ALL THE NYC FRAGRANCE WEEK EVENTS!!!

+ SERVIETTE NYC LAUNCH

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Hi friends, it’s Nadia! I have missed you all — but the first Q of 2025 is ruining my life and I have not caught a break in being sick! Today’s letter is looong—covering fragrance week in New York, upcoming events, perfume drama, and attending Serviette’s launch event.

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FRAGRANCE WEEK ON MADISON AVENUE 📍 March 18 - 23
To celebrate International Fragrance Day (March 21), The Fragrance Foundation and Madison Avenue B.I.D. are launching the first Fragrance Week on Madison Avenue. Luxury boutiques—including Creed, Diptyque, Parfums de Marly, D.S. & Durga, Fueguia 1833, and Granado—will offer exclusive events, immersive scent experiences, and special promotions.

• *THE HIGHLIGHT* A Fragrance Gallery Pop-Up at 924 Madison Ave (73-74 St.), featuring fragrance sampling, perfumer meet-and-greets, and a showcase of this season’s most exciting launches.

• Printemps Opens in NYC! The iconic French luxury department store makes its U.S. debut at One Wall Street, blending Parisian elegance with an immersive shopping experience. Currently in soft opening (10AM-3PM daily); grand opening March 21 at 9AM.

• Perfume Room x Granado Soho (3/18, 6-8PM) Join Emma Vernon for an evening of bites, scents, and 20% off all perfumes in-store & online. (hit reply and RSVP!)

• Not A Normal (Spring) Market (find Tanaïs fragrances there).

• An Evening of Orris Masterclass at Commodity Soho (3/21) Champagne, snacks & a fragrance debate featuring Stephen Nilsen, Emma Vernon, and Vicken Arslanian.

• Aromatherapy, Sensuality & Sexuality (3/21)

• The Art of Functional Fragrance with Botanicals (3/29)

• BONUS WELLNESS EVENT Anima Mundi’s Brooklyn Apothecary is having a hands-on class on Ayurvedic herbs, spices & recipes; Think golden milk, kitchari, ghee & take home a custom tea blend (3/19, 7PM)

  BEYOND NYC:

  • Jazmin Saraï’s 11-Year Celebration (3/21)

  • Scent, crime, and cinema collide in a hypnotic, immersive exhibition with Chloroform Scopolamine, a provocative new fragrance by Lucy Chinen and Sean Raspet, at IAO Gallery (3/22)

  • Experimental Work with Saskia Wilson-Brown, IAO (3/24)

UPCOMING APRIL EVENTS

• It’s never too early to turn your kid into a fraghead. The Fragrance Alliance Network presents Sweet Scents & Stories: A Fragrant Workshop for Young Explorers, a hands-on workshop that blends STEM learning with sensory exploration, teaching kids how scent influences memory, emotions, and creativity. Led by Alexis Wintrob, author and creator of Za Za’s Scent-Sational Super Power. (4/6)

• 100 Years of Blindness: A Scented Performance Lecture on Photography by Leona Godin at Olfactory Art Keller (4/15)

• Fragrance Appreciation for Curious Beginners with

  Jessica Murphy
  (4/17)

NEWS & NOTES

• Susan Alexandra, the quirky, New York City-based accessories and jewelry brand, is coming out with a fragrance… and LAFCO is developing their first fine fragrance collection.

• Dedcool’s Mochi Milk looks tempting.

• PERFUME NEWSPAPER?!

  Jen Siems
  Of Immortal Perfumes is launching The Scent Strip, a physical fragrance zine (under $10) packed with reviews, history, art, astrology, and more—because who doesn’t love a little scent-nerd print nostalgia? The English major in me is thrilled, and you might even spot something penned by yours truly.

• Xerjoff x Duran Duran had the ultimate collab.

• Penhaligon’s is set to release another fragrance with King Charles, inspired by the blooms of Highgrove Gardens, following the success of Highgrove Bouquet in 2022. Another royal scent was quietly launched in 2024 and has remains relatively under the radar—Truefitt & Hill’s Highgrove Splash, a woody-citrus cologne inspired by the estate’s Cedar of Lebanon.

• Givaudan collabs with Dole Asia to upcycle unripe bananas.

• Ally Louks accidentally went viral after posting about her PhD on olfactory ethics—a post that ignited a culture war pile-on. Now, she’s joined forces with IAO to help you explore the power of scent and its impact on identity in this 7-week power & politics of smell online lecture series (starting 4/3).

• Osmo has launched Generation, the world’s first AI-powered fragrance house, using olfactory intelligence (OI) to revolutionize perfume creation. Generation is positioning itself as the future of fragrance development, streamlining the process with AI-driven precision and market intelligence. This will push the boundaries of scent creation, making perfume more accessible, efficient, and even sustainable. However, if you thought over-saturation was a problem now, just wait until AI starts churning out hyper-targeted, algorithm-approved scents at record speed. More perfumes, faster development cycles, and endless market predictions could lead to a flood of fragrances designed for trends rather than artistry—raising the question: Will the soul of perfumery get lost in the data?

SNIFFIN’ OUT THE DRAMA:

• Parts of the indie fragrance community were up in arms over Cat Zhang’s article on The Cut critiquing modern perfume culture. I don’t mind a little olfactory outrage, but Zhang’s piece felt more scattershot than scathing—jumping from complaints about long-winded perfume descriptions to capitalism, AI, overconsumption, and the love affair between GLP-1s and gourmands. If she had focused solely on the exhaustion of constant new releases, maybe the piece might’ve hit harder. The real kicker, though, was seeing it as a sponsored post on Instagram—how’s that for capitalism?

• THE TOSKOVAT’ & ATARAXIA FALL-OUT If you missed the latest fragrance world betrayal—here’s the tea. Toskovat’ (David-Lev Jipa-Slivinschi) created Vestibule and Amaretto Jazz for Ataraxia Perfumes expecting a fair profit split through his website. Then, one day before launch, Ataraxia’s founder dropped the launch on his own site, cutting Toskovat’ out. Toskovat’ says he created the perfumes for free, with future profits in mind, but contract talks soured when Ataraxia sent seven drafts, each shifting more control their way. Frustrated, Toskovat’ countered with a 70/30 split in his favor—but Ataraxia moved forward without him. Ataraxia claims they covered all costs and that Toskovat’ refused to pay them for the first batch unless they agreed to his terms. Now, Toskovat’ is dropping the Betrayal Collection: Betrayal 1 (Amaretto), Betrayal 2 (Wasabi Chocolate), Betrayal 3 (Spinal Fluid). OUCH. The lesson here? Get clarity on everything prior to creation. Toskovat’ assumed fairness, but many people have no problem taking someone’s work, running with it, and cashing in. Don’t learn the hard way.

SERVIETTE LAUNCH AT STÉLE: A MASTERCLASS IN TASTE

Serviette quietly launch at Stéle with a private, yet very packed, party at the Nolita location. It is the brainchild of Trey Taylor, a former editor at The Face, Dazed, and Interview, who has now turned his sharp cultural storytelling towards fragrance, launching his debut collection as a self-taught perfumer with training under Marissa Zappas. The brand champions a return to “good taste”—but what does that mean? Taylor spoke about the etymology of serviette vs. napkin, a distinction historically tied to class and status, setting the stage for the brand’s thoughtful, tongue-in-cheek approach to luxury. The event details were immaculate. The air was laced with fresh citrus—like someone was juicing rare, expensive fruits. A five-foot embroidered serviette hung at the entrance, leading to a breathtaking tablescape where each fragrance was presented as a place setting, complete with a menu card and its corresponding hero ingredient.

• Frisson d’Hiver stopped me in my tracks—it was a snow-laced sonata for my nose. Icy citrus softened by florals, evoking a nostalgia I couldn’t quite place but didn’t want to let go of. It’s inspired by walking through the coldest mountains in Canada, with bursts of lily and jasmine surrounding you. Maybe you’re wrapped in a cashmere coat, maybe it’s Canada Goose—either way, you’re crystallized by winter’s sharp bite. It’s impossibly clean, impossibly beautiful. It was fleeting on my skin—but maybe that’s the point.

• Byronic Hero was the beautiful ruin everyone was buzzing about—intense and alluring. You can smell the darkness in it—clove, fir balsam, a hint of diesel exhaust—warmed by a jammy rose oud. It’s magnetic, smoldering, and as rightfully written in the copy, has a “magnificent decay.”

• Ruche was quite the opposite—playful, sweet, full of youthful energy—with a ripe raspberry, fresh galbanum, and a base of creamy sandalwood. It’s a perfect NYC spring scent—think picnics in the park, a basket of pink pepper-dusted fruits—the kind that feel like endless afternoons with friends catching up.

• Sour Diesel is what I wish cannabis in NYC would smell like. The rhubarb slashes through a smoky haze of kush and patchouli, keeping things crisp and botanical rather than overly dank, which I suspect the geranium and juniper are responsible for. The woody dry down gives it a mischievous finish—like a party that has spiraled into the next morning.

Beyond the scents, what lingers most is the thoughtfulness behind Serviette. Hidden in the brand’s logo is de gustibus disputari potest, a play on the Latin de gustibus non disputandum est—"in matters of taste, there can be no disputes." A reminder that taste is as much about perception as possession. When I asked Trey if he had any experience in dining or hospitality, he simply said, “No, just a vision.” And it shows—every detail was executed with precision.

Serviette’s discovery set is available on their website and at Stéle in Nolita and Williamsburg. If you’re craving to be surprised and want something refreshing, refined, and layered, it’s well worth a spritz.

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That’s all for today, friends! Stay cozy and HAVE AN AMAAAAZINGLY-SCENTED WEEK!

x
Nadia

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