New Class: Fragrances that Influenced History

I’m delighted to bring back my newsletter! Here you’ll find reflections and stories I don’t publish anywhere else—behind-the-scenes notes, sensory explorations, and previews of projects as they take shape. As a welcome gift, I’ve prepared a short guide to the art of cologne: it includes a simple accord you can recreate at home, along with a carefully chosen selection of remarkable colognes to discover. Subscribe here.

This autumn, I am launching a new seminar, Fragrances that Influenced History—a journey through perfumes that not only shaped how we smell, but also how we understand art, fashion, and society. These are the first two parts of a longer seminar, each one hour in length, designed to introduce you to the milestones of modern perfumery. The class is interactive and its size is kept small to ensure that everyone can participate comfortably.

Fragrances That Influenced History

Location: Online, Zoom (recording available)

Date & Time: 1h

Fragrances That Influenced History Part 1 September 20th, Saturday 1:00pm-2:00pm EST/6:00pm-7:00pm CET   SOLD OUT 

Fragrances That Influenced History Part 2 September 28th, Sunday 1:00pm-2:00pm EST/6:00pm-7:00pm CET   SOLD OUT 

Part I: The Dawn of Modern Perfumery
We will begin with the late 19th and early 20th centuries—the moment when modern perfumery was born. You will discover Coty’s La Rose Jacqueminot and Guerlain’s Jicky, perfumes that marked the transition from traditional essences to a new, modern aesthetic. We will discuss how synthetic materials transformed perfume creation, and how these innovations paralleled the bold experimentation in visual arts and literature. You will learn what accords are still used today and how niche perfumery continues to be inspired by the legendary perfumes of the 19th and early 20th century

Part II: Abstraction and the Avant-Garde
The second session will focus on the interwar years and the rise of abstraction in perfumery. We will explore Chanel No. 5, Guerlain Mitsouko, and Caron Narcisse Noir—fragrances that captured the spirit of the 1920s and 30s. You will learn how perfumers collaborated with couturiers, filmmakers, and artists, and how these scents expressed modern identity and changing notions of femininity and masculinity. Besides the iconic fragrances, I will mention others that deserve more attention.

The seminar will continue later this fall with the subsequent sessions.

Why this seminar is unique
This class is based on my professional training as a perfumer and my two decades of experience teaching and writing about fragrance. You will not only hear the cultural and historical background behind these iconic perfumes but will also receive perfume sampling recommendations to improve your understanding of perfumery, as well as formulas for classical accords that reveal how perfumers work.

The takeaway: by the end of these first sessions, you will see perfume as part of a larger cultural conversation—an art form that reflects and shapes history. You will also begin to train your nose with professional techniques and gain tools for analyzing fragrances with greater depth and confidence.

For more information, please consult the Online Classes page. Of course, if you have any suggestions or questions, please don’t hesitate to let me know.