How this Entrepreneur is Transforming the Legacy Perfume Business with His Modern Approach He inherited a knack for perfume from the legacy and designed a brand with a twist of modern technology and unheard elements
By Anindita Ganguly •
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Magining fragrance of leather or tea encapsulated in a bottle of perfume is tough but when we chatted with Manan Gandhi, Founder, Bombay Perfumery; the concepts of aromachology got unshackled. "Indian perfumery ingredients have been around for ages and are some of the most widely used natural ingredients across the world, yet, we have never been given our fair share of limelight," reveals the 31-year-old entrepreneur from Mumbai. Adding about the genesis of his brand, he said, "I wanted to give the world a brand that puts a modern perspective on Indian ingredients, which is minimal in aesthetic yet very rich in the experience."
Gandhi hails from a family which is involved in the business of supplying their ingredients to prominent perfume brands for the last 30 years. He inherited a knack for perfume from the legacy and designed a brand with a twist of modern technology and unheard elements. According to him, "I have played with the rich ingredients like rose, cinnamon, tuberose, sandalwood, tea and other ingredients with distinct combinations."
Talking about the inception of the idea, Gandhi, a graduate from Purdue University, said "I started my entrepreneurial journey with Associate Allied Chemicals, Grasse, France, from where I supplied perfume ingredients to different parts of Europe." Therein, he realized the high point of creating his own footprint than being a mere supplier to the big brands! With this realization, Gandhi flew back to India and Bombay Perfumery was launched in October 2016. His confidence for his brand comes from the expensive technology nomenclated as "Head Space' that has the ability to replicate the aura and essence of any product without its actual presence. "It's a long and often iterative process. The creators have put in much of their own personal experiences while creating these scents, which is authentic and has the smell of India." That is exactly how he created the women's fragrance "Moire', replicating leather fragrance with a new twist along with other selective elements. Apart from that, Manan stresses on the urgency of creating dainty and sleek packaging that complements the fragrance!
Currently, the company designed eight variants, which can certainly transport you back to the memory lane with a single whiff. He keeps the products experimental yet simple with the three women's fragrancesMoire, Madurai Talkies and Seven Islands. Being a consumer himself, he understands the essentiality of composing two unisex variants - the Chai Musk and 1020, to keep up with the demands of the young generation, who loves to break the gender stereotypes in fragrances.
Moreover, Gandhi strategically places his products in the offline stores through which he aims to gain the trust of his consumers, who finds it relatable when put across with the other famous perfume brands! Indeed a thought after way of sprinkling India's aroma to the world!
(This article was first published in the August 2017 issue of Entrepreneur Magazine. To subscribe, click here)
