Emmanuelle’ Esxence 2023 Trends – Press accreditation on Uermi’s “I smell so good” scarf, a ÇaFleureBon AI designed bottle and Esxence entrance stand – ©Emmanuelle Varron.
I had the pleasure of sharing with you my first visit to Esxence, scheduled in June, after a three-year break. To add to my inexperience with the event, the heat wave that had swept through Milan, gave me the impression of getting lost in the middle of all these stands with a labyrinth built on the model of a snail. For this 2023 edition, I therefore decided to take control: as soon as we were informed of the participating brands, I created on my phone a list of all those that I ABSOLUTELY wanted to visit (about 80) I completed a few days before the event with the corresponding booth numbers, printing the fair map and writing down the right booths at the right place. And finally, I downloaded the official Esxence app on my phone to find in a few seconds the brands that I would have omitted: I was ready! Only 80? Well, that is something I learned from last year’s edition: don’t ever believe one can go through all 300 brands… but keep an eye (and a nose) for any surprise that might come your way.
Emmanuelle travelling shots: Orelle’s l’Arc river view from Paris-Milan train, Esxence Iridescent stand, Milan line 1 tramway, a statue from Le Jardin Retrouvé party, a street a few blocks away from Milan’s famous Duomo, Milano Centrale train station roof – ©Emmanuelle Varron
My Esxence 2023 really started on 29th March (D-1), on a very busy day: I was arriving from Paris by an early morning train and then had a first appointment scheduled a stone’s throw from the MiCo (the show venue) with Thomas de Monaco, whose “Au Coeur” was Michelyn’s “Best of 2022”. Having never smelled a single perfume of the brand (which is not distributed in France), I did not want to miss the opportunity to try them. And I was won over by the perfumes presented, especially Grand Beau (Maurus Bachmann), an aromatic with multiple woody (vetiver), floral (angelica and tuberose) and incense facets, and by three new fragrances. An intense D-1, ending with a dinner with friends from the world of perfume… since I was also celebrating my birthday!
It was my birthday on Esxence 2023 eve – ©N.C.
The opening of “Iridescent” Esxence 2023 allowed me to see Karl and Nicoleta at the entrance. Karl, whom I had already met last June, was also experiencing his second edition and Nicoleta, whom I was meeting for the first time “in real life”, was discovering it. I was able to say “Hi” to Danu who also shared her Esxence 2023 journey on ÇaFleureBon. Everyone already had an idea of the brands to meet, with the desire to let themselves be carried away by beautiful surprises. It is hard to go around all 300 brands present (not counting a few others being there “off”) but if I experienced a few disappointments that I will not mention here, I found several olfactory creations that were worth the trip to Milan, including some which are now huge favorites. Unfortunately, I was unable to bring back my whole Best of Show selection samples as some of the fragrances were not finalized yet. In my part 1 today, I bring to you the Esxence 2023 trends, that I felt herald new and important fragrance directions.
Esxence 2023 Trends Feel good fragrances; Le Jardin Retrouvé Osmanthe Liu Yan, Laboratorio Olfattivo Til .., Pierre Guillaume Paris L’Air et l’Eros, Spiritum Shamanism, Meo Fuscini Sogni, Malbrum Act of Faith collection, Carlotha Ray Myrrhe et Bois Brûlés, Stéphane Humbert Lucas installation – ©Emmanuelle Varron
Esxence 2023 Trends: Feel Good Fragrances
Several creations wore their optimism on the blotter, then on the skin. I could feel the desire to erase, or at least heal the health wounds of recent years, and to be optimistic despite the current global economic and political environment. I was not necessarily aware of this type of perfumery before but, like the vast majority of people the shocks of recent years have made me much more sensitive to the well-being that a perfume can bring. The first one that comes to mind is Le Jardin Retrouvé Osmanthe Liu Yuan (Maxence Moutte) which transports us to the gardens of Suzhou, China, A sunny, joyful and sparkling osmanthus that plays on its peach and leather facets and is wrapped in jasmine and iris. Happiness in a bottle.
Laboratorio Olfattivo Til .. (Luca Maffei) took me, from the very first seconds, back to my childhood, and the memory of a magnificent linden tree which sat enthroned near our country house. Between sweetness and poetry, of an infinite delicacy, I saw myself as a little girl again, almost bewitched by this perfume which represented for me the arrival of spring.
Spring is also on the side of Pierre Guillaume: the perfumer knows my tastes (tuberose, of course). He didn’t even wait for me to smell his new launches: “It’s not your cup of tea, Emmanuelle“. Wrong! I had a real crush on Pierre Guillaume Paris L’Air and L’Eros, an aerial tonka of superb delicacy where the lilac brings a floral but also aromatic facet that calls for sunny days. Cosseted by white cocoa, it is typically the type of perfume I want to spray on when I get out of the shower or before going to bed, as it transports me to a plenitude that has become rare in real life.
Spring feels good but autumn being my favorite season, Carlotha Ray Myrrhe and Bois Brulés (Jean-Michel Duriez) transported me to a warm and relaxing atmosphere, where the famous “signature” “crème de cuir” created by the French perfumer finds a nostalgic and aristocratic interpretation here.
Esxence 2023 Trends Zenitude: Zenitude is a state of olfactive peace and relaxation. It is also present when incense is honored: Spiritum and its founder Jonathan Dufour were present at Esxence for the first time. The originality of the booth bodes well for the forthcoming opening of the brand’s first store in the heart of Saint-Germain-des Prés in Paris. I have already presented to you the first fragrances dedicated to numerology. In Milan, the brand unveiled Spiritum Shamanism (Philippe Paparella-Paris) inspired by the memory of the first shamanic ceremony experienced by Jonathan Dufour in the heart of the Amazon rainforest. The brand’s signature trio (sandalwood-sage-incense) is still present, this time illuminated by pepper, cinnamon, tonka and heliotrope.
Incense as a comforting raw material: Meo Fuscini’s poetic and timeless universe, superbly staged on its booth, was the ideal introduction to Meo Fuscini Sogni about which Nicoleta wrote a super review recently. I found beautiful and relaxing this rice note associated with an incense with Japanese accents. Meo Fuscini Sogni has this power to soothe the soul while revealing itself hypnotically on the skin.
Optimism was also the theme of Malbrum‘s third collection, called Act of Faith. The three fragrances composed by Cristiano Canali evoke the return to light after hardship, hope and belief in a better world in a peaceful daily life. Malbrum Here Comes the Son particularly caught my attention with its very musky notes that coat a genderless fern where iris, sandalwood and orange blossom bring a soothing luminosity. Last but not least, I had the chance to be invited to Stephane Humbert Lucas’s Deep Blue installation, a few blocks away from Milan’s Duomo. I know the brand thanks to its beautiful corner at Le Printemps Scent room. It was an immersive experience, with sound, image and (of course) scent, here putting the spotlight on Stephane Humbert Lucas next launch. Ambergris and oceanic notes: the world of silence has found a new fragrance…
Esxence 2023 Trends: “Star” raw materials: Uermi 70’s Mood, Uermi founders and DAs Aurora Carrara and Palmiro Peaquin, Jacques Fath Jasmin de Toscane (and Iris de Fath), with Etat Libre d’Orange founder Etienne de Swardt, Mark Buxton Mi Confesión, Filippo Sorcinelli Extrait de musique Trompette 8 and Carner Barcelona Revolucion – ©Emmanuelle Varron.
Esxence 2023 Trends: “star” raw materials …
Several creations honored the iconic raw materials of perfumery. Lots of osmanthus, teas, but also some beautiful patchoulis that let loose: first of all, Uermi 70’s Mood (Luca Maffei), which assumes the symbolism of flower power which often frightens the general public, here with a strong amber facet, both chocolatey and balmy which gives it a lot of roundness. Essential Parfums’s patchouli (created by Fabrice Pellegrin) is raw and spicy, with a backbone oscillating between woody and flowery spirit. The brand founded by Geraldine Archambault, one of the finest success stories of recent years in France (hundreds of points of sale around the world, a second store that will open a stone’s throw from the mythical Café de Flore) continues to forward its perfumers and a star raw material.
Jasmine was also on display at several stands: first with Jacques Fath Jasmin de Toscane (Jean-Christophe Hérault), the perfumer second fragrance he nicknamed “Rania’s Revenge”. This time, it was the artistic director of Jacques Fath who took the lead by bringing back from Lebanon a few branches of a relatively unknown jasmine whose scent has obsessed her since her childhood: the Granduk of Tuscany sambac jasmine. Jean-Christophe Hérault has drawn its secrets through a headspace to make it a rather unique fragrance: a jasmine as carnal as a tuberose, of an impressive technical complexity where three qualities of jasmine are associated (Absolute India LMR, Absolute sambac LMR and the one from the headspace), with a note of hazelnut, a nod to his Jacques Fath Vétiver Gris.
The Different Company will also release in a few months a jasmine created by Marion Castero, whose name is still secret. I would not describe it as a “night jasmine”, but as dawn of a pretty luminosity, very woody and musky. And because things are also happening behind the scenes at Esxence, here’s a little scoop: Isabelle Larignon is putting the finishing touches to Isabelle Larignon Bangla Yāsaman, a very animal, dark jasmine with a hint of sweetness that I had the chance to experiment the evolution over the past few months. Again, jasmine will be talked about!
Still in the white flowers, Coquillete Tubexotic (Rosa Vaia) transports my dear tuberose into a floral atmosphere underpinned by orange blossom, ylang-ylang and jasmine, also very spicy on my skin (clove , black pepper) softened by benzoin, tonka bean and sandalwood.
I also noticed several perfumes that are generally described as “boozy”: Plume Impression Royal Bourbon, Cherigan Fiesta Habana or Mark Buxton Mi Confesión. The latter particularly caught my attention with its tobacco notes that remind me of my cigar parties in the secret of Parisian smokehouses. Davana, one of my favorite raw materials, reigns supreme and blends subtly with nutmeg and saffron. Jasmine and rose bring a touch of sophistication that plays on contrasts with oud leather and labdanum: what a journey!
As a huge pepper fan, I was mesmerized by the new Extrait de musique Trompette 8 (Filippo Sorcinelli), a woody incense where pepper, chili and elemi create an atmosphere that plunges me back into reading Umberto Eco The Name of the Rose, both mysterious and sacred.
In the leather register (also a favorite), I was caught by the very aromatic Carner Barcelona Revolución. Airy leather, rich in beautiful materials, with a saffron-mate-violet leaf triptych that gives it a slightly vintage dimension.
Aquatic fragrances are seeing a resurgence, but in a new way. Thanks to Etat Libre d’Orange founder, Etienne de Swardt and perfumer Mathieu Nardin, Paris bridges are now in a bottle. Etat Libre d’Orange Sous Le Pont Mirabeau is a neo-aquatic fragrance that has a strong aromatic facet and appealing fig and vanilla notes.
It’s still a (little) secret: Step Aboard Chicago, Violet Cycle 002 lab bottle – ©Emmanuelle Varron.
Esxence 2023 Trends: It’s still a (little) secret.
I had the pleasure of seeing Anthony, Paul and Victorien who took over Maison Violet in 2016. For their first time at Esxence, they presented all their fragrances that I already have the chance to know (including Violet Sketch, my favorite). In 2020, the trio had initiated a very original project: to offer a perfume in a limited edition of 1,000 copies, which would then only be available as a refill. Violet Cycle 001 was signed by Patrice Revillard, in a very contemporary spirit where angelic iris and incense played the leading roles. I had the chance to discover Violet Cycle 002, still created by Patrice Revillard. Not yet finalized, I can already tell you that the olfactory universe proposed will be totally different, but always in an airy and modern spirit.
After Milan and London, welcome to Chicago! I had the pleasure of seeing and speak a long time with Georgiana Mocanu, who created the Step Aboard brand with Daniele Morando, perfumes paying homage to cities through their metro stations, where the bottle is a reproduction of a graffity spray can and sprays “so arty”. Step Aboard Chicago, the new collection, could be seen “off”, since the third perfume that will be part of it has not yet been chosen. I was lucky enough to smell all four, and to give my preference to Georgiana, but hush! I cannot say more, except that the choice of Chicago is linked to its strong relationship with contemporary art and that Bertrand Duchaufour and Luca Maffei worked on this new collection.
I finally had the opportunity to meet Cristian Cavagna, one of my favorites from Esxence 2022. Besides the hope that I have to see his perfumes finally distributed in France, I am impatiently awaiting the release of the fourth fragrance he will soon release in his tuberose-focused collection. I was lucky enough to be able to smell it, not completely finalized by the Italian perfumer… but which will still be a beautiful interpretation of my favorite flower!
Esxence 2023 Trends Perfume from another angle: The Osmothèque conference ©Emmanuelle Varron.
Esxence 2023 Trends: Perfume from another angle
I had been quite frustrated last year not being able to attend one of the conferences organized by Esxence. I knew it would be difficult to find time to do so this year and I missed a few ones that sounded exciting. However, I had blocked an hour of my Saturday morning scheduled for the one organized by the Osmothèque, once again faithful to the Milanese fair. Thomas Fontaine (President), Isabelle Chazot (Scientific Committee President) and Anne-Cécile Pouant (Director) were of course present with a hundred vintage perfumes reweighed identically. They also opened an exhibition space specially dedicated to the outstanding perfumes of Italian culture, linked to a conference which I therefore attended. I was thus able to discover some magnificent works of Italian olfactory heritage, some of which were presented by Laboratorio Olfattivo AD Roberto Drago and colleague Ermano Picco, now Osmotheque representative in Italy. A moment out of time, far from the tumult and closer to the spirit of perfume. I hope I will be able to attend more next year, as these conferences are truly a bonus for the fragrance’s lovers with remarkable speakers.
Emmanuelle Varron, Senior Editor and Paris Brand Ambassador
photo by Nicoleta©
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