Dear Basenoters- I could do with some advice. Plus as a first timer poster Im going for the record on the longest diatribe.
Part of me feels a little like a student whos attempting to get someone else to do their homework, but hopefully, if you read on, youll see that Ive at least tried to put a structure in place to what follows.
Basically, as a (very amateur) fragrance lover, Ive volunteered to give a 2 hour lecture on the fragrance industry to a large group of MA students at a London University where I am a part time course director.
As a fashion journalist myself, I want to examine the perfume industry not just from the sense of genre (chypres leathers etc) but from a historical and commercial perspective, something my training on magazines taught me to do instinctively when considering fashion - from Celine to Primark and everything in between.
My overwhelming sense from reading Basenotes, Luca Turin, Chandler Burr etc. is that whereas fashion is something that can easily be critiqued because of its context and associations, fragrance is altogether another matter, particularly when divorced from its associated marketing machines. I also believe that the fragrance layman has a vastly less sophisticated understanding of fragrance than fashion simply because it is somewhat of an intangible. I am constantly spraying my bemused students with odd frags I have picked up on eBay and often there is very little reaction beyond the obvious whereas were I to discuss an equivalent fashion brand they would have much more in the way of a defined opinion.
The following lecture attempts to readdress this in a fairly superficial way admittedly, but, hopefully will get them thinking about the significance of fragrance, and may even get some to ditch Coco Mademoiselle or Acqua di Gio for something more idiosyncratic.
This is my starting point, and below is a list a checklist of the areas I intend to cover (fairly swiftly) AND, what Im after from you guys, are any glaring omissions or gaps in the mix. Im delivering this on Nov 19th so Ive got my work cut out for me any input would be massively appreciated. As you read it , youll see that Ive used bullet points which say something like- discuss what a leather based fragrance is - obviously, this is for me to do, and not a request aimed at you Im more concerned by missing the fragrance equivalent of Diors New Look of 1947 just through a gap in my knowledge.
Here Goes
Introduction: fragrance as a $15 billon industry, how we appreciate fragrance, fragrance as an emotional signifier etc.
Beginnings:
Hungary Water first alcohol based perfume
Then Eau de Cologne what constitutes an Eau de Cologne, talking a little about 7411, Kolnisch Wasser, Eau de Guerlain Imperiale, etc. Plus a bit on its standing in the industry today for instance, in the UK its very much perceived as an old ladies perfume (my grandmother wore 7411) whereas in Spain you can buy a 2L bottle of Puig at the corner shop for a couple of Euros
Fougere Royale Houbigant and the development of the Fougere concept
Then I want to talk a little about Grossmith- particularly Hasu-no-Hana and Phul Nana which to my mind are typically late nineteenth century fragrances, that also keyed into British societys interest in Orientalism, and how Simon Brooke reinvented the company with particular emphasis on selling to the Arab market.
Jicky an analysis of Jicky, why it is so important in the history of fragrance and leading on from that, more on Guerlain as a brand.
Chypre by Coty and the development of Chypre talking about what constitutes a Chypre and what contemporary fragrances employ this note most successfully.
Mitsouko following on from the above
Knize 10 and leather based fragrances what they are etc.
Chanel and Chanel NO5 plenty to say on that one.
Then talk a little about what exactly aldehydes are and how they work within a perfume structure.
This I hope will neatly lead on to talking a little about synthetics and naturals and the relative values of each
For instance: Natural Musk, leading on to Musk Ambrette and the problems with photosensitivity this can promote through to modern musk substitutes like Ambroxan
Then possibly some other explanations of synthetics Persicol, Linalool, Geraniol, Citral and some potentially some more offbeat ones. (this I could do with a little help on)
And some naturals-
Animalics Musk, Civet, Castoreum -
Ambergris and the mythology that surrounds it (Floating Gold by Christopher Kemp is a brilliant and engaging analysis)
And some naturals - Oak Moss, Rose Absolute, Jasmin Sambac, Orris
And some discussion of the cost and methods of extraction
Which should neatly lead me on to Grasse, and a name count of the big fragrance development houses Firmenreich, IFF, Givaudan etc.
Vintage and reformulated fragrances how some of the classics have been destroyed by EU directives.
Then back to the timeline:
Shalimar by Guerlain and a definition of the Oriental genre
Joy by Patou
Caron pour un Homme first masculine marketed at men. And some discussion of Caron as a house.
Old Spice and a bit on mass-market fragrances
Miss Dior- and a discussion of Dior frags to include Eau Sauvage
Youth Dew by Estee Lauder, talking about the bath oil phenomenon, the Lauder mantra of gift with purchase and how this fragrance remains for many people in their forties and above, one of the most evocative fragrances of all time plus it solidified the companys reputation
Guerlain Vetiver and a discussion of what a vetiver fragrance is
Gray Flannel- violet fragrances and a precursor to JPGs Le Male
Charlie by Revlon more for the mass market impact than the frag, plus it was the first fragrance to use an African American model (Naomi Sims) in its advertising
Giorgio Beverly Hills and Poison Eighties Power House fragrances
Elizabeth Taylor White Diamonds the first big celebrity scent
Cool Water and the birth of the Aquatic scent.
LEau DIssey and the birth of the ozonic fragrance
CK One and Nineties Unisex fragrances
Angel by Mugler and the birth of the Gourmand genre
M7 and Oudh fragrances.
Comme des Garcons fragrances Sissel Tolaas etc
Then I want to talk about some facts and figures
How much the juice in a bottle actually costs, and how much it costs to launch a fragrance internationally
What a flanker is
Celebrity Fragrances with particular emphasis placed on Coty Lovely (Chandler Burr) and all the buzz surrounding Fame by Lady Gaga. Celebrity fragrances that bombed Jenifer Aniston
NPD and its growing influence on how trends within the fragrance industry are defined by sales statistics
Best sellers in different locations the US, UK and other markets.
Given the banality of many of the commercial offerings on the market the rise of the Niche fragrances house Etat Libre DOrange, Serge Lutens ( ad infinitum)
Possibly show ariscotms YouTube review of Secretions Magnifiques as it is SO funny.
A bit about Frederic Malle/Luca Turin and how anonymous noses are becoming minor celebrities
And a bit about the direction the industry is taking (this bit Im not sure about as I dont work within it) but I would wonder whether there will be a trend for lighter fragrances due to the emphasis luxury goods are placing on the Asian/Chinese market etc this is certainly something that is happening in fashion. A move away from ultra sweet womens fragrances to something more sophisticated, the end of Oudh? etc
End of Lecture.
One more thing Ive squeezed some budget from the university (only about £100) to buy some key frags to explain some of the genres, plus I already own a cupboard full and am happy to squirt these over the students. Im bidding like crazy on eBay already but was wondering if anyone has some good recommendations for a (Very Cheap) archetypal Fougere, (close to the Houbigant) a Chypre, an Oriental, etc
I already have a huge bottle of 7411 I can spritz, plus some Knize 10 and frags like Charlie, Angel, Giorgio, etc are easy to come by cheaply on line.
If youve read this far thank you and even if you want to berate me feel free. Just think - your input may have a direct impact on the fragrance decisions of nearly 400 impressionable minds..
Thanks once again
A
Part of me feels a little like a student whos attempting to get someone else to do their homework, but hopefully, if you read on, youll see that Ive at least tried to put a structure in place to what follows.
Basically, as a (very amateur) fragrance lover, Ive volunteered to give a 2 hour lecture on the fragrance industry to a large group of MA students at a London University where I am a part time course director.
As a fashion journalist myself, I want to examine the perfume industry not just from the sense of genre (chypres leathers etc) but from a historical and commercial perspective, something my training on magazines taught me to do instinctively when considering fashion - from Celine to Primark and everything in between.
My overwhelming sense from reading Basenotes, Luca Turin, Chandler Burr etc. is that whereas fashion is something that can easily be critiqued because of its context and associations, fragrance is altogether another matter, particularly when divorced from its associated marketing machines. I also believe that the fragrance layman has a vastly less sophisticated understanding of fragrance than fashion simply because it is somewhat of an intangible. I am constantly spraying my bemused students with odd frags I have picked up on eBay and often there is very little reaction beyond the obvious whereas were I to discuss an equivalent fashion brand they would have much more in the way of a defined opinion.
The following lecture attempts to readdress this in a fairly superficial way admittedly, but, hopefully will get them thinking about the significance of fragrance, and may even get some to ditch Coco Mademoiselle or Acqua di Gio for something more idiosyncratic.
This is my starting point, and below is a list a checklist of the areas I intend to cover (fairly swiftly) AND, what Im after from you guys, are any glaring omissions or gaps in the mix. Im delivering this on Nov 19th so Ive got my work cut out for me any input would be massively appreciated. As you read it , youll see that Ive used bullet points which say something like- discuss what a leather based fragrance is - obviously, this is for me to do, and not a request aimed at you Im more concerned by missing the fragrance equivalent of Diors New Look of 1947 just through a gap in my knowledge.
Here Goes
Introduction: fragrance as a $15 billon industry, how we appreciate fragrance, fragrance as an emotional signifier etc.
Beginnings:
Hungary Water first alcohol based perfume
Then Eau de Cologne what constitutes an Eau de Cologne, talking a little about 7411, Kolnisch Wasser, Eau de Guerlain Imperiale, etc. Plus a bit on its standing in the industry today for instance, in the UK its very much perceived as an old ladies perfume (my grandmother wore 7411) whereas in Spain you can buy a 2L bottle of Puig at the corner shop for a couple of Euros
Fougere Royale Houbigant and the development of the Fougere concept
Then I want to talk a little about Grossmith- particularly Hasu-no-Hana and Phul Nana which to my mind are typically late nineteenth century fragrances, that also keyed into British societys interest in Orientalism, and how Simon Brooke reinvented the company with particular emphasis on selling to the Arab market.
Jicky an analysis of Jicky, why it is so important in the history of fragrance and leading on from that, more on Guerlain as a brand.
Chypre by Coty and the development of Chypre talking about what constitutes a Chypre and what contemporary fragrances employ this note most successfully.
Mitsouko following on from the above
Knize 10 and leather based fragrances what they are etc.
Chanel and Chanel NO5 plenty to say on that one.
Then talk a little about what exactly aldehydes are and how they work within a perfume structure.
This I hope will neatly lead on to talking a little about synthetics and naturals and the relative values of each
For instance: Natural Musk, leading on to Musk Ambrette and the problems with photosensitivity this can promote through to modern musk substitutes like Ambroxan
Then possibly some other explanations of synthetics Persicol, Linalool, Geraniol, Citral and some potentially some more offbeat ones. (this I could do with a little help on)
And some naturals-
Animalics Musk, Civet, Castoreum -
Ambergris and the mythology that surrounds it (Floating Gold by Christopher Kemp is a brilliant and engaging analysis)
And some naturals - Oak Moss, Rose Absolute, Jasmin Sambac, Orris
And some discussion of the cost and methods of extraction
Which should neatly lead me on to Grasse, and a name count of the big fragrance development houses Firmenreich, IFF, Givaudan etc.
Vintage and reformulated fragrances how some of the classics have been destroyed by EU directives.
Then back to the timeline:
Shalimar by Guerlain and a definition of the Oriental genre
Joy by Patou
Caron pour un Homme first masculine marketed at men. And some discussion of Caron as a house.
Old Spice and a bit on mass-market fragrances
Miss Dior- and a discussion of Dior frags to include Eau Sauvage
Youth Dew by Estee Lauder, talking about the bath oil phenomenon, the Lauder mantra of gift with purchase and how this fragrance remains for many people in their forties and above, one of the most evocative fragrances of all time plus it solidified the companys reputation
Guerlain Vetiver and a discussion of what a vetiver fragrance is
Gray Flannel- violet fragrances and a precursor to JPGs Le Male
Charlie by Revlon more for the mass market impact than the frag, plus it was the first fragrance to use an African American model (Naomi Sims) in its advertising
Giorgio Beverly Hills and Poison Eighties Power House fragrances
Elizabeth Taylor White Diamonds the first big celebrity scent
Cool Water and the birth of the Aquatic scent.
LEau DIssey and the birth of the ozonic fragrance
CK One and Nineties Unisex fragrances
Angel by Mugler and the birth of the Gourmand genre
M7 and Oudh fragrances.
Comme des Garcons fragrances Sissel Tolaas etc
Then I want to talk about some facts and figures
How much the juice in a bottle actually costs, and how much it costs to launch a fragrance internationally
What a flanker is
Celebrity Fragrances with particular emphasis placed on Coty Lovely (Chandler Burr) and all the buzz surrounding Fame by Lady Gaga. Celebrity fragrances that bombed Jenifer Aniston
NPD and its growing influence on how trends within the fragrance industry are defined by sales statistics
Best sellers in different locations the US, UK and other markets.
Given the banality of many of the commercial offerings on the market the rise of the Niche fragrances house Etat Libre DOrange, Serge Lutens ( ad infinitum)
Possibly show ariscotms YouTube review of Secretions Magnifiques as it is SO funny.
A bit about Frederic Malle/Luca Turin and how anonymous noses are becoming minor celebrities
And a bit about the direction the industry is taking (this bit Im not sure about as I dont work within it) but I would wonder whether there will be a trend for lighter fragrances due to the emphasis luxury goods are placing on the Asian/Chinese market etc this is certainly something that is happening in fashion. A move away from ultra sweet womens fragrances to something more sophisticated, the end of Oudh? etc
End of Lecture.
One more thing Ive squeezed some budget from the university (only about £100) to buy some key frags to explain some of the genres, plus I already own a cupboard full and am happy to squirt these over the students. Im bidding like crazy on eBay already but was wondering if anyone has some good recommendations for a (Very Cheap) archetypal Fougere, (close to the Houbigant) a Chypre, an Oriental, etc
I already have a huge bottle of 7411 I can spritz, plus some Knize 10 and frags like Charlie, Angel, Giorgio, etc are easy to come by cheaply on line.
If youve read this far thank you and even if you want to berate me feel free. Just think - your input may have a direct impact on the fragrance decisions of nearly 400 impressionable minds..
Thanks once again
A
