The Future of Fragrance Is... Unexpected
April 9 | 5 minute read
Words by Madeleine Boles de Boer
You say ‘weird’, we say ‘niche’. When it comes to the next generation of fragrance brands, anything goes (and we're here for it). From buzzing bees to enchanted spells, meet the new wave of unexpected fragrances making the weird smell wonderful.
When I say insects, what do you think of? What about mixtapes? Latex? Whatever your answers may be, I can almost guarantee it isn’t ‘perfume’. They might seem random, but they all have one thing in common: they’re hero notes in some of the most interesting, innovative fragrances on MECCA’s shelves.
Forget traditional gourmands or classic florals, the next generation of fragrance talent (or ‘noses’ if you’re in the know) are redefining what ‘good’ smells like, tapping into emotion, memory and experience.
Here, discover the world of weird and wonderful scents that go beyond a simple spritz.
One part architect and one part musician equals a whole lot of creativity – and a very unique approach to fragrance. So, it makes scents that one of the top notes of the D.S. & DURGA fragrance Debaser In Bloom is tapes – yes, cassette tapes.
A remix of the brand’s iconic Debaser – a fig scent paying homage to the Pixies’ 1989 hit of the same name – it's blended with notes of gardenia, cream, white currant and cassettes to create a lively mix of fruit, flowers and nostalgia.
A remix of the brand’s iconic Debaser – a fig scent paying homage to the Pixies’ 1989 hit of the same name – it's blended with notes of gardenia, cream, white currant and cassettes to create a lively mix of fruit, flowers and nostalgia.
British Perfumer Lyn Harris knows that when you stop to smell the roses (real roses, not the metaphorical kind), it’s not just the flower you smell; it’s what's around them that makes the full olfactory experience – cut grass, fresh air, even insects. With that in mind, she set out to make her curious and delightful scent, Rose With Insect.
A dynamic experience, it opens with delicate rose, peach and neroli, then shifts and changes as it settles on your skin. As the floral notes fade, musk, sandalwood and cardamom come to the fore. Like an insect resting on a petal, it’s the tiny details that bring the fragrance to life.
A dynamic experience, it opens with delicate rose, peach and neroli, then shifts and changes as it settles on your skin. As the floral notes fade, musk, sandalwood and cardamom come to the fore. Like an insect resting on a petal, it’s the tiny details that bring the fragrance to life.
Lipstick, Latex and Sichuan pepper are all included in Ludatrix – the bold and enticing scent Vyrao calls “desire in a bottle”.
While the notes may seem a little on the nose for a fragrance about playfulness and passion, every inclusion has a purpose. Alongside ingredients like ambrette, orris, sandalwood and cedarwood, Ludatrix uses neuroscience-backed ingredients designed to enhance sensuality, energy and happiness.
Also included in the 50mL bottle is a Herkimer diamond – a tiny quartz crystal that's been supercharged by Vyrao’s quantum energist to magnify the scent’s intention.
While the notes may seem a little on the nose for a fragrance about playfulness and passion, every inclusion has a purpose. Alongside ingredients like ambrette, orris, sandalwood and cedarwood, Ludatrix uses neuroscience-backed ingredients designed to enhance sensuality, energy and happiness.
Also included in the 50mL bottle is a Herkimer diamond – a tiny quartz crystal that's been supercharged by Vyrao’s quantum energist to magnify the scent’s intention.
Molecule 01 challenges everything you think you know about fragrance. Unlike most perfumes, the bottle contains just a single aroma-molecule (or note) – Iso E Super – which is less about scent, more about science.
Described as dry and woody, the true magic of Molecule 01 happens after you spritz. It reacts to your skin’s chemistry, smelling unique to each wearer. It also adds strength and fullness to other scents, making it great for layering.
Molecule 01’s creator Geza Schoen describes Iso E Super as "less an aroma than an effect... an indefinable radiance." For many, the scent ebbs and flows throughout the day, a curious effect of how it interacts with your sense of smell, slowly releasing and recharging. It’s a science experiment in a bottle – and a guaranteed conversation starter.
Described as dry and woody, the true magic of Molecule 01 happens after you spritz. It reacts to your skin’s chemistry, smelling unique to each wearer. It also adds strength and fullness to other scents, making it great for layering.
Molecule 01’s creator Geza Schoen describes Iso E Super as "less an aroma than an effect... an indefinable radiance." For many, the scent ebbs and flows throughout the day, a curious effect of how it interacts with your sense of smell, slowly releasing and recharging. It’s a science experiment in a bottle – and a guaranteed conversation starter.
If science-fiction was a scent, it would be Odeur 10. As conceptual as the brand's fashion line, Comme des Garçons scents are in a class of their own, flipping traditional fragrance on its head.
Inspired by hydrogen peroxide (as in, the disinfectant), Odeur 10 is clean, metallic and almost impossible to describe. Part of a collection of ‘anti-fragrances’, it embodies Comme des Garçons founder Rei Kawakubo’s mantra: “A perfume that works like a medicine and behaves like a drug.”
With top notes of mint and aldehydes (organic compounds that add ‘sparkle’), it conveys a strong sense of cleanliness – think fresh laundry and crisp frost. While that might sound clinical, Odeur 10’s allure is in the comfort it embodies: nostalgic, fresh and light.
Inspired by hydrogen peroxide (as in, the disinfectant), Odeur 10 is clean, metallic and almost impossible to describe. Part of a collection of ‘anti-fragrances’, it embodies Comme des Garçons founder Rei Kawakubo’s mantra: “A perfume that works like a medicine and behaves like a drug.”
With top notes of mint and aldehydes (organic compounds that add ‘sparkle’), it conveys a strong sense of cleanliness – think fresh laundry and crisp frost. While that might sound clinical, Odeur 10’s allure is in the comfort it embodies: nostalgic, fresh and light.
