By relocating to the Palais Brongniart, the event entered a new dimension. “Paris Perfume Week has clearly scaled up. Over three days, we welcomed 11,500 visitors — nearly 50% of them professionals, both from France and abroad. That’s more than triple last year’s attendance. We also grew from 50 to 180 exhibitors and partners,” emphasizes Romain Raimbault, the event’s director and co-founder.
In this iconic venue in the heart of Paris, the show has nevertheless successfully retained its cultural and demanding DNA, notably thanks to a rich program of exhibitions, conferences and content.
The ambitious program proved a clear success with visitors. The “Scent of Italy” exhibition, presented by dsm-firmenich, for instance, “struck a real chord with the public and perfectly reflects this ambition to cultivate a true olfactory culture—something increasingly in demand today,” notes Florian Gallo, perfumer at the fragrance house. Alongside this, an especially rich off-site program unfolded across the city, with nearly 80 events held throughout the capital. “More than just a professional or public gathering, Paris Perfume Week is now establishing itself as a genuine cultural movement on a city-wide scale,” adds Romain Raimbault.
Strong public enthusiasm
This growing momentum has been warmly welcomed by exhibiting brands. “We are very pleased with this third edition, which has taken on a truly international dimension this year. Until now, Paris—despite being one of the world’s perfume capitals—had lacked an event of this kind. The Nez team has done remarkable groundwork to bring structure to it,” notes Donatien Darnaud, Managing Director of French niche brand Les Bains Guerbois. While he fully supports the ambition to open up perfume to a broader audience, he also underscores the importance of allocating more dedicated time to industry professionals — an essential factor in fostering strong, lasting partnerships.
However, opening up to the general public is proving to be a powerful lever for small, independent brands. “What struck me most was the energy and youth of the audience — passionate, curious, attentive, and eager to buy. Paris Perfume Week is one of the few trade shows where direct sales are possible, and we performed very well,” says Isabelle Larignon, creator of the eponymous brand, describing three “intense yet exhilarating” days. Although, for her too, the question of dedicated B2B time remains an area for improvement in future editions.
This emphasis on engaging with fragrance enthusiasts also resonated strongly with the event’s partners. Florian Gallo describes Paris Perfume Week 2026 as “a truly unique moment in the world of perfumery, where professionals and the general public naturally came together around a shared passion.” Also exhibiting for his own brand Bontemps Paris, he believes the event offered a valuable opportunity to share his vision as a perfumer “with a wide and diverse audience, in an atmosphere that was both sincere and accessible.”
Exploring the diversity of the perfume industry
Beyond the participation of brands, this third edition also showcased the breadth of careers within the sector, bringing together fragrance houses and major groups — including IFF, Robertet, CPL Aromas, L’Oréal, and Coty — as well as packaging specialists. These included glassmaker Verescence and adhesive label printer Darmon Étiquettes, both featured in the Behind The Scent area.
“This forum filled a gap: showcasing the professions, expertise, and training pathways within our industry. Conceived as a trade show within a trade show, this event brought together 20 exhibitors and 23 conferences on a dedicated stage, with the support of the L’Oréal Group. It featured major players such as ISIPCA, ESPC, Cinquième Sens, and GIP, as well as emerging institutions like Istituto Marangoni and IFEAT Education. And it was a success. Just like the off-site program, Behind the Scent is already an essential component of Paris Perfume Week,” explains Dominique Brunel, co-founder of the event.
Ever more textured fragrances
As far as fragrance trends are concerned, intense, textured fragrances continue to take centre stage. Following in the footsteps of creations such as Amouage’s Guidance and BDK’s Impadia, fruity gourmand florals remain particularly prominent. This is reflected in compositions like Rose Graffiti from Les Bains Guerbois — a creamy rose brightened with blackcurrant and musk — or in indulgent takes on orange blossom, such as Candy Rush by D’Orsay.
The gourmand theme continues to reinvent itself through increasingly sophisticated and enticing explorations of texture. Advances in extraction techniques — particularly CO₂ extraction — enhance the “mouthwatering” quality of ingredients. Take tonka bean, for instance, which is especially on trend: its smooth, almond-like facets are amplified through CO₂ processing. Gourmand accords also increasingly incorporate buttery and pyrazinic nuances.
Meanwhile, a subtle trend is emerging around herbaceous notes. Creations like Sous les Pins from the Atelier des Fleurs range by Chloé, Delphes by L’Objet, and Black Oregano by Atelier Materi demonstrate a renewed interest in these greener notes.
Finally, the pursuit of differentiation remains at the heart of fragrance house strategies. Exhibitors highlighted their latest innovations in sourcing and extraction, from the processes developed by LMR Naturals at IFF to Robertet’s work in co-distillation and upcycling. These approaches all expand and renew the perfumer’s palette, enabling the creation of distinctive olfactory signatures in an increasingly competitive market.
