Scented Days in Cannes: Inside the World of Fragrance at TFWA 2025
Written by Eveline Nagajeva
Cannes during the TFWA World Exhibition is when the fragrance industry truly takes over the city — one of the most important and, for me, most exciting events of the year. Sun, sea, beautiful scenery, endless conversations about perfume, meaningful new connections, and unforgettable discoveries.
Images by Eveline Nagajeva
This year brought many launches, but for me, it was mostly about discovering new names — brands I hadn’t experienced before and creations that surprised and inspired me.
Parfumerie Particulière describes itself as a “maison de parfum conceptuelle” — a conceptual perfume house rooted in French heritage but designed with a modern, urban twist. A truly interesting discovery for me.
ānti is a new perfume house dedicated not to reinterpreting heritage but to restoring and reviving forgotten scents of the past. Each creation is based on meticulous historical research — inspired by archaeological artifacts, ancient manuscripts, and the ritual use of fragrances — and then reimagined with a contemporary touch.
I finally had the chance to explore Maison de l’Asie. It’s a Singaporean fragrance house, which beautifully blends Asian storytelling with the structure and refinement of classic French perfumery.
Ramon Monegal presented the entire collection, including the new Matador — a stunning rose-leather creation with creamy fruity undertones, powerful yet graceful. I also fell in love with the Kaleidoscope Collection — bold, fresh scents that are perfect to start the day with.
While visiting Dusita, we had the chance to smell their beautiful collaboration with the Hungarian boutique 7Scents — Blue Danube. Inspired by the melodies of Johann Strauss’ “The Blue Danube,” this fragrance immediately caught my attention. It’s a woody, resinous vanilla with gentle dried-fruit nuances.
Xerjoff teased several beautiful upcoming releases that will be revealed soon — definitely worth keeping an eye on.
Simone Paris is a conceptual perfume brand with a meaningful mission, part of its profits support the rescue and protection of animals — blending olfactory art with purpose.
Voskanian draws inspiration from the raw beauty of Armenian nature — wild botanicals, local scents, and rugged landscapes. I can’t forget the buttery, earthy orris of Iris Boisé or the incredibly realistic melon note in Soir Vert.
Panpuri – heavenly perfume oils from Thailand, rooted in wellness traditions and the belief that scent can restore balance to body, mind, and spirit.
Fine Scents is a British house inspired by all things quintessentially British — from wild gardens to the elegance of vintage London. After starting with home fragrances, they presented their first fine perfume collection in Cannes, which I truly enjoyed. It was created in collaboration with master perfumers such as Dominique Ropion, Jean-Claude Ellena, and Céline Ellena.
State of Mind presented during a charming breakfast event, where the house paired the latest fragrance Oriental Opulence with treats, coffee, and saffron-infused tea. The scent smells of saffron, metallic notes, woody facets, and the queen of flowers — rose.
Omanluxury presented a new limited-edition scent (sadly will not be available in Europe) and their newest release, Caden, which stole my heart with its depth and an interesting take on a gourmand profile, without being overly sweet.
Release Distribution displayed a wide range of niche brands, many of which were true hidden gems for me.
Let’s start with Mystikum — a German niche house inspired by vintage glamour and Art Deco elegance, reimagining the spirit of the 1920s for modern tastes. I explored their collection, including the latest Forbidden Rouge — a bold, sensual, spicy-berry gourmand.
Mutis Nueva Granada is an Italian house with eye-catching design and characterful fragrances. Created by Colombian designer Hanssen Díaz, it celebrates the lush botanical heritage of the region historically known as Nueva Granada.
Revisiting Francesca Dell’Oro reminded me how much I like it. Vanilla lovers will appreciate its dedicated vanilla line — four scents designed to accompany you throughout the day, from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. My personal favorites are the luminous gardenia Fleurdenya and the resinous, waxy rose Ambrosine.
I finally had the chance to explore Zeromolecole wide range. This Turin-based house is known for intimate, skin-like compositions designed to blend with your natural scent rather than cover it. From a brief test, my favorite so far is Nèh, a comforting fragrance that smells like you’ve just finished your skincare routine.
Maie Piou is launching a new collection soon. I first met the founders at Esxence and was enchanted by their passion and charm — and in Cannes, they made an even stronger impression, reminding me how much the people behind a brand matter.
If you’re drawn to complex, artisan-style niche perfumery, both Extra Virgo and Azman are houses you should explore. Their creations are deep, rich, and artful — a true experience. Extra Virgo focuses on rare botanicals, sacred ingredients, and bold compositions with a ritualistic feel, while Azman reimagines oud through a modern lens, offering sophisticated scents that unfold like stories on the skin.
And some of the most interesting discoveries, happened behind the scenes.
Jijide Milano is a house born from a cultural dialogue between Italy and China. Their collections are divided into Dialogue and Personality lines, with each scent telling a story inspired by places, elements of nature, or everyday moments.
Among my most unexpected encounters was discovering compositions not yet even bottled — creations by Yanli Wang, an independent perfumer from China who graduated from ISIPCA in Versailles and ESP in Paris.
One of them is built around a dual theme: pine and chrysanthemum. According to Yanli, the inspiration comes from a famous poem in ancient Chinese literature. Regarding the chrysanthemum accord, he once discussed his creative approach with master perfumer Christopher Sheldrake, when they shared thoughts on the making of De Profundis. As for this perfume, he did not intentionally place it within any traditional fragrance family such as fougère or chypre. It is more of an unconventional experiment — a composition that deliberately avoids strict structures. From the perspective of a professionally trained perfumer, Yanli still feels the perfume is somehow unfinished — yet that very incompleteness makes it unique and intriguing.
The other scent is a citrus composition with a subtle chypre nuance, reminiscent of vintage French perfumery. Its inspiration comes from the festive atmosphere of summer celebrations — fireworks, food, and joyful gatherings. He created a special wisteria accord for this perfume, blending it with bright citrus notes to capture a refreshing, sunlit mood.
Another impressive gem I came across is Sultan Pasha Perfumes. Sultan Pasha is a London-based independent perfumer whose passion for scent goes back to smelling his grandparents' collection of attars and exploring the wildflowers and plants of his childhood countryside. He has created a wide range of attars and is known for works like Sacred Scarab for Zoologist and Civet de Nuit for Areej Le Doré.
His new collection, co-created with Christian Carbonnel, includes four fragrances — and I have to say, Quintessentially Amber is absolutely to die for. Each scent is a true olfactory journey, especially for those who love raw materials and a slightly vintage character.
This was a truly wonderful experience, and this year reminded me once again that perfumery is not just about beautiful scents — it’s about people, stories, and the magical encounters that surround them.
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