The fragrance design process takes a brand scent from a written brief to a finished, tested fragrance ready for every location. It usually runs over several weeks to a few months: brief, concept, composition by a perfumer, rounds of evaluation and modification, trials in the real space, technical and safety testing, then scale-up and rollout. It takes months, not an afternoon, because a brand scent has to be distinctive, perform in diffusion, stay stable, meet safety standards and smell identical in every batch.
The stages
1. Brief
Brand, spaces, audience, references and constraints. The quality of the brief decides the quality of the scent. See how to brief a perfumer.
2. Concept
The perfumer and evaluation team turn the brief into olfactory directions, often with mood boards and reference materials, and agree what each direction should express.
3. Composition
The perfumer builds each direction from accords, combinations of materials that create a new impression, drawing on a palette of many hundreds of natural and synthetic ingredients. A single fragrance can contain dozens of them.
4. Evaluation and modification
Directions are smelled, discussed and refined over several rounds. Each change, called a modification or “mod”, is recorded, so the team can compare versions precisely.
5. Trials in the space
Shortlisted versions are diffused where they will be used, because a scent on a paper strip and a scent in a humid, air-conditioned lobby are different experiences.
6. Technical and safety testing
The chosen scent is tested for performance in cold-air diffusion and for stability over time, and formulated within the IFRA Standards. If it will also be used in products, each format is checked separately.
7. Scale-up and quality control
The formula is recorded, raw materials specified and each production batch checked, so the scent in your tenth outlet matches the first.
8. Rollout and calibration
The scent is installed through a scent system and calibrated by zone.
Who does the work
Our fragrances are created by drom, a Munich perfume house founded in 1911 and part of Givaudan since 2019. Perfumers train for years in materials and composition before creating commercial fragrances, and evaluators and technical teams support them through testing and scale-up. That depth is what separates a brand scent from a blend mixed in an afternoon; see why fragrance mixing is a perfumer’s job.
Why it cannot be rushed
- Each round of modifications needs time to evaluate properly; noses tire quickly.
- Stability testing needs time by definition.
- In-space trials depend on real conditions and real people.
- Scale-up must prove the formula reproduces exactly.
For the business side of the process, read how to create a signature scent for your brand, or see our scent branding service.
Frequently asked questions
What is the fragrance design process?
The stages from brief to finished fragrance: concept, composition, evaluation and modification, trials, testing, scale-up and rollout.
How long does it take to design a fragrance?
For a brand scent, typically several weeks to a few months.
What is scent design?
Another name for the creative side of this process: composing a fragrance to express a brand or idea.
Further reading: Perfume on Wikipedia.
