Barnes Perfume Fair

A Scented Day Out. Playfulness, Passion, and a Dash of Sumac

There’s something quietly magical about being surrounded by people who speak the same sensory language. At a recent gathering of niche perfumers, creativity wasn’t just in the bottles—it spilled into chocolates, ice cream, and even deodorant.

Wandering between stalls and scent stations, I was struck by the ways these perfumers are pushing boundaries and playfully engaging with how we experience fragrance. This wasn’t a typical trade show. It felt more like stepping into a world of fragrant curiosity.

RNDL

Offered rich, velvety chocolate truffles, each infused with notes from their perfumes. You didn’t just smell the scent—you tasted it. It brought the whole experience to life in such a clever and delicious way.

Vallance

Teamed up with an ice cream maker to create three unique flavours, each inspired by the top notes of their perfumes. Spoons of scent, if you like. It made you consider temperature, texture, and taste alongside aroma—reminding us that scent doesn’t exist in isolation.

4160 Tuesdays

True to their whimsical style, had a scent sommelier on hand. A few playful questions and personality prompts later, and they’d help you land on your perfect perfume match. It was warm, fun, and felt far more personal than the usual process of sniffing blindly.

Throughout the day, I had the chance to speak with many of the perfumers. Each conversation opened a window into a different world of inspiration and memory.

There was the gentle introspection behind Olfactive O, where each perfume reflects personality traits and emotional nuance.

Maya Njie spoke of her family photo albums—intimate, sun-drenched images from Sweden and The Gambia—as the anchor for her entire collection. Every scent felt like a memory you didn’t know you had.

Kingdom Scotland, created by Imogen, drew directly from the Scottish landscape and its rich storytelling traditions. Her perfumes carry the drama of wind, sea, moss, and myth.

Nyita, with their carefully sourced natural ingredients and beautiful hand-blown glass containers for candles, with a patent pending wax formula no less!

One of my favourites, though, was Beaufort London, whose collection took unexpected inspiration from the Shipping Forecast. If you’ve ever listened to BBC Radio 4, you’ll know the calming, rhythmic delivery of these maritime weather reports. I’ve been hooked for 20 years. To see it turned into something so evocative, moody, and textured was a delight.

Even the mundane got a makeover. Rollr presented deodorants in chic crystal and glass bottles, each scented like a fine perfume. And Perfino showcased wellness jewellery—lava-filled necklaces designed to carry essential oil blends close to the skin in a subtle, elegant way.

Mabelle’O’Rama's perfumes stood out for their depth and difference. Inspired by her Lebanese heritage and childhood memories, her creations felt personal and full of soul. She even created her own tincture of sumac, which adds a vivid, tangy twist I’ve never encountered in perfumery before.

I also have a soft spot for Early Modern, created by Clara. I met her years ago in Glasgow, at a time when heightened emotions had left me retreating from scent altogether. During one visit to her studio, Clara patiently and enthusiastically walked me through her collection. Her passion was contagious. That session rekindled something I thought I’d lost. Her perfumes—quietly powerful and beautifully crafted—are just as unique as she is.

A personal highlight was attending a talk by Jo Fairley. I may have fan-girled a little when I spoke to her afterwards. The session explored the many facets of rose in perfumery, from fresh and dewy to dark and spicy. We also heard from Laboratoire Monique Rémy (LMR) and Ostens, who offered a rare glimpse behind the scenes of natural ingredient sourcing. The care, effort, and deep respect for nature required to produce these materials was a quiet rebuke to the idea that synthetics are always “easier.” Some notes simply can’t be replaced.

The sun shone throughout the day, adding a warmth that matched the atmosphere. I ran into a few familiar faces and had spontaneous chats with other scent lovers—people who light up at the mention of labdanum or bergamot.

This event was a celebration of scent as story, as emotion, as play. I left full of ideas, reflections, and a deeper sense of joy in what I do. I truly hope this becomes an annual gathering. The care and thought behind it all made it one of the most inspiring days I’ve had in a long time.