What I could not have known, as an “oriental” boy growing up among oriental smells, was that, from the late 1970s through the mid-1980s, a movement was underway in Western perfumery, in which the scents of my childhood, known in fragrance as the “orientals” — ambers and aromatic woods, vetiver, patchouli, musk and sandalwood — were being repurposed. Their rise, culminating eventually in the popularization of oudh in our century, spoke of profound societal changes in the West, such as women’s liberation, sexual freedom and the global dominance of the United States.
— Read more in The Fragrances That Changed the Field at The New York Times.
What a great article, I hope a few people here gave it a read. It’s the kind of in depth perfume writing that I think we’d all like to see more often.
So glad it was a great article…very busy day so only skimmed, and will have to try to read it tomorrow.
Very interesting article. Long, but worth it.
Good!
I was actually a little disappointed at the end, unsure what the author was exactly trying to convey as a message. Although I do think some of the quotes and points were insightful.