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Fashionable
Scents of the Times
Perfume
is the unseen but unforgettable and ultimate fashion accessory.
It heralds a woman's arrival and prolongs her departure. |
Jan Moran, Countess de Lemnos
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Gabrielle
"Coco" Chanel Perfume reflects the period in which it is
created, like any work of art, literature or fashion. From ancient
times through today, fragrance has mirrored the mood of the day.
Historical records show that the Greeks, Romans, Egyptians, Arabs,
Persians and Asians produced scents for bathing, religious rituals,
banquets, entertaining and medicinal purposes.
Modern perfumery began in the seventeenth century in the French
town of Grasse, where glovemakers used essences from the region's
flowers and plants to scent gloves. At that time, leather was
cured in a solution that left it with an unsavory odor. Perfume
was used to mask this unpleasant smell, and scented gloves soon
became the rage.
The eighteenth and nineteenth centuries saw expanded fragrance
usage. Lavender, violet and rose were the lightly scented favorites
of the day. Empress Josephine loved rose water, while Marie Antoinette
went to her scaffold death with two vials of Houbigant perfume
ensconced in her bosom for courage. Men and women wore similar
fragrances. It was the marketing-savvy merchants of the twentieth
century who began to promote fragrances specifically designed
for men or for women.
The early twentieth century saw rapid technological advances,
winds of social change, daring new fashions. Heretofore scandalous
multi-floral scents became popular, as did spicy Oriental blends.
In the nineteen-twenties and -thirties chemists experimented with
new formulas, using synthetic ingredients to create classic scents
that are still with us. The mood was expansive: Joy, introduced
as the costliest perfume in the world, was snapped up by Woolworth
heiress Barbara Hutton, actresses Mary Pickford and Constance
Bennett, and thousands of others.
Couturiers branded perfume with their own labels: Coco Chanel,
Paul Poiret, Jeanne Lanvin, Jean Patou, Charles Worth. Entertainer
and fragrance creator, Dionne Warwick, explains the success of
designer label perfumes: "Every woman can't afford a designer
dress, but she can wear an original fragrance."
The late nineteen-forties and -fifties saw a return to feminine
floral fragrances to complement the flowing skirts and tiny waists
of Christian Dior's New Look fashions. Estée Lauder sparked demand
in the United States for everyday perfume when she launched Youth
Dew in 1953, a striking Oriental fragrance praised by Gloria Swanson,
Joan Crawford, Dolores Del Rio and the Duchess of Windsor. Youth
Dew's blockbuster appeal didn't go unnoticed by the large cosmetic
and fragrance companies. The ensuing decades saw larger budgets,
mega-launches and more designer imprints than ever.
The nineteen-sixties and -seventies were marked by societal upheaval.
Fragrance recorded this with bold new scents laden with musk and
patchouli. The greed-is-good eighties traded on glitz, intrigue
and money with fragrance hits like Obsession, Poison and Opium--distinctive,
heady scents with rediscovered Oriental essences. And the designer
race was heated. Not only were couture names recognizable and
marketable, but designers wanted a piece of the dream, too.
"The dream of any design house is to have its own proper fragrance,"
says Carla Fendi, "because when a woman gets dressed, the final
touch is her fragrance." Bijan, Calvin Klein, Bob Mackie and
Gucci entered the fray along with Fendi.
The nineteen-nineties witnessed a back-to-basics, return-to-values
trend, with softer, subtle scents back in vogue. Fragrances with
names like Realities, Delicious and Pleasures reflected this attitude.
Nineties scents were fresh, light, innocent, natural, fruity and
herbal. Unisex scents established a truce in the battle of the
sexes, with CK One, Paco, and the revived Acqua di Parma Colonia.
Celebrities imparted their sense of style, from Elizabeth Taylor
with her Passion and White Diamonds, to Michael Jordan with his
eponymous fragrance for men.
So what's next on the fragrance front? The dawn of the third millennium
heralds a return to glamour and luxury, with an emphasis on personal
indulgence. Classic, luxurious fashions from the first half of
the twentieth century have returned. From evening dresses with
fish-tail trains, to cashmere shawls, three-quarter sleeves and
capri pants, designers are embracing classic styles.
Quiet elegance is the new fashion theme, and perfume is keeping
pace. Moderation is the key for rich florals and warm Oriental
blends. New perfumes such as Organza Indécence, Christian Lacroix
and Very Valentino follow this trend; stylish revivals include
Lelong Pour Femme and Eau d'Ivoire.
Fragrance, like fashion, continues to evolve, and at the forefront
of this evolution are perfumers and couturiers, eager to interpret
the mood of day. For at the end of the day, perfumery remains
an art, and like all art, it is a reflection of the time.
Whether classic or new, perfume projects an image. Scent selections
send a message to the world about who we are, or who we wish to
be. Why not have fun with it?
Discuss
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Jan Moran, Countess of Lemnos, is a writer and beauty authority.
She is the author of the best selling book Fabulous Fragrances
II, a guide to the world's finest fragrances, available at
Saks Fifth Avenue. Her company distributes the Michael Edwards
fragrance books, the Fabulous fragrance line, and licenses
beauty content. She writes fiction and non-fiction articles
for Complete Woman magazine and others.
Visit www.fabulousfragrances.com
or call (888) 258-2322.
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