Book Information
Japanese title (English gloss): Stories of Legendary French Perfumes: From Culture and History to Fashion
(Original title: Parfums de Légende)
Authors: Anne Davis and Bertrand Meyer-Stabley
Publication year: 2016 (Japanese translation: 2018)
Publisher: Hara Shobo
The 15 scents presented in this book have left their names in perfume history, defined an era, and continue to captivate the women who wear them and the men enveloped in their scent. Here are 15 perfumes worn by famous people and consistently chosen as gifts.
From the book’s preface
Book Review
“I don’t understand the appeal of classic perfumes… They just smell like Grandma. What famous perfumes are there from the past? I hear that Shalimar and the old Miss Dior are remarkable, but what makes them so great?”
If that sounds like you, here is some good news. This book explores a total of 15 perfumes through history, culture, and fashion, uncovering their legends and what lies behind them. Although some of the material is fairly specialized, it has the potential to transform the way you look at perfume. We can no longer smell exactly the same scents as people once did, but I think this book offers a glimpse of their splendor.
The perfumes covered in the book are listed below.
| Perfume | Brand | Perfumer |
|---|---|---|
| Eau de Cologne | Jean-Marie Farina | Jean-Marie Farina |
| No. 5 | Chanel | Ernest Beaux |
| Shalimar | Guerlain | Jacques Guerlain |
| Arpège | Lanvin | André Fraysse (in Japanese) & Paul Vacher |
| Joy | Patou | Henri Alméras |
| Pour Un Homme | Caron | Ernest Daltroff |
| Shocking | Schiaparelli | Jean Carles |
| Femme | Rochas | Edmond Roudnitska (in Japanese) |
| Ma Griffe | Carven | Jean Carles |
| Miss Dior | Dior | Jean Carles & Paul Vacher |
| L’Air du Temps | Nina Ricci | Francis Fabron |
| L’Interdit | Givenchy | Francis Fabron |
| Calèche | Hermès | Guy Robert |
| Opium | Yves Saint Laurent | Jean-Louis Sieuzac |
| Le Male | Jean Paul Gaultier | Francis Kurkdjian (in Japanese) |
The mystery surrounding its making is certainly part of perfume’s appeal. Listing every ingredient a perfume contains may not bring us any closer to that appeal. A perfume is composed like a poem, with many inspirations hidden within it that remain unspoken. (Passage omitted.)
For fragrance materials captivate the heart above all else. They are a secret power that enthralls us, the magic of flowers, the essence of their scent, molecules with mysterious powers, the ultimate fundamental particles, and a gentle promise of happiness.
The book’s preface
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