What was once considered a science fiction fantasy is now becoming reality. New technology and artificial intelligence are transforming society and disrupting many industries, including finance, education, fashion and… beauty. Even the fragrance sector is now AI-powered, as emerged during the latest press conference to launch the 2023 edition of Pitti Fragranze. Exceptionally hosted at the Istituto Marangoni Milano Fashion School, the event highlighted how international perfumery is now ready for virtual reality and machine learning tools. In a nutshell, AI has successfully found its way into the world of scents.
The Pitti Fragranze press conference was exceptionally hosted at the Milano Fashion School
But let’s take a step back. In 2002, Pitti recognised the growing importance of the perfumery industry within the luxury market. To highlight this, they organised a special exhibition in the lemon house in the Gardens of Palazzo Corsini in Florence. This year, the 21st edition of Pitti Fragranze will take place from September 15 to 17 at the Stazione Leopolda in Florence. The event will showcase a concept catching on across various creative sectors: digital art blending with matter and colours, typical of craftsmanship, giving life to colourful patterns and merging physical and virtual reality.
The event in September will showcase a concept catching on across various creative sectors: digital art blending with matter and colours
Reinvented Perception: Pitti Fragranze’s new concept to explore the complexity of the world of perfumes
Perception Reinvented is the theme of Pitti Fragranze 2023. This innovative concept was presented on July 19 at Via Verri in Milan, where Istituto Marangoni’s School of Fashion hosted the press conference – and, by the way, it will be inside Pitti’s calendar with a talk dedicated to the common thread between music and fragrances on September 16.
Work by Gisella Sabatini for the Symbiotic Experience installation at Pitti Fragranze 2023. COURTESY PITTI IMMAGINE
Pitti Fragranze will host a special immersive physical installation inside the Alcatraz Space at the Stazione Leopolda called Symbiotic Experience and curated by journalist and deputy chief editor of beauty at D la Repubblica, Paola Gariboldi and journalist and content creator Susanna Macchia. “We came up with a code that would relate perfume to an image, and that’s how an experimentation was born by entrusting perfumer experts with an object of inspiration, that is, drawings elaborated with artificial intelligence by four digital artists,” said Francesca Tacconi, Press & Special Projects Coordinator at Pitti Immagine. For the first time, perfumers have challenged themselves to combine their traditional skills with the digital world and open new frontiers to the perfume experience. The installation will be realised by Monogrid, which, as you may know, is the partner working side by side with IM in developing their new virtual platform, The Talent District.
Work by Alex Valentina for the Symbiotic Experience installation at Pitti Fragranze 2023. COURTESY PITTI IMMAGINE
Raffaello Napoleone, CEO of Pitti Immagine, revealed some numbers related to exhibitors’ presence in September: 170 brands currently confirmed, including 71 new and returning names. The grooming world will be included, and there will also be 20 brands in the Spring area – i.e., the trade show area entirely created for not-yet-known brands and small businesses.
Pitti Fragrance plans to expand its reach internationally by welcoming buyers and distributors from various countries, including France, Spain, Russia, the US, but also Eastern Europe and Asia. The Asian market, in particular, has experienced significant growth in recent years. Even emerging brands from South Korea, known for their creativity, will join the event in Florence.
But Pitti Fragranze is not only about artistic perfumery, as over 30 brands will also showcase their skincare products.
Looking for a place where buyers and journalists can network, scout for new brands, or just download reports and find useful information? Pitti Connect is the answer: this digital platform allows industry experts to easily find the brands they are interested in, arrange real-time meetings via chat or request a video appointment to visit the virtual showroom on the digital platform for an immersive experience that truly captures the spirit of the brands.
Work by Giovanni Sabatini for the Symbiotic Experience installation at Pitti Fragranze 2023. COURTESY PITTI IMMAGINE
Here’s where the upcoming beauty experts will receive their training
During the Pitti press conference at Istituto Marangoni in Milan, the school’s Managing Director Stefania Valenti explained why they chose to focus on this booming sector.
“The Fragrance & Cosmetics sector is on the rise and increasingly linked to luxury brand development. Talking with companies, what emerged is that there is a lack of professionals; we mapped what job figures are sought by the market, with the precise goal of offering high training and skills integrated with the business needs of companies,” said Valenti. “The new academic path provides three-year courses and master’s degrees in marketing, communication and social media but also business.”
IM MD Stefania Valenti with Ambra Martone (Accademia del Profumo President), Francesca Delogu (Journalist and IM Editorial Advisor), and Maria Alessandra Gallone (Senator and Advisor for the Ministry of Education and Research) during IM press conference in April '23 for the launch of fragrances' academic offer
Can you imagine when the students will meet the fragrance industry’s pro players?
Regarding these new courses, IM students in Paris will receive the expertise of Symrise, one of the biggest companies creating fragrances, flavours, and natural nutritional and cosmetic ingredients. Accademia del Profumo, an initiative by Cosmetica Italia, also came on board as a first-class partner – they will certify two Master’s programmes in Milan. And Istituto Marangoni can rely on the world’s oldest pharmacy: the Florentine Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella will be the partner in Florence for one-year courses and Master’s programmes.
Sneak peek of Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella in Florence. Courtesy Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella
Silvia Tarini
Editor, Milan
