The New Voice in Niche: Why Florian Pontier is One to Watch
Written by Ally Santos
“Fragrance is part of life — it carries messages, emotions, and stories. I wanted to share my world through it.” That’s the ethos behind Florian Pontier Perfumes, which officially launched in February 2025 at Milan Esxence. Founded by French creator and fragrance lover Florian Pontier, the brand blends memory, artistry, and a dash of sugar into an olfactive universe that’s bold, modern, and deeply personal.
Photo from the brand’s album
But Florian’s story isn’t the usual “I’ve loved perfume since forever” tale (although he has). Growing up in a family immersed in fragrance manufacturing in France, Florian was surrounded by scent from an early age. “As a kid, I loved perfume and the bottles. I would collect them, admire them like little sculptures. But I never thought I’d end up in the industry,” he admits.
That changed in 2018 after experiencing a life-altering accident. During his recovery, Florian began working with his father in their fragrance company — and something clicked. “I reconnected with scent in a way I never had before. It became my creative outlet. Suddenly, I realized I could build something of my own — something artistic and emotional.”
Art, Modernity, and Unity — The Florian Pontier Signature
Florian describes his brand in three words: Art, Modern, Unity. Each scent is designed like a piece of visual art, reflecting different parts of his inner world. From the sleek, sculptural bottles to the storytelling behind each name, there’s a deliberate sense of cohesion and ingenuity in everything he touches.
The bottles from Florian Pontier are not just vessels — they’re art objects, each one designed to visually echo the story within.
Florian Pontier bottles / Photo from the brand’s album
Sculptural, flame-like, and full of presence, these bottles are unlike anything else in the fragrance world. Each is tall, curved, and almost organic in form — a bit like a teardrop or a stylized flame — standing on a minimalist black pedestal that gives it an air of reverence, almost like a sculpture in a gallery.
But what truly sets the bottles apart is the individual artwork on each piece. From the vivid, folkloric color palette of La Sarrapia to the serene architectural elegance of Cefalù, each bottle is hand-illustrated with intricate designs that tie directly to the fragrance’s inspiration. Havana bursts with vibrant florals and warmth; Krokos features deep ornamental patterns; Tehani leans into tropical fantasy— every visual tells a chapter of Florian’s imagination.
Florian, who has a passion for both scent and visual art, contributes to each bottle’s design — a rare touch in perfumery. “I see fragrance as more than smell — it’s visual, emotional, tactile,” he says. And these bottles reflect that philosophy: they are not merely packaging, but an extension of the story, meant to be displayed, admired, and treasured.
They blur the line between collectible art and personal ritual — and in the niche world, that’s something truly special.
He works hand-in-hand with the perfumers, helping to conceptualize every element of the product — from bottle design to raw materials, from initial idea to the final concept. And that process? It wasn’t rushed. “It took time. I wanted every detail to feel right. The formulas, the bottles, the visuals — it had to feel complete before I shared it.”
Places, People, and a Love Letter to Life
His debut collection Flo’w is composed of seven distinct fragrances, each one a chapter from his personal and emotional landscape. Standout La Sarrapia leans heavily into fantasy, memory, and longing. “I’ve never been to Venezuela,” Florian says with a laugh, “but I had a teacher I was secretly in love with who came from there. That place stuck with me — it became part of my imagination.” It stands as his most poetic creation — a tribute to a place he’s never been but deeply imagined, sparked by a memory of young love.
Ally Santos and Florian Pontier / Photo from the author’s album
Krokos captures what Florian calls the duality of humanity: strong and soft, recognizable and intimate. “That balance is what makes a scent truly resonate with people,” he says.
Flo97 captures his own essence: confident, vibrant, and undeniably “him in a bottle.” Tehani radiates tropical warmth with luminous, sun-kissed sweetness.
Cefalù evokes the serene beauty of Italian coastlines, while Havana offers a rich, smoky escape wrapped in sensual depth.
Jabal Shams, inspired by Oman’s “Mountain of the Sun,” channels bold natural stillness.
Together, the collection reads like a fragrance diary: intimate, transportive, and unapologetically personal.
What’s Next for Flo?
Florian is already looking ahead. Two new fragrances are in the works and a collection from parts of Paris that will pay tribute to places close to his heart. “Paris raised me in a way,” he says. “I want to reflect that with fragrances that feel very mine — very personal, but also universal.”
There are whispers of a physical store in NYC, and the next big moment? Cannes, September 2025, where Florian will exhibit again.
From a childhood spent collecting bottles to launching his own collection of emotions in glass, Florian Pontier is showing the world his world — one unforgettable scent at a time.