Bottled memories

Tadhana Fragrance brings the soul of the Philippines to Grasse Perfume Week

- JESSICA PAG-IWAYAN

In the heart of Grasse, France—known as the birthplace of modern perfumery—a new scent story unfolded, carrying the humid sweetness of sugarcane fields, the zest of calamansi, and the floral grace of the sampaguita.

For this year’s run of Grasse Perfume Week, a Filipino fragrance brand, Tadhana Fragrance, graced the international stage, making history with its deeply emotional, culturally rich approach to scent.

Behind this bold move is Shale Albao, the founder and creative force of Tadhana Fragrance, whose journey to Grasse began years ago as a student at the prestigious ISIPCA (Institut Supérieur International du Parfum, de la Cosmétique et de l’Aromatique Alimentaire, which translates to Graduate School of International Perfume, Cosmetics, and Food Aroma) in France.

“I realized how underrepresented Asian perfumery was in the global market, and Philippine-made fragrances were practically nonexistent,” Shale told Manila Bulletin Lifestyle in an interview. “That realization lit a fire in me. I made it my personal mission to put our local fragrance artistry on the global stage.”