"There were regularly alternative fragrance brands participating in Tranoï in order to meet buyers from the concept and sophisticated fashion stores visiting the tradeshow," says Wouter Wiels, creator of Les Rives de la Beauté and director of Tranoï Parfums. The relocation of a part of the show in a larger venue enabled Tranoï to offer a larger space to fragrance brands.

Tranoï Parfums aims to create an introduction between the buyers visiting the fashion trade show and a selection of contemporary creative fragrance brands.

It seems obvious that many of the contemporary brands in high-end perfumery, as with the most exclusive stores in the world, only have to gain from finding new ways of connecting. Tranoï Parfums plans to enhance this opportunity and support the brands and buyers to maximize this potential and make it a sustainable reality,” adds Wouter Wiels

Gathering almost forty niche fragrance brands, the Tranoï Parfums area was located in the very centre of the newly added venue of Tranoï Homme & Preview, just in front of the show entrance.

There is a real demand from the concept stores, from all these high-end outlets, which are visiting Tranoï and search for more exclusivity,” explains David Frossard, forerunner of the niche fragrance business with his own multi-brand agency Différentes Latitudes.

"Owners of fashion boutiques have understood that niche fragrance brands can generate a real revenue, provided that shop-assistants are well trained," he continues.

Given the recent profusion of alternative perfumery brands and the limited space available within the show, the organizers of Tranoï Parfums created a selection committee composed of Martine and Armand Hadida, Marie-Françoise Stoulz, Director of the beauty department of Le Bon Marché, Lionel Paillès, journalist, Philippe Di Méo, designer, David Frossard, and Wouter Wiels.

Tranoï’s regular visitors do not necessarily know much about perfumery, so it is important to guide them by narrowing our selection to truly beautiful brands”, explains Wouter Wiels.

According to David Frossard, the aim of the selection was to support brands having a true identity. "This is a category where we often find beautiful products, but lacking a vision and brand identity. As far as I’m concerned, I prefer brands with a story, with their own universe and a true artistic visibility, in short, brands that know how to make themselves desirable."

And to give substance to this speech, Philippe Di Méo, set designer for the project, created an artistic installation of sensory discovery - the “Perfume Dressing Rooms” – using the iconic raw materials of perfume that link fashion and fragrance.

A second edition is already scheduled next June before the event crosses the Atlantic and settles in New York