The artisan trend is spilling over from food and beverage into fragrance as the combo of star power + big designer promotions that have historically driven fragrance sales appear to be losing some of their mojo. There are now hundreds of artisan perfumers turning out products to meet the desire for alternatives.
Artisan perfume entrepreneurs include fashion bloggers with large niche followings like Pia Long and designers from big houses like Francis Kurkdjian, who left Jean-Paul Gaultier to establish Roja. Once sold only online, artisanal perfumes are also now available in big department stores like Harrod’s, Bergdorf Goodman, and Printemps.