Can We Expect a Downfall of Gourmand Fragrances?

Aamna Lone has combined her love for chemistry and fragrance to produce content and write for her well-loved, humorous and trendy social media channels with a large audience. With the aim of becoming a perfumer, she focuses regularly on giving updates of the latest releases, backgrounds of perfumers, and how to navigate the world of fragrance - allowing fragrance to be enjoyed all around the world. Aamna Lone examines the current dominance of gourmand fragrances and predicts the future of perfumery trends, exploring potential challengers like coffee, exotic fruits, and a resurgence of classic scent profiles.

Every two seconds, I catch the scent of some sort of baked good wafting through the air. Not a bad thing, but when it happens on an overcrowded bus at 9am, while I’m overheating and a stray hair is tickling my nostrils it can be... quite something. This got me thinking: when will I smell something different?

That said, there’s a massive army of gourmand groupies ready to defend their sweet-smelling territory.

In my quest to uncover new trends in perfumery, I recently attended the British Society of Perfumers (BSP) Fine Fragrance Evening. It was my first time at this event, and it turned out to be a fascinating experience. Seated among industry professionals from Fragrance Oils, Khushbu, Unilever, and Carsons, I joined an evening dedicated to analysing and predicting fragrance trends, ultimately voting on our favourite scents.

The fragrances were divided into unisex, male, and female categories. Virginie Daniau, Vice President of the BSP, provided market predictions. One standout was Armani Privé's Kogane Blanc, featuring aldehydes. Aldehydes span a variety of smells—citrusy, soapy, and sterile. They’ve had their moments, from Francis Kurkdjian’s New Look 2024 (an aldehydic, incense-laden, church-inspired scent) to 724, a bright, bubbly aldehyde aligning with the “clean girl” aesthetic.

One note gaining traction was coffee. Out of 20 fragrances sampled, it appeared in 9. Is it dethroning gourmands? Not quite. Coffee shines as a seasonal star, appearing each autumn and fading by spring. To rival the year-round appeal of gourmands, a note must be prominent and detectable. Many fragrances listing coffee as a note barely register it.

This raises a question: what drives a note’s popularity? In fashion, exclusivity and unconventionality make items like Hermès bags and Rick Owens clothing sought-after. Perfumery follows a similar pattern. Recent niche trends, like pistachio, saffron, and cherry, stand out for their uniqueness. Following this logic, exotic fruits like guava or jujube could “pop off” next. Guava, particularly pink guavas, offers intense sweetness with a savoury, salty-green twist, and remains underexplored.

The evening also offered engaging discussions with senior perfumers, analysts, scientists, and marketers. Sampling Coty’s Soleil D’Ikosim, a classic white floral reminiscent of Giorgio, a head perfumer remarked, “I can’t see anyone under 70 wearing this,” and added, “I’m surprised this is a release—it’s so different from Sol de Janeiro.”

If I were to predict a category to rival gourmands, I’d place my bets on classics—specifically chypres. Fragrances like Clinique Aromatics Elixir carry a distinctive identity. Perfumer Julien Rasquinet has spoken about its influence on his journey. Videos featuring such classics tend to get significant engagement across demographics. Classics are making a subtle comeback, hinted at by brands like Estée Lauder’s Legacy Collection.

As a Gen Z professional immersed in TikTok, I’ve noticed a recurring fragrance journey: people often start with modern gourmand scents, move to niche fragrances, then develop an appreciation for perfume history, ultimately gravitating toward classics.

We can predict trends endlessly, but I suspect fate will throw a curveball—perhaps even making banana the next big thing. For now, while I respect the artistry of gourmands, I’m ready for something new. Classics and guavas, anyone?