21 Grams Of Genius: Johanna Monange On Redefining Luxury’s Essence

What does it take to bottle a haute perfume renaissance? Johanna Monange reveals all—blending soulful artistry with a sniff at conventions.

If Maison 21G nods to the 21 grams whispered to be the weight of the soul, it takes just 21 seconds to catch the essence of Johanna Monange’s mastery of luxury perfumery.

Her journey in perfumery began over two decades ago, working alongside the world’s most celebrated noses at powerhouses like L’Oréal, LVMH, Puig, and Estée Lauder.

Johanna Monange has shaped some of the world’s bestselling perfumes: from Paco Rabanne’s 1 Million to Lancôme’s La Vie Est Belle, Armani’s Acqua di Gioia, Viktor & Rolf’s Flowerbomb and Spicebomb, Yves Saint Laurent’s L’Homme trilogy, and Maison Margiela’s Replica collection.

Yet, Maison 21G stands as her truest signature—an aromatic manifesto and daring counterpoint to an industry too often cloaked in marketing mist and mass-produced notes. Born in Singapore in 2019, it distills her global fluency and cultural insight, honed across vibrant markets, into a mission: making personalized perfumery accessible to all, with haute couture and sustainable ingredients.

In this exclusive interview for Worthbury, Florine Eppe Beauloye uncaps Johanna Monange’s journey, tracing the delicate notes of a trailblazer redefining luxury, one bespoke creation at a time.

Worthbury: With Maison 21G, you’ve disrupted the traditional perfume industry by empowering customers to create their own scents. What inspired you to shift the power from perfumers to consumers, and how does this redefine luxury in perfumery?

Johanna Monange: For far too long, perfumery has been dictated by mass consumer testing, where perfumers are forced to create scents that cater to the broadest possible audience, diluting creativity in favor of commercial appeal. Risk-taking and true artistic expression have been stifled, as large corporate groups prioritize global appeal with minimal investment in the perfume formulation itself.

Too often, fragrance choices are dictated by marketers with no olfactory sensitivity, reducing perfume to a formulaic business rather than an intimate art form.

Designers today have little control over what is launched under their names—a stark contrast to the golden era when visionaries like Coco Chanel, Christian Dior, and Yves Saint Laurent infused their sensibility into perfumes without constraints, crafting timeless masterpieces like Poison, Eau Sauvage, Egoïste, or Shalimar.

I founded Maison 21G to break this mold and return the power of scent creation to individuals, designers, and brand owners—liberating it from the rigid confines of consumer testing and market-driven decision-making. Too often, fragrance choices are dictated by marketers with no olfactory sensitivity, reducing perfume to a formulaic business rather than an intimate art form. But ultimately, no one knows your desires, your memories, or your identity better than you.

This is the future of luxury: democratized, deeply personal, and intimately meaningful.

True luxury in perfumery is not about wearing the same scent as thousands of others—it is about crafting a fragrance that is uniquely yours, a scent that tells your personal story and evolves with you and your environment.

At Maison 21G, we provide the tools, expertise, and the finest haute couture ingredients, but the artistry belongs to our customers. With our guidance, they become the scent designers of their own olfactive identity. This is the future of luxury: democratized, deeply personal, and intimately meaningful.

Worthbury: Digital tools have enabled Maison 21G to scale personalization beyond traditional perfumery’s limits. What challenges did you face in translating the sensory art of fragrance into a digital interface, and how do you ensure the AI-enhanced experience retains a bespoke, artisanal feel rather than seeming mass-produced?

Johanna Monange: Perfumery is inherently a sensory art—deeply personal, evocative, and rich with emotion. The greatest challenge in digitalizing this craft was translating something so intimate into a seamless, interactive experience without losing its soul. AI has allowed us to develop sophisticated scent-matching algorithms that use natural ingredients, predictive fragrance associations, and personalized scent profiles tailored to personality traits, values, and mood preferences. But technology alone is not enough—it must feel human, artisanal, and deeply personal.

Education plays a pivotal role in bridging the gap between digital and physical perfumery.

Education plays a pivotal role in bridging the gap between digital and physical perfumery. That’s why I’ve dedicated significant time to our blog, publishing weekly articles that answer consumers’ questions, demystify the art of perfumery, and enrich their olfactory knowledge. In our retail spaces, ongoing training is essential—our scent designers continuously refine their expertise to provide a truly immersive and educational in-store experience when you come to create in person. Our customer service team addresses all consumer inquiries with the utmost care, and I get involved when special requests or unique questions arise. For me, this is the essence of being a founder—staying connected with my customers, listening to their desires, and guiding them on their scent journey.

At Maison 21G, we merge AI with expert craftsmanship. Our digital tools offer inspiration and guidance, but the final creation is always in the hands of our customers. We ensure a truly bespoke experience by using only the finest natural, haute couture ingredients and a minimalist yet sophisticated formulation—often built on a duality of carefully selected natural elements—allowing endless possibilities for layering and personalization.The result? A digital experience that invites you to explore, learn, and create at your own pace—one that feels as intimate and luxurious as stepping into a private perfumer’s atelier.

Worthbury: Maison 21G began in Asia and expanded to the Middle East, where perfume is deeply cultural. What unique preferences have you observed in these markets, and how do they shape your luxury scent design strategy?

Johanna Monange: Asia and the Middle East are two regions where fragrance is far more than just a luxury—it is an intrinsic part of identity, tradition, and self-expression. Yet, their olfactory preferences could not be more different. This contrast is what makes Maison 21G’s unique model so powerful, allowing us to craft bespoke experiences that cater to both with precision and artistry.

For Asian consumers, fragrance is a private luxury, an extension of their personality rather than a bold statement. In the Middle East, fragrance is the opposite—it is a ritual, a legacy, a bold declaration of presence and personality.

In Asia, perfumery is a delicate dance of refinement and discretion. There is a growing preference for distinctive yet understated contrasts—a fusion of citrus, tea, ginger, osmanthus, geranium, ozonic, green notes, and fresh florals, often infused with accents of woody notes like vetiver or sandalwood or soft musks. Consumers seek originality, lightness, and sophistication to distinguish themselves by embracing modernity while staying true to their cultural values of harmony and balance. For Asian consumers, fragrance is a private luxury, an extension of their personality rather than a bold statement. Respect for others is paramount, so scents remain fresh, airy, and elegant—never overpowering. However, this does not mean they shy away from complexity and bold notes. They can appreciate high-quality and strong ingredients, but in delicate doses, often with a subtle second layer of spice or warm amber to express depth and sensuality.

In the Middle East, fragrance is the opposite—it is a ritual, a legacy, a bold declaration of presence and personality. Perfume is worn with confidence, designed to make a statement, introduce its wearer, and leave a strong impression on others. The technical demands for longevity and projection are on another level, making it a true challenge for any perfumer to meet their high expectations. Traditional ingredients hold deep cultural significance, woven into centuries of olfactory heritage. Oud, ambergris, saffron, frankincense, vanilla, leather, and animal musk are not merely scents; they are symbols of status, tradition, and emotional connection. However, the modern Middle Eastern consumer is evolving, seeking novelty. They are open to new olfactory twists—intense freshness through sage or ginger, playful fruity notes, or indulgent gourmand accords like coffee, pistachio, chocolate, and dates. These contemporary elements breathe new life into their beloved classics, creating fragrances that are both innovative and soulful.

At Maison 21G, we do not impose trends; we listen, observe, and co-create. Our philosophy is to embrace cultural uniqueness while pioneering new olfactory expressions, ensuring that each scent remains a deeply personal and meaningful journey for our customers.

Worthbury: Maison 21G has crafted bespoke scents for brands like Hennessy, Ferrari, Mandarin Oriental and Raffles Hotels. What’s your process for creating signature scents that capture a brand or property’s essence?

Johanna Monange: Creating a signature scent for a brand is akin to composing a musical symphony—a harmonious blend of balance, depth, and emotional resonance. It is an art that extends beyond the mere selection of ingredients; it is about capturing the brand’s soul, embracing its legacy, and understanding its evolution. I see a brand as a living persona, one with its own rich history, aspirations, and values. Just as an individual expresses their character through fragrance, a brand’s signature scent should tell a compelling story—one that lingers in memory and forges an invisible yet profound bond with its audience.

Scent is an intangible form of expression, as powerful as visual identity, capable of evoking deep emotional connections. This creative mission is one I undertake with the utmost dedication, requiring weeks of research, immersive discussions, and meticulous craftsmanship in my lab. It is akin to preparing for a role in a great film—you must step into the character’s skin, embody their emotions, and silence your own ego, allowing your artistry to serve the greater vision. The process is deeply co-creative. A brand’s brief is as essential as my creative instinct, for the right questions will always lead to the right answers. I challenge brands to delve into their DNA, to unearth the essence of their values, their history, and the emotions they seek to evoke. I refuse to accept a brief without the full engagement of key stakeholders, for without passion, the scent remains lifeless.

Every brand has an olfactory DNA waiting to be revealed. My role is to uncover it, breathe it into life, and craft a scent that will resonate as deeply as the brand itself.

When I designed the signature scent for the different Cognac of Hennessy, I was invited into their world—walking through the vineyards, inhaling the aging barrels, and absorbing the poetry of time itself. With Renaud Fillioux de Gironde, the master blender, we translated the depth of Hennessy Cognac into a fragrance, giving birth to Senses of Hennessy, an immersive polysensorial retail experience that now spans the globe. Through scent, imagery, and touch, consumers can explore Hennessy’s iconic blends in an unprecedented way.

For Raffles Hotel Sentosa, the journey was equally poetic. Guided by Michelle, the guardian of the brand’s soul, I uncovered the hidden stories of its legendary past. One phrase resonated deeply with me: “A place of endless possibilities, where you arrive as a guest, leave as a friend, and return as family.” These words embodied the unique spirit of Raffles—a luxurious yet profoundly welcoming sanctuary. Having stayed at Raffles many times, I understood its essence firsthand, allowing me to translate this emotion into an unforgettable fragrance.

Every creation is an encounter, a shared journey of discovery where both the brand and I bring something to the table—a meeting of visions, an exchange of passion. In the end, every brand has an olfactory DNA waiting to be revealed. My role is simply to uncover it, to breathe it into life, and to craft a scent that will resonate as deeply as the brand itself.

The luxury world has awakened to the power of scent—not as an afterthought, but as a profound vehicle for emotional connection.

Worthbury: Signature scents are key in luxury branding. What trends are you seeing in how brands and hospitality businesses (could) use fragrance, and how does Maison 21G stay ahead of the curve?

Johanna Monange: Fragrance is no longer a mere accessory for brands; it has become an essential thread in the tapestry of their identity. It deepens their story, creates an intimate bond with their consumers, and lingers in their memory like an invisible signature. The luxury world has awakened to the power of scent—not as an afterthought, but as a profound vehicle for emotional connection. Today, leading hotels and high-end brands are weaving olfactive artistry into their DNA, using fragrance to evoke emotions, elevate experiences, and craft moments that remain etched in the hearts of their guests.

The future of luxury hospitality belongs to those who understand the language of the senses.

The future of luxury hospitality belongs to those who understand the language of the senses and personalization. Hotels are no longer just places of stay; they are sanctuaries of experience, and scent is the unspoken key that unlocks the deepest corners of memory. A bespoke fragrance, infused with the essence of a hotel brand’s identity and the spirit of its location, becomes a passport to a world of sensory storytelling—transporting guests to a realm where scent, culture, and luxury intertwine.

Olfactory branding needs to be blended with multi-sensory immersion, where scent harmonizes with light, texture, and sound to create an all-encompassing atmosphere. It whispers from the moment a guest arrives, enveloping them in a fragrant welcome with delicately scented towels. It lingers in the corridors, diffused through the air like a silent host. It transforms bath rituals into moments of indulgence, with signature-scented toiletries caressing the skin. It weaves itself into the night, with pillow mists that cradle dreams in a soft embrace. And when the journey ends, the scent lives on, captured in a keepsake—a candle, a room spray, a perfume—ensuring the essence of the experience travels home with the guest, a fragrant echo of their stay.

At Maison 21G, we define ourselves as the scent couturier of luxury hospitality, sculpting 360-degree sensory experiences in partnership with the world’s most prestigious hotels. It is haute couture, tailored to each hotel’s soul. I pour my heart into every creation, personally immersing myself in the story of each property, understanding its essence, its architecture, its people, and the emotions it seeks to awaken. True luxury is not about ubiquity; it is about uniqueness, and at Maison 21G, we ensure that no two experiences, no two scents, are ever the same.

I founded Maison 21G to restore perfumery to its golden age—a time when ingredients were raw and noble, when creation was an intimate process, when each scent was an artistic expression, not a market-driven formula.

Worthbury: You’ve said you want to ‘bring back the soul’ of perfumery. What does that mean to you personally, and how do you instill this passion in your team and customers?

Johanna Monange: Perfumery should be poetry for the senses, a story whispered in invisible ink, a dance between memory and imagination. It should awaken forgotten dreams, stir buried emotions, and wrap the skin in an aura of identity. But somewhere along the way, perfumery lost its soul. Mass production silenced its artistry, synthetic shortcuts diluted its magic, and commercial trends stripped away its authenticity.

I founded Maison 21G to restore perfumery to its golden age—a time when ingredients were raw and noble, when creation was an intimate process, when each scent was an artistic expression, not a market-driven formula. I wanted to return perfumery to what it was meant to be: a deeply personal craft, an extension of one’s essence, a celebration of nature and imagination intertwined.

At Maison 21G, we reject the impersonal, the synthetic, the ordinary. We embrace slow, mindful creation, where each fragrance is composed with intention and integrity. We invite our customers to step into the role of perfumer, to explore, to blend, to create without constraints. Just as true artisans craft with their hands, we craft with the heart, ensuring that every drop tells a story. This passion fuels our team, and it ignites every individual who walks into our atelier, leaving them not just with a fragrance, but with an experience—an intimate encounter with the soul of scent.

Worthbury: What’s the most pivotal investment you’ve made in Maison 21G—whether in technology, retail, or supply chain—and how has it elevated your brand’s value in the luxury sector?

Johanna Monange: True luxury is not only found in rare ingredients or exquisite craftsmanship; it is rooted in knowledge, creativity, and empowerment. At Maison 21G, the most significant investment we have made is not just in technology or retail expansion, but in the education and artistic liberation of our customers.

Our Atelier de Création breaks the mold of traditional retail, replacing passive consumption with active creation—a true democratization of haute perfumery.

Our Atelier de Création is a revolutionary concept in luxury retail, an immersive space where the customer steps into the role of the perfumer. It is a place where artistry is not dictated by trends but shaped by personal intuition and emotion. Through guided expertise, individuals discover the poetry of scent, learning the balance between top, heart, and base notes, uncovering the power of raw materials, and crafting a fragrance that resonates with their soul. This experience breaks the mold of traditional retail, replacing passive consumption with active creation—a true democratization of haute perfumery.

The Maison 21G Atelier de Création transcends the walls of our boutiques, evolving into a traveling olfactory experience, bringing the art of bespoke perfumery to the most prestigious and unexpected locations. Our atelier is not confined to a single space—it moves, adapts, and transforms, crafting memorable scent experiences in the world’s most exclusive settings, where luxury meets innovation.

We have transported our olfactory craftsmanship to the Grand Prix of Formula 1, where VIP Amex guests immersed themselves in bespoke scent creation, capturing the adrenaline and elegance of the race. In the sleek, high-octane world of Ferrari, we curated olfactory encounters in showrooms across Asia, where fragrance meets the precision of Italian engineering. For Breguet, we crafted a fragrance experience as refined as their timepieces, merging haute horology with haute perfumery. In an unprecedented setting, we brought our artistry into The Reserve, the world’s largest gold vault, where scent, like gold, became a timeless treasure. Onboard the Orient Express, we elevated a Bank Indosuez Wealth Management event, transforming their private experience into a moment of olfactory discovery.

Wherever we go, we redefine luxury retail, transforming scent into a multisensory, immersive experience, creating unforgettable olfactory memories in the world’s most prestigious locations.

The greatest lesson in Maison 21G’s global expansion has been the understanding that true growth must be intentional, not impulsive.

Worthbury: Your experiential retail model, with scent bars and flagship stores, stands out. What’s the toughest business lesson you’ve learned while scaling this globally?

Johanna Monange: Scaling a luxury experience is an art that requires patience, precision, and an unwavering commitment to excellence. It is not about multiplying stores at breakneck speed but about curating the right spaces, ensuring that each location offers an authentic and deeply personal journey worthy of our brand. The greatest lesson in Maison 21G’s global expansion has been the understanding that true growth must be intentional, not impulsive.

We learned this firsthand when we entered Shenzhen, a city in China brimming with innovation but not yet ready for the sophistication of our experiential model. A concept like Maison 21G requires an audience attuned to the artistry of customization, one that values creation over consumption. While Shenzhen thrives in technology and efficiency, Shanghai, with its deep appreciation for luxury craftsmanship and immersive experiences, is a far better fit for our unique approach.‍

Timing and the right partners are everything in our expansion.

Timing and the right partners are everything in our expansion—Maison 21G is not suited for classic distributors accustomed to placing ready-made products on shelves. Our model demands partners who understand the intricacy of experiential retail and the refinement of scent couture.

Every Maison 21G boutique is a sanctuary of scent exploration, a space where intimacy, exclusivity, and craftsmanship converge. Each location is a seamless blend of digital innovation and human touch, inviting customers on a sensory journey to craft a scent uniquely their own. Expansion, for us, is not measured in numbers but in the preservation of the brand’s soul in every city we touch.

Worthbury: Sustainability and transparency are increasingly important to luxury consumers. How does Maison 21G address these from packaging to production, and what challenges have you encountered in aligning them with haute perfumery’s high standards?

Johanna Monange: Modern luxury is no longer defined by opulence alone—it must have meaning, purpose, and responsibility. Consumers today seek products that align with their values, demanding transparency, sustainability, and integrity. At Maison 21G, we do not see sustainability as a trend, but as the very foundation of true luxury.

Our perfumes are crafted with 100% natural ingredients, free from harmful chemicals and unnecessary synthetic additives, ensuring purity and authenticity in every drop. We have pioneered refillable, waste-free packaging, redefining luxury without excess, and allowing consumers to indulge responsibly. We proudly support fair trade sourcing, partnering with local artisans and growers to preserve the ancestral craftsmanship of natural perfumery.
Luxury is not about excess—it is about excellence, ethics, transparency, and education. At Maison 21G, we embody this ethos in every creation.

Artificial Intelligence is not a substitute for human emotion and instinct—it is a tool that amplifies them, unlocking new dimensions of customization and innovation.

Worthbury: Looking ahead, how might advancements in AI—like predicting scent trends or analyzing emotional responses—shape the future of Maison 21G and the broader luxury fragrance industry?

Johanna Monange: The fusion of tradition and technology is transforming haute perfumery, not by replacing the perfumer’s artistry, but by enhancing creativity, refining personalization, and pioneering sustainability. Artificial Intelligence is not a substitute for human emotion and instinct—it is a tool that amplifies them, unlocking new dimensions of customization and innovation.

At Maison 21G, we harness AI to guide consumers in their scent creation, helping them define their olfactive profile of the moment—a reflection of their personality, emotions, and evolving desires. Our data-driven insights capture emerging fragrance trends before they surface in the mainstream, allowing us to anticipate shifts in consumer preferences with precision. Technology enables us to analyze emotional responses, tailoring fragrances that harmonize with individual moods, values, and personal narratives.

Yet, despite this technological evolution, perfumery remains a deeply human craft. AI may guide the journey, but the final masterpiece is still shaped by the hands of the customer—infused with their memories, desires, and personal touch. At Maison 21G, technology is a bridge to creativity, but the soul of scent will always belong to the individual who wears it.

The next revolution? Adaptive perfumery—a curated scent wardrobe that evolves with your mood, lifestyle, and environment, attuning itself to the rhythm of your emotions like an invisible second skin.

Worthbury: You now offer the option to customize home scents. What other emerging consumer segment do you see as the future of luxury perfumery, and how is Maison 21G adapting its business model to capture them?

Johanna Monange: Luxury perfumery is entering a new era of customization, where scent is no longer confined to a single signature fragrance but extends into every facet of life. The olfactory experience is evolving beyond personal perfumes into home scents, car fragrances, and refined ancillaries, merging wellness, artistry, and daily rituals into a seamless sensorial journey.

The next revolution? Adaptive perfumery—a curated scent wardrobe that evolves with your mood, lifestyle, and environment, attuning itself to the rhythm of your emotions like an invisible second skin. No longer static, fragrance will breathe, shift, and transform, becoming an intimate companion that enhances every moment, from the stillness of morning reflection to the vibrancy of an evening celebration.

At Maison 21G, we are not just following trends—we are shaping them. We are crafting a future where perfumery is no longer a passive indulgence, but a living, breathing art form, an expression as fluid and ever-changing as the individual who wears it. With every personalized creation, we are redefining the very essence of luxury perfumery, one scent at a time.

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