Beyond Grasse and Paris: The new Mecca of indie perfumery

Hello, Fragrant Friend 👋,

Did you know? The World Perfumery Congress 2024 takes place in Geneva, Switzerland — essential for fragrance professionals.

🗓️ Contents of this Issue

1. Story: Beyond Grasse and Paris — the new Mecca of indie perfumery
2. Spotlight: Conservation, fragrance emotions and artsy caps
3. Fragrance Picks: Jasmine ≠ Jasmine

Story: Chad Bylsma 🚂

An interview with Chad Bylsma, founder of Âge de Querelle, who transitioned from train technician to perfumer in Seattle. A gift of a Tauer perfume and a sample of État Libre d’Orange’s Fat Electrician (2014) opened the world of niche fragrance. He draws on 1970s–80s men’s fragrances — “a nod to the classics without being nostalgic.” His best-seller Séverine is a spicy amber floral built from exquisite, rare materials.

The Seattle Perfumers Collective is probably the highest density of perfumers outside Paris and Grasse — nine indie perfumers including Anjali Vandemark, Chelsea Owen (Atelier Madrona), James Elliott (Filigree & Shadow) and others.

Spotlight

The Red List Project preserves the scents of endangered plants. The World Perfumery Congress explored capturing real-time emotions induced by fragrance (CNRS, Skillcell, MANE). And .Oddity makes each handmade bottle cap a collectible artwork.

Fragrance Picks: Jasmine ≠ Jasmine 🤌

“Taruni” (Jasminum flexile) is a rare jasmine native to southern India with a complex, earthy aroma — less indolic and more nuanced than the common varieties. Jasminum grandiflorum (“Royal Jasmine”) is sweet, rich and fruity; Jasminum sambac (“Arabian Jasmine”) is intensely sweet, exotic and indolic; Jasminum flexile balances floral and earthy notes via methyl linolate and benzyl salicylate.