And yet my father had been buying it for years. I was resolved to get it for him, among other reasons because I had promised and had made it sound so easy. But I began to panic. I knew this was his last year, and I desperately wanted to get my hands on a bottle for Christmas.
— Columnist André Aciman goes to lengths that many of you will sympathize with to find a bottle of his father's favorite cologne, Aria di Parma. Read more at Should an Old Fragrance Be Forgot: A writer's quest for his father's discontinued Italian aftershave at the Wall Street Journal. Many thanks to Ruth for the link!
I'm so sorry the writer wasn't able to find a bottle for his father! My mother wore Murasaki for years, it was the scent I associated with her, and when it was discontinued, she stopped wearing fragrance altogether. When she was diagnosed with cancer, it became very important for me to find a bottle for her. I first discovered the world of perfume blogs looking for a replacement scent for her. Then I learned that vintage scents could be found on EBay. I scored a vintage botle of Murasaki just in time for Mother's Day, and when I gave it to her, I felt like I was giving her the gift of time returned.
That's so lovely that you were able to find it for Mother's Day 🙂
This poignant story illustrates beautifully how evocative perfume can be – there's such a potent connection between scent and memory.
Jirish
What a lovely thing you were able to do for your mother. Murasaki is lovely, I wish it were still available.
Yes 🙂