"Perfume is about Pleasure" -Marcelo Oillataguerre, The Niche Fragrance Collector

Hey guys, Joe A. here with another one for ya’! Well, what was supposed to be a quick opportunity to ask a couple of questions turned into a great hour-long conversation with

@Marcelo Oillataguerre

and I’ve got to say, it was a real treat!!

One of the things that really stuck with me was Marcelo’s reminder that perfume is about pleasure. Simple idea, but man, we forget it sometimes. In this hobby, it is easy to start turning every fragrance into a chemistry exam, a performance spreadsheet, or a debate over batch codes, note pyramids and whether the opening has enough artisanal Laotian oud or Cambodian oud (haha)!

But at the end of the day, fragrance is a human experience!

We also talked about the difference between niche and designer fragrance, and I appreciated the way he framed it. Designer fragrances often have to serve a broader market. They need to be wearable, sellable, recognizable and profitable. That does not make them bad. We all know there are plenty of designer fragrances that deserve respect.

But niche, at its best, starts from a different place, a place that truly appreciates the artistry of fragrance!

Of course, Marcelo also gave a few fragrances worth getting our noses on, and you know I had my ears open like somebody said “free decants.” A few that came up were Lubin Black Jade, Ramon Monegal Oud on Fire, Ramon Monegal Soul of Oud, and Varanasi from Meo Fusciuni.

And honestly, that is the kind of recommendation I enjoy most. Not just “this gets compliments” or “this lasts 14 hours,” but fragrances that invite you to slow down, experience them and maybe understand the artistic side of the hobby a little better.

Big thanks to

@Marcelo Oillataguerre

for being generous with his time and for reminding me that while we can talk notes, houses, performance and price all day, perfume still comes back to pleasure. Big thanks of course to our host,

@Antonio Centeno

What say you, guys? Do you agree that perfume should be about pleasure first, or do you enjoy the technical deep dive just as much? Do you think niche fragrance still carries that artistry-first spirit, or has some of it become just as commercial as designer? And some self reflection: what fragrance have you completely overanalyzed when the real answer was simply, “Man, I just like how this smells”? Love to hear from ya'!

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