ELLE Portraits : Perfume, Writing and Dance

Elle Belgium has an article about my work, writing and perfume–and ballet–in its November issue. Journalist Grete Simkuté visited me in my Brussels’ studio and home and the result is her article “Message in a Bottle,” p. 112-116.

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Grete and I talked about why perfume was able to sway this political scientist to leave academia and join the lab. Fragrance is about things that smell good, but at its core, it’s also about science, fashion, art, and changing trends in society. It’s not a coincidence that some of the most interesting junctures in perfume history were accompanied by breakthrough developments in chemistry and experiments in art and couture.

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I showed Grete some of my collection and we talked about selecting fragrance and ways to enjoy scents in daily life (not just bottled perfumes.)

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Elle Belgie, November 2016, on newsstands now.

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96 Comments

  • katherine x: Congratulations Victoria! Well-deserved attention. Would love to read this in Elle U.S. as well! November 18, 2016 at 7:21am Reply

    • Victoria: Thank you, Katherine! November 18, 2016 at 9:34am Reply

  • Cornelia Blimber: Congratulations!
    Maybe it’s available in Amsterdam as well. November 18, 2016 at 7:27am Reply

    • Victoria: A friend mentioned picking up a copy in Amsterdam, but let me know if you have trouble finding it. November 18, 2016 at 9:34am Reply

      • Cornelia Blimber: Where did she find it? I visited Athenaeum and Bestseller, but there there was no Belgian Elle, and the Dutch edition did not have the article.
        A pity, we can read the language and you have many Dutch readers! November 19, 2016 at 10:45am Reply

        • Victoria: Yes, I do, as I realized. I will ask her, but I gathered that it was at one of the large bookstores.

          Email me, if you still have troubles finding it. November 21, 2016 at 3:55am Reply

        • Hamamelis: Hi Cornelia, I asked a business relation in Brussels to buy me one and send it. Once I have received it I can read it (make a copy 😉 and send it to you. November 21, 2016 at 7:24am Reply

          • Cornelia Blimber: Hi Hamamelis! how generous of you! Thank you very much.
            Erg aardig! maar zo is Hamamelis. November 21, 2016 at 7:51am Reply

            • Hamamelis: I will need to know where I can send it to once I’ve read and received it, can you pass on your mail address via Victoria? November 21, 2016 at 7:53am Reply

              • Cornelia Blimber: Of course! Victoria has my email adress. November 21, 2016 at 7:57am Reply

  • Michaela: Beautiful!
    Congratulations! November 18, 2016 at 8:03am Reply

  • Laura G. Harold: Amazing! For me, perfume completes my fashion style. Without the scent of my favorite perfume every day, then I can say that my fashion is not complete. Thanks for your inspiring message here about Perfume. November 18, 2016 at 9:44am Reply

    • Victoria: It’s such an easy way to feel more glamorous! November 18, 2016 at 11:21am Reply

      • Cornelia Blimber: You don’t need perfume to be glamorous! November 19, 2016 at 6:18am Reply

        • Victoria: Every bit helps. 🙂 November 21, 2016 at 3:53am Reply

  • Ari: Oh my GOODNESS, Victoria! A FOUR PAGE spread, multiple pictures- this is just spectacular! Do you think this will be on the Elle Belgium website, so I can run it through Google Translate? (Follow-up question: does Elle Belgium have a website?) November 18, 2016 at 9:50am Reply

    • Victoria: Perhaps later, since it’s in their brand new issue. Grete, by the way, writes a lot about art, so it was fun to talk to her. In a very refreshing contrast to some other mags, the focus was on fragrance and the enjoyment of aromas, rather than specific products.

      Yes, they do!
      http://www.elle.be/nl/ November 18, 2016 at 10:00am Reply

  • Amalia: I’m happy for you! Congratulations and more to come. November 18, 2016 at 9:58am Reply

    • Victoria: Thank you so much, Amalia! November 18, 2016 at 10:00am Reply

  • Raquel: Confratulations Victoria! Well deserved. I wish I could read it. November 18, 2016 at 10:04am Reply

  • Raquel: *Congratulations November 18, 2016 at 10:05am Reply

  • Mia: Wow! Just great that also other audiences are able to read about your work. Looking forward the article possibly being published also in other Elles. I guess I have no access to the Belgian one. November 18, 2016 at 10:37am Reply

    • Victoria: Yes, that’s the nice part. It’s amazing how different the same magazines are in different countries. November 18, 2016 at 11:24am Reply

  • Sylvia Long: Whoops! I believe my phone just posted a partially finished response to your post.
    Wanted to congratulate you on the article and say do you know if it will be in the US? I’d love to read it. So very happy for you Victoria! November 18, 2016 at 10:52am Reply

    • Victoria: Thank you.
      The US ELLE has its own editorials, and they don’t overlap. Everyone does something different. November 18, 2016 at 11:25am Reply

  • Phyllis Iervello: Congratulations Victoria! I would love to read the article. Do you know whether or not it will also be run in USA’s Elle? November 18, 2016 at 11:21am Reply

    • Victoria: Thank you.
      I’m not sure, but if it will ever be online, at least we can read with the Google translate. November 18, 2016 at 11:25am Reply

  • maja: Absolutely great news and you look gorgeous! You deserve it so much. Really happy for you! November 18, 2016 at 11:40am Reply

  • Karen A: Many congratulations!! Am going to try and find a copy, fingers crossed one of the bookstores in the DC area will have it!! November 18, 2016 at 11:43am Reply

  • Nikki: How wonderful! You look great! It is really nice to see your success and happiness! Congratulations! November 18, 2016 at 11:50am Reply

    • Victoria: Thank you, Nikki. Nice to hear from you. November 21, 2016 at 3:41am Reply

  • OperaFan: That’s just wonderful, Dear V. I’m so very happy for you – beautiful pictures of you, too! November 18, 2016 at 11:55am Reply

    • Victoria: Thank you very much. They’re a great team. November 21, 2016 at 3:41am Reply

  • Susan Minnicks: super bravo! So glad to share with our friends in Europe! November 18, 2016 at 12:06pm Reply

  • irem: Congratulations Victoria! I wish I could read it too. You look gorgeous on the photo! November 18, 2016 at 12:24pm Reply

    • Victoria: Thank you very much! November 21, 2016 at 3:42am Reply

  • briony: Lovely, Victoria! About time someone turned the spotlight on you. I wish I could understand the article – you’ve got such a fascinating life. November 18, 2016 at 12:34pm Reply

    • Victoria: Thank you, Briony. 🙂 November 21, 2016 at 3:43am Reply

  • Hamamelis: Well deserved and wonderful news. My husband was in Brussels yesterday, if I had know I could have asked him to buy it! Let’s see if I can find another way, it would be lovely to read it (as a longstanding fan 😉 ). November 18, 2016 at 12:44pm Reply

    • Hamamelis: Oh and I just see it is in Dutch (Vlaams), what a treat if I can find it. November 18, 2016 at 1:59pm Reply

    • Victoria: Do let me know. You would actually be able to read it. 🙂 November 21, 2016 at 3:43am Reply

      • Hamamelis: Via one of our business relations I will get a copy! If it is not too long, I could translate it for you, so you can post it here for the non Dutch BdJ readers. I can’t promise a hard dead line though ;-), it would be after Christmas I think! November 21, 2016 at 5:10am Reply

        • Victoria: That’s very kind of you! Thank you very much. November 21, 2016 at 12:25pm Reply

  • Marie: Wow, congratulations! You do such great work, I am glad to see the media’s interest in you and in the art of perfume. November 18, 2016 at 12:51pm Reply

    • Victoria: What I liked is that they were perfectly comfortable to talk about perfume as art, enjoyment, pleasure, without the need to stuff the article with mentions of products, prices, etc. November 21, 2016 at 3:45am Reply

  • Tijana: Congrats Victoria, so well deserved, I would love to read this translated to English!!!! ❤️ November 18, 2016 at 1:53pm Reply

  • Robert H.: Fabulous!!! Congrats!!! November 18, 2016 at 2:18pm Reply

  • Johanob: Well this is just fabulous.Congatulations!And you look fantastic in the pictures!! November 18, 2016 at 2:24pm Reply

    • Victoria: Thank you very much! November 21, 2016 at 3:46am Reply

  • rainboweyes: I’m wondering if the article can be found in the German Elle? The photographs are really beautiful. And I love your studio 🙂 November 18, 2016 at 4:17pm Reply

    • Victoria: I think that all Elles do their own editorials.

      Yes, he did a very good job, especially on those piles of books. 🙂 November 21, 2016 at 3:47am Reply

  • Gaye: Such beautiful photographs Victoria! Do please tell us about the ballet part though: in addition to your work on perfumes, you also practise and/or teach ballet?! November 18, 2016 at 5:52pm Reply

    • Victoria: I used to dance professionally and teach.

      Thank you! November 21, 2016 at 3:48am Reply

  • Tara C: Congratulations! Can’t read the text but you are stunning in the photos. November 18, 2016 at 11:50pm Reply

    • Victoria: Thank you very much, Tara! November 21, 2016 at 3:49am Reply

  • Liliane: Wow that is great, fantastic!
    Super, I go to the shop and buy Elle, read it…
    Well done, congratulations!,
    And I can read it ‘s my language. November 19, 2016 at 12:49am Reply

    • Victoria: Thank you. Hope that you will enjoy it. November 21, 2016 at 3:50am Reply

  • Jennifer Shaw: This is fantastic!! I am so excited for you Victoria. I really enjoy reading your blog so much. Glad to see such beautiful photographs of you. I hope that I can find a copy of this issue in San Francisco. November 19, 2016 at 1:03am Reply

    • Victoria: Thank you very much for your nice words, Jennifer! November 21, 2016 at 3:51am Reply

  • Austenfan: An article in Dutch on you! Congratulations, was it fun to do? November 19, 2016 at 3:44am Reply

    • Victoria: 🙂
      It was fun. Working (talking/posing, in my case) with smart, talented people always is. November 21, 2016 at 3:52am Reply

  • kayliz: Oh wow, five pages, how lovely! I hope you feel it reflects your thoughts and the conversation well. And that you’re simply basking right now:) November 19, 2016 at 5:28am Reply

    • Victoria: I enjoyed it, of course, but as for basking, it’s the prerogative of the people who actually put the work into the article. My part was easy. 🙂 November 21, 2016 at 3:53am Reply

  • spe: What a delight! The photos are fabulous and somehow I need to find a way to get the article and translate to English. Congratulations!!! November 19, 2016 at 9:21am Reply

    • Victoria: Thank you very much! November 21, 2016 at 3:54am Reply

  • Andy: This is such fantastic news, quite an achievement! I so hope we’ll all be able to access it online at some point and translate to read at a later time. Either way, the whole spread looks phenomenal, and the photographs are gorgeous. November 19, 2016 at 10:51am Reply

    • Victoria: Thank you very much, Andy! November 21, 2016 at 3:55am Reply

  • Patricia: Beautiful pictures of you. Congratulations! 🙂 November 19, 2016 at 3:46pm Reply

    • Victoria: Thank you very much, Pat! November 21, 2016 at 3:55am Reply

  • Nora Szekely: Congratulations, Victoria.
    It would be lovely to read the article online. November 19, 2016 at 8:01pm Reply

  • Audrey H.: This is very exciting and so well deserved, congratulations! November 19, 2016 at 9:58pm Reply

    • Victoria: Thank you so much, Audrey! November 21, 2016 at 3:56am Reply

  • Natalie: That is so awesome! I am happy for you Victoria! November 19, 2016 at 11:26pm Reply

    • Victoria: Thank you very much, Natalie! November 21, 2016 at 3:56am Reply

  • Notturno7: Wonderful, Victoria! Congratulations!!
    Wish we can find it and translate to English.
    You look beautiful 💜. I was trying to figure out the names of Lutens’ bottles in the photos. Maybe De Profundis… Lovely. I’m so glad for you. November 21, 2016 at 3:50am Reply

    • Victoria: Thank you very much!

      One of them is De Profundis, and the other one must have been Iris Silver Mist. I need to check on another photo to see what it was. November 21, 2016 at 3:58am Reply

      • Notturno7: Thank you for sharing some of your favorites with us this way! 💖 It helps! November 21, 2016 at 4:02am Reply

  • Aurora: Congratulations, Victoria, you are becoming famous and the article looks very detailed (I can’t wait for a translation). You look absolutely lovely in the photos and very comfortable too! November 21, 2016 at 5:38am Reply

    • Victoria: All thanks to the photographer. 🙂 Thank you very much for your kind words! November 21, 2016 at 12:25pm Reply

  • mayfly: The article looks fascinating, I hope there is indeed a translation available at some point!
    This is such a testament to you’re talent and integrity Victoria, I was so excited to see this!
    Congratulations! November 21, 2016 at 9:05am Reply

    • Victoria: Thank you very much! I’m touched by all of your nice comments. November 21, 2016 at 12:26pm Reply

  • Heather H: Wow, Victoria ! This is big! So happy for you and your success. You soon deserve this. You look like an Elle model. November 21, 2016 at 10:08pm Reply

    • Victoria: You’re too kind! 🙂 Thank you, Heather. November 24, 2016 at 4:13am Reply

  • Tiamaria: Congratulations Victoria, I’m so thrilled for you! Well deserved recognition. I wish I could get it here. You have created something very special here which has enriched my life greatly since discovering this blog. Well done and continued success! November 22, 2016 at 5:54am Reply

    • Victoria: Hearing this makes my day. Thank you very much! November 24, 2016 at 4:14am Reply

  • Tania: A wonderful article.
    Too bad these are still so rare in women’s magazines.

    Goed gedaan 🙂 November 25, 2016 at 4:01am Reply

    • Victoria: Grete is a very good writer, and I’m honored she decided to take up this project. 🙂 November 25, 2016 at 5:59am Reply

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