Michael Edwards, the author of Perfume Legends: French feminine fragrances (and the updated version, Perfume Legends II), will publish American Legends: The Evolution of American Fragrances later this year. I have no official details other than an announcement of a book signing in April and am posting this now just because I am excited about it. Perfumes I can see on the cover (and do comment if you know the bottles I am missing): Elizabeth Arden Blue Grass, Old Spice, (?) Evyan White Shoulders, Estee Lauder Youth Dew, Aramis, Brut, Norell, Clinique Aromatics Elixir, Charlie, Estee Lauder Private Collection, Halston, (?) Oscar by Oscar de la Renta, Ralph Lauren Polo, Estee Lauder White Linen, Giorgio, Estee Lauder Beautiful, Calvin Klein Obsession, Calvin Klein Eternity, (is that Elizabeth Arden Red Door?), Elizabeth Taylor White Diamonds, Donna Karan Cashmere Mist, CK One, Demeter Dirt, Bond no. 9 Chinatown, something by Le Labo.
Update: Here is the description from the Fragrances of the World website...
American Legends is the long-awaited companion to Perfume Legends, the cult book in which French perfumers spoke openly for the first time about their work and the sources of their inspiration. “There is no book like it,” stated Edmond Roudnitska, the celebrated perfumer.
Now, in American Legends, Michael Edwards documents the evolution, the richness and the sheer originality of American fragrances from Elizabeth Arden’s Blue Grass (1934) to Le Labo’s Santal 33 (2011). The result is living history, told through the words of the creators behind forty legendary American perfumes.
The book covers 40 fragrances, so more than the 25 shown on the cover. The Hardcover is $150 USD, if you pre-order you get a 20% discount (I believe that offer is good through the end of July 2024).
All big name commercial brands? I wonder if any of the artisan/niche brands are mentioned? Dame, Aftelier, DSH, just to name a few…
No, that is not what Michael Edwards does at all, it’s sort of in the title “Legends”. He does include some of the larger niche brands (Malle & L’Artisan made the second version of the original Perfume Legends, and this time you have Bond & Le Labo.) But if a perfume is not widely distributed it is hard to see how it ends up widely worn, and thus what he would call a “legend”.
I did learn more from the original book than I’ve learned from any other fragrance book, hands down.
Oh, I see. Thanks for the clarification.
And should have said…what I learned from the original PL was how the fragrance industry worked.
Yes I understood, the industry, not the products. Sounds interesting!
The one with the fancy white cap directly below Old Spice is Oscar
I actaully meant two rows down from Old Spice, below Norell 🙂
Oh thank you!!
And the one to the right of Old Spice is White Shoulders
Excellent.
And that was my first ever perfume, so shame on me! (But I had a little miniature.)
And yes on Red Door
And thanks again!
I had all three of these and loved wearing them!
Oh I am definitely up for this! Years ago I remember posting here about his original book – my husband went to a motorcycle show in Edinburgh (we live in Aberdeen, so it was a day trip) & our then in existence department store Frasers was one of the few businesses stocking the book (this was before Amazon) so I arranged with the shop to have him collect it – so basically a group of motorcycle gear clad guys pitched up at the perfume counter of an upmarket department store to pick up a book about perfume – cue much hilarity with the staff, I seem to remember!
That is excellent Carolyn!
Ha ha, what an endearing moment and funny picture!
Love this anecdote!
Exciting news, thank you Robin, American perfumery definitely deserves its own publication. I’ll buy it for sure.
Looking forward to it, as I loved the other one. With both, though, I can’t help thinking about how utterly “out-of-date” those fragrances seem to most people now.
Wow. The price of the original book on the resale market is bonkers. If you have a copy, sell it and retire early.