Polaris Olfactive Week 25

“There's an exhibition in Stockholm at the end of November. If you have the bottles for Burning Piano ready by then, I'll take them with me.”
“They'll definitely be ready in time! How cool is that?!” I can hardly believe that Nose of Gatsby is taking my bottles to an exhibition.

The event is called “Polaris Olfactive Week.” (*1) It is a gathering of niche perfumers from 25 countries. The organizer is keen to give independent, mostly small brands an opportunity to exchange ideas and network. They have two days of training and excursions for this purpose. On the weekend, the doors are open to perfume lovers.
What an opportunity! Fifty niche brands! Where else can you find that?
And what a dream: my Burning Piano at this expo! I am overjoyed, and I didn't think it could get any better. But the next morning, a ticket to Stockholm is waiting for me on my breakfast table! So let's go!
At 10 o'clock sharp, I'm standing at the entrance. I'm greeted by a warm, cheerful welcome. With a friendly smile, I am handed a Polaris carrier bag full of goodies. Gatsby is the only one I know. It's a joyful reunion! And there's my bottle too! Next to the packaging in which it has traveled so far. A used milk carton, spray-painted black, with a red ribbon.

Upcycling! That fits in with the philosophy of the event.
Saman Elyass, the founder and organizer of Polairs, says in his interview: “At Polaris, we deeply care about values such as sustainability. Never in time has it been more important to discuss this certain topic.” (*2)
I am very impressed by the motivation and approach. Saman tells me that he conducts a long interview with each perfumer in advance. His selection is based on artistry, craftsmanship, but above all on the personality of the perfumers. For him, perfume is more than a mass-produced commodity that is marketed industrially. It is art, it evokes feelings and emotions, and it can even help with trauma. He wants to emphasize this again and encourage the industry to rethink its approach so that values such as biodegradability, transparency, no cultural greenwashing, and the fight against plagiarism are taken into account.
And diversity, he says, is important to him. The independent labels should come from as many different areas as possible. Long-established names such as Hiram Green and Elixir Attar, as well as newcomers such as Ylem and NŌRTEAN, larger companies such as Fizal Privée, and very small suppliers such as Nahélie. Together, they form a large community. That is my impression.
Since I only have one day, I have to limit myself to a few brands.
I am particularly interested in labels that use only natural raw materials. Of the 50 suppliers, there are just six.

I engage in more intensive conversation with Unda Prisca from Lithuania, as they also offer handmade individual bottles. They tell me that they developed these bottles in collaboration with a glassblowing workshop.
I am also interested in the concept behind their musical fragrances. Here, the characteristics of the intervals are reflected in the scents. Unda Secunda Incense, for example, refers to the second, the smallest interval. She compares it to siblings who are close in age and can play harmoniously together but also argue fiercely. The fragrance reflects this dynamic, with harmony at the beginning and contrasting notes as it develops.
Another stand caught my attention when a cheerful boy pressed a scent strip into my hand and pulled me over to his dad, Mo, the founder of the Ylem brand. I was impressed by his concept, which refers to phenomena in the universe. The name Ylem refers to the primordial matter that existed after the Big Bang, from which all elements were created. The three fragrances released so far by the only German brand here are named after galactic nebulae: Eastern Veil, Eye of God, and Soap Bubble. (*4)

One highlight for me was Faizal Privée's workshop: “The Soul of Oud.”
I sat among 12 participants with mixed feelings, thinking again and again how many Parfumo people here would surely get much more out of it. My experience with oud is limited to a few fragrances. However, I am extremely curious, because I had discovered beforehand that high-quality oud oils affect me very deeply. Faizal had brought his treasures with him and let us smell many of his little gems. He shared his unlimited knowledge about the different species, extraction and processing methods, and, above all, the olfactory nuances of the individual oils. He explained and demonstrated the subtleties that should be observed when burning incense and answered all the many questions asked by the mostly very experienced participants. For me, almost everything was excitingly new. Smelling so many precious scents one after the other was a unique experience. I couldn't describe the individual facets of the different ouds, but almost every oil touched me deeply. With every bottle I held under my nose, a shiver of happiness ran through me. After half of the 30 different treasures, I could have left, satisfied and richly rewarded. I stayed. And I fought back tears that I couldn't explain to anyone, that I myself could hardly understand. “The Soul of Oud” – had touched my soul.
We were given a small bag containing four bottles and an oud chip as a gift. Grateful for such generosity and trust, I understood what Polaris means to me.

“Are you ready for the olfactory revolution?” asks Polaris on its homepage.
Yes! Please keep going! This path is impressively good!
And THANK YOU to Parfumo for this wonderful platform where we can discover indie fragrances that would otherwise remain inaccessible to us.

See you again in 2026, wherever that may be!

Barbara

*1 Polaris Olfactive Week homepage: polarisolfactive.com/expo
*2 Interview with Saman Elyass: www.instagram.com/reel/DRhcEgWiid_/?igsh=Y2ZpaHMweHJjcDRh
*3 Unda Prisca website: undaprisca.com
*4 Parfumo article about Ylem: www.parfumo.de/Benutzer/Mikayla/Blog/Eintrag/kosmisch-inspirierte-kompo sitionen-die-erste-kollektion-von-ylem-parfums-gewinnspiel