Dive into the Gourmet Spectacle, a trend that redefines our relationship with food. In 2021, amidst the pandemic, the hashtag #Gourmet soared on Instagram, indicating a shift in how we perceive and present our culinary delights. While food has always been a source of comfort, it has evolved into a form of art and expression, with aesthetics becoming as vital as taste. The Gourmet Spectacle trend encapsulates this shift, emphasizing sophistication, creativity, and multi-sensory experiences. As COVID-19 impacted our senses, the desire for rich and immersive culinary experiences grew. Welcome to the haute couture of food, where every dish is a masterpiece.
A collection of fragrances inspired by food, different edible and dining experiences await:
Birkin a la Figue
This is leather, but not as you know it.
Meticulously dried & stitched into a one-of-a-kind display of culinary craftsmanship.
Birkin á la Figue merges a hint of cardamom with the deep fruity notes of figs, dates, premium rum, and the enduring luxury of suede.
Expensive & delicious.
A statement piece if you ever saw one.
Of course we couldn’t just buy an Hermes for this project (I wish)…so I had to get resourceful. It was the middle of the pandemic and we were all on lockdown. Armed with a vision and boxes of fruit roll-ups, I set up my own living room and proceeded to arrange a makeshift studio with hardly any proper equipment. For this fragrance, I wanted to fashion the iconic Birkin bag out of fruit leather. With some Adobe magic and a willing talent (shout out to my sister), I made this short video to imagine what if Hermes made an ad for this indulgent taste of extravagance? A Birkin, but edible!
Desserted in the Dark
Close your eyes, and rely on your other senses. Listen to the busy dining room.
What are you tasting, what are you smelling?
Feast your olfactory senses in the dark.
Allow yourself to experience elements of aromatics and spice – sweet licorice and coffee, with black sesame, roasted nuts and pepper, hints of chocolate with the sharpness of black tea & chamomile.
Is it sweet, savory, or something else entirely?
Decide for yourself.
Yes, the spelling was intended. Yes, that is a pun because the trend is called Gourmet Spectacle. But also because the material was built around the concept of Dining in the Dark. It speaks to the enigmatic, evocative nature of fragrances – particularly this one, which is dark, complex, rich and luscious. When you smell it, you get notes of all these dark-coloured edibles (and unless you’re a fragrance expert or perfumer, you wouldn’t be able to pin them down). In the video, you see a small light shining over key ingredients, mimicking the search for the truth in the taste (or in this case, the scent). Much like dining in the dark, you get a taste of what you recognise it could be, blended with a mystery of what it actually is.
What is Beyond?
BEYOND is a key pillar of Givaudan’s creative strategy and incubator for upstream innovation. In BEYOND, we are decoding socio-cultural movements and anticipating consumer desires to allow our colleagues across divisions to envision the scents of the future, delighting consumers, and driving customer success.
What does the future smell like? ✨ BEYOND is an absolute playground for fragrance innovation. I’m grateful for one of the biggest (and most fun!) challenges I tackle each year! With BEYOND, I get to push boundaries and experiment with innovative tools and methods to communicate about fragrances in fresh and captivating ways. It’s an exhilarating journey of discovering new possibilities and crafting fragrance experiences that are truly memorable. 💫
