Andreas Wilhelm
Andreas Wilhelm's path to perfumery began in 1993 as a lab technician at Givaudan in Dübendorf, Switzerland. After three years of research work, he pursued formal training at Luzi AG to become a professional perfumer. His independent spirit eventually led him to found Wilhelm Perfume, a Zurich studio where he crafts bespoke fragrances for small brands, private clients, and art installations. He debuted his first brand Sentifique at ESXENCE in 2013, followed by the more provocative Perfume.Sucks in subsequent years—a line that displays full formulas directly on bottles, an open-source provocation against industry opacity. Over his two-plus decades in the industry, Wilhelm has created fragrances for Sarah Baker, Xerjoff, and others. His Gisada Donna earned a FiFi Award, and multiple Art & Olfaction Award nominations and wins have confirmed his standing as one of Switzerland's most unconventional perfumers. He currently splits his time between Dubai as fine fragrance perfumer for Eurofragrance and his Zurich studio, while continuing to challenge convention through both commercial collaborations and experimental projects.
The hits
Notable creations
The signature
How Andreas composes
Wilhelm demonstrates fearless willingness to explore unconventional notes and combinations—petroleum accords with oud, raw gourmand materials, green themes that even his wife finds challenging. His portfolio spans extreme diversity: the masculine boldness of patchouli-spice in TestoX, tropical intensity in Anelo for Pernoire, and the restrained desire captured through blackberry and leather in Kama. He translates abstract concepts into scent with particular skill, whether for cinema installations or car brand signatures. His technical foundation at Givaudan and rigorous Swiss training gives his conceptual work an impressive structural coherence. The Conspiracy Line for Perfume.Sucks showcases his most uncompromising work, combining unexpected materials with cinematic memory associations. His style resists categorization—it's less about signature ingredients than about an attitude of unflinching exploration.
Philosophy
What drives Andreas
Wilhelm approaches perfumery with an olfactorive punk sensibility, pushing back against the industry's reliance on narrative over substance. Perfume.Sucks emerged from his frustration with how brands layer stories onto fragrances to manipulate buyer perception. By publishing formulas openly on bottles, he exposes what the industry typically hides. He describes his commercial work as acting more like a machine than an artist—well-defined tasks, guaranteed outcomes—yet his personal projects remain playful provocations. The tension between industrial efficiency and creative rebellion defines his practice. He continues making fragrances for manufacturers worldwide while simultaneously subverting their conventions, treating the industry as both a collaborator and a target.
The houses