Notes on Two Fragrance Events And a Reflection Going into the New Year

Is keeping up with the latest even worth it?

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to attend two fragrance events on the same weekend. The contrast between the events surprisingly illustrated a sort-of dichotomy that many collectors will be familiar with: the eventual dullness of constant novelty-seeking, and the joy of rediscovering the familiar.

The first event was the niche-centric fragrance conference, ScentXplore. Even before I entered the venue, I was overwhelmed by the smell of perfume permeating half the length of the block where the event was held in Chelsea.The exhibition included over a hundred brands displaying their latest and greatest fragrances for all to sniff, from heavy-hitters like Amouage to tiny upstart independent perfumers showcasing their first launch. The event also boasted a gratis coffee shop, bar, and “masterclasses” hosted by perfumers and brand reps. At times, smelling so much at once was overwhelming and I found myself going completely anosmic.

There certainly were discoveries to be held: brands that I’d had my eye on with no US distribution, newly-launched brands that aren’t even available to the public yet, new materials or techniques for extracting materials that were being used for the first time, over-the-top packaging that defies that current trend for minimalist bottles and san-serif fonts that look good on Instagram. And there were moments of exciting olfactory creativity on display: I smelled new and unique, modern compositions that were transformative or transportive, fragrances that told stories and had a distinct point of view, that had history behind them but didn’t mindlessly mimic the classics. But overall, the feeling that I had when I left the event is that we need less perfume, not more. I sniffed then tossed aside at least half a dozen of nearly-identical rose plus oud or rose plus patchouli fragrances from the discovery kit that was sent to attendees. I walked up to countless booths to hear the brand rep’s spiel about their latest release only to be presented yet another take on vanilla, or “quirky gourmand”, or floral loaded up with laundry-like musk. How many of the same perfume do we really need? Why do we need 4000+ releases every year? With that volume, how many of them are actually good?

As I left the event, I thought about how many perfumes I’ve tried this year. I try to give everything I receive a fair chance, which means at least one full wear on skin, which in turn limits what I can wear on a regular basis. This constant stream of new fragrances means I hardly get to wear my favorites; I look at my bottle of Iris Cendre or Aromatics Elixir or Jasmin et Cigarette and see neglect. The boxes in my room filled with dozens of samples are mostly detritus showcasing the excess of late capitalism. Fragrance is a luxury and a commodity, but that doesn’t mean it has to be subject to the same throwaway culture of other ephemeral products.

Which brings me to the second event I attended that weekend: a fragrance swap hosted by The Perfume Room podcaster, Emma Vernon. Attendees were asked to bring 1-2 fragrances they no longer wanted, at least 80% full, as an offering to swap with other attendees. I fretted over deciding which fragrance I should bring from my collection, which due to the aforementioned abundance of samples, doesn’t have nearly as many full bottles as one might think. Of all the potential options, many were too precious to part with, didn’t meet the 80% full rule (for a few older bottles), or were cheapies that were too embarrassing to bring along (or that I knew I’d end up buying back at the earliest convenience).

The event itself was lively and fun, with attendees excitedly trying the offerings we’d each brought, enthusiastically discussing perfume, and maybe relishing in an opportunity to show off our good taste. Everyone discovered something new to them without the need for a multitude of new launches and overall the curation of what my fellow fragrance enthusiasts selected from their discards pile was more interesting than what the machinations of the beauty industry are churning out and telling us we need to buy. An appreciation for the familiar was also fully on display over the course of the event as attendees reminisced and recalled their experiences with an array of fragrances from the past: the elementary school art teacher who wore Kenzo Jungle, the summer spent at the beach wearing Strangers Salted Green Mango, one’s initial discovery of Comme des Garcons and journey into the realm of weird fragrances. In the end, I took home a nearly-half-empty bottle of Chanel No 5, feeling too sad by the possibility of it being left behind.

I suppose the point, as it is with every consumptive hobby, is to be more thoughtful about what we’re consuming. Coming out of that weekend, I thought about when I was a kid and would read the same book two or three times. Or listen to the same record on repeat for hours over the course of months. Limited by a lack of disposable income, I was less tempted by novelty and relished the satisfaction of deeply knowing a work of art. Going into the new year, maybe it’s time to reflect and recapture the joy of appreciating what you already have. Truly cherishing the things you own through use.