘What’s Next in Niche Fragrance’

June 30, 2018July 3, 2018

World Perfumery Congress 2018

My train from Paris arrived in Nice late in the afternoon of June 5, the first day of the 2018 World Perfumery Congress. I just had time to check into my hotel and share a glass of wine with travelling buddy, Sarah Baker of Sarah Baker Parfumes, before strolling down the Promenade des Anglais to Ruhl Beach – and, for me at least, that’s when the WPC party began!

Symrise Party – Invitation

The Symrise party at the World Perfumery Congress 2018, hosted by Symrise CEO Dr. Heinz-Jeurgen Bertram, and Global President, Scent & Care, Achim Daub, was officially entitled ‘Symrise’s Voyage à la Plage’, and was the official launch of the book “A World Tour Through Scent”, a collaboration between Symrise and Nez – The Olfactory Magazine More on that in a bit…

Because first I had to nab Deniz Ataman, Conference Director of the WPC and Managing Editor of Perfumer & Flavorist Magazine, who was there with Jeb Gleason-Allured, Editor in chief of Perfumer & Flavorist Magazine. In a quick little surfside conversation, they gave me the latest update on the facts and figures of this record-breaking year at WPC. Indeed, Deniz told me there were “…over 1800 attendees this year with nearly 300 perfumers”. Jeb noted that, “The WPC is where all the thought leaders in fragrance and flavors come together in one place for 3 days of amazing talks, science, and exhibitions.” This, of course, made me extremely happy because as I looked around, I realized that many of these ‘thought leaders’ were old friends of mine from the perfume industry, while others were new friends I would surely meet tonight or tomorrow.

Miguel Matos, Pissara Umavijani, and Saskia Wilson-Brown

In addition, Symrise perfumers at the World Perfumery Congress included Emilie Copperman, David Apel, Maurice Roucel, and Pierre Gueros, I had already spoken to other guests at the party included Saskia Wilson-Brown, founder of the Institute of Art & Olfaction, Pissara Umavijani, prize winning perfumer and owner of the brand Dusita Paris; Mathieu Chevara, creative director at Nez – The Olfactory Magazine; Chris Diienno, former president of the American Society of Perfumers and Owner of MOCA Fragrances, consulting services; Daryll Do, owner of th family-run house, Delbia Do; and George and Christine Ledes founders of The Beauty Influencers. Other people I soon met included Remy Bhatia and Ritesh Gandhi, who in addition to being great dancers, seemed to know almost as much about Mezcal as Sarah Baker, Chris Diieoro, and Daryl Do – and that’s saying a LOT.

Unknown person with Symrise perfumers Emilie Copperman and Pierre Gueros.

Displayed around the party area at the World Perfumery Congress 2018 were photos, foods, and drinks represented unique scents and influences from the 11 different countries featured in A World Tour Through Scent. I especially loved the chocolates from Brazil, the beer for North Carolina (my home state – Go, Tar Heels !) and the Mezcal, and other rather strong spirits from Mexico, all of which heightened the spirits of the guests who merrily danced and sang with the fabulous band until the wee hours.

WPC 2018 Firmenich Stand

WPC 2018 – Day 2, June 6 – Palais des Congrès Nice Acropolis

ALL of the big fragrance houses are at the World Perfumery Congress 2018 – Firmenich, Givaudan, IFF, Mane, Robertet, Symrise, Takasago – each with well-appointed stands and programs on two floors at the Palais des Congrès Nice Acropolis.

WPC 2018 Givaudan Stand Daniela Andrier and Sophie Cauchi

I visited friends and acquaintances at all. It’s perhaps important to remind fragrance lovers that many outstanding niche fragrances have been created by perfumers at these large essential oil houses, including some of my favorites such as –Eris’s Ma Bete by Antoine Lie of Takasago, Etat Libre D’Orange’s Une Amourette Roland Mouret by Daniela (Roche) Andrier of Givaudan; Aedes de Venustas’ Musc Encense by Ralf Schwieger; Atelier Cologne’s Iris Rebelle, also composed by Ralf Schwieger of Mane, and the list goes on….

Inspired by what I had seen at the party the night before, also I dropped by the Symrise stand, and was happy to spend time with Catherine Dolisi, Category Marketing Manager at Symrise, who furthered my understanding of the beautiful edition that Symrise had put together.

WPC 2018 Elisabeth Campana at Albert Vieille stand

Among the smaller essential oil houses at the World Perfumery Congress 2018, I enjoyed catching up with Elisabeth Campana, Marketing Director of Albert Vieille, a specialist in 100% natural ingredients.

WPC 2018 Patricia de Nicolai at the Osmothèque Stand

Another feature at WPC is the importance presence of various associations serving the fragrance community, such as Osmothèque, the SFP Société Française des Parfumeurs, and the International Society of Perfumer-Creators (ISPC), all of which had popular stands at the event.

WPC 2018 Sarah Colton and Véronique Dupont

Here, I had a chance to catch up with Patricia de Nicolaï, President of L’Osmothèque and founder of the brand, Nicolaï, Véronique Dupont, President of the SFP, and Senior perfumer at Azur Fragrances, Sylvie Jourdet, President emeritus of the SFP, and owner of Créassence, Guy Vogel, President of the German Association of Perfumers in SEPAWA (DGP), Johann Maria Farina of Farina, and Karelle Réaubourg, the all important SFP office manager, who we all know holds everything together. Nez the review was there with a popular stand at the World Perfumery Congress 2018, featuring its publications and indicative of its, now central, place in the perfume industry.

WPC 2018 Calice Becker blowing kisses. Linda Song watching.

The World Perfumery Congress is also famous for its lectures and panel discussions, and one of the high point of my morning was the uplifting talk given by Calice Becker, Master Perfumer at Givaudan, and Head of the Givaudan perfume School, along with Linda Song, perfumer at Givaudan in New York. Their strong message of community across generations, and across cultures clearly inspired many in the audience, and at the end of the program, Calice was literally swarmed with well-wishers. An important message at the World Perfumery Congress 2018 is that perfume is art, and this was evident in three selected artworks exhibited at WPC — Ruvan: Explore the Expansion of Spacewith fragrances made by Daryll Do, of Delbia Do Fragrance Lab in New York; Fabio Lattanzi Antinori: Dark Pools; and Esmeralda Kosmatopoulos: Dessine Moi un Arc-en-Ciel, in collaboration with three Givaudan perfumers, Quentin Bisch, Natalie Cetto, and Guillaume Flavigny.

Just before catching my bus to Grasse, I attended Eddie Bulliqi’s thought provoking presentation entitled “The Future of Niche Perfumery” in which among other things, he discussed ways in which the fragrance industry culture is shifting. Eddie handed out tester strips infused with Andreas Wilhelm’s Perfume Sucks fragrance, Green, and it was these fresh and unusual notes that captured my final moments of WPC 2018 and followed me on my way ….

–Sarah Colton, Guest Contributor, Author of Bad Girls Perfume and Vice President of the Société Française des Parfumeurs

Thanks to some of our friends at the World Perfumery Congress 2018 we have a set of niche fragrances that were mentioned in this article for a US, Canada and Eu registered reader. To be eligible, please leave a comment about Sarah’s report on the World Perfumery Congress 2018 and where you live. Was there a perfumer you would have loved to meet? Draw closes 7/3/2018

We announce the winners only on our site and on our Facebook page, so like Cafleurebon and use our Blog feed…or your dream prize will be just spilled perfume