The word “traditional” is one that often gets mixed up with “heritage” when we talk about perfumes, because each harks back to a past time. The latter is more geared to a company or style, whereas the former can broaden out to encompass a particular scent or preparation. This idea of a “traditional” fragrance can easily be aligned to many that are still in production, and also those that have been discontinued, but there is one that has stood the test of time. Bay Rum is a perfume that has been enjoyed for decades, in both salons and at home, and The Dandy Gent is championing its barbershop revival.
If there is one thing that we can all agree on, it’s that creating an enduring and beloved collection of fragrances is a goal that many companies have tried but few have actually accomplished. It’s an absolute skill to cement a DNA in every successive fragrance whilst, at the same time, adding new facets and unexpected directions to the latest release. One company that have achieved this more than once, and continue to fly sky-high in the ever-expanding perfume market, is Versace. With a legacy dating back to 1981, it’s time to discover the newest addition to their fragrance stable as we explore Eros Najim.
The dark days of the pandemic may seem like a lifetime ago now, as we all busy ourselves once again on life’s hamster wheel, but it has meant a massive shift in the perfume market. Those two years focused our attention away from personal fragrance, that beautiful juice found inside a glass bottle, and instead made us think about the scent of our surroundings. With so much time spent indoors, and without the option to travel, we all wanted some scented escape. That initial fragranced flurry saw many candle brands unfortunately fall by the wayside, but the demand had been ignited and it heralded the arrival of Purnima Fragrances.
Niche Perfumery is a term that’s hard to categorise these days, because the goal posts of what is produced by the large brands has shifted dramatically. Originally thought of as an alternative to the large corporations, most high-street brands now have a “niche” department creating more unusual offerings, and so the lines have definitely blurred. Once the domain of an independent producer creating in small batches, the focus is now firmly on the quality rather than the quantity. Many companies have tried to gain a foothold in the niche sector, with varying success, but the latest to proudly bloom is the Wales-based Ortir Apothecari.
