Paris Shanghai fragrance show: Can emerging Chinese scents go global?

Coffee. Rice wine. Temple incense. Dried mugwort. Egg tarts from Macau. These are some of the scents that populate the olfactory worlds of the new crop of Chinese perfume brands that made their collective European debut in Paris in late September. The boutique space of the Bastille Design Centre was packed with perfume lovers of all ages, many queuing before the gates opened for the Paris Shanghai Fragrance Show, organised by Notes Shanghai and olfactory media group Nez. Over the weekend of September 26 and 27, more than 2,000 visitors attended the event, which marked the international debut of twenty emerging Chinese fragrance brands, many appearing abroad for the first time. The perfume establishment took notice. Inside, the hierarchy of China’s fragrance industry was spatial manifested. The top floor was reserved for a few established luxury names — Documents, To Summer, and Melt Season — representing the pinnacle of Chinese art perfumery. Presenting refined sets of perfumes, incense, and candles, these houses didn’t feel the need to have brand spokespersons on site. To Summer exhibited its tea-inspired perfume, Void, a scent built on the art of omission — leaving blank space to invite imagination. By contrast, the new generation of Chinese occupied the ground floor below — surrounded by crowds, and eagerly explaining their brand stories and olfactory inspirations to new clients and audiences. China’s fragrance market: Small budgets, big creativity “These are small, independent perfume houses,” says Jing Li, chief consultant for Notes Shanghai, China’s first international boutique scent exhibition. “Most rely heavily on their own social media platforms for visibility and focus primarily on online sales, with only a few entering select concept stores.” He continues, “Because they lack large marketing budgets, their success depends on the strength of their creations. Their target consumers are those seeking unique olfactory experiences, which drives these brands towards individuality, originality, and at times, the avant-garde.” By contrast, To Summer, Documents, and Melt Season benefit from capital backing from international beauty giants such as L’Oréal and Estée Lauder, helping them develop independent overseas presence and distribution channels. These established houses are also delving deeper into Chinese aesthetics to appeal to discerning domestic consumers, who are increasingly confident in their cultural heritage and eager to see it reflected in everything from fashion accessories to fragrance. “Each brand has its own distinct philosophical system familiar to Chinese consumers,” says Linda Yu, general manager of Shanghai-based marketing agency Red Ant Asia. “For Documents, it’s ‘Zen Punk.’ To Summer has cultivated an ‘Oriental Literary Ambiance,’ while Melt Season focuses on a ‘Natural Life Philosophy,’ offering more personalized narratives.” China’s young fragrance market: Poised for global impact Though still a young market, China’s fragrance sector is brimming with potential. Personal scents are a relatively new phenomenon in a culture traditionally centered on home incense and fragrant pouches. Annual growth has slowed from 20% pre-Covid to around 14% last year, yet the penetration rate of just 5% — compared to about 40% in mature European markets — highlights its promise. Entrepreneurial energy is also surging. According to Jing, more than 93,000 home scent and fine fragrance companies were registered in China in 2023, the latest available data. Some are beginning to gain international recognition. Young brand Soulvent won the Independent category at the 2025 Art and Olfactory Awards in New York for its fragrance Northern — becoming the first Chinese brand to do so. The brands showcased in Paris represent only a fraction of China’s emerging perfume scene, yet they share traits that distinguish them from Western counterparts. Rooted in culture: Chinese philosophy meets modern scent design Chinese perfume houses are deeply rooted in their cultural and philosophical traditions, says Jing, who also lectures at the Shanghai Institute of Flavour and Fragrance. “Fragrance in China is not merely a lifestyle accessory, but a reflection of spiritual and aesthetic values. Modern Chinese perfume houses have inherited this tradition while infusing it with contemporary Chinese aesthetics and thought.” Chinese consumers also approach scent differently from Western buyers. Their purchases extend beyond personal expression or functionality. “They are buying a sense of cultural belonging and identity,” Yu says. “When someone chooses To Summer’s ‘Kunlun Boiling Snow,’ they are not just purchasing a perfume, they are embracing an Eastern artistic vision of ‘a traveller returning home on a snowy night.’” Gen Z and new scent rituals in China As with most luxury categories, China’s fragrance consumers are younger than those in the West. Their scent journey often begins around age 15, evolving from home fragrances to premium personal care and finally to fine perfumes. That progression mirrors the trajectory of several young brands themselves. “My fragrance journey emerged organically from my past,” says Wang Chen, founder of Shanghai perfume brand Cottee. After managing a coffee shop for 15 years, she became captivated by its aroma and sought to capture it. “Our first product was a candle infused with the scent of coffee. We then expanded into reed diffusers, and eventually, step by step, entered the world of perfumery,” she adds. A year ago, selecting a personal scent was often a seasonal ritual aligned with the Chinese lunar calendar. Now, according to Dao Nguyen, founder of Essenzia byDao and curator of the Smell Talks program at the Paris show, perfume has become a daily companion — paired with different activities, from city walks to yoga sessions and dinners with friends. The Shanghai brand: Urban cool for the modern traveller Cottee, which is a mirror image of the word “coffee,” taps into consumers’ affinity for scents that evoke daily rituals. Its current perfume collection celebrates travel, capturing the essence of destinations from Tokyo to Singapore and Jeju island. “Each fragrance is a bottled memory of a place close to our hearts,” says Wang. “Rather than competing solely on originality, we connect through authentic storytelling — these journey-inspired tales truly resonate with our audience.” The presentation is sleek: perfumes come in mini metal flasks designed for travel, each accompanied by a pocket size poster and storybook. “Our best-selling fragrance is ‘Tokyo,’” says Wang. “The top notes blend coffee and jasmine, evoking the image of a modern professional — trench coat on, coffee in hand, navigating the city streets —a vignette that resonates with the everyday experiences of our consumers. As autumn and winter arrive, people gravitate toward calmer, woodier scents.” And Shanghai? Its scent in Cottee’s travel kit is moist rather than floral — a tribute to the city’s Meiji rain season. The Chengdu brand: Folk traditions and local ingredients Ingredient innovation sets China’s new perfume brands apart not only from Western perfumers, but also from earlier domestic entrants. In the first wave of competition with Western brands, success often stemmed from mastery of local botanicals like osmanthus, pine, and plum blossom. “The Four Gentlemen plants – plum blossom, orchid, bamboo and chrysanthemum, each associated in China with a different season, have also entered Western perfumery, along with quintessential Chinese ingredients like tea,” Jing says. Now, younger perfumers are expanding their creative scope, drawing inspiration from Chinese philosophy, traditional medicine, cuisine, and regional customs. Dafo — founder of the Chengdu-based brand Damfool — has built a following for his imaginative use of unconventional ingredients. “I was born in Macau and grew up in Fujian and Guangdong,” he says. “Now I live in Chengdu, near Yunnan and Tibet, so I’m constantly immersed in diverse folk cultures.” Tibetan incense, Macanese egg tarts, and Sichuanese pepper all appear in his blends. More surprising are ingredients such as Tibetan yak dung, porcupine quills, and mugwort — the latter two used in traditional medicine. Chinese perfume lovers are eager for scents that embody authentic cultural characteristics, Dafo said. His most popular perfumes are inspired by Guangdong herbal tea and Chinese rice wine — both steeped in ritual and symbolism. “I’m devoted to exploring the most unique and mysterious Chinese raw materials,” he says. “I named my brand Damfool because I hope to remain forever curious — a blank sheet, open to every scent.” The Xi’an brand: Balance and spiritual healing Outis is China’s answer to the West’s growing fascination with functional fragrance. Founded by Lu Lu and Bai Wei — a spiritual healer and a perfumer — the brand blends traditional Chinese medicine ingredients and millennia-old recipes to influence energy through scent. It also taps into Chinese consumers’ fascination with the metaphysical, incorporating concepts like the Five Elements. “Our products emphasize scent’s role in emotional healing,” says Bai. “Each fragrance corresponds to one of the Five Elements — metal, wood, water, fire, and earth — highlighting how energy shifts with time, and how scent can harmonize it.” Outis, meaning “no name,” evokes the idea of boundless existence. It was arguably the most conceptually daring Chinese brand on display in Paris. “For Western audiences, our perfumes are shockingly unique,” Bai says. “Many are familiar with the scent of Chinese herbs, but translating those into fine fragrance is an entirely new experience.” The brand’s visual language is equally thoughtful: the Traditional Chinese Medicine line is packaged in apothecary-style ginger jars, while the Elements series features bottle tops carved from raw stones aligned with symbolic meanings. In its Shanghai retail space, Outis combines scent with holistic experiences — offering chakra assessments, color readings, astrology masterclasses, and tea ceremonies. Cultural translation: China’s new scent challenge But translating such culturally embedded concepts for international audiences remains a challenge. “How to effectively convey profound Eastern philosophies in forms that global consumers can understand and appreciate is no easy task,” Yu says. “Brands must find ways to preserve their unique identity while resonating universally.” Antoaneta Becker is the director for consumer economy at the China-Britain Business Council. She is a China consumer consultant, working with fragrance, beauty and luxury brands to support their entry and growth in the most dynamic global market.

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Paris Shanghai fragrance show: Can emerging Chinese scents go global?