Perfume aficionados like Rinaldi Fraudier are keeping the fragrance industry alive in these challenging times. The 31-year-old entrepreneur from Bandar Lampung spends up to Rp 4 million (US$279.51) a month to add more scents to his vast collection of colognes. Rinaldi, who sees himself as a fragrance fan, mostly buys eau de parfum types, usually based on the fragrance notes he likes.

"My monthly spending depends on the goods, whether there are ones that I really want. Sometimes, I also like to buy local brands that are affordable but smell really good, like Alt Perfume or Matré," he said. "When I spend a lot of money on a bottle, I expect the fragrance to last longer."

Despite the pandemic, a portion of the fragrance industry remains profitable. For example, in its 2021 financial statement, Christian Dior reported notable growth in terms of profit within its perfumes and cosmetics business group. With organic revenue growth of 27 percent from 2020 to 2021, the division earned approximately US$7.25 million. This, according to the company, is mostly due to its success in 2021, with Dior Sauvage becoming the best-selling fragrance in the world.

Rinaldi is not the only one. Daniar, a 33-year-old medical professional from Surabaya, also got into the fragrance fandom in October 2020.

"I started an Instagram account that talks about perfume on a whim, and it was quite well received," she said. 

"We have really warm interactions. I feel so welcomed. And, we do not only discuss perfumes but we also [share samples], even with our members [as far away as] Riau."

Growing interest

According to Rinaldi, a growing number of people are becoming aware of the world of perfumes.

"I know a friend from Surabaya who meets up with other avid fragrance lovers and has a sniffing session over brunch or dinner. Some local brands, like HMNS, also have a number of followers on social media," he said.

A sniffing session, according to Rinaldy, is a typical get-together for perfume aficionados. The community members each bring their own collection so that they are able to test each other's new fragrances.

"That's a lot better than buying because even [small vials] have their own price," he said.

These sharing sessions triggered the establishment of the Indonesia Fragrance Community (IFC) in September 2016. Its founder, Steven, better known as Learoy Black, started his journey from a totally different approach.

"Originally, I was a member of a Facebook group called the Indonesian Pomade Enthusiasts. I reviewed many pomade products, but there were a lot of discussions on the aroma of the pomade products. I was hooked," said the Jakarta resident, who then started a Facebook group for the IFC.

From the beginning, the community has had a robust agenda. It invites its members to scour markets and shops for rare and vintage perfumes.

Learoy said online shopping was not as popular when the club was founded, so he and other members would hunt in Jakarta’s malls for rare fragrances.

The community, now based on Telegram, has more than 1,800 members. It talks not only about perfume but also charity.

"Sometimes, I set up causes on KitaBisa.com, and sometimes we have a raffle to reach our charity goals. For instance, members can donate some of their collection for a cause, and then other members can buy a raffle ticket for it. The proceeds of the raffle fully go to the people in need."

Olfaction and reaction

"The local perfume landscape has boomed in the past year, precisely during the pandemic, a time when people also shopped online more often, sometimes for things that were not necessities," Learoy said. 

"The price points of local perfumes are also not too expensive, and this is interesting not only for perfume enthusiasts but also for ordinary people. Quality-wise, they are also good, although not the best, but they are worth their price."

One popular example is Alien Objects, which is favored by both Rinaldi and Daniar. At its higher price point, Alien Objects offer a different kind of service: scent customization. For the niche enthusiasts, Learoy also mentioned a brand called Fakhrul Oud.

"It's a brand from Aceh that delivers high-quality products, but it has higher prices, starting from Rp 800,000. They have their own distillery, which is interesting for local perfume," said Learoy. "So for niche [tastes], I would recommend Fakhrul Oud, and then Alien Objects for perfume enthusiasts and HMNS for [daily fragrances]."

Some others opt for foreign brands, like Rinaldi.

"I'm not like a collector looking for rare items or collections of certain brands," he said. "The problem is that many local-brand perfumes actually use foreign perfume essences but labeled them as their own brand."

For some, the hobby can be exhausting, especially financially. According to Learoy, newcomers usually try to buy everything they can, whether to satisfy their curiosity or win prestige. 

"I myself would spend Rp 50 to 60 million [$3,493.82-4,192.58] a month," said Learoy, who lists Dior Homme, Creed Millesime Imperial and Yves Saint Laurent La Nuit de l'Homme as his fragrances "for life". "It eventually stops after we set boundaries and all, but having a community to share scents with really helps you to explore more without spending more."

Learoy added that while he supported the sharing spirit of perfume communities, there were boundaries for certain things, such as decanting.

"Decanting is not something we can take for granted. Some people have this wrong notion that they [can] just collect vials instead of buying the real perfume. We need to remember that the nature of these decanting activities is to try, meaning we will buy the full size eventually."

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