Fascinated by niche perfumes

Brands such as Serge Lutens, Diptyque, Amouage, Creed, Penhaligon's, Tom Ford, Maison Francis Kurkdjian, Xerjoff, Le Labo and Byredo have determined the olfactory revolution of recent years in niche perfumes, where there is also room for small independent firms sponsored by the talent of creators who allow themselves to daydream.

The main difference between commercial and niche brand perfumes is what drives their creation. While in the case of the former, launches are governed by scrupulous schedules designed to increase sales, niche brands aim to be among the most distinguished perfumes.

"I believe that perfumery, especially in the niche field, should tell stories and evoke emotions that are unique and personal. Unlike mass-produced fragrances, niche perfumes are based on true art and craftsmanship and perfumers are often independent," explains ILYA brand creator Ilias Kakis, who stresses that niche perfumes offer a more intimate connection than conventional fragrances.
After a career in scientific research - Kakis is an Immunologist and Microbiologist - this young creative perfumery talent approached the world of fragrances as a consultant. Soon after, he realised that his true passion was creating perfumes, an activity in which he could establish synergies between his scientific training and his artistic interests.
After six years of experimenting with scents, Kakis decided to launch his own brand in 2021. The name of the brand, Ilya, comes from the words his mother said to him while he was immersed in launching the project: "I love you always" (I.L.Y.A.), whose initials, as you might have guessed, coincide with his own name.

Perfumer Sébastien Cresp points out that the international fine fragrance market is suffering to some extent because it has not been open to innovation. "Consumers are looking for more daring, new, different perfumes, more in line with trends, at prices that are not much more expensive," he says. And it is a fact that, with the increase in the price of raw materials, the price of luxury fragrances of commercial brands has risen, approaching figures that are not so far from those of exclusive niche perfumes.
For Ilias Kakis, the main value of niche perfumery is the honest craftsmanship that is able to evoke a unique narrative and emotion in each niche fragrance, which can be achieved through exclusive ingredients or through the charisma of a perfumer. Or a combination of both.
Cresp, who has been working for brands such as Kayali (Pistachio Gelato) and Margiela (From the Garden), as well as a small niche perfume house, is clear: consumers are increasingly attracted to the niche category because "they are looking for different fragrances that they don't want to smell everywhere".
"Niche fragrance is synonymous with fierce individuality," says Kakis.

Connecting emotionally with the consumer is vital to seal the love affair with a fragrance. For years, commercial brands have been devoting large amounts of money to marketing campaigns that help them to draw the public into a brand's universe. In the case of niche perfumery, it is the scent itself that must tell a story with its invisible and artistic language. This is how the Omani perfume house Amouage understands it, aware that the sense of smell is one of the most powerful for producing emotions.
In this sense, Amouage has opted to emphasise its Omani identity. In an industry where most perfume brands have a link to France, having a distinct identity is a distinguishing feature. In his case, being the only independent luxury perfume house based in Oman.
If there is one thing that has characterised Serge Lutens' perfumes over the years, it is his ability to develop deeply emotional olfactory stories. Unclassifiable, this artist designs each fragrance as a reflection of his experiences through his own particular lens. Fleurs d'Oranger distils the memory of his arrival in Morocco, Ambre Sultan pays homage to the authenticity of the ingredients of oriental culture and Feminité du Bois highlights the cedar wood that permeates the air in Marrakech.

One of the hallmarks of niche perfumes is their desire to provide consumers with a selection of the noblest ingredients in perfumery in considerable concentrations so that the scent is well projected and long-lasting.
Why do natural ingredients exert a kind of spell in these perfumes? Because of their complexity, as each essential oil is unique and unrepeatable and is composed of thousands of molecules that interact in an extraordinary way with the formula.
Niche perfumery houses accept the challenge of working with the finest raw materials, such as iris, which can cost over 100,000 euros per kilo, even though they know that they may not be able to obtain it again with the same quality and concentration - climatic conditions and socio-political ups and downs determine the supply of raw materials. But this is another of their peculiarities, which means that each release may be unrepeatable, making each perfume a real treasure for collectors.

For Ilias Kakis, each perfumer has to find his own medium to express himself: "There are no barriers when I create. I use anything: from the humble but timeless vanilla to the extremely rare and expensive Assam oud, recognised as the most expensive oud in the world," he says.
The perfumery traditions of the Oman region determine Amouage's selection of high-quality ingredients. "In 2019 we decided to localise most of our ingredient sourcing and processing, and these are now carried out in Oman, which also benefits local socio-economic development," reports the brand, which has just introduced an ingredient of its own creation, created together with dsm-firmenich, Wadi Dawkah frankincense oil, which boosts the cultivation of premium frankincense in Oman, under ethical and sustainable criteria.

The creative genius of niche brand perfumers is as diverse as their perfumes. "When I create for Ilya, I don't need instructions, as I follow my heart and mind. I draw inspiration from my memories, from places I have visited or characters in my life that have touched my heart in such a way that I will never forget them," says Kakis.
Although he admits that he starts from a moodboard with colours, textures and images, he often deviates from it and follows his intuition and imagination until he finds the right path, like the one that led him to make his debut this year at the prestigious Pitti Fragranze niche perfumery fair.
For his part, Renaud Salmon, creative director of Amouage, usually starts the creative process by collecting different elements that he fuses together to create a new reality. He then shares the inspirational ideas with other artists such as perfumers, painters, musicians, architects, etc. In this way, ideas flourish by exchanging different creative visions.
In the case of Ben Gorham, founder of Byredo, the collective memory that exists about certain smells gives meaning to his creations. Although he does not have a background in perfume - in fact, his career was focused on basketball until 2004 - his instinct has led him to explore the feelings aroused by scents. For example, for Encens Chembur, Gorham selected incense, comforting and long-lasting, to recreate the olfactory sensations of the place in India where his mother grew up. But this idea is only the beginning of the perfume, as the subjectivity of each consumer will create a different bond with the fragrance. In his latest creation, Desert Dawn, he invites us to feel the energy of the desert through smell.

The momentum that niche perfumery has experienced in recent years is largely due to the attention that fragrances are receiving on social networks. Content creators, influencers and users have raised interest in fragrances by sharing the sensations produced by the scents they use. This is quite a challenge, as until now perfume terminology has been distancing itself from a non-specialised public.
It should be borne in mind that perfume is in itself communication. In fact, independent perfumer Ramón Monegal considers himself an olfactory communicator. Every time we choose a fragrance, we are expressing something to others: that we are different, our character, our tastes, etc. In short, we reaffirm our individuality.
Niche brands are taking advantage of this showcase to connect with an audience eager to discover new olfactory experiences. This phenomenon has even reached young people, who have no problem spending three-figure sums of money on a bottle of perfume. They also generate buzz on social media with hashtags such as #Smellmaxxing and promote trends such as #milkmania.

Niche brands advocate craftsmanship under a sustainable and ethical approach. From the sourcing of raw materials from small-scale producers to eco-friendly packaging design, this approach makes these brands the standard bearer for quiet luxury that doesn't need big logos or grandiose designs to win over their audience.
"Our role is not just to be a company, but also a catalyst to promote the beauty of Oman to the world and the prosperity of the country. We can contribute to a future that creates value for local communities, businesses and the environment in a mutually beneficial way," explains Amoauge. Since 2019, the brand has been immersed in a strategic plan that has redefined the limits of innovation and the concepts associated with modern fragrance, collaborating with local and international artisans and artists.
Connecting art and craftsmanship, tradition and innovation and sustainability is the purpose of niche perfumes that underpin the selective character of high perfumery with an eye to the future.