The Art of Fragrance

L'Officiel UK : Ada, tell us what drove you to start Ataratma. What gap did you see in the market?

Ada Panday: “I identified a clear market opportunity in the premium fragrance space. Consumer behavior has shifted dramatically. People are increasingly conscious about what they put on their bodies and want products that align with their values. The traditional luxury fragrance industry was still operating on outdated models of exclusivity without substance. We saw an opportunity to create a differentiated value proposition that combines best in class European perfumery with the growing wellness sector. It’s about capturing market share in the intersection of luxury beauty and conscious living.”

L'O UK : The Sanskrit name is interesting. Was that a calculated branding decision?

Ada Panday: “Absolutely. Our brand architecture needed to communicate authenticity and heritage while being globally scalable. Sanskrit gave us that linguistic equity. It’s universally recognized as sophisticated and spiritual, but not culturally appropriative since it’s a classical language. Ataratma, scent for the soul, immediately communicates our market positioning. It’s memorable, pronounceable across markets, and owns a unique space in consumers’ minds.”

L'O UK: You talk about combining European perfumery with South Asian traditions. How do you execute this operationally?

Ada Panday: “Our supply chain strategy leverages the best of both ecosystems. We maintain strategic partnerships with master perfumers in Grasse for technical execution and quality assurance, while our R&D process integrates Ayurvedic principles for ingredient selection and formulation ratios. This dual sourcing approach allows us to deliver superior product quality while maintaining authentic storytelling. It’s vertical integration of heritage craftsmanship with modern perfumery science.”

L'O UK : Your concentration levels are significantly higher than industry standard. What’s the business case for that?

Ada Panday: “It’s a premium positioning strategy with strong unit economics. Higher concentration delivers measurably superior performance. Longer wear time, better projection, more complex scent evolution. This justifies our price point and creates customer loyalty through actual product superiority, not just marketing. Our customer lifetime value is significantly higher because people don’t need to reapply or repurchase as frequently. It’s about owning the ultra premium segment through demonstrable quality differentiation.”

L'O UK: How are you approaching market entry and scaling the business?

Ada Panday: “We’re executing a selective distribution strategy focused on high value touchpoints. Rather than mass market penetration, we’re building brand equity through curated retail partnerships. Premium department stores, specialty beauty retailers, and our own direct to consumer channels. The goal is to establish Ataratma as a must have brand among key opinion leaders and conscious luxury consumers before broader market expansion. We’re prioritizing more quality for our customers.”

L'O UK : Sustainability seems central to your brand. Is this driven by consumer demand or personal conviction?

Ada Panday: “Both, and they’re converging beautifully from a market dynamics perspective. Consumer research shows that 73% of luxury beauty consumers will pay premium for sustainable products, but the supply side hasn’t caught up. We’re capitalizing on first mover advantage in conscious luxury fragrance. Operationally, our clean formulations and sustainable practices aren’t cost centers. They’re competitive advantages that command price premiums and attract top tier talent and investors.”