What were new Perfumes at Esxence 2026

Kristina Kybartaite-Damule at Esxence/ Photo: Darius Damulis

Esxence 2026 reaffirmed its status as the most important international showcase for niche perfumery, bringing together over 380 brands from all over the world. From established maisons to newly launched independent houses, the fair once again transformed Milan into a dense, multi-sensory map of contemporary perfumery.

Many brands arrived not only with their current collections, but with freshly launched fragrances and upcoming releases scheduled for the coming months, making the event feel particularly forward-looking and saturated with novelty.

What stood out immediately this year was scale – not only in terms of exhibitors, but in terms of ambition. The niche landscape is clearly expanding at a rapid pace, and Esxence 2026 reflected that acceleration in every hall, corridor, and off-site venue. Alongside the main exhibition space, numerous presentations and private events took place across Milan, including at NH hotel just by the fair, Casa Campomarzio70, and other places, extending the fair well beyond its official perimeter.

Xerjoff Fierezza, Avanguardia, and Perseveranza / Photo: Darius Damulis

Among the most talked-about launches in Milan was Xerjoff’s collaboration with Automobili Lamborghini, unveiled in an exclusive event through three fragrances: Fierezza, Avanguardia, and Perseveranza. Rather than translating automotive engineering into olfactory form, the collection focuses on emotion – the anticipation of speed, the tension of movement, and the memory of experience. The result is a luxurious interpretation of the Lamborghini universe, built on feeling rather than mechanics. @Xerjoff

Nishane Thorns Become Roses / Photo: Darius Damulis

Another major highlight was Nishane which introduced Thorns Become Roses, created by perfumer Julien Rasquinet. The composition explores contrast as its central idea: darkness and spice wrapped around a velvety, textured rose. It is a fragrance built on tension, where softness is constantly interrupted by sharper, more dramatic facets, creating a dynamic and highly expressive structure. @nishaneofficial @julienrasqinet.

Boadicea the Victorious Carbon Sapphire Supercharged / Photo: Darius Damulis

Boadicea the Victorious held a private event with one of the most visually and olfactorily expansive displays, showcasing its full collection alongside recent launches such as Carbon Sapphire Supercharged and Violet Sapphire Supercharged. The brand’s presence felt almost architectural in scale, reinforcing its position within the high-luxury niche segment @boediceathe victorious

Floraiku Flying South / Photo: Kristina Kybartaite-Damule

At Casa Campomarzio70 and other Milan locations, several brands unveiled their distinctive launches. Floraïku introduced Flying South, a fruity, sweet, and very summery composition that leans into lightness and seasonal pleasure. @Floraïku

Memo Odeon Rosebud / Photo: Kristina Kybartaite-Damule

Memo Paris introduced their new interpretation of one of their classic scents, Odéon – Odéon Rosebud composed by Alienor Massenet. It’s a softer, creamier evolution of its original structure, designed for warmer weather. @memo.paris @alienormassentperfumer

L’Atelier Parfum vanilla perfumes / Photo: Kristina Kybartaite-Damule

L’Atelier Parfum presented a new trio of vanilla compositions: Vanilla Blush(Jerome Epinette), Red Hot Vanilla (Remi Berniier), and Triple Black Vanilla (Clement Marx). They also showed the new Sakura Kiss (Serge de Oliveira), a luminous, airy floral that captures a gentle seasonal transparency. These releases collectively reflected a broader movement toward comfort-driven perfumery, balancing familiarity with refinement. @latelierparfum

Neela Vermeire and Kristina Kybartaite-Damule / Photo: Darius Damulis

Returning to Esxence venue, one of the most compelling launches was Neela Vermeire Creations Neith composed by longtime friend and collaborator Bertrand Duchaufour, introduced as part of an extrait collection.

Dark, smoky, and heavily infused with myrrh, Neith stands as one of the most intense compositions in the brand’s portfolio. It continues the house’s signature narrative depth while pushing further into shadowed, resinous territory. @neelavermeirecreations @bertrandduchaufour

Welton x Chris Collins Talisman / Photo: Darius Damulis

Welton London presented an exclusive collaboration with Creative Director Chris Collins titled Talisman. The fragrance unfolds as a structured contrast between brightness and depth: citrus and ginger at the opening, jasmine sambac and white tea at the heart, and a resinous, spicy base of pepper, pink berries, and elemi. It is a composition built on luminosity, gradually moving toward warmth and complexity. @Welton London @worldofchriscollins

Electimuss Amber Bloom / Photo: Kristina Kybartaite-Damule

Electimuss London Amber Bloom by David Chieze, a fresh, fruity, and lightly salty composition housed in a striking turquoise bottle. It leans into the current appetite for airy, wearable summer scents while maintaining the brand’s characteristic opulence. @electimusslondon @davkze

M.Micallef GNTonic Virgin Edition / Photo: Kristina Kybartaite-Damule

M.Micallef took a different direction with their popular scent GNTonic, reworking its signature into a lighter, alcohol-free interpretation designed for warmer climates. The result is a modern, accessible fragrance concept built around ease of wear without compromising character. The brand also has a new perfume coming out this fall, but I was asked not to talk about it yet. But I will leave you with this: what’s coming might be my new favorite from the house’s latest releases. @parfumsmicallef

Jacques Fath Le 12 Victor Hugo / Photo: Darius Damulis

Jacques Fath Parfums introduced Le 12 Victor Hugo, a fragrance marking the opening of its first boutique at 12 Avenue Victor Hugo in Paris. Created by Jean-Christophe Hérault, (already available for pre-orders), with an official launch expected in October. It reflects a growing trend of fragrance tied directly to physical retail spaces and brand identity. @jacquesfathparfums @jjeanchristopheherault

Tobba Musc Albedo / Photo: Darius Damulis

From Hong Kong, Tobba presented Musc Albedo, a clean musk scent that aligns with one of the strongest overarching trends of the fair. The composition is minimalist in spirit yet refined in execution, reinforcing the global movement toward soft, skin-like musks.@tobbaparfums

Jeroboam Eliksiro / Photo: Darius Damulis

Jeroboam introduced Eliksiro, Vanina Murraciole’s seductive musky, spicy composition blending fruity sweetness with a subtle oud. It sits at the intersection of gourmand temptation and o ambery depth, continuing the brand’s exploration of concentrated extrait-style intensity. @jerobaumperfumes @verinavanina

Across the entire fair, two clear olfactory directions emerged. The first was the continued rise of musk-based compositions – clean, skin-close, and increasingly abstract in their interpretation. These fragrances often emphasized texture over projection, creating a sense of intimacy rather than statement. The second dominant trend was gourmand evolution. From airy cotton-candy sweetness to dessert-inspired accords encountered almost accidentally while walking through the aisles – popcorn, cream, sugar, pastry – gourmand perfumery has clearly expanded beyond niche indulgence into a fully established language within contemporary fragrance.

cropped/ Photo: Darius Damulis

Esxence 2026 ultimately felt like a fair in transition – larger, louder, and more diverse than ever before, yet still anchored in craftsmanship and storytelling. What remains consistent is the sense of discovery. Even after days of exploration, it becomes clear that no single visitor can fully grasp its scale. Instead, you leave with fragments – impressions, contrasts, and a growing list of scents that demand further attention long after Milan fades from view.

Disclosure: some perfumes and samples were gifted, some were bought by myself

Kristina Kybartaite-Damule, contributing author

Part 2, 3 and 4 will feature Oli Marlow, Tamara Gezerdava and Ermano Picco’s takes on Esxence 2026

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