Books: 28 posts

Cult Perfumes: The World’s Most Exclusive Perfumeries is a new book devoted to small, artisanal perfumeries, or for the lack of a better term, niche. It includes interviews with the perfumers and creators, perfume descriptions and the history of various lines. The author Tessa Williams includes 25 different brands, from Amouage to Serge Lutens. There are even mentions of small lines like Byredo, Tauer Perfumes, and Nasomatto. It also contains a handy glossary of fragrance terms and a list of perfume museums around the world. Did you know that Japan has three such establishments?

There are plenty of photos, and at 192 pages Cult Perfumes is a cross between a coffee table book (albeit, in a small format) and a reference set. The book isn’t overly technical, and as such, it would be best for someone fairly new to perfume or curious to learn more about small, lesser known brands. Advanced perfume lovers might find the information too light.

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Fragrances of the World 2013 edition is going to be launched this month. “My first guide book in 1984 listed just 38 new fragrances,” says the fragrance expert Michael Edwards. “Our 2013 book is notably bigger and heavier than past editions. We tracked 1,330 new fragrances in 2012, up from 1,065 in 2011. Whilst the volume of launches shows no sign of slowing, we are seeing brands being more resourceful. Brands are capitalizing on formulae modifications – eaux de parfums, eau de toilettes, elixirs and the like – to enhance the success of a current fragrance, with perfume collections gaining ground in certain markets.”

The book is intended as a guide for retailers and it lists the fragrances sold today. In addition, it contains discontinued, iconic and limited edition fragrances. The listings are indexed by gender and brand for ease of reference. The new edition is illustrated by the Australian photographer and florist team Saskia Havekes and Gary Heery from Grandiflora. The book is available at www.fragrancesoftheworld.com. Via press release

I have my priorities straight: I selected my wedding perfume a few days after my engagement, while I bought my dress six days before the ceremony. I do not necessarily recommend following my example (discovering that something does not fit correctly a day before the big event is stressful!), but the choice of fragrance should not be an afterthought.

There is a reason why brides are the epitome of beauty and radiance—no makeup, dress or jewelry can compete with the radiance of someone happy and in love. A well chosen perfume that can make you feel beautiful and elegant is the most exquisite ornament. It also becomes a special scented memento reminding you of this happy day. My wedding was already a few years ago, but I only need to take a whiff of Frédéric Malle Carnal Flower to be reminded of the chaos and excitement of that day.

But how do you pick a perfect perfume? Do you wear something familiar or do you select a completely new fragrance? What role do scents play in your wedding ceremony? Some of these questions can best be answered by Alyssa Harad, who wrote a book about falling in love with perfume and becoming a bride at the same time. Coming to My Senses: A Story of Perfume, Pleasure, and an Unlikely Bride  is a story about being seduced by scents and creating memories through aromas. Since perfumes played an important role in my and Alyssa’s weddings, we exchanged many letters on the subject.  Continue reading →

I love beautifully illustrated books from the publisher Assouline, so I am looking forward to their three volume series on Christian Dior.

“The pinnacle of French haute couture and savoir faire, the house of Dior is one of the world’s most celebrated luxury brands. Christian Dior envisioned a world of sophistication and elegance, a complete expression of the French tradition of high culture, artistry, and meticulous workmanship. With his fashions, Dior created idealized feminine shapes, seeking harmony and coherence in the lines of his designs. As a young man, Christian Dior had hoped to become an architect; his mother wanted him to be a diplomat: He was all that and more.

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Reading The Perfume Lover by Denyse Beaulieu, the author of Grain de Musc, I felt as if I were following her on two big journeys. One was a personal journey into a lifelong fascination with perfume, and another into capturing the memories of a specific experience in perfume form. On the surface, it sounds easy—just tell a talented perfumer your story and let your scented memories unfold. However, I suspected that it may not have been all that straightforward. The language of perfume is subjective and elusive. What seems like a clear idea in your mind can be hard to grasp for other people. The most interesting part of The Perfume Lover is that despite these difficulties Denyse and perfumer Bertrand Duchaufour were able to pull together a beautiful and memorable fragrance. So, I asked Denyse to share with us how her book The Perfume Lover and her perfume Séville à l’aube, which will be launched by L’Artisan Parfumeur in July, came together.

by Denyse Beaulieu

“The pleasurable byproduct of wow.”  That’s how the legendary music critic Greil Marcus defines his writing. And since I started out as a jailbait rock critic during the punk era, whatever Greil Marcus says is all right with me. In fact, “the pleasurable byproduct of wow” strikes me as the best definition for both The Perfume Lover and Séville à l’aube. Bertrand Duchaufour’s wow came when I told him the story that inspired him to compose the fragrance. My wow was not only that he actually wanted to create a perfume based on my story, but that he allowed me to capture his creative process into words.

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