Artistic perfumery takes center stage at Esxence:
the 15th edition of the international event
dedicated to artistic perfumery kicks off today

19-22 February 2025, Allianz MiCo Milano Convention Centre, Gate 5 – Hall 4, Viale Scarampo

Milan, February 19th, 2025 – Esxence – The Art Perfumery Event kicks off today its 15th edition, scheduled from 19 to 22 February 2025 at Allianz MiCo, Milano Convention Centre. The event celebrates the talent and creativity of master perfumers, who are the custodians of an art able to transform olfaction – which is becoming more and more appreciated – into a gateway to the world of poetry and dreams. For this special edition, the Masters of Dreams concept pays tribute to these modern alchemists who mould invisible matter, creating essences that enchant and narrate timeless stories.

Welcoming the finest national and international artistic perfumery brands, Esxence is a tribute to olfactory art. The event showcases 384 brands—including 107 main and 277 spotlight brands—from 38 countries. Newcomers this year include Thailand, Barbados, Lithuania, and Latvia, joining a line-up featuring 116 Italian brands as well as exhibitors from France, Spain, Germany, Greece, Croatia, Sweden, Switzerland, Austria, the Czech Republic, Turkey, USA, UK, UAE, Oman, Qatar, Uzbekistan, Japan, Singapore, China, Hong Kong, Korea, India, Argentina, and Australia, among others.

Spanning over 16,000 square meters, Esxence provides a stage for distributors, buyers, industry professionals, and fragrance enthusiasts to explore not only well-established brands but also innovative and emerging labels. With approximately 70% of exhibitors coming from abroad, Esxence continues to solidify its reputation as a prestigious international platform for the art of perfumery.

Barbara Mazzali, Councillor for Tourism, Fashion, Design, and Territorial Marketing of the Lombardy Region, states: ‘Esxence reaffirms itself as an international benchmark event for artistic perfumery, a sector that perfectly embodies the connection between creativity, craftsmanship, and innovation. Milan, the capital of fashion and design, is the ideal setting to welcome master perfumers and brands that make this event truly unique. Niche perfumery is an art form that tells stories through fragrances, enhancing our cultural and territorial heritage. In Lombardy, the beauty sector plays a key industrial role, with production districts that export the allure and quality of Made in Italy worldwide. Olfactory art is a sensory experience intertwined with tourism and lifestyle—fragrances inspired by our landscapes, from artistic cities to lakes, become symbols of identity and belonging. Esxence, therefore, serves as an extraordinary showcase celebrating talent and savoir-faire, reinforcing Lombardy and Milan’s status as the capital of beauty and innovation’.

Alessia Cappello, Councillor for Labour and Economic Development of the City of Milan, adds: ‘Milan has always been a meeting point between innovation and tradition, and Esxence is the perfect expression of this, creating a bridge between creative talent and new job opportunities. Hosting an event like this in Milan is not only an honour but also an investment in the city’s future, turning ideas into concrete projects that strengthen its economic and cultural fabric’.

From a business perspective, Esxence has played a pivotal role in promoting and supporting the growth of artistic perfumery worldwide, with the ambitious goal of capturing around 2% of the global beauty market. This target has already been surpassed in several countries, particularly in Italy, where a specialized distribution system has facilitated its success. Since artistic perfumery is primarily linked to alcoholic fragrances, its share in this specific sector can exceed 10%. In Italy, with an estimated turnover of 400 million euros, artistic perfumery accounts for over 3.5% of the beauty market and 33% of the fine fragrances segment.

‘Niche perfumery is experiencing a period of great expansion, becoming increasingly research-driven. Perfumes are now seen as desirable products that make a difference’, says Maurizio Cavezzali, co-founder of Esxence and CEO of Equipe Exibit. ‘To ensure the highest quality, we will focus even more on brand selection through our Technical Committee, curating an exclusive selection of excellence. Additionally, we will continue our internationalization efforts in key markets in collaboration with ITA – Italian Trade Agency, which, for this edition, brings over twenty industry operators and manage communication activities in the U.S. market. Thanks to our longstanding partnership with Cosmoprof, we will explore opportunities to expand into other continents. We are also proud to support the Italian cosmetics and perfumery supply chain, as demonstrated by our strong collaboration with Milano Beauty Week’.

Silvio Levi, co-founder of Esxence, comments: ‘In recent years, we have seen a growing interest in the world of perfume. Demand has remained strong, and artistic perfumery has drawn attention from major investors, with new brands continually emerging. The sector is displaying remarkable dynamism, and thanks to the work done by Esxence, more brands have access to distributors and retail channels in multiple countries. Through the Essencional.com Study Centre, its Observatory, and several workshops, we will analyse how the artistic perfumery sector has evolved since 2009 and explore its future prospects’.

EXPERIENCE LAB
The Allianz MiCo, Milan Convention Centre, will also host Experience Lab, the event for beauty research and excellence, now in its fifth edition.

ESXENCE EVENTS CALENDAR
With the aim of promoting and spreading olfactory culture, Esxence presents a comprehensive program of workshops, presentations, and roundtables, organized in collaboration with Essencional, strategic partner of the event.

One of the key events will be held on Friday, February 21, at 11:30 AM, featuring the world premiere of ScentDia – A novel robotic prEs[s]ence—a groundbreaking project that combines social robotics, philosophy, and art. This initiative is presented by IULM University and the IULM Centre for Research on Complex Systems (CRiSiCo) and will take place in the Esxence conference room.

ScentDia is a unique robotic creation that is not only an artistic “sculpture” but also a social robot integrating an olfactory dimension for the first time, making human-robot interactions more intuitive and engaging. This transdisciplinary project involves: Mari Velonaki – Artist and robotics expert, creator of the ScentDia social robot;  Manos Gerakinis – Perfume artist, responsible for the olfactory component of ScentDia; Luisa Damiano – Professor at IULM University, specializing in the philosophy of mind, epistemology of complex systems, and social robotics, overseeing the scientific aspects of the project.

ScentDia will be exhibited at the Museo Nazionale Scienza e Tecnologia Leonardo da Vinci (Via San Vittore, 21) in the Aeronavale Pavilion until March 2, 2025. A special public preview will be held on Friday, February 21, from 7:30 to 9:00 PM.

On Saturday at 10:30 AM, there will be a presentation of the book ‘Olfatti non parole’, written by Maurizio Cavezzali with contributions from Luisella Ghezzi, featuring a preface by Silvio Levi and published by Maurizio Sangineto, editor & naming specialist.

FUORI ESXENCE & OLFACTORY SIGNALS
As part of Fuori Esxence, a collective, city-wide event dedicated to the world of perfume, the first edition of Olfactory Signals will take place from February 20 to 22 in partnership with 10 Corso Como in Milan. This initiative explores perfume as an artistic form, featuring installations where art, design, and creativity merge. Artists Illya Goldman Gubin and Sissel Tolaas will present an immersive installation, inviting visitors to engage in a sensory dialogue. The event will also showcase innovative brands that uniquely blend fragrance and design.

Under the patronage of: Lombardy Region, Municipality of Milan
With the support of: Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and ICE – Agency for the promotion abroad and internationalisation of Italian enterprises
Sponsors: CFF Creative Flavours & Fragrances, Luigi Verga Orologi
Strategic Partner: Essencional
Partners: Accademia del Profumo, Beautystreams, Business France, Italian Perfumery Institute, L’Osmothèque, Les Parfumables, Master Parfums, Milano Beauty Week, Mouillettes & co.

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Info & opening hours:
Admission is permitted upon purchase of tickets at www.esxence.com.
Entrance for operators: during the 4 days of the event – Entrance for public: Saturday
Hours: Wednesday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 6.30 p.m. – (last admission 6 p.m.)
Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. – (last admission 4 p.m.)

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