Experiential Scent Writing

This workshop treats perfume writing as the description of an interaction between scent and writer - the act of smelling something on purpose. Using this premise along with performance writing techniques taken from devised theatre, and fragrance samples from brands attending FUMED,  participants will learn new techniques for assessing and presenting fragrance to others, guided by their own taste. No prior fragrance writing experience or knowledge is required.

There are 2 sessions of this workshop. One on each day.

Perfume Unfiltered: Mistakes We've Made

What happens when the lab floor is covered in broken glass, the labels are misprinted, and the final formula smells like floor cleaner? Join five of the most exciting independent makers in the industry for a raw and honest conversation about the trials and errors that happen behind the scenes.
From the stress of DIY compounding to the high stakes reality of a total rebrand, we are taking a deep dive into the creative scars and hard won lessons that define the world of indie perfume. Come for the war stories, stay for the human side of the craft, and leave with a new appreciation for the bottle on your shelf.

Crafting Culture: Translating Peoples, Places & Plants into Fragrance Narriatives

Fragrance as Ritual: A Conversation

The Archaeology of Smell and Perfumery in the Ancient Mediterranean

What did the past smell like and how do we know? Ancient olfaction is a relatively young addition to the field of archaeology. While the 1980s and 1990s ushered in a multisensory approach to the study of the past, the exploration of smell has only just begun. This talk examines how archaeologists reconstruct ancient perfumery from materials, production, and fragrance to how humans experienced these smells. We will visit ancient sites, read ancient texts, and discover modern biomolecular analyses to not only understand how perfumes were made and what they smelled like, but more importantly how perfumes were lived.