The idea of being left to our own devices is something that we’ve all had to embrace over the past year, and people have dealt with it in very different ways. There was a lot of time to fill and, while some of us caught up with the mountain of Blu-rays that had magically appeared, many perfumers knuckled down and used the opportunity to concentrate on long anticipated projects. Hitting the pause button changed the schedules and space appeared in the diary. Choreograph is one such example, and Adey Zookrow’s fusion of experimental fragrance with original music has come at just the right moment.
You often hear the word “exclusive” applied to perfumes within a company’s range but, more often than not, they tend to be a discontinued fragrance that’s been rereleased under a new name. This is wonderful news for fans of the original but it can smack of a laziness on the part of the company. What is always exciting though is when an “exclusive” is released from a young niche brand because, as they don’t have a huge archive, the fragrance is likely to be a new creation. This is the case with Tabac Rose from bdk Parfums, the Harrods exclusive that has definitely set temperatures racing.
Fragrances that are labelled as “classic” are generally well respected by the perfume industry but there's often a difference of opinion when we talk about “famous” scents. A perfume can become well known for a variety of reasons but, whilst popular with the public, it isn’t always held in the greatest esteem by the higher echelons. It’s worth remembering that there is often a divide between perfume customers and scented scholars, but both views are equally as important. One fragrance that sits squarely between “classic” and “famous” is N’aimez que Moi by Parfums Caron, and this year is the perfect time to revisit it.
Azzi Glasser was born in North London and is no stranger to the perfume industry. She started her career with CPL Aromas in 1991 and very quickly became a sought after perfume designer. A FiFi Award Winner for her Agent Provocateur fragrance, Azzi went on to found The Perfumer’s Story in 2015 and currently has thirteen fragrances in her collection. With such an enviable career already, it was time to discover her own perfume memories as I asked her “Stephan’s Six”.
The Fragrance Foundation was formed in 1946 by six of the largest perfume companies of the period. Chanel, Elizabeth Arden, Helena Rubinstein, Coty, Guerlain and Parfums Weil agreed that the time had come to recognise the many achievements in the fragrance industry and later on also provide training for consultants, journalists and marketing departments. This greater understanding allowed the industry to develop and grow into the huge machine that it is today. As part of their commitment they also introduced #ScentMemories which runs alongside National Fragrance Day. It brings together peoples memories on the subject of fragrance and I’ve happily contributed for the last two years, although the recolections were very different.
When a fragrance company launches a new perfume it is always met with interest from the press and the public, but when it's the first new release for eleven years then the expectations are even higher. To coincide with the smash hit film Beauty and the Beast, Parfums Worth have released BELLE, a fresh floral which they describe as "effortlessly feminine, romantic, playful and chic". Could this be the company's chance to re-establish itself in the minds of a new generation of customers and add a new fragrance to the stable of Dans La Nuit and Je Reviens? Let's see if this fairytale has a happy ending.
October is the month for the Winter blockbuster to launch. I'm talking about fragrance rather than film, although both share a similar strategy. A film's trailer is designed to excite an audience into attending, whilst an October fragrance launch is intended to make it onto that all important Christmas list. One of the first cabs off the rank this year is MODERN MUSE NUIT by Estée Lauder. It continues the popular series and is described as "Modern Muse at her most glamorous and mysterious", but is it really? There's only one way to find out ... dim the lights, grab your sequins, and experience the night.
East Dulwich is home to the famous perfume store Roullier White. Now in it’s eleventh year, it’s the passion of Lawrence Roullier-White, but it’s far more than just fragrance. A better description would be Lifestyle Emporium with everything to keep your home running smoothly, but we’ll just concentrate on the perfume side. A regular stop-off point for scent hunters, what would Lawrence reveal about his own fragrant memories during “Stephan’s Six”?
Britain’s favourite “Battleaxe” Christine Hamilton has left behind the world of politics to become a “Media Butterfly”. Her childhood was spent in the New Forest before becoming a research assistant at the House of Commons. Christine is always ready and willing to stand up for her beliefs and principles, which makes her a favourite on TV and in the press, but what would she make of “Stephan’s Six”?
After the phenomenal success of their first fragrance in 1924, Les Parfums Worth followed Dans La Nuit with Vers Le Jour, Sans Adièu, Je Reviens, and Vers Toi. Now, Je Reviens is undoubtedly one of the greatest perfumes ever created, but it also has one of the most troubled histories. Reformulations pushed it from a premier scent to a drugstore staple, but true to its name it refuses to be forgotten. In this period of Remembrance let's take a look at one of the soldiers' true nap-sack fragrances, and try to understand why it came to be found on so many sweetheart's dressing tables during World War 2.
The argument of cost versus quality is one that shows no sign of letting up. It goes alongside natural versus synthetic and niche versus mainstream. So, let me say right at the beginning that I don't care whether a perfume is perceived as "cheap", only that it smells good. I wear a fragrance, not a price tag, and we don't walk around with the perfume bottle dangling from a chain. With this in mind I'd like to show you two "inexpensive" choices that are great stocking fillers and are guaranteed to be used to the final drop. They are from the famous House of Worth, and are probably not in your collection at the moment.
The House of Worth, still most famous for the fragrances Je Reviens and Dans La Nuit, has in recent years seen the lustre start to fade on this diamond in the crown of perfumery, but could it be about to shine once more? Founded by Charles Worth, an Englishman, and his business partner Otto Bobergh in 1858 on Paris' Rue de la Paix, he was to become one of the greatest names in couture fashion, but the fragrances wouldn't arrive until 1924. By this time the company was being run by Charles' grandson, Jacques Worth, and he saw the potential for a fashion house also venturing into the perfumery market
