For the most part, the houses that managed to stay intact through World War II couldn’t recoup their losses during the lean postwar years and folded. Those that survived were often pushed out of department stores by corporations that had bought up multiple fragrance, cosmetics and fashion brands and had the power to negotiate shelf space. Now, even larger brands like Chanel and LVMH’s Dior and Guerlain are releasing their own fragrance revivals. Marketing research seems to have confirmed what the little houses already knew: When it comes to scents, we’re increasingly looking to the past to discover what’s timeless in a world flooded with novelty.
— Read more in How Do You Resurrect a Lost Perfume? at The New York Times.
Thanks for the article Robin! I hope you are managing ok, as best as can be given the circumstances.
My inbox and feed are overflowing with announcements regarding “reimagined” versions of beloved perfume classics but unfortunately, the ones I’ve tried fall apart on my skin (Guerlain and Dior), aren’t well designed (Gap) or I get a scorching headache (any and all the above).
I think many newer releases have some note that just don’t agree with my skin. It’s likely a blessing, given the aspirational pricing of new releases and even higher pricing of classics. It’s good that I can enjoy what I already have.
I always say I would rather have the original, but the originals don’t smell like they used to either. I’ve tried buying vintage and have gotten some pretty horrid stuff that went bad. If there could be a time machine and I could go back in time, the first thing I would do is go to the perfume counter or store and smell the perfume and try to bring it back with me. That’s only in science fiction, alas.
Please bring back the original Armani Pour Homme. That’s a fantastic fragrance.