Course in Olfactive Design: the hands-on experience in France

The second edition of the Executive Course in Olfactive Design ended with an exclusive experience: two days of visits and workshops at Fragonard’s laboratory and museum, as well as at the headquarters of Givaudan, a global leader in the fragrance industry. This initiative was organized by Roger Schmid, co-director of the Course and one of the world’s top experts in the field. Guided by experts from Paris’s oldest parfumerie, participants crafted unique fragrances that will be ready to use after a few weeks of maturation. The visit to the company’s museum provided a deep dive into Fragonard’s history, which is closely tied to the evolution of extraction techniques and perfumery in France.

On the second day, we broadened the focus to ambient perfumery, beauty, personal care, home care, and fabric care products, thanks to the visit to Givaudan’s Nanterre headquarters. Here, a key topic was the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in fragrance composition, production, and evaluation—a cutting-edge innovation shaping the future of the industry. The experience concluded with a fragrance evaluation session, where participants used a custom scent kit exclusively developed by Givaudan for our Course. This tool, containing both natural and synthetic essences, was gifted to participants to support their ongoing olfactory training.

“Engaging with established brands and industry leaders is essential to perfect skills and become an Olfactive Designer. At the same time, these visits allow companies to discover new talent and explore potential professional collaborations,” explains Anna Barbara, President of POLI.design and Scientific Director of the Course. Company visits and workshops also help strengthen relationships among participants. For example, the first edition of the Course brought about the formation of Collettivolfattivo, which has since sparked collaborations and joint scientific publications among alumni.