Firmenich And Central St Martins Project The Future Role Of Fine Fragrance

Firmenich teams up with Arts and design college Central Saint Martins in London over 21 unique projects. These projects provide a unique, “fragrance forward” vision for game-changing uses of fine fragrance, from heat relief, water conservation, and community empowerment, to mindful eating and scent travel.

“Firmenich is empowering a positive future for fine fragrance,” said Ilaria Resta, President, Global Perfumery, Firmenich. “Through both RE|GENERATION and Olfactive Design, we are writing a new story including creation, distribution points, distribution methods, and physical or digital experiences, to reinvent the value of fine fragrance. Perfume becomes a social intermediary, identity marker and mindful catalyst.”

“These inspirational projects with the talented next generation of designers are nourished by science and art. They represent both the future of luxury and the ultimate essence of fine fragrance,” added Mehdi Lisi, VP, Global Fine Fragrance, Creation, Development and Innovation (CDI), Firmenich. “We are proud to share this work, co-created with Central Saint Martins.”

The 14th edition of Firmenich’s Olfactive Design program is a unique collaboration with students in the Master of Arts of Narrative Environments and of Material Futures at Central Saint Martins. Partnered with Firmenich Fine Fragrance perfumers, students worked collectively to imagine seven future worlds with both utopian and dystopian attributes: Hope & Re-Enchantment, Danger/Chaos/Risk, Circularity, Generations & Memory, Hybrid Experiences, Identity and Pleasure & Wellbeing. Together, teams co-created prototypes, installations and bespoke fragrances inspired by the students’ work to show how a fragrance will impact our world in the years to come.

Bethany Shepherd, Professor of MA Narrative Environments at Central Saint Martins said: “This is the first time our students have worked with perfume. With the rise in popularity of immersive experiences and meaningful interactions, students were keen to explore how scent can link both personal and cultural memory, and how olfactive experiences connect people to better understand each other and their environments.”

“Olfactive Design encourages us to think about the future of fine fragrance through new uses and application techniques. As the world changes, from climate issues to political and cultural unrest, so does our perfumery. Our industry has the ability to course-correct current and future concerns, as fragrance plays a critical role in the wellbeing of future generations,” said Perfumer Alexis Grugeon.