Writing about perfume, and smells in general, is one of the greatest challenges for a journalist/author: how to evoke scents, with words…? But over the years, quite a few have done so very, very successfully. And if you want to build a ‘perfume bookshelf’, to deepen your knowledge of perfumery, start here…
We’ve awarded each title stars out of five, as a guide to which we think are the most important, and the all-round best reads. Nothing less than a three-star book is feataured here, though – so we reckon any of them are a worthwhile read.
As you become ever-more-obsessed (and we know how that feels), you may want to add to your collection – and of course, we’ll add to this section whenever new releases catch our eye…
We’d always prefer you support an independent bookstore rather than One-Clicking on Amazon – these indie stores can happily order most in-print books. However, in a super-busy world, we know it isn’t always practical. (And if you’re happy to buy secondhand – most titles are available via Amazon – this does often support smaller bookstores.)
Looking for out-of-print perfume titles in secondhand bookstores can be like searching for a needle in a haystack, meanwhile. If you’re in a hurry, we generally recommend abebooks.com, which links thousands of secondhand bookstores around the world, while Amazon can be a source for remaindered books…
Dior La Collection Privée, with text by Elisabeth de Feydeau.
Truly one for the perfumista's coffee table, this. But although it was published in 2016, we do have to point out that it is already somewhat démodé as the original and exquisite La Collection Privée fragrances have been regrouped under the umbrella of Maison Christian Dior, with several fragrances renamed (Gris Montaigne, for instance, is now known as Gris Dior), and others in the collection now discontinued. (Audible sobs from The Perfume Society office...) Don't let that put you off, however: this large-format book remains is a glorious exploration of Dior's perfumed history, with the histories and stories of each of the creations recounted by François Demachy, set in a historical context by Elisabeth de Feydeau (France's leading fragrance writer), and expressed via the most glorious, wallowable-in imagery of flacons and ingredients.
Be still our beating hearts: this is an utterly exquisite coffee table book, with words by fragrance authority and Emperor of Scent author Chandler Burr. It follows the history of Christian Dior's iconic scents all the way from Miss Dior's unveiling in 1947: the stories behind the launches, the bottle designs, the sketches for Dior fashions linked with particular perfumes, the gossip, the famous faces, the ads... There's a particularly lovely section on Dior and his Gardens, in the heart of this large-format volume: the couturier was flower-obsessed from a very tender age, which fuelled both his couture and his fragrance empire. The only downside with this book, in fact, is that (at time of press) it is currently out of print, now a collector's item – with prices to match. One to ask Santa for.
Often called 'the master of flowers' or, sometimes, 'the king of rose', Dominique Ropion is one of the greatest perfumers working today. Having created fragrances for just about every house you care to mention, from the groundbreaking Mugler Alien to the heart-stoppingly stupendous Portrait of a Lady for Frédéric Malle, really, this book could simply list everything he's ever done, and we'd be impressed. But reading this is akin to going for a walk through a scented garden with Ropion, as he gradually reveals snippets of the things he's learned over the years. It's a fascinating glimpse into the mind of a 'nose', and how we agree with his assertion that, 'An event, place or encounter will always be associated with a perfume or scent, serving as an infallible and trusty aide-mémoire, a formula we do not always recognise but available if we need it.' We're sure so many people's memories are forever connected with at least one of his fragrances...
