Headspace

Headspace was founded in 2022 by Nicolas Chabot in France, taking both its name and its methodology from the analytical technique chemists use to capture and identify volatile aromatic compounds above a sample — literally the smell of a thing held in suspension. The house commissions major perfumers to translate headspace captures from real-world sources — specific flowers, materials, or environments — into wearable compositions that feel true to the original rather than conventionally aestheticised. Dominique Ropion, Julien Rasquinet, Paul Guerlain, Fanny Bal, and Nicolas Beaulieu all feature in the debut catalogue, an extraordinary starting roster that immediately positioned the house within serious fragrance discourse. The project raises urgent questions about representation and authenticity in perfumery: what does a thing actually smell like versus how perfumers habitually render it? Niche pricing reflects both perfumer credibility and the technical investment in the headspace research process. In just a few years of operation, Headspace has established a distinctive intellectual identity within contemporary French niche perfumery.