Book Information
Title: The Perfect Scent: A Year Inside the Perfume Industry in Paris and New York
Author: Chandler Burr
Publication year: 2008
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.
Book Review
When it comes to the leading journalists in the perfume industry, the first name that comes to mind is probably Chandler Burr, the author of this book. As well as contributing perfume articles to The New York Times and interviewing various perfumers, he came to the rescue of Luca Turin, known for Perfumes: The Guide, by writing the close-up reporting book The Emperor of Scent.
This book has no Japanese translation. Its subject is a view of the industry from two directions, Paris and New York, again based on close-up reporting. In Paris, it follows Jean-Claude Ellena, who had just become Hermès’s in-house perfumer. In New York, it follows the behind-the-scenes process leading up to the creation of a perfume by Sarah Jessica Parker, who was a huge star thanks to Sex and the City. It goes beyond merely following its subjects, packing in a wealth of information available only in this book, including industry-wide developments, inside stories, and conversations with perfumers.
This is a book I would very much like aspiring perfumers and people in the industry to read. I also recommend it to anyone who wants to know what goes on behind the scenes when Hermès creates perfumes.
