Held from June 30 to July 5, 2025, the first-ever Grasse Perfume Week brought together a global roster of niche fragrance brands, perfumers, and institutions in the South of France. The town of Grasse hosted more than 50 international perfume houses for a week of exhibitions, scent discovery, and expert discussions across historic venues like Villa Fragonard, the International Perfume Museum, and Domaine de la Rose.
For Shale Albao, internationally-trained Filipino perfumer and founder of independent fragrance house Tadhana, the event marked a rare and meaningful milestone. “Grasse is considered to be the perfume capital of the world,” she explained. “And for the first time, it opened its doors to celebrating and welcoming niche perfume brands from France and all over the world.”
Tadhana proudly became the first Filipino brand ever exhibited in Grasse, placing its distinctly local scent stories on the same platform as some of the most respected niche brands from Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.
A Chance Worth Taking
Albao didn’t initially plan to exhibit at the event. “My original intention was to attend the Grasse Perfume Week as a visitor, to attend events, be part of the talks, and get inspired,” she said.
But in a move that mirrored Tadhana’s founding philosophy, she decided to take a leap. “One of Tadhana’s core themes is ‘taking chances.’ After all, Tadhana was born out of taking chances and seeing where that brings us. And so I took a chance to apply.”
Out of dozens of hopefuls, Tadhana secured one of just over 50 coveted exhibitor spots. “The organizers asked me to send samples for them to evaluate. Several days later, I received the formal invite to join the event as an exhibitor.”
Tadhana joined the likes of major fragrance houses and manufacturers such as Robertet, Givaudan, and Sozio, as well as famous niche brands such as Amouage, Laboratorio Olffativo, Atelier des Ors, Maison Tahité, Soul of Makeen, and Histoires de Parfums.
She also emphasized that this path remains open to others. “It is definitely something other perfumers can apply for in the future.”
Inside the Scent Capital of the World
Attending as both founder and perfumer, Albao immersed herself in a packed schedule of talks and networking opportunities. “There were smell talks happening almost every hour from July 3 to 5 at Grasse Campus—covering topics such as sustainability, innovation, founder stories, challenges, and opportunities,” she recalled. “New perfume raw materials and naturals were being launched and introduced, and we got to smell these new ingredients.”
“There were tours and events in several notable locations within Grasse,” she added, “such as Villa Fragonard, International Perfume Museum, The Gardens of International Perfume Museum, and Domaine de la Rose (which is a perfumery house and garden owned and operated by Lancôme).”
There were also visits to places usually closed to the public such as Domaine de la Rose by Lancôme, a 7-hectare estate with 10,000 Centifolia rose bushes, jasmine, tuberose, lavender, and more. “It serves as Lancôme’s hub for innovation and sustainability. Public access is only one day a month, so imagine the difficulty of getting a slot to enter this exclusive venue.”
Still, some of the most memorable moments weren’t always on the official itinerary. “Having a one-on-one conversation with the founder of Histoires de Parfums, for example, discussing ideas and opportunities, is for me a once-in-a-lifetime moment.”
Putting Filipino Perfumery on the Map
Amid conversations led by major fragrance houses and perfumers from across the globe, Albao entered the week with a strong sense of purpose—and left with even more than she expected. “I came to Grasse Perfume Week to get inspired, which I did. But I also got validation that Tadhana has a unique story to tell, and our compositions are very well-received by the European market,” she said.
“They find our fragrances opulent, elegant, smooth, well-balanced, unique, and very creative (their words, not mine). They also said that for the quality and creativity, I should price higher,” she shared with a laugh.
And that kind of reception speaks to the level of intention Albao pours into each creation. “As the perfumer of Tadhana, I always start with an inspiration or an idea,” she said. “This inspiration can come from anywhere—people I know, places I go to, food I eat, a moment, an experience, a memory, even an abstract idea.”
“From the inspiration, I build a brief or a story. From the story, I design the notes, build the perfume structure, create trials, and iterate until I arrive at a trial version I am happy with,” she explained. “Together with our team, we will do an evaluation and wear test. Sometimes I will ask friends to test it too and get feedback. I will iterate from there until the final scent is ready to be bottled.”
“Tadhana’s scent DNA is all about the serendipity—the unexpected meeting of fragrance notes that create surprising harmony,” she said. “Our aim with our fragrances is to pleasantly surprise, in the same way destiny surprises us when we take chances.”
This creative process shaped Tadhana’s debut: the Persona collection, which explores fluidity in identity. “Each of us has a little bit of different personalities, or facets, within us that we can choose to express every day. Today, we can be Classy. Tomorrow, we’re a Rockstar,” she said. “We interpreted each of these facets through scent combinations that can evoke the personalities.”
Beyond technique, Tadhana’s edge also lies in its cultural perspective. “Our local ingredients and our unique scent stories,” Albao said, on what makes her fragrance-making process something only a Filipino perfumer could create. “When we tell our Filipino stories through fragrances, it is like we are transporting them to a beach in the Philippines, or a childhood memory—in my case, that of sugarcane plants and muscovado sugar— or experience local food through smells.”
And part of what gives Tadhana its identity, Albao explained, is the richness and distinctiveness of the local scent palette she works with. “We also have our local ingredients that are uncommon (if not rarely) found in other international brands, such as calamansi, dalandan, vetiver filipina, our local cinnamon, sampaguita, patchouli filipina, and more.”
Being in Grasse, surrounded by legacy houses and established perfumers, only reinforced her belief that the fragrance industry is ready—and curious—for something new. “For the global market, we are filling the gap of Asian perfumery,” Albao explained. “European, American, and Middle Eastern perfumery are very well established. Asian perfumery is still young and we are already seeing how Tadhana is making waves defining what Asian and Filipino perfumery is.”
Still, Tadhana’s purpose extends beyond global recognition as Albao’s vision for the brand was also always deeply personal—and local. “We want to give a premium fragrance option to modern Filipinos who enjoy smelling good and looking their best, who like to explore beyond the products you can usually see from high-end stores both locally and abroad.”
Redefining “Made in the Philippines”
Beyond the international exposure, being part of Grasse Perfume Week gave Tadhana an opportunity to show how a Filipino brand could hold its own in a space long shaped by Western ideals of perfumery. “Participating in this event inspired me to stay true to our Filipino roots, Asian soul, and be world class,” Albao said. “I will continue to tell Filipino and Asian stories, highlight our local ingredients, and create more creative perfumery.”
While the town is often viewed as the gold standard of perfumery, Albao chose to manufacture in the Philippines—an intentional decision to invest in local capability and creativity. “Early in the planning stage of Tadhana, I seriously considered the option of manufacturing in Grasse, but decided to stand behind our very Filipino name, and produce the perfumes in the Philippines.”
The decision, however, came with challenges, because for many in the global fragrance industry, excellence is often synonymous with a European origin. “Even big US brands choose to have their fragrances manufactured in Grasse just so it can have a stamp of ‘Made in Grasse’.”
One comment she received during the event stuck with her: “I love your perfumes. They are of amazing quality. Your creativity is astounding! The only problem is, it is ‘Made in the Philippines.'”
But instead of backing down, she took it as a challenge worth embracing. “This tells me that we [Filipino perfumers] have a tall mountain to climb, and I’m up for that challenge,” she said. “It is an uncharted territory for Philippine perfumery to make a presence globally. [But] we have already started.”
And beyond the reception from perfumers and peers, there were even promising signs of international interest. “We received several offers to distribute Tadhana in France, Spain, and Italy. So this is an exciting opportunity for us,” shared Albao.
It was a belief strengthened by experience. The warm reception from peers in Grasse affirmed her belief in the products—and the potential—of Filipino perfumery. “We do not have a long-established fragrance industry. But Filipino perfumers have passion and creativity, [and] access to raw materials that are unique to the Philippines. Our passion will drive us, [and] our raw materials will set us apart.”
And she’s determined to keep going.
“As Filipino perfumers, we have a job to continue to create extraordinary and high-quality perfumes so that one day, ‘Made in the Philippines’ will have the same gravitas, if not more, as something ‘Made in Grasse.’”
Discover the Scents of Tadhana
These fragrances invite you to experience scent through a uniquely Filipino point of view.
Innocent Eau de Parfum
P3,600, Tadhana
Rebel Eau de Parfum
P3,600, Tadhana
Pink Salt & Pomelo Home Mist
P1,500, Tadhana
Spiced Honey Home Mist
P1,500, Tadhana
Photos Courtesy of Shale Albao.
