Client:
IFF

Product:
Book

Medium:
Print

Description:
The IFF’s Perfumer’s Compendium is a catalog of chemical ingredients marketed to perfume and fragrance designers. In 2007 Alfalfa was commissioned to design the 8th edition, and the challenge was to reinvent the Compendium to inspire creativity among its users. Our solution was to mix the purity of facts with the world of emotions.

We sought to present scientific facts about ingredients in a clear and visually engaging way while, at the same time, introduce the emotional side of the ingredients. A set of visually rich icons was developed to designate odor families, and chemical qualities such as endurance over time were elegantly captured in graphic charting system. A master grid harmonized all of the elements.

The cover and spine feature a blurred gradient of very soft color, reminiscent of the ethereal way in which odor colors our experience of the world. Fine printing and a silk ribbon bookmark give the book an elegant tone appropriate to its audience.

The Compendium is a strong example of successful information design.