The Capitalyst: What inspired your journey into perfumery, and what continues to inspire you today?
Azzi Glasser: My journey began with curiosity. As a child I was fascinated by how scent could instantly transport you to another place or time. Unlike music or photography, fragrance is invisible, yet it has an extraordinary ability to unlock emotion and memory.
Over the last three decades that fascination has become a lifelong pursuit. I’ve had the privilege of creating fragrances for fashion houses, artists, luxury hotels and many of Hollywood’s most celebrated actors, but what continues to inspire me most is people. Every individual carries a unique emotional fingerprint, and I believe everyone should have a scent that truly resonates with who they are as their Scent identity.
That philosophy became the foundation of The Perfumer’s Story by Azzi, creating fragrances that don’t simply smell beautiful, but reveal something about the person wearing them.
The Capitalyst: You’ve created fragrances for some of the world’s most recognisable actors, artists and brands. How has working with such diverse personalities influenced your creative process?
Azzi Glasser: Every collaboration begins with listening rather than smelling. Whether I’m working with Johnny Depp, Cate Blanchett, Jude Law or Helena Bonham Carter, my role isn’t to create a perfume I like or that follows a trend, it’s to understand the psychology of the individual or brand and the character and style they’re portraying.
I’m interested in what people don’t say. Their memories, contradictions, vulnerabilities and ambitions often become the most powerful ingredients in a fragrance. One particularly special commission was creating a bespoke fragrance for Cindy Crawford’s 50th birthday, commissioned to me by her husband Rande Gerber. Cindy never wore perfume before as she could never find a fragrance that truly represents her well that she liked even though she would be showered fragrance gifts by many brands over the years. When I created her very own personal bespoke perfume, it reflected not only her elegance but her personal story.
This is Cindy’s testimonial to me – “One of the best gifts I have ever received was a bespoke fragrance by Azzi Glasser. My husband surprised me with this gift for my 50th birthday. I loved the process of Azzi interviewing him about me—my likes, my dislikes, what I care about, etc. On the big day, she brought me two choices which she felt would suit the woman I am. Even though I loved them both, one was an instant winner as it felt like an old friend. My signature fragrance is complex and subtle and private—only the people very closest to me get to experience it. So much of who I am in the world is two dimensional. I love having the daily ritual of spraying on my scent and reminding myself of so much more. Thanks Azzi!” Cindy Crawford
These experiences have taught me that true luxury isn’t about exclusivity alone; it’s about authenticity. The greatest fragrances are deeply personal because they tell stories words cannot.
The Capitalyst: The Perfumer’s Story by Azzi is built around personality and identity rather than traditional fragrance families. What inspired this philosophy?
Azzi Glasser: For decades the fragrance industry has asked consumers whether they prefer floral, woody or oriental fragrances. I think that’s asking the wrong question. People don’t wake up wanting to smell like a category, they want to feel confident, sensual, creative, mysterious or empowered.
I’ve always believed fragrance should begin with identity rather than ingredients. That’s why every fragrance within The Perfumer’s Story represents a distinct personality and character. We call it discovering your fragrance DNA.
Many of the perfumes also contain hidden accords originally created during my work with actors and filmmakers, quietly woven into the collection as part of each fragrance’s story. Those unseen details create emotional depth and makes every fragrance feel uniquely alive and totally artistic, a first of it’s kind..
The Capitalyst: Luxury consumers today are looking for deeper emotional connections with brands. How do you create fragrances that resonate on such a personal level?
Azzi Glasser: Luxury today is no longer about owning more things. It’s about finding experiences that feel genuinely meaningful. Fragrance is uniquely placed to create that connection because it becomes part of people’s lives. It accompanies first meetings, celebrations, travels and everyday rituals. Long after the bottle is finished, the memory often remains.
When I create a fragrance, I always begin with emotion before ingredients. If a perfume makes someone feel more true to themselves, or perhaps the person they aspire to become, then it has achieved something far more valuable than simply smelling beautiful. That’s the kind of luxury people remember.
The Capitalyst: Looking ahead, what excites you most about the future of fragrance, and what’s next for you and The Perfumer’s Story by Azzi?
Azzi Glasser: We’re entering a fascinating new era where people are looking for far more than simply a beautiful fragrance. They want authenticity, emotion and products that become part of their identity. That shift aligns perfectly with everything I’ve believed throughout my career.
For more than thirty years, I’ve had the privilege of creating fragrances for some of the world’s leading actors, filmmakers, artists and luxury brands. Those experiences have given me a unique understanding of the power of storytelling and emotion, and today that expertise is channelled entirely into building The Perfumer’s Story by Azzi.
The future of the brand is about creating one of the world’s most distinctive luxury fragrance houses. We’ve developed a completely different way of experiencing fragrance through personality, storytelling, craftsmanship and emotional connection, bringing a new level of artistry and magic to an industry that is evolving rapidly. The global perfume market is now worth more than US$63 billion and is forecast to exceed US$96 billion by 2033, driven by growing demand for premium and niche fragrances.
Our ambition is to scale The Perfumer’s Story by Azzi into a globally recognised luxury fragrance house, expanding our award-winning fine fragrances, home fragrances, discovery collections, perfume oils and immersive fragrance experiences, all under one iconic brand. With the right strategic investment and international partnerships, we have the opportunity to redefine modern luxury perfumery and establish a new global British fragrance house for the next generation.
After more than thirty years in perfumery, I still believe fragrance is one of the most powerful forms of invisible communication. It’s not simply about how you smell. It’s about who you become when you wear it.
Feature Image of Azzi – PC: Debbi Clark
