The origins of Fragranzi

Fragranzi was the brainchild of perfumer Conan Fee and his partner Glenda spending time reimagining the future during that peculiar time of Covid 19 lockdowns. One of Conan’s dreams was to put his knowledge of perfumery into practice and when they discovered there was space becoming available at the Arts Centre, it seemed the perfect opportunity for the two of them to create something new together.

For some time, in his role as a professor at the University of Canterbury, Conan had been inventing a unique method of perfume design which would allow anyone to design their own perfumes, putting them in charge of the creative process, with no need for training. Also, the traditional perfume creation method proceeds by mixing components by trial and error - if you regret putting in a component or over-do it, there is nothing you can do but start again. That seemed to Conan to be a very wasteful and dispiriting process when done by someone without extensive training. That led to the development of the world-leading approach to make-your-own experiences that Fragranzi uses today.

It is often said that there is nothing like teaching a subject to others to really learn it oneself. Conan had founded the UC School of Product Design in 2017 and one of the degree majors he created focuses on Chemical Formulation Design. Covering the design, formulation and marketing of everything from weedkillers to lipsticks, a key learning for students is that fragrance is one of the main drivers of consumer behaviour. The importance of the discipline means that Conan teaches fragrance design in both the second and third years of the degree and again at greater depth at the Masters degree level. 

Fragrance has a long history in human culture, of course, but one of the things that frustrates both perfume lovers and perfumers alike, is that many of today’s famous brands are increasingly the result of design and selection by committees, whose main concern is not the creation of great, original perfumes but rather mass market appeal. Conan and Glenda’s vision was to build an artisan perfumery, part of a growing international trend where original and innovative fragrances can take centre stage.

Once they found their studio, Glenda concentrated on the layout and interior design, while Conan set about creating an initial range of fine fragrances. Glenda was a hard taskmaster, demanding at least ten fragrances for their launch, a challenge that Conan was keen to accept.

At Fragranzi, we believe that the power of creativity can be placed in the hands of the consumer and that people are looking for memorable experiences, quality time spent together with family or friends. We had the means to do this using our Medici™ design system (patent pending), so this was part of the plan from the very beginning.

We’re proud to say that thousands of people have now had the experience of designing, naming and bottling their very own fragrances at Fragranzi, indulging their creativity and making lasting memories together with family and friends.

Innovation remains a core value at Fragranzi, as we expand our product range, introducing new fine fragrances, and expanding the make-your-own experience to include skin cream, body oil, room sprays and diffusers, as well as offering a range of volumes in both eau de toilette and eau de parfum strengths.