I’ve been wanting to do this post for some time. As the flipside to The New Rules post I did a few years ago. While the latter was mostly about how flexible things have become, there are certain incontrovertible Laws of Perfumery.
Fragrance Etiquette: The New Rules (Plus Some Things That Never Change)
DESPITE THE INDUSTRY’S OBFUSCATION, MODERN PERFUMERY IS VERY MUCH ABOUT WHAT GOES ON IN THE LAB.
All those images of fields of florals and seaside reveries would have you believe that perfumery is nature’s bounty. Words play their part too in the elaborate deception.
Of course, the reality is very different. From Houbigant Fougère Royale (coumarin), Guerlain Jicky (vanillin) and Chanel No 5 (aldehydes) to the more recent Mugler Angel (Ethyl maltol) and Dior Sauvage (Ambroxan), synthetics are the backbone of perfumery.
Hoorah for those brands that are upfront about the use of aroma-chemicals and captive molecules in their creations.
JUST BECAUSE IT’S POPULAR DOESN’T MEAN IT WILL STAY IN PRODUCTION.
“Why?!” What’s that wailing sound? Oh, just another perfumista mourning the discontinuation of their favourite scent.
This phenomenon is almost always never announced by brands. One day you see it on the company website, the next day you don’t. The much-loved Yves Saint Laurent M7 and Gucci Pour Homme II are two primary examples here.
The result is always the same: waves of nostalgia for said fragrance and sellers charging exorbitant prices for it on sites like eBay.
The corollary: traumatised perfumistas spreading false rumours that a fragrance is about to be discontinued. Just the other day, I had to reassure someone that L’Artisan Parfumeur Timbuktu is, in fact, still available on the brand’s website. Keep calm and buy back-up bottles just in case…
IF THERE’S MONEY TO BE MADE, EXPECT LOTS OF FLANKERS.
Certain brands seem to have made the flankerisation (I’m including limited editions) of their best-sellers their raison d’être.
Prime suspects: Lancôme La Vie est Belle and Guerlain La Petite Robe Noire. But Jean Paul Gaultier Le Male (the French brand’s Scandal franchise is going in the same direction), Issey Miyake L’Eau d’Issey and Mugler Angel have made it an art form.
If you’ve managed to keep up with all the additions of any of the above and can tell the difference between the various iterations, you most certainly deserve a prize. The latest addition to any of the above-mentioned ranges.
NICHE ISN’T IMMUNE TO THE LAWS OF PERFUMERY.
As niche brands become more commercially driven (they are enterprises, after all), the more they follow the business models of designer brands.
Once the preserve of designer brands, flanking, albeit on a smaller scale, is increasingly common in niche.
Image: Juliette Has A Gun.
PERFUMERY ISN’T FOR PURISTS.
What’s worse than a discontinued favourite? For traditionalists, a resurrected, reinterpreted favourite for a new generation that bears little resemblance to the original and stripped of its mystique.
“What’s worse than a discontinued favourite? For traditionalists, a resurrected, reinterpreted favourite.”
Created for Audrey Hepburn, L’Interdit Givenchy is the stuff of legends. Originally produced as a gift from Hubert Givenchy for the actress, it was released commercially in 1957. The French brand revived it in 2018 as Givenchy L’Interdit and it’s doing very well, judging by the steady succession of annual releases.
ICONIC: Audrey Hepburn was the first actress to become the face for a perfume.
Dior launched Joy in 2018 to much consternation from fans of the classic Jean Patou Joy from 1930. The French brand’s parent company, LVMH, bought the legendary couturier’s company in 2018 on the sly, with Dior acquiring the rights to the name Joy. Then in 2020, the luxury conglomerate pulled the plug on Jean Patou perfumes while keeping the fashion side of the business (now known as Patou). It doesn’t get more brutal and uns(c)entimental than that.
JUST BECAUSE IT’S POPULAR DOESN’T MEAN IT’S RUBBISH (OR WHAT GOES UP MUST BE PULLED DOWN)
The more successful a fragrance becomes, the more it’s trashed online.
Case in point: Bleu de Chanel. “Boring!” they declare. Having revisited it recently, it’s actually very good, thank you.
Another of the last decade’s big fragrances, Maison Francis Kurkdjian Baccarat Rouge 540, is also getting its fair share of negative commentary. Yes, it’s everywhere, both in its original and much-copied forms, but let’s give credit where it’s due.
PERFUME IS ALSO A VISUAL MEDIUM.
Huh? Steady on, old chap, what are you on about now? From bottles to packaging, whether minimalist or over-the-top, perfume is as much about the optics as it is about the olfactives.
In our digital world, this has gone a step further, with Instagram users, in particular, taking it to new levels of visual stimulation.
This law sounded rather clever at first. Now I’m just wondering if I’m stating the obvious…
What do you think? Do you have any Laws of Perfumery you’d like to add?
Fantastic article and photos, Rich. We live and learn on discontinuation. The bane of a perfume lovers existence. Haha. Backing up our favourite bottles is most certainly the key.
Many thanks, dear Daniel. It’s a bit like buying a style of clothing that really suits you. You mean to do it, but never get around to it. Ha! Ha!
…….& you continue to educate me in the most fragrant way. Thank you
It’s my pleasure, dear Vonne. Thank you for such a wonderful compliment.
Enjoyed the humour on the industry.
Many thanks, dear Aurore. It’s a very serious industry, which lends itself to a lot of humour.