Synesthesia and Color Associations with Scent

I chose to post this topic here, as I hope for women as well as men to reply.


The topic came up in another thread about color names of perfumes (I shall cut and paste), most of which, I think, are savvy marketing gurus using color associations to evoke (and to capitalise on) contemporaneous success stories in other fashion venues, and emergent trends in other genres, e.g. interior design.
Beyond that, Blue is code for aquatic.
And green is code for unisex,citrus or planty "freshness".
More marketing tools, to assist us in our quick recognition of the trends we personally associate with, and always Zeitgeists.

However, I would propose, that in the experience of fragrance, there is a common synesthetic experience of certain scents. And "experiencing" colors while smelling perfumes is very, very common.

Luca Turin refers to dark and light aspects of fragrances .. even "brightness". (Ferre by Ferre is 'bright', Coco is 'dark' , and Jean Patou's Sublime is an unusual instance of the successful emergence of both light and dark associations in one fragrance.) Certainly we understand universally, it seems, which fragrances are "wet" and which are "dry". (Allure is 'wet', Chanel 19 is 'dry'.)

That said, I believe that the commonality of more complex color associations is a very interesting topic. And I would be very very curious to see what basenoters associate color-wise with some famous scents, presented with the project of putting colors to scents.

I wonder if, with the presence of mind not to make "obvious" associations such as orange to orange notes, many impressions of fragrance effects as a whole would be similar.

What are some color/ visual impressions you have of widely known fragrances?

Bvlgari "Black" is one of my favorites, and the name, although a clear reference to the tire effect (just like its bottle) smells pewter to me, with a fine dust of sparkling opalescence, industrial interiors at night.

To me, Cabochard smells like the color of grey, dry bark, and in an autumnal fog.

Bandit smells pink to me, always has.

I see how my terminology might be confusing.
I know very well the psychological definition of the condition of synesthesia; it's a "malady" I am blessed with!

But it's also used, less formally, in its literal, greek definition, to refer to a dance between aesthetic realms -- to a synthesis of aesthetic experience (to indicate more evocative power than dry associations), upon the presentation of a distinct aesthetic impetus. The "hearing" of sad violins upon viewing a Russain painting is one example. While probably informed by historical reference and invoked by "compartments" of knowledge, this is neither an altogether clinical expereince of synesthesia nor simply an "association". I am an art historian, and I come across the term more and more often in aesthetic discourse, in reference to dramatic, experiential perceptions of the aesthetic. And I daresay, as jargon, it is valid.

As for my post, I also wanted to push past the verbal, and 'descriptions' of the olfactive realm, and see if people were "experiencing" color -- much like a clinical synesthete, in fact.
I am very interested in this because I have spoken with many people who have this experience when smelling things, though not in other instances.
Moreover, although we do have dismal olfactive vocabulary, I see it as something of a blessing. Our brains get to speak a whole language unfettered by linguisitic binds. This is perhaps half of the reason for my fascination with scent!

I think recent statistics put the occurrence of synesthesia at something like ten percent -- taking into account the frequency of this condition being neither diagnosed nor considered unusual by the subject.
I think its interesting that the estimate of artists, musicians, and writers who have synesthesia, is closer to to forty percent, and it is also mused that most very well-known musicians and artist throughout history were most certainly "afflicted". I am an artist, and my world is very small. Most of the people I know are synesthetes in some form. In my case, I have inner landscapes that coincide with many temporal, and linear ideas, e.g. the months of the year, the letters of the alphabet, numbers, times of day, etc. etc. Moreover, each element of these landscapes corresponds to something like a personality, a mood, or a level of comfort. I can attest to the fact that the extreme nature of my synsthesia has been sometimes oppressive. Instances of the number fourteen, or all combinations of ones and fours give me an almost mystical reassurance of a larger, protective whole, while instances of the number two juxtaposed with seven, cause me grave distress. As an adult, I can put these reactions at bay, act normally, and reason past the emotional wave. But as a child, it was a real problem, combined with echolalia(repetition of words) and eurythmia (a compulsive need to tap or touch onesself or objects in space symetrically) , I was little mess. Fortunately my parents were a poet and a linguist, and I was never dismissed.
I have come to be very grateful for my synesthesia; its a bottomless well of emotionally-charged inspiration for my creative efforts. it enhances my realtionship to aesthetic achievements of other in ways I could go on for days about, and I am more sensitive because of it, in general.

I balk at the designation of malady, as we should to all expressions of the autistic spectrum.
But.. I can certainly understand the reluctance to pull this experience into one's life!

That's actually a GREAT sculpture. Thanks for sharing!
Your know its beauty lies in the surprising medium -- ceramic.
In contemplating the careful, deliberate and honorific homage to the original medium (of leather),
we are caused to think about leather! Moreover, the motivation to create a replica of something in a medium that is far more difficult than its model (in this case, with no precedent of ceramic suitcases lol), really drives in the homage factor. And I think the cold and hard nature of ceramic reminds us of the deeply sensory(and smelly) experience of an old leather suitcase!
I'd say, you experienced the intended effect with this experience.
I love things like this.Jeff Koons likes to play with media in a similar way, and sort of achieves a campy, and sarcastic effect. Like his giant, ceramic balloon animals. Or his dog made of rotting flowers.

I think it's really interesting.
I have always had red brown thing with Dune
And Mitsouko is amber
and Rush is tan

No that's great. That's what I was wondering about.

This is a great link!!!