Can the essence of a person be captured in a scent? That is the question Selfridges will attempt to answer with its newly launched fragrance experience in partnership with trend forecasting consultancy The Future Laboratory, international design studio Campaign and perfumers from Givaudan.

Fragrance Lab will be taking over Selfridges’ Concept Store, where extraordinary retail concepts are tested, Fragrance Lab invites customers to weave through a magical series of interactive zones and the store’s iconic windows, making a journey to explore the outer reaches of scent and to discover the essence of one’s self.

The journey will culminate with a fragrance created by Givaudan perfumers, the industry-leading sensory experts, with the alchemy informed by the stimuli and answers to the questions the consumer experienced along the way.

A compelling alternative to the screenbased activity of online shopping where the browser is removed from the merchandise, in Fragrance Lab the consumer’s physical presence informs the alchemy of the fragrance to offer a more meaningful consumer experience.

Fragrance Lab is an ambitious iteration of an earlier project by The Future Laboratory and Campaign, ‘Sweet Shoppe’ (2011) and continues the evolution of this concept.

The journey takes 15 minutes. Appointments can be booked here

Photography courtesy of Hufton+Crow