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Browsing by category: perfume books

The daily lemming

Posted by Robin on 10 October 2020 5 Comments

A lemming for serious Frédéric Malle fans: the new book published by Rizzoli. "A graphic-novel collectable looking back over two decades of celebrated perfumery. With Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle: The First Twenty Years, you possess a unique opportunity to delve deeper into the world of the famed olfactory house. Tracing two decades of creativity and innovation, with art direction by Patrick Li, this treasured exploration of Malle’s personal history and lifelong inspirations seeks to further your understanding of what goes into making the finest fragrances of our time." 240 pages, available now at Harrods for £57.50 (or, pre-order at Amazon in the US for $75).

The daily lemming

Posted by Robin on 21 September 2020 3 Comments

The latest from Nez, The Big Book Of Perfume: For An Olfactory Culture. "The team from Nez, the olfactory magazine invites you on a very special journey to explore perfume in all its facets, delving into the heart of a fascinating yet little-known world. This book lifts the curtain on the best kept secrets of perfumery, answering all your questions about the world of smell". 227 pps, $45 at Luckyscent (where you can also see images of a number of interior pages).

Vital bulwarks against the Devil’s breath

Posted by Robin on 14 July 2020 4 Comments

Epidemics of bubonic plague in the 16th and 17th centuries, Muchembled writes, ushered in a fashion for the use of strong-smelling ambergris, musk, and civet, as “vital bulwarks against the Devil’s breath.” Smell was incredibly important to French people trying to stay uninfected; the body was seen as porous and could be “permeated” by air with plague in it. Doctors advised that they should wear white, burn sweet-smelling fires, and live life in moderation, to keep humors balanced.

— Slate reviews Smells: A Cultural History of Odours in Early Modern Times, by Robert Muchembled. Read more in The Book of Smells.

The daily lemming

Posted by Robin on 23 June 2020 Leave a Comment

Issue 9 of Nez is out, and so is Vetiver in Perfumery: "Originating in India and cultivated principally in Haiti, vetiver is a topical grass whose tangled roots contain a fragrant essence that can be extracted via steam distillation. At once fresh, citrusy, vegetal, woody and smoky; vetiver’s essential oil is a perfume all on its own. Though once emblematic of classic masculine perfumery, vetiver has long-since become a staple of the perfumer’s palette and lent its characteristic aroma to countless compositions for both men and women." 96 pages, $25 at Luckyscent (and Issue 9 is $29 for 160 pages, plus they still have Issues 3-8 in stock).

The (almost) daily lemming

Posted by Robin on 22 November 2019 3 Comments

Issue 8 of Nez is out: "Dior Addict, Opium, Obsession... The allusions to illicit products and the conversation of addiction have long accompanied the creation of perfume. But can the latter really induce habituation? Because if perfume and smoke are originally linked, it is the invention of ethanol production processes that drove the development of the sector. [...] Tobacco, alcohol, hard and soft drugs: how does our sense of smell link to addictive substances?" There's also an interview with Serge Lutens and a conversation with Luca Turin. $29 at Luckyscent, or pay $60 and get a 15 ml bottle of Hongkong Oolong ("A smoky, spicy, milky, leathery tea fragrance" by Maurice Roucel).

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