How to make Gen Z fall for Indian scents

If there’s one thing Gen Z loves, it’s taking something old-school and making it cool again. Think film cameras, Y2K fashion, and now, artisanal Indian perfumery. Astha Suri, the nearly Gen Z torchbearer of a 75-year-old fragrance legacy, is here to prove that attars aren’t just for your grandmom anymore. And with the opening of Naso Profumi’s first brick-and-mortar store in Lucknow’s Hazratganj area, she’s making sure that the brand her grandfather Rajneesh Suri and great-grandfather Sri Saligram Suri built isn’t just surviving, it’s thriving.

For 29-year-old Astha, fragrance isn’t just about smelling good; it’s about feeling good. And in an era where Gen Z is busy manifesting wellness, buying crystal-infused water bottles, and taking ice baths for mental clarity, she’s leading the charge on “functional perfumery”. Think scents that claim to ease stress, boost focus, and improve sleep.

Growing up in a family entrenched in the B2B fragrance trade, Suri inherited a nose for scents but not necessarily a role in the business. “I was always the absurd person in the family. I was into art, fashion and photography, and I have a background in interior architecture. But my mom noticed I had a very sharp nose and could always guess people’s fragrances.”

She wasn’t destined to follow in her father’s structured, commerce-driven footsteps. Yet, she saw an opportunity: blending India’s ancient botanical traditions with modern aesthetics. Suri, who calls herself a nose in training, explains, “I felt that I wanted to bridge the gap between our ancient Ayurveda and modern-day usage and make healing an everyday need.”

Inspired to create something deeply personal yet globally relevant, she envisioned Naso—a brand that fuses Indian botanical ingredients with global influences, reintroducing ancient olfactory traditions to a new generation.

Her father, Nischal Suri, wasn’t convinced. With decades in wholesale perfumery, branding and marketing weren’t his priorities, let alone launching a direct-to-consumer luxury perfume house. When Astha first pitched Naso, he asked the hard-hitting questions: “Where’s the hardware? The bottle, the pump, the cap? And what’s your marketing strategy?” (Translation: “How will this make money?”)

Determined to prove she wasn’t just chasing a whimsical passion project, Astha did her homework, which involved sourcing vendors, perfecting packaging, and refining her olfactory blends. Her father was sceptical at first. “Impossible,” he told her when she pitched the idea of making attars cool again. Attars were, after all, thick, heady, and a far cry from the breezy florals and citrusy colognes today’s consumers gravitate toward. It took Astha two and a half years (and countless scent trials) to prove him wrong. Once she returned with a tangible plan (and probably a PowerPoint or two), her father finally greenlit her idea, even blending the first formulations alongside her.

Launching Naso in 2020, at the age of 24, Astha dove headfirst into a world ruled by legacy fragrance houses, where niche perfumery was still the new kid on the block. Fast forward five years, and she’s watched the tide turn. Today’s consumers aren’t just spritzing on whatever smells nice; they’re curating their scents like they curate their Instagram aesthetics. Homegrown luxury is having a moment. And wellness? It’s no longer just about green juices and gua sha. Astha observes, “Gen Z cares deeply about what they put on their skin. It’s not just about smelling good—it’s about being mindful of ingredients and their impact.”

This shift mirrors the broader rise of artistic perfumery, where unique, personalised scents are in demand. According to Essencional, the artistic fragrance segment has seen double-digit growth, with luxury fragrance sales increasing by 15 per cent in 2024. Consumers are increasingly viewing fragrance as a form of self-expression linked to identity and well-being. Social media has only amplified this, with platforms like TikTok turning #perfumetok into a cultural phenomenon where scent reviews, layering hacks, and ingredient deep-dives fuel a new wave of fragrance obsessives. Naso has tapped into this by positioning its perfumes as more than just scents.

For instance, their Tabac fragrance is said to alleviate stress, while the saffron-infused musk and amber blend purports to boost concentration and act as an aphrodisiac. In an era where fragrances are increasingly marketed as wellness tools, Naso Profumi’s lineup aligns with the trend of “functional perfumery”. A recent report by Mordor Intelligence predicts the Asia-Pacific fragrance market is projected to grow at 6.15 per cent from 2024 to 2029, driven by the rise of wellness-focused scents.

The winning formula? Marrying traditional Indian perfumery with contemporary blends. Naso’s first success was the Basil Sambac, a perfume that took the heady, familiar jasmine sambac and softened it with basil. Astha adds, “My generation has found their way back to wellness and spirituality. Five years ago, nobody spoke about their story loudly, but now everyone is tapping into their roots.”

Gen Z loves a signature scent—but even more, a brand with purpose. Naso checks the boxes: sustainable, eco-friendly, and ethically sourced. Perfume waste becomes compost, rainwater is harvested, and solar panels power distillation. But even as the fragrance industry evolves, one challenge remains uncontrollable—climate change.

Nischal Suri notes that climate change is impacting natural ingredients, altering their scent profiles and driving up costs. Rose oil, once a lot richer, has declined in quality. “Maintaining quality...now that’s the most challenging job,” he adds. Given that climate change is now affecting the very ingredients used in perfumes, sustainability isn’t just a buzzword for the brand; it’s a necessity.

From tobacco-scented beginnings to a luxury perfume brand with a Gen Z heart, the Suri family’s olfactory empire has come a long way. And with the opening of Naso’s first physical store, the brand is making a statement: that heritage and modernity aren’t at odds but, when blended just right, can create something truly unforgettable. As for Astha? She’s just getting started. And if the past five years are any proof, the future of fragrance—sustainable, functional, and deeply rooted in Indian perfumery—is in good hands.