Culture: 426 posts

A perfume aficionado with a taste for details and history might know the story of Chanel No 5 and the meaning of chypre. Some of us comb libraries for old perfume books and auction sites for forgotten vintage gems. We collect raw materials and analyze their nuances. When we start talking about accords, sillage, drydown and composition to “regular” people, their eyes glaze over. If you have a mischievous streak to your personality, take this talk to the perfume counter at your local department store. You will be rewarded with a look of total incomprehension. Therefore, when I came across a fragrance quiz devised by the British perfume writer Nigel Groom in July 1996 for Mastermind, I immediately wanted to share it with you. Nigel Groom thought that these are the things a perfume lover should know. So, give it a go! How many can you answer without referring to Google? What other questions would you add?

P.S. And no, these are not easy! I admit that some of the questions stumped me. On the whole, it is an interesting and educational quiz.

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Fascinating glimpse into the creative process in perfumery (quoting famous perfumers such as Henri Robert, Andre Fraysse, Ernest Beaux and Edmond Roudnitska) excerpted from The Complete Technology Book on Herbal Perfumes & Cosmetics By H. Panda, p. 53-54.

“Different perfumers react to different stimuli. Thus Henri Robert interviewed some years ago, mentioned that he always kept an odour-diary throughout his worldwide travels. On returning to his laboratory, with the aid of these notes, he would attempt to recreate in memory the various olfactive impressions that he had received: ‘something suggested, for example, on a May morning on the Riviera or in the heat of a tropical afternoon, the impression arising from a market scene, a visit to the grand magazines or a concert.’ He might then decide to translate this or that olfactive reminiscence into a formula. … The place which he considered the most unfailingly stimulating source of odour-impressions was Paris, or to be more precise, a very small section of the Faubourg St. Honore. Here he was able to find the strongest impression of artistry, beauty and that subtle feeling of elegance so necessary to achievement in the sphere of fine perfumery.

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“One afternoon, we went to the House of Guerlain. George [Balanchine] wanted to choose a perfume for me. We sampled several before he settled on L’Heure Bleue (the expression the French have for twilight), a beautiful, subtle fragrance that I still use today. George dabbed some on my neck below my ear and lowered his head. His lips softly touched mine. The solemnity with which he conducted the perfume ritual, and the unexpected display of affection, was a surprise and was more fulfilling because of that. I felt gratified and loved” (p.66, Maria Tallchief By Maria Tallchief, Larry Kaplan)

The first time I’ve read this passage from the autobiography of a renowned ballerina Maria Tallchief, I felt both moved and saddened. The former reaction was elicited by the effect of perfume on these two people. The latter by my realization that obviously the love for L’Heure Bleue outlasted Tallchief’s marriage to Balanchine, a genius choreographer who changed the face of American ballet.

Whether one knows anything about ballet or not, this passage is a wonderful and rare glimpse into another woman’s relationship with scent. I hope to share more of such vignettes on these pages.

Photo: Maria Tallchief from Fargo Film Festival.

In his wonderful memoirs Souvenirs et Parfums Constantin Weriguine, a Russian emigre perfumer who worked with Ernest Beaux at Chanel shares some fascinating tidbits not just about the perfume industry of his time, but also about Ernest Beaux himself. Beaux was a man who admired Napoleon Bonaparte, searched for raspberry nuances in rose oils he used in Chanel products and had a tremendous passion for his art. Re-reading Souvenirs et Parfums on the plane last week, I noted down a passage, in which Weriguine shares a speech given by Beaux in 1946 about fragrance, chemistry and inspiration for Chanel No 5.

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Happy May Day! In France, May Day is associated with the lily of the valley (muguet in French), a symbol of purity and a reminder of spring. If I were about to spend 9h on the plane, I would wear Christian Dior Diorissimo, the most perfect lily of the valley fragrance. Or perhaps, vintage Coty Muguet des Bois. Nonetheless, I would like to mention a few of the lily of the valley related articles on Bois de Jasmin as well as to offer a list of more than 40 fragrances dominated by that note.

Spring Flower Bouquet ~ Lily of the Valley discusses some of the most quintessential lily of the valley fragrances and offers several suggestions, from classical to modern. It includes links to lily of the valley fragrance reviews.

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