Last month, I had the pleasure of attending my second Pitti Fragranze event, a fair dedicated to the world of international artistic perfumery. Held in the beautiful city of Florence, this renowned event celebrated its 22nd edition, attracting buyers, distributors, press, and fragrance creators from all over the world. This year, the theme was The Sound of Fragrance, a concept exploring the olfactory journeys between silence and noise. Located in Florence’s first train station, built in 1848, Stazione Leopolda provided the perfect backdrop for the 215 artistic brands showcasing their creative products. With 61 new brands attending this year, I couldn’t wait to explore some new creations.
In true Blu Blazer Guy tradition, I did my best to get around as many brands as possible for you, and here are the ones that stood out to me at this year’s Pitti Fragranze.
I was introduced to this brand by the creative Andrej Babicky, who is the nose behind two of the fragrances in this range. Siuno is an Australian brand that adopts a slow, natural perfumery approach, creating fragrances made from 100% whole-natural materials. I typically steer away from natural fragrances as they often lack the longevity and depth that I crave, but Siuno felt different. I was instantly captivated by a fragrance called Aurelius—an earthy, woody, and smoky scent that somehow made me feel calm in the midst of the busy Pitti Fragranze. When a fragrance makes me pause and forget everything around me, it certainly signals that there’s something interesting to discover, and that’s exactly what I found with Siuno.
My old friends at Rito, an Italian artistic perfumery brand, surprised me with the launch of their new fragrance, Golden Island. As the name suggests, the fragrance instantly transports you to a sun-soaked paradise, opening with a stunning maracuja (passionfruit) note and bergamot. The scent is bright and fruity, with a sensual undertone—an unexpected departure from the brand’s usual creations, yet still executed with the utmost elegance.
Check out my full review of Golden Island [here].
I thoroughly enjoyed my time exploring this brand as founder and perfumer Kateryna Vel’menko guided me through each of her beautifully curated niche fragrances, all housed in elegant vessels. Kateryna’s passion was evident from the start, and while each fragrance has its own story, she prefers the wearer to enjoy the scent without too much input, allowing them to connect with it and create their own personal narrative. I particularly enjoyed Icicle Popsicle, which was inspired by the experience of eating icicles on a cold winter’s day. You can definitely sense that in the fragrance, as the cold, metallic notes sparkled on the skin, exuding a beautifully carefree and joyful vibe.
I first discovered this brand in New York last year at ScentXplore, where I was immediately captivated by their unique vessels and the energy of the brand’s founder, Tomilson Bynoe. Hailing from Barbados, the brand creates fragrances inspired by the island’s natural beauty, with bottles that look as if they’ve been carved straight from the black cliffs surrounding the rugged coastline. I particularly loved the fruity, playful notes of Sexy Eyes and the seductive floral nature of Silk Kiss. I also got a sneak preview of an upcoming release, and I believe it’s going to be a fantastic addition that everyone will love.
The Spanish brand Woha immediately captured my attention, not only with their unusual presentation but also with the distinctive fragrances themselves. Inspired by architecture and the perception of space, their “liquid architecture” creations include ten fragrances that have been meticulously crafted, much like architectural masterpieces. Their first fragrance, Calahorra, is inspired by the project ‘Café in a Vertical Garden’ in Elche, Spain, with only 300 bottles produced. With notes such as green mandarin, papyrus, thyme, and rosewood, it offers a truly unique scent. The brand is very conceptual, and it may not resonate with everyone, but I found myself loving its distinctiveness.
Charming and soulful are two words that come to mind when I think of this brand. Founded by research chemist Francois, he has drawn on his 15-year background in the perfume industry to create a brand that captures special moments from his life. Each bottle is like a fragrance diary, preserving cherished memories, encased in a bottle designed to resemble a book, embellished with sepia-toned photography. Handcrafted in Paris, each of the seven fragrances holds something special, but the one that truly stood out for me was Licorice Lavandula. Surprisingly, despite not typically liking lavender or liquorice, there was something so different and captivating about this scent that it caught my attention.
I’m like a magpie when it comes to gorgeous packaging, and this brand had me hooked from the start. Each bottle is embellished with iconography from 17th and 18th-century Paris, offering a glimpse of the brand’s essence. Binet Papillon is a fusion of the Binet family, perfumers from the 17th century, and Papillon Rouge, an independent perfume house founded 15 years ago. The brand takes traditional French haute perfumery and transforms it into modern, creative masterpieces. I particularly enjoyed Fragrance No. 2, a warm, smooth, and milky fragrance with a hint of liquorice (I must be warming to this note).
Christian Tortu
As someone from Scotland who loves nature, I often miss spending time outdoors due to my busy schedule. So when I came across this brand, whose fragrances instantly transported me to a calm green forest, I fell in love immediately. Christian Tortu, an internationally renowned floral designer, has created a range of fragranced products that bring the essence of nature into your home. I was especially drawn to Forêts (Forests), with its blend of pine resin and needles, cistus labdanum, Virginian cedar leaves and wood, tree moss, and freshly cut grass.
If you’re looking for a brand with a beautiful soul that exudes creativity and passion, look no further than Dusita. First, I must mention the founder, Pissara Umaavijani, who is one of the warmest and most welcoming people I’ve met. Born and raised in Bangkok, Pissara is a self-taught perfumer with a lifelong passion for the art of fragrance. Dusita combines her love for French perfumery with personal touches—each box is filled with beautiful poetry from her father and artwork created by Pissara herself. She kindly gifted me La Rhapsodie Noire, an elegant gourmand fougère scent with hints of coffee, which I’ll be reviewing on my platform soon.
Kajal never fails to captivate the senses, consistently drawing crowds with its irresistible fragrances at every show I attend. As a long-time admirer of the brand’s exceptional craftsmanship and imaginative scents, I eagerly anticipated their newest creation, Lamar Noir. It was love at first sniff. Imagine voluptuous layers of black silk billowing in the night—it is sensual, dark, opulent, and incredibly long-lasting. It’s yet another fantastic addition to their range. I must also mention Kajal‘s artfully designed, sophisticated gift bags, which have become a collector’s item in my eyes. It’s a brilliant marketing strategy that perfectly represents the brand’s luxurious identity.
Check out my full review of Lamar Noir [here].
Trends
Last year, I commented on the emergence of gourmands, and it seems they are here to stay, based on what I witnessed at Pitti Fragranze. The overly sweet, creamy gourmands seem to be dissipating, and the use of other unique notes is coming into play. Bitter notes of coffee, dark crumbly chocolate, golden honey, and, of course, the spicy woody nuances of liquorice were just some of the significant players I experienced. Fruits continue to flourish, particularly the more tropical varieties, such as banana, coconut, mango, and passion fruit. Gone are the sticky versions of fruit; instead, combined with citrus notes, fresher varieties are on the rise. Pineapple continues to shine, thankfully deviating from the Aventus dupes that once dominated. There are definitely a few gourmands I smelled that will be released next year and are sure to be very popular, so keep an eye on my feed.
There’s nothing quite like attending these shows and immersing myself in the world of fragrances, allowing me to make deeper connections with the brands and bring the latests creations to my platform. Meeting the individuals behind these projects adds an extra layer of magic to the fragrance experience, unveiling the immense work, passion, and dedication that goes on behind the finished product. I’m forever grateful to be involved and look forward to next years Pitti Fragranze.
Follow Pitti Fragranze on their social media or on their website.
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