The Institute for Art and Olfaction

Perfume’s Most Notorious Book and Its Scents: Smelling Session (In Person)
2026-07-17 17:30 - 19:00 (America/Tijuana) | The Institute for Art and Olfaction, 932 Chung King Rd, Los Angeles, CA, 90012, United States
Sign up: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/perfumes-most-notorious-book-and-its-scents-smelling-session-in-person-tickets-1988018267153?aff=oddtdtcreator
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The library at the Institute for Art and Olfaction contains a perfume archive of over a thousand fine fragrances, pieces of olfactory art, and more. Smell through the pages of perfumery’s most notorious book as we smell aromatics mentioned in and perfumes inspired by Patrick Suskind’s Perfume: The Story of a Murderer. The novel follows super-smeller Jean-Baptiste Grenouille as he travels through France in the 18th century, honing his sense of smell as he becomes a perfumer and a murderer. Perfume: The Story of a Murderer is a worldwide phenomenon, inspiring multiple adaptations into film, television, music, and fine fragrance, and influencing decades of enthusiastic readers to enter the world of perfumery — and vice versa.

The Institute for Art and Olfaction team leads a guided smelling session of notable aromatics discussed in the novel, as well as several fine fragrances created as an homage to the work. Scent strips will be handed out by your instructors, before we spend time smelling and discussing our impressions of both the materials and perfumes.
Our discussion will focus on the impressions of aromatics, perfumes and their concordance with the accompanying text. Familiarity with both the original novel and the movie adaptation is not necessary but is highly recommended!
This smelling session will be a special opportunity to smell aromatics and fine fragrances from our library archive. Session will be guided by Minetta Rogers.

Tracing Perfume: Uncommon Florals (in person)
2026-07-21 17:00 - 18:30 | The Institute for Art and Olfaction, 932 Chung King Rd, Los Angeles, CA, 90012, United States
Sign up: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/tracing-perfume-uncommon-florals-in-person-tickets-1989625143363
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Dana El Masri explores the history of fine fragrance through a series of classes that cover the genealogy of scent. How did aromatic materials influence perfumery? How did perfumers draw from the same source to produce such diverse expressions? Each class in this series explores the most important perfumes in 20th and 21st perfumery from the perspective of the materials that inform them.
In this class, Dana covers perfumes highlighting uncommon florals, including hyacinth, osmanthus, and narcissus. She will explore the material provenance, aromatic aspects, and notable perfumes that make use of these uncommon floral notes in various ways. Then, as a group, the class will smell and discuss a series of notes and perfumes that elucidate the category.

Topics covered:
History and cultural impact of perfume materials
Technical information about perfume materials
Overview of these materials in classic, contemporary, mass market, and niche perfumes

Citrus, Long Lasting: Perfume Accords (online)
2026-07-30 10:00 - 12:00 | On Zoom
Sign up: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/citrus-long-lasting-perfume-accords-online-tickets-1963642634981?aff=oddtdtcreator
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Explore fragrance categories through specific classes designed by The Institute for Art and Olfaction to help new perfumers gain sensory understanding and technical perfumery skills.

For newcomers to the Institute for Art and Olfaction or beginners to the art of blending, this class can be an easy entry point into our Perfume Accords series.
In the latest of her accords classes, Ashley leads an investigation into a long-lasting citrus perfume accord. Learning how to assemble perfume accords leads to a greater adeptness at blending, and well-trained noses. Learn how to construct accords as you explore the individual aromatic components of these perfume accords.

Our accords series helps students of perfumery understand the molecular components of the various facets and types of the most important notes in perfumery. By attending this class, an emerging perfumer or scent artist will expand their capabilities and training, gain the materials knowledge to add a new accord to their arsenal, and leave with a deeper understanding of the artistry and science behind perfumery.
Materials Needed/Pre-Class Homework: We will send you a master document containing the materials list and formulation exercises upon signup via the confirmation email from Eventbrite. Please purchase these materials before attending class. The estimated cost of the perfume materials is $62, not including any labware you may need to purchase. The formulation exercises must be accomplished before the class meets.

Perfume 101, 202, 303 Course (Online: Live + Video)
2026-08-05 10:00 - 2026-08-12 12:00 | On Zoom
Sign up: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/perfume-101-202-303-course-online-live-video-tickets-1990665849142?aff=oddtdtcreator&keep_tld=true
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This class meets online on Wednesday August 5, 2026 from10am to 12pm PDT for Perfume 101 and Thursday, August 20th, 2026 from 10 to 11:30am PDT for Live Q&A for Perfume 202 and 303. The prerecorded lectures for Perfume 202 and 303 will be shared with all registrants on August 12, 2026.

Perfume is an art, a science and a craft. This set of classes serves as an orientation session for newcomers to the field, olfactive adventurers, curious minds, and budding scent enthusiasts who need a little boost.
Perfume 101
In this lecture-based introduction to perfumery, participants will learn about perfume basics such as fragrance families and classifications, get an introduction to perfume-making in a lab, and get an introduction to the different kinds of aromatic materials. Participants will leave with the basic knowledge they need to start a journey down the rabbit hole of appreciating and even making scent, as well as a more considered understanding of what they encounter at the fragrance counter.
Topics covered:
Introduction to scent literacy
Introduction to aromatic materials
Introduction to perfume creation
Introduction to learning resources provided by The Institute for Art and Olfaction
This is an online class that will occur live on Zoom. The video for this session will be available to replay on Zoom for one week after the session ends.

Perfume 202 + Perfume 303
Thoughtful creative preparations and revisions can provide the structure for a thriving artistic output in perfumery. Join Ashley Eden Kessler in two pre-recorded lectures and one live Q&A as she guides you through the important first steps of setting up your own perfume laboratory and working on perfume blends.
Perfume 202: Lab Strategies
Good lab practices can provide the backbone for a thriving creative practice and – for that reason – perfumer Ashley Eden Kessler leads a class that is designed to provide you with the important next steps in your practice. Providing crucial information for setting up a professional perfume lab, and helping you ensure that your practice is built on a solid foundation, Perfume 202 covers the important technical minutiae of your perfume practice, from how to use a scale to how to make a lab solution, an overview of lab hygiene and organization, and how to set up and maintain a working scent organ. This class will allow you to orient yourself as an aspiring perfumer, and help you set up a thriving independent perfume laboratory of your own.
Topics covered:
Pipette techniques (basic and advanced)
How to use a scale with confidence
Overview of lab hygiene and organization
Setting up your work station
Overview of perfume organ set-up and maintenance
Making dilutions from pure, for safe use in perfume-blending
Perfume 303: Perfume Composition Techniques
Designed to provide important next steps for budding perfumers, Perfume 303 will teach you the crucial information for setting up a professional perfume organ, conceptualizing and creating perfume formulas, and helping you ensure that your practice is built on a good artistic habits.
This recurring online class will cover the important creative minutiae. We will review how to organize your library of aromatic materials, talk about how to select your palette for composition, discuss how to best track your formulas, and learn strategies for how to evaluate your trials.
This class, in short, will allow you to ground yourself as an aspiring independent perfumer, and help you develop a methodological approach that will support your long-term practice and give structure upon which your creativity can thrive.
Topics Covered:
How to choose a material palette for perfume composition
Overview of perfume formula writing and maintenance
Introduction to organizing perfume formula writing
How to evaluate perfume trials and revise formulae
Techniques for saving perfume trials
This class is a hybrid video and live online Q+A session. We will send the link to the video portions before the live Q+A. All participants must watch the prerecorded videos for Perfume 202 and 303 before attending the live Q&A session.
For the live event, Ashley Eden Kessler will join for a 1.5 hour Q+A session to cover questions and more.

Schedule of Classes
Wednesday, August 5, 2026 from10am to 12pm PDT
Perfume 101 – live on Zoom, with video replay until September 4, 2026.
August 12, 2026
Access to pre-recorded lectures for Perfume 202 and 303 – video replay until September 4, 2026.
Thursday, August 20, 2026 from 10 to 11:30am PDT
Live Q&A for Perfume 202 and 303 – live on Zoom, with video replay until September 4, 2026.
A ticket allows for access to the live classes, prerecorded lectures, and videos of the classes after they’ve taken place. All videos are will be viewable until September 4, 2026; these videos are not available for download.

Marine: Perfume Accords (online)
2026-08-06 10:00 - 12:00 | On Zoom
Sign up: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/marine-perfume-accords-online-tickets-1963644758332?aff=oddtdtcreator&keep_tld=true
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Explore fragrance categories through specific classes designed by The Institute for Art and Olfaction to help new perfumers gain sensory understanding and technical perfumery skills.
In the latest of her accords classes, Ashley leads an investigation into a complex, oceanic marine perfume accord. Learning how to assemble perfume accords leads to a greater adeptness at blending, and well-trained noses. Learn how to construct accords as you explore the individual aromatic components of these perfume accords.
Our accords series helps students of perfumery understand the molecular components of the various facets and types of the most important notes in perfumery. By attending this class, an emerging perfumer or scent artist will expand their capabilities and training, gain the materials knowledge to add a new accord to their arsenal, and leave with a deeper understanding of the artistry and science behind perfumery.
Materials Needed/Pre-Class Homework: We will send you a master document containing the materials list and formulation exercises upon signup via the confirmation email from Eventbrite. Please purchase these materials before attending class. The estimated cost of the perfume materials is $112, not including any labware you may need to purchase. The formulation exercises must be accomplished before the class meets.

Soft White Woods: Perfume Accords (online)
2026-08-27 10:00 - 12:00 | On Zoom
Sign up: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/soft-white-woods-perfume-accords-online-tickets-1963648779359?aff=oddtdtcreator&keep_tld=true
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In the latest of her accords classes, Ashley leads an investigation into an adaptable, soft, white woods perfume accord. Learning how to assemble perfume accords leads to a greater adeptness at blending, and well-trained noses. Learn how to construct accords as you explore the individual aromatic components of these perfume accords.
Our accords series helps students of perfumery understand the molecular components of the various facets and types of the most important notes in perfumery. By attending this class, an emerging perfumer or scent artist will expand their capabilities and training, gain the materials knowledge to add a new accord to their arsenal, and leave with a deeper understanding of the artistry and science behind perfumery.
Materials Needed/Pre-Class Homework: We will send you a master document containing the materials list and formulation exercises upon signup via the confirmation email from Eventbrite. Please purchase these materials before attending class. The estimated cost of the perfume materials is $77, not including any labware you may need to purchase. The formulation exercises must be accomplished before the class meets.

Five day perfume intensive: Chateau Le Grippault
2026-10-05 - 2026-10-09 | Chateau Le Grippault, 47 Avenue de la Coupure du Parc, Chaveignes, 37120, France
Learn more: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1IefleUZoOofkl1Ro3F_UipXKPls_fOGL6YLuQ2paGng/edit?usp=sharing
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Program dates: October 5 to October 9, 2026
Schedule: 10am – 6pm, daily
We return to the charming Chateau le Grippault in the Loire Valley for a five day perfume intensive with Spyros Drospoulos.
The stunning historic castle sits on a beautiful wooded estate just minutes from the historic town of Richelieu (former seat of the famous Cardinal Richelieu), and provides a perfect retreat: A place to focus on learning, in a small group of eight people, led by Spyros’ methodical, materials-based approach. Mornings are spent in lecture, and afternoons are spent applying what you have learned to your own compositions. Group dinners every night, with plenty of opportunity for excursions to the nearby town.
Limited to eight participants.
