There are gardens we pass through, and gardens that bloom inside our souls. In her second collaboration with INFINIMENT COTY PARIS—a forward-thinking fragrance house blending scientific innovation with art and emotion—Nigerian artist Deborah Segun unveils An Infinite Spring Garden: A Symphony of Dawn & Day. This poetic, multi-sensory project unfolds in two distinct expressions: an original artwork she imagined while discovering the Collection’s Dawn and Day fragrances, and a sculptural edition of 55 hand-painted perfume bottles.

The framed artwork, presented at the INFINIMENT COTY PARIS pop-up at 5 rue des Blancs Manteaux in Paris, anchors the experience with its abstract interpretation of spring. Segun’s composition—at once personal and expansive—translates scent into shape and memory into color. Housed within a completely customised décor, the space is transformed into a synesthetic environment that echoes the palette and emotion of the artwork itself, immersing the viewer in a garden of sensation and soul.

In parallel, the project extends into a limited sculptural edition of 55 perfume bottles—each hand-painted, signed, and numbered by the artist. Created in direct response to scent, these tactile objects are individually unique and collectively unified. Available exclusively on InfinimentCoty.com, the series introduces a new paradigm in fragrance presentation: each bottle a singular artwork, each purchase an invitation into an emotional, artistic world. Each of these flacons also forms part of a “physical NFT”—a numbered, signed object that embodies a unique emotional narrative while belonging to a collective whole, inviting collectors into a shared experience of memory, art, and scent.

Blurring the Boundaries Between Form, Function, and Emotion

Both the framed artwork and the dismantled bottle series embody INFINIMENT COTY PARIS’s patented concept of Artcycling—a pioneering philosophy that transforms fragrance vessels into enduring works of art. Rooted in the act of stacking and designing on bottles, Artcycling blurs the boundary between form and function, permanence and ephemerality. Whether presented as a unified composition or translated into a limited series of individualized flacons, each expression reflects a fusion of fragrance, sustainability, and emotional authorship—elevating the olfactory experience into a shared, collectible artwork.

“My style is colorful and partially cubist,” Segun explains, using abstract shapes and vibrant hues to reflect internal states. The work at the heart of An Infinite Spring Garden emerged, she says, from her “inner émoi when discovering the scents of the Collection’s Dawn and Day perfumes.” The process, Segun notes in the project’s reflections, was deeply sensory: “The fragrances mostly gave me a nostalgic feeling that triggered memories from childhood and a not-so-distant past… memories which were physical, emotional and sometimes sensorial.” She describes how these impressions took visual form—“pastel nuances of blue and green, the yellow kiss of a dazzling sun, the colors of jasmine and grass in an embrace with Mediterranean blue”—a palette shaped by scent, memory, and the emotional resonance of spring.

As Segun’s brush follows scent through memory and material, what emerges is a living composition of tenderness, transformation, and spring’s radiant return. Whitewall sat down with the artist to trace the emotional and creative journey behind An Infinite Spring Garden.

WHITEWALL: Your work often explores emotion through abstraction. How did the scents from the Dawn and Day perfumes guide your creative process for this collaboration? And how do you translate fragrance into visual language?

DEBORAH SEGUN: This was really interesting for me because it was a completely different approach to making art. Normally, I begin with a thought—something conceptual—and then build visuals around that idea, usually by doing visual research, looking at images, and so on. But with the scents, it was reversed. I had to rely on my nose and build the narrative from what I was smelling.

I approached it from a place of curiosity. I tried to trace the undertones—orange, mint, and other hints—and imagined how those elements came together. That process triggered childhood memories because some of the scents were so familiar. It wasn’t just about memories, though—it was about sensations. I could smell something and feel it physically because it reminded my brain of something very real. That interplay between senses helped me visualize moments from the past, which then became inspiration for the paintings.

Invoking Nostalgia through Art

WW: You’ve described the fragrances as triggering nostalgic memories from childhood and your time in Florence. Could you share one memory that surfaced most vividly while creating this piece?

DS: The citrus notes really brought back my morning walks to class in Florence. I’d stop for a croissant and orange juice, and the scent of oranges in the air always felt like the beginning of the day. It was such a refreshing, uplifting feeling—as if once I had that moment, I could take on anything. I really miss that. And honestly, I think Italy has the best oranges in the world!

WW: Synesthesia plays an important role in “An Infinite Spring Garden: A Symphony of Dawn & Day.” Did you feel as though you were seeing scents or smelling colors while working on these paintings? How did that shape the final artwork?

DS: I wouldn’t say I was seeing scents—it was more about feeling. For instance, one of the perfumes had a minty note, and it immediately gave me a cooling sensation. It reminded me of boarding school, after getting cornrows. They’d put this minty cream on our sore scalps to soothe them. That cooling, calming feeling really came through.

I think that sense of relief and calmness shaped the artwork. One of the paintings is more controlled, and the other is looser—kind of like freshly done braids, which are tight and painful at first, and then soften over time. That contrast really influenced the pieces.

WW: There’s a tender temporality in your interpretation of spring, especially in your reflection on LES MOTS DOUX. Why do you think transience and emotion are so closely intertwined in your art?

DS: Because nothing lasts forever. I really believe in being present, appreciating things as they are, and also revisiting past experiences to better understand myself now. Sometimes we think we’ve forgotten something, and then a scent or sound brings it back, and we realize how deeply it’s shaped us. Our past and present are always connected, and that shapes how we evolve into the future.

Deborah Segun’s Creative Rhythm

WW: Dawn and Day suggest more than just times of the day—they evoke distinct states of being. How would you describe your own creative rhythm? Do you identify more with the quiet emergence of dawn or the vivid energy of the day?

DS: I definitely connect with the vivid energy of the day. I work best in natural light—sunlight inspires me. Evening is more for winding down. My creative energy really peaks during the day, and that’s reflected in the colors I use, which are usually bright and vibrant. I like reimagining my experiences in a more positive light, so those sunny, uplifting colors help me do that.

WW: You painted 55 unique, hand-signed perfume bottles for this collaboration. How did the act of decorating these bottles differ from creating large-scale paintings? Was it a different kind of intimacy?

DS: It was more intimate and definitely more challenging. With smaller works, you have to be very intentional with space, whereas large canvases give you room to explore. I also used glass paint for the first time, which was tricky—it’s sticky and hard to control. I’m usually a control freak with my paintings, so I had to let go and accept imperfections. It was interesting to see how the paint behaved—how it overlapped, how textures formed. It really pushed me to step out of my comfort zone.

WW: Your collaboration with INFINIMENT COTY PARIS has developed over time. What do you think allows this ongoing dialogue between fragrance and art to flourish? And where do you imagine it evolving?

DS: I think it works because both art and fragrance tell stories and evoke feelings. When I wear perfume, I choose it based on how I want to feel—energized, calm, confident. It’s the same with art: people connect emotionally, and sometimes it brings back memories or feelings they didn’t expect. What I love about INFINIMENT COTY PARIS is how intentional they are in their storytelling. They’re not only sharing their vision but also uplifting artists and letting us tell our own stories. That’s rare. I hope more brands follow that path, but I do think INFINIMENT COTY PARIS is leading the way in building this bridge between fragrance and contemporary art.

Discover the Dawn & Day Scents

Matin de Jade offers bright ginger and bergamot rise in quiet harmony, echoing Segun’s early walks through the cobbled streets of Florence. This luminous cologne captures the stillness and anticipation of morning light—when the day unfolds slowly, and the senses are gently stirred awake by freshness in the air.

Honeysuckle emerges with a gentle openness in Atomes Crochus, softened by the subtle tension of smoked green tea. The composition recalls springtime reverie—fields in bloom, skies watched from the grass, and moments suspended between stillness and sensation. A quiet scent that lingers like a half-remembered thought.

Whispered declarations of tenderness take form in jasmine and rose in Les Mots Doux. This delicate floral composition captures the fleeting beauty of blossoms at their peak—an olfactory poem to the bittersweet elegance of spring. Soft yet powerful, it clings gently to the skin like a memory you didn’t know you missed.

Joy meets complexity in the sweet-and-sour harmony of J’ai Trois Amours. A luscious banana-blossom accord melts into the refined depth of chypre, creating Segun’s tribute to laughter, love, and layered emotion. It sparkles like sunlight on skin—unexpected, joyful, and vivid.

A soft cloud of musks, rounded and intimate, envelops you like a familiar embrace with Entre Genres. Flecks of tangerine add a subtle brightness, celebrating diversity and connection. A fragrance that embodies Segun’s abstract language of closeness, identity, and fluid form.

Orange blossom and neroli unfold with sunlit ease in Soleil d’Ikosim, conjuring the warmth of Mediterranean afternoons and the innocence of childhood days spent by the sea. In Segun’s memory, light glances off the water, and scent becomes a quiet echo of brightness—fleeting, tender, and held close.

Each of these six compositions is crafted with Molecular Aura technology, a patent-pending technology that controls the evaporation of precious olfactory molecules, extending the fragrance’s signature up to 30 hours, and transcending the ephemeral aspect of top and heart notes that have dictated fragrance expression up until now.

To explore the full collection visit infinimentcoty.com.