BW Confidential reports on what stood out at the 15th edition of the Esxence fragrance show, which took place from February 19 -22 at Allianz MiCo Milano Convention Centre in Milan, Italy
The crowds swarming in the aisles and the number of brands exhibiting at this year’s Esxence show were a sign that fragrance, particularly niche fragrance, is a segment that is still booming. Indeed, the number of brands at the 15th edition of Esxence was striking, if not slightly overwhelming. A total of 384 companies exhibited this year, meaning that more discernment was needed for visitors to root out truly original concepts and scents. A common thread was also the high price points of the fragrances on show, which some observers said was sometimes hard to justify for certain products.
However, overall, there was an interesting mix of exhibitors, and the show once more proved itself as a key event for the fragrance industry – both in terms of uncovering new brands and understanding the market’s key trends. There was a strong turnout of key buyers, distributors, executives from major fragrance houses and perfumers. All in all, the event attracted 13,500 visitors. Organizers also noted a high number of young visitors on the days that the show was open to the general public.
Beyond Europe
This year a large number of brands from beyond Europe exhibited at the show. There was a string of companies from the Middle East – a region that is setting the trends in fragrance and is seeing strong growth. Among them, were major players, such as Ajmal, which is focusing on expanding in Europe, and Sterling Parfums’ Armaf brand, which showcased its niche collection in collaboration with perfumers, such as Arturetto Landi and Christian Provenzano. Other Middle Eastern brands included Ameenah, Oman Luxury, Jouri Parfum, Azman and Arabian Blend.
In addition, there was also a good selection of companies from Asia. Creating a buzz on the show floor with its strong red branding was Korean fragrance brand Borntostandout – the brand announced just a week before the show that L’Oréal had invested in the company. Another brand from Korea was Sisology, which launched at the end of 2023, and is based on the idea of fragrance enhancing ordinary, everyday life. There were also several brands from China, including Scented Vision and Bu Feng, and from Vitenam, with d’Annam, which claims to celebrate Asian cultures.
To watch out for
Other brands to watch out for at the show included:
Fugazzi, which claims to be inspired by ancient Egyptian oils and creates fragrances from pure, cruelty-free and paraben-free ingredients. Its scents include two odorless plant ingredients that are said to have positive effects on the wearer’s well-being. The brand’s stand displayed its fragrance among fruits and vegetables in a market stall-like setting.
Bohoboco, which sells long-lasting unisex fragrances created by Polish clothing designer Michal Gilbert Lach. Its best-sellers come under the names of Vanilla Black Pepper, Sea Salt Caramel and Wet Cherry Liquor.
Pills Parfums, a Spanish brand that has just launched with four fragrances with bright colored bottles and branding. The company says the fragrances are an olfactory manifesto against the predictable and are created to provoke rather than please everyone.
Perroy Parfums, with its loud colorful branding is based on the power of perfume to assert the user’s personality, the company says. The brand has eight perfumes corresponding to eight moods (self-confident, energetic, classy, or powerful, for example) and it sports the tagline ‘Spray your Mood’.
Frassaï, an Argentine brand based on founder Natalia Outeda’s memories and with a ‘slow perfumery’ approach – which the brand says means fewer, better fragrances. The latest scent in the range is a tribute to Outeda’s chess player grandfather and seeks to evoke the ‘lost in time’ ambiance of a chess game.
27 87, a Spain-based brand hosted a booth with the statement “Bananas are taking the stage. Vanilla is over”. The statement referenced the brand’s newest fragrance Hakuna Matata, which uses banana combined with honey and jasmine. The scent, created by perfumer Rodrigo Flores-Roux, will launch at the end of April. The brand also revealed that it has teamed up with influencer Luca Lux, who hosts a TikTok series called Smell This and has 15 million followers.
House of Sillage. The US-based company showcased frargances from its collaboration with Looney Tunes, with the decorative bottles featuring cartoon characters, such as Bugs Bunny and Pink Panther. The company also showed its line of Harry Potter fragrances, following its collaboration with Warner Bros. Each fragrance is named after the four houses of the Hogwarts school in the story. This year, House of Sillage celebrates its 15th anniversary.
My Geisha. The brand showcased a range of its scents, as well as its new make-up range. The Hybrid Makeup is a nine-sku line focusing on make-up essentials, such as volume-building mascara, a BB cream and an eyebrow fixing serum.
In terms of overall trends, Middle Eastern inspired scents were prevalent, as were gourmand fragrances. There was also a strong focus on fruity notes, such as mango and pineapple. In addition, fragrances that claim to offer wellness or mood-boosting benefits continued to be a strong theme at the show this year.
Esxence 2025
Exhibiting brands: 384 (from 38 countries; 70% of exhibitors were from outside Italy)
Visitors: 13,500 (66% were operators)
Exhibition space: 17, 400m2
Conferences: 24