The Art Of Scent

These days, scents are all about personalisation. Johanna monange, scent designer and founder of maison 21g paris, would know. With over 20 years of experience in the perfume industry, she speaks to us about her relationship to perfume, the importance of a scent wardrobe, and more

- Kimberly Ong

Perfume has always been deeply personal and transportive. (Just purview writings on fragrances to get a whiff of such – a Chanel N°5 can go from being described as “a sparkling drink on summer’s day”, to smelling like “rolling around on crisp white sheets in a silk nightgown.”) It is this ability to give us magic, even in the most mundane of moments, that has made it particularly pandemic-proof.

And even as the pandemic plods on, the desirability of bespoke fragrances lingers. After all, we wear fragrances for the delight in wearing it for ourselves, not just to attract others, contrary to what age-old wisdom suggests – so it would only make sense to create a scent that is uniquely our own. Enter Maison21G Paris. A perfumery house that offers the experience of creating customised blends of scents according to your personal preferences, it has since expanded rapidly over the past year, with plans for global expansion.

“It’s the same as going to the restaurant… You can’t impose on every guest to take beef. What if I don’t like beef?” says French founder Johanna Monange, who made Maison21G’s debut with a boutique in Duxton Hill, Singapore, in 2019. “We first discover what you like or don’t like, how to pair our scents with other scents, and for what occasion it is perfect for.” This comes unlike traditional perfume marketing, where brands will convince you to buy a perfume with lots of advertising, she says. “Instead of pushing things onto people, I prefer to understand who you are and guide you to create your own perfume. We’re just here to teach you and transmit our knowledge as scent designers.”