‘The fingerless gloves are ON as Claudia Winkleman returns to The Traitors castle with an all-star cast who are ready to play the ultimate game of deceit and betrayal…’ – The BBC
Arguably the biggest televisual ‘appointment viewing’ in years, certainly in this era of streaming shows whenever we wish and not being beholden to live TV schedules; Celebrity Traitors has debuted the first two episodes to much acclaim (and heated debate). So of course, we’re rolling up our flouncy sleeves to prepare another fragrance-matching opportunity.
There’s a whole series of these ‘scenting’ blogs for The Perfume Society, in which we take a zeitgeist cultural icon of the time and suggest scents to match literature, art, music and movies. In making connections and drawing allusions between characters we may know well and the complexities of attempting to describe an invisible smell, it’s our belief that they serve as a kind of shortcut to a truer understanding of both the perfume and whatever you’re pairing it with.
Now, holding up our promise of being SPOILER FREE (so therefore not revealing who the Traitors are, or which of the first Faithfuls have been bumped off or at risk), we’re delving in to the world of the castle’s current residents, and hoping to provide perfume suggestions that add to the atmosphere, or could help bolster the celebrity contestants during the many trials and various tribulations they will endure.
The full list of celebrities taking part this year, and competing to win money for their chosen charities, are:
Tom Daley – Olympian, Author, Broadcaster and Entrepreneur
Think of each of these recommendations as olfactory cloaks (for Traitors and Faithfuls alike to don). And though we’ve only pulled out a few examples here to perfume-match: which fragrances, we wonder, would YOU pair with your favourite celebrity, and why…?
[P.S: Click on the linked name of each celebrity to be whisked to their interview page on The Traitors Wiki website, BUT: BE WARNED, those pages do contain spoilers, so don’t read until you’ve caught up with the show!]
Obviously we plumped for a perfume that would bring a sense of familiarity and comfort for Clare, and of course (Clare often being found commentating at horse racing tracks and equestrian occasions around the country) it had to be something horsey. So what better than this hay-strewn, grassy-nuzzle from Sarah Baker’s stable? It veritably gallops out the bottle, Sunlit pastures meet leather saddles on verdant fields, ripe peaches drip luscious juices as tobacco and amber sizzle salaciously. We feel this perfume proffers nostalgic assurance alongside a serving of sass – exactly what Clare will need to stay grounded among this lot…
Paying homage to the craftsmanship and timelessness of Savile Row tailoring is this creation by Paul Guerlain (yes, he belongs to that fabled bloodline, grandson of Jean-Paul), which we feel befits the inherent British stylishness of Stephen Fry. Fragrance mastery, then, is almost a given, here expressed with a whoosh of basil and mint (perfectly enlivening for the senses) tethered by the woodsiness of cedar and cypress (representing the rugged landscape of the Traitors castle). Fir balsam runs like a thread throughout, for a tailored creation that intelligently marries swagger and style to a wilder terroir.
No spoiler, as she reveals this from the get-go, but Celia says that she has ‘a naughty streak that I find hard to suppress’; so it’s possibly a match made in heaven for her to wear this particular perfume. Radiating ‘luminous energy and timeless elegance’, white pear and wisps of saffron open to a creamy gardenia and jasmine heart, encircled by swags of wild honeysuckle. Warm Ambrox, patchouli and sugared moss linger, making a sensual, woody fusion. Passionate yet refined, classic yet contemporary, just like Celia’s own character, it empowers and envelops, leaving a so-wearable sophisticated trail. Blooming iconic.
Paying tribute to transformation and a clever, quicksilver charm, Magician by ARgENTUM is a fragrant sleight-of-hand fitting Nick Mohammed’s ingenious wit (and his magician’s skills). A conjuring of orange flower and black pepper casts the first spell: brisk, surprising, and effervescent. Chilli pepper and clove bud follow with theatrical energy and pace, swirling through secret corridors. The base, drily resonant Atlas cedar, warm labdanum, benzoin and myrrh, evokes magical rituals and smoke trails. Magician is the scent Nick should wear to waft wonderment wherever he goes.
Capturing the verdant soul of her homeland, this scent evokes Charlotte Church’s lyricism, her voice as fluid as the rivers this is inspired by, her rebellious spirit rooted in the wild, rolling hills. Fresh green notes and water mingle with narcissus and petitgrain, reminiscent of dew-drenched meadows. Vetiver and woods offer grounding, something Charlotte will certainly need in her time cloistered at the castle. This is the fragrance for a woman who’s at home beneath clear skies, in chorus with song and soil, a sense of freedom perfectly balanced with deep-rootedness in the dry down.
Sarah Baker Perfumes is a house where glamour gets playfully reimagined and luxury is never just surface-deep – it’s a fragrant journey that gathers every sense and emotion for the ride. Sarah Baker herself is an artist whose creative impulses have always been fuelled by fashion and culture, her journey from gallery installations to olfactory artistry marked by a unique desire to make iconic style accessible, layer by scented layer. Collaborating closely with perfumers she admires – each creation is a true extension of her bold, camp-tinged aesthetic – Sarah’s fragrances, created by some of the world’s most daring niche perfumers, are conceptual, distinctive, and loaded with stories waiting for wearers to inhabit.
Says Sarah: ‘Perfume has a lot of connotations as being a glamorous, frivolous rich-person’s thing but it’s completely attainable – I just have to hold the bottles, and I love that ritual of putting on a perfume while getting ready for a night out.’
We think you’ll agree that her sense of joy and ritual spills into every Sarah Baker Discovery Set (each sold at attainable prices so you can try the samples before you decide which full-size bottle to buy); and you’ll find them all in The Perfume Society Shop. So shall we explore them together…?
Where else could you meet a collection that’s part treasure chest, part personality test? There are now several fabulous ways to dip your toes (or douse your wrists) in every facet of the Sarah Baker universe, mixing, matching, and exploring the full collection in combinations to suit your own mood and style. The Discovery Sets are a decadent perfumed passport, each one curated to showcase unique blends, punchy personalities, and inventive, decadent storylines you’ll definitely want to star in for yourself each time you spritz.
Starting with the Peach Trilogy Discovery Set(£27 for 3 x 2ml extrait de parfum): Peach’s Revenge is pure anticipation, creamy vanilla and caramel against velvet orris and a Renaissance mood. Pastel Rumours brings a fruity milkshake twist, ready for a Vespa ride and a swirl of gossip, while Loudo serves innocence with a wink – evoking childhood treats and clever nostalgia.
Craving something a little rebellious? The Unplugged Discovery Set(£27 for 3 x 2ml extrait de parfum) introduces Prism Head, capturing the scent of damp soil, cannabis, and wild mushrooms; Tartan Cask channels the Scottish Highlands with peaty whisky and a fireside snuggle; Loudo returns, sweet yet deliciously woody and forward.
For those hunting red carpet fantasies, the Red Carpet Discovery Set (£40 for 5 x 2ml extrait de parfum) parades Peach’s Revenge, with its deliciously addictive peachy passion; Altante – imagine a mermaid with shimmering beach vibes – and Gold Spot, a tribute to broadsheets in bed and butterscotch bonbons. Riders delivers horses, leather and tryst-worthy greenery, while Flame & Fortune races through a field of tuberose set ablaze, turning high-speed car chases into scent.
If the high life beckons, the High Life Discovery Set(£40 for 5 x 2ml extrait de parfum) lines up Peach’s Revenge, Charade (a cut-glass white flower meets leather), Jungle Jezebel (banana-bodied, bombastic, totally unique), Gold Spot and the unashamed eighties glamour of Leopard – best worn with shoulder pads and swaggering attitude.
Prefer off-the-road adventure? The Wilderness Discovery Set (£40 for 5 x 2ml extrait de parfum) lets you roam through Symmetry (oud in perfect balance), Altante, Greek Keys (yachting in the Med – fresh, oceanic, luxurious), Tartan Cask, and Loudo, all charm and delicious woods.
For the true connoisseur – or the endlessly curious – the Portfolio Discovery Set (£90 for 11 x 2ml extrait de parfum) is a true olfactory spectacle. Each vial nestles securely, reflecting a rainbow light like opening a jewellery box, and includes Peach’s Revenge, Symmetry, Flame & Fortune, Atlante, Charade, Jungle Jezebel, Gold Spot, Greek Keys, Leopard, Loudo, and Riders. There’s a beautifully designed leaflet that guides you through every scented story, with perfumer credits for each – making this set the perfect companion for explorative types and creative souls who love the unboxing as much as the sniffing.
Sarah Baker’s artistic and fun-filled, 80s opulence-exuding soul shines through in every Discovery Set – a luxurious, high-concept thrill for artists, dreamers, collectors, fragrance fiends, and anyone looking to add fun and sophistication to their scent wardrobe. Whether you’re searching for a specific mood, needing to match your style for a special occasion, or just want to get your nose into something gloriously offbeat and artistic, these boxed journeys are a must.
Book your scented escape by exploring all the Sarah Baker Discovery Sets in detail now – and star in the next great adventure, wherever you want it to take you, and whoever you choose to be…
Nature’s secret wonders are fragrant inspirations distilled with Diptyque’s Les Essences collection: five fragrances echoing treasures sometimes hidden, but beautifully revealed within each of these scents. Coral, mother of pearl, bark, water lily, desert rose – each interpreted by master perfumers, every bottle engraved with Nigel Peake’s brush-swept artwork, and the spirit of Diptyque’s Parisian poetic curiosity woven through every shimmering note. Join us as we explore each one…
Diptyque says: ‘Diptyque has always drawn inspiration from nature. Nature enchants our gaze. It stirs our curiosity, feeds our creativity.
The Maison’s new collection, Les Essences de Diptyque (The Essences of Diptyque), freely reinterprets the treasures of nature, fluctuating between the realistic and the fantastical. Revealed in all their beauty, these treasures invite us to pause and admire them.
Delicate, dreamlike, the five perfume compositions in this collection are the product of a collaboration between the perfumer’s nose and the hand of an artist. Each creation celebrates one of nature’s treasures – reinventing it in fragrance and exceptional drawings.’
Lazulio
A lapis lazuli dream, Lazulio shimmers with tart rhubarb and a blush of rose, curling like peacock-feathered shadows above balsamic benzoin and root-y vetiver. The composition glints with gemstone clarity, swirling a vivid tale of radiant blue skies and velvet dusk. It wears on the body as a modern poem: unfurling softly, dazzling yet contemplative, both jewel-bright and infinitely deep.
Light ripples across the Venetian Lagoon, illuminating coral gardens in fiery vermilion. Corail Oscuro conjures this undersea mystery – crystalline mandarin teasing with a sunlit sparkle, rose bourbon swaying through salty-mineral breezes. Waves of warmth and salinity undulate like Renaissance light: chiaroscuro painted in scent, vivid yet shadowed. The sensation is at once tidal and tender, restless as memory, consumed by beauty.
Moonbeams dissolve on water, revealing the iridescent secret of mother of pearl: Lunamaris floats atop this radiance, pink pepper and rockrose spinning dreams across the surface, their shimmering brushstrokes mottled by mineral incense. It’s a gentle gleam, subtle yet magnetic, as though the sea itself murmurs in opal silks, delicate and soft. Every spritz is a slow drift through luminous, moonlit reverie.
Threads of bark embrace the ancient forest, holding fast to time. Bois Corsé strikes deep – black coffee absolute pulses through woody sandalwood and warm tonka bean, conjuring the rough textures and earthy secrets of bark, mysterious yet comforting. Inhale: sunlight fills the cracks, and every breath feels alive with the pulse of woodland heartwood, sustaining, grounding, endlessly rich.
Monet’s water lilies, transposed in scent: Lilyphéa floats above ponds glittering with aquatic green. Cardamom and violet leaf burst with fresh sap, intertwining with vanilla’s gentle ecstasy. Soft petals, silky shadows, nature painted in Impressionist strokes and then dissolved in velvet ripples. The air seems almost blue-green after rain, the melody of quiet ponds lapping in every gentle exhale.
A crystalline desert, swept by heat and wind. Rose Roche is poetry in mineral form – Sicilian lemon slits the horizon, centifolia rose opens fresh, dewy petals against the mirage, while mineral patchouli anchors drifting sillage like the trace of footsteps across glowing dunes. It’s delicate yet undaunted, both ephemeral and enduring, as if the rose herself had blossomed from stone.
D’OTTO’s Literature Collection is a perfumed paeon to the house’s singular belief that fragrance, like art, can leave an indelible mark in our scent memories, as well as treasuring the words of the classics they’re inspired by. Think of the scents as a seamless interweaving of culture and olfaction, offering scents as bold as the heroines within, and the fearless authors who wrote these iconic novels.
From its inception, and as you can read all about in our page dedicated to the house, D’OTTO has pursued a vision beyond decorative perfumery. Known for breaking all constraints, the house draws on iconic art and the elemental power of creative rebellion to craft what can truly be called ‘liquid art’. The vessels they’re housed in are important objects in themselves – offered as physical manifestations of modern perfume rituals. And the scents within, a kind of coded, sensorial rebellion rewriting rules and experiences. D’OTTO’s namesake, the figure eight, stands as an infinite talisman for the house, looping and spiralling in perpetual motion, just as art and scent bypass the ordinary and can carry us into their own dimensions.
And the perfumer for the house? Co-Founder Paolo Terenzi: A third-generation Italian perfumer, Paolo is respected for his endless creativity, as well as being a professional musician and poet.
Now, D’OTTO is pivoting from visual art towards the written word in their perfumed inspirations – having previously paid homage to painters such as Jackson Pollock, Kandinsky, and Mondrian; this time the focus is the written word, and beyond that, the seismic impact of women who didn’t write merely to entertain, but to shift the understanding of women’s voices in literature – and in history.
Let’s explore the perfume beneath the pages…
Firstly, the D’OTTO fragrance 4×2 evokes Jane Eyre with remarkable fidelity: opening in a shimmer of lily of the valley and tuberose, (that last heady bloom noting this is no nod to innocence). The heart, thrumming with bourbon vanilla and myrrh, reflects Brontë’s quietly radical spirit, while the warmly resinous, glimmering amber-y heat of the base offers a final, lingering impression of rebellious yearning. It is the restrained power of passion written in scent, mirroring Jane’s insistence on forging her own story.
8×1 meanwhile sweeps us to the wild Yorkshire moors of Wuthering Heights, distilling its storm-tossed intensity into perfume form. A tart, exhilarating onset of rhubarb (for which Yorkshire is famed), orange and lemon yields to a floral-woody heart, with chamomile and waxy magnolia stained by intense cassis. The finishing base is all drama, with cashmere, woodlands and musks conjuring unyielding love and a sense of looming thunder. It’s unapologetic, passionate and elementally evocative.
Completing the trio is 1×8, an earlier D’OTTO creation, now firmly re-contextualised as part of this literary tapestry. Dedicated to Jane Austen’s Emma, 1×8 is a delicate play of airy brightness, an intelligent, romantic swirl that perfectly suits those moments of wit and social intrigue. Its balance of lightness and depth sits as comfortably on a crisp autumn afternoon as the novels themselves sit by our firesides.
At The Perfume Society, we’re captivated by the prospect of pairing classic re-reads with these fragrances: imagining the world of each heroine not only through words, but on the skin. It becomes possible, for a moment, to sense both the author’s own pulse and, if you will, the novel’s ‘emotional weather’ in each waft we wear…
With Glastonbury music festival about to kick off, and all manner of other festivals about to shimmy into the summer season, we are celebrating scents that lend themselves to the sounds you’ll be listening to…
But first: have you ever considered how perfectly linked music and perfume really are?
Well, we refer to a fragrance being ‘composed’, with fragrant ‘notes’ and ‘accords’, all of which were arranged on a perfumer’s ‘organ’. The scent is measured for how it ‘performs’, by how well those notes ‘harmonise’, and of course many fragrances (classic and modern) have melodious inspirations. But at The Perfume Society, we feel festival season in the U.K. is THE perfect time to harmonise your own experiences of hearing the music, and wearing a perfume that perfectly matches the mood (and can even enhance the vibe).
So, why are music and fragrance so inextricably linked, beyond the words we use to describe them? It might partly be down to the physical way we smell, how an odour molecule makes its way into our olfactory receptors. Yet this is something on which, astonishingly, scientists are yet to agree. The majority opinion seems to be that odour molecules have distinct shapes, and that some of these fit easily into corresponding olfactory receptacles (like a child’s shape-matching puzzle).
But there is another, still-controversial theory: that scent molecules, like sounds, vibrate. This theory has been put forward by biophysicist and scent author Luca Turin, and certainly finds favour with many. In an article she wrote for The Telegraph, Christine Nagel, resident perfumer for Hermès, explained it thus, namely that ‘…odour depends on the ways the molecule can vibrate, determined by the exact arrangement of atoms and bonds inside the molecule. Differently structured molecules will “sound” different the way different musical instruments do, making them smell different from each other.’
For Francis Kurkdjian, the nose behind Jean Paul Gaultier’s Le Male and several Elie Saab bestsellers, in-house perfumer at Dior, as well as his own celebrated Maison Francis Kurkdjian line of fine fragrances, ‘…music and perfume are very much related because they use a common medium – the air. You hear music when the vibration of the sound in the air hits your ears, the same way that perfume needs the movement of air to come to your nose.’
Fragrance YouTube broadcaster Dariush (aka Persolaise) says that listening to music and wearing a fragrance that somehow evokes it is a match made in heaven, saying that ‘In our gorgeous-smelling community of scenthusiasts, we know all about living through our senses,’ and explaining: ‘a favourite pursuit of mine, every now and then, is to choose one of my favourite albums, fire up my sound system and select a perfume whose notes will somehow enhance the musical notes emerging from the speakers.’
Dariush continues, ‘Sometimes I wear it on myself. Sometimes I fill the room with it. Sometimes I burn it in candle form. That’s not terribly important. The point is to give some thought to the sounds and consider what form they’d take if they were turned into a perfume.’ Reflecting on this act of listening while wearing, he concludes that ‘Making the effort ACTIVELY to listen to a whole piece of music is just as rich and memorable an experience as plunging into the complexity of a perfume. But what’s even more powerful is when you combine the two.’
We couldn’t agree more, and here’s our roundup of some fragrances we recommend wearing to festivals this summer (or simply enjoying while boogying in your back garden, if festivals aren’t really your thing!)
Noyz x Damon Baker Monochrome
Crafted with photographic prodigy Damon Baker – this is a festival-worthy scent that plays with light and shadow. Opening with the sparkle of citrus and an energising hit of earthy coffee, it’s an instant mood-lifter for sun-drenched afternoons. Meanwhile, the smooth blend of patchouli and addictive dry down keeps things intriguing as the night truly comes alive.
With a playful burst of purple rhubarb and sunny orange blossom, this scent is a festival in a bottle. Warm amber woods and creamy vanilla bean wrap you in a joyful hug, perfectly matching the colourful, self-expressive spirit of a British summer festival, this is a true ode to individuality and celebration.
Bergamot and pink pepper sparkle at first spritz, while smoky vetiver and warm cedarwood bring a touch of mystery and sophistication. It’s the scent for the festival-goer who moves between stages and tents with quiet, magnetic confidence. It’s one of those fragrances that’s as enigmatic as it is inviting.
This flirty, cherry-rich fragrance is a playful nod to festival fun – think sweet cherry, dark chocolate, and peony wrapped up in ultra cute packaging. It’s vibrant, youthful, and just the thing for making new friends under the festival marquee – and it lasts really well on even dance-warmed skin.
A bold, spicy opening of Sichuan pepper and mandarin sets the tone for adventure, while aromatic sage and earthy vetiver keep things grounded and intriguing. It’s the scent for the festival trailblazer who loves to stand out, but doesn’t want to try too hard – effortlessly cool and utterly beguiling, leaving a trail of allure wherever they party.
Art has long been a source of inspiration across various mediums, and the world of fragrance is no exception. From abstract art masterpieces to photographic art inspirations, this ongoing relationship between fragrance and art reveals a rich tapestry of creativity that invites us to experience both in new and exciting ways…
Many contemporary fragrance houses draw upon the evocative power of visual art to shape their olfactory creations. And with major exhibitions currently captivating audiences in the U.K., such as the expressionist showcase at Tate Modern and the Van Gogh: Poets and Lovers exhibition at The National Gallery, it is an opportune moment to examine how these artistic movements influence the scents we wear. Walking through a gallery can be a feast for the eyes, but it always gets me thinking about how perfumery, an art form in its own right, often draws inspiration from famous painters and their distinctive styles.
Art and fragrance are very firmly entwined. Take D’Otto, for instance. These olfactory alchemists create scents that are veritable abstract masterpieces in a bottle. Their fragrances are like Jackson Pollock (one of their inspirations) with splashes of scent that are daring and unconventional. Then we have Pictor Parfum, who turn to the lens for inspiration. Their scents capture moments frozen in time, much like a photograph, allowing us to inhale memories and emotions.
Artist Mabelle O’Rama takes the concept of scented art to another level, meanwhile. She infuses her paintings with fragrance and incorporates textural elements into her perfumes. It’s a synaesthetic experience that blurs the lines between sight, smell, and touch. And let’s not forget the artistic partnership that began when the Van Gogh Museum asked British fragrance house Floral Street to collaborate with them. They’ve taken a leaf (or should I say a petal?) from Van Gogh with two of their fragrances – bottling the essence of his most iconic paintings.
Let’s take a deeper look into four of these perfumes that serve as portable, invisible pictures which waft their artistic inspirations from the very first spritz…
D’Otto 5+3
An olfactory interpretation of Mondrian’s abstract art, the scent opens fresh honey and tobacco notes, evolving into a floral heart of tuberose, magnolia, and rose. The scent’s structural depth, created by tonka, vanilla, and birchwood, mirrors Mondrian’s geometric precision. Like the artwork, 5+3 balances simplicity and complexity, offering a dynamic and ever-changing sensory experience.
Evoking the essence of a perfectly composed photograph, a vibrant mandarin and lychee are reminiscent of the initial bright flash. Its heart of powdery rose and plum creates a soft focus effect, while suede and spices add depth like shadows. The clove and pink pepper base provide a sharp contrast, framing the scent like a well-defined silhouette.
A celestial olfactory experience of O’Rama’s artistic textural understanding, softly powdered iris mimics the moon’s chalky surface, while cedar’s dryness and amber’s warmth evoke the comforting glow. Brilliantly balancing cosmic wonder with familiar comfort, wrapping the wearer in a silvery cloak of protection. It perfectly captures both the moon’s magical beauty and soothing presence.
Inspired by one of Van Gogh’s most-beloved artworks, this is a dreamy blend of fruity and floral notes. Zesty pomelo and luscious passionfruit dance above delicate apple blossom, while creamy vanilla and nutty tonka bean provide warmth. The addition of crisp matcha tea adds an unexpected twist, creating a fragrance that feels both enchanting and ethereal.
So, next time you spritz on your favourite scent, remember: you’re not just wearing a fragrance, you’re wearing art and donning a modern masterpiece! Who needs to only experience art in the confines of a gallery, when you can carry art with you wherever you go?
Continuing with the ‘endeavour’ theme for the month (which we are mostly dedicating to sporting scents, and being more adventurous in your fragrance choices); we thought it would be fun to (special) branch out a bit and incorporate hunting for a new fragrance with our popular ‘Scenting…’ series of articles – where we pick perfumes we think would be perfect for well-known TV, movie or musical characters and artists, and have matched everything from Bridgerton to Stranger Things and the painter Sargent, so far. Well… we thought: why not scent match the detectives, too…?
Why are we matching scents to detectives, you might be wonder – is it just a bit of fun? Well hopefully it’s fun to read, of course, but there’s a serious point behind the frivolity: fragrance is famously an invisible entity that’s tricky to convey in any format to someone who’s not yet smelled it for themselves.
When trying to explain what something smells like, we all have to navigate the emotional maze of cultural and personal associations and scent memories, while attempting to clearly convey the concept without merely relying on a list of fragrance notes – which is as useless as a shopping list is to tasting the finished meal, or the names of paints are to understanding the deeper meaning an artist is hoping to project.
So: we match scents to characters / people and programmes you may be familiar with to give you a nuanced sense of not only what that scent might smell like, but how it will make you feel when you wear it. And isn’t that really what we’re all most concerned about when choosing a new fragrance?
Of course, given our theme for the month, and the topic of detectives, we had to start with none other than…
Endeavour – The Merchant of Venice Maria Callas
Telling the fascinating backstory of Inspector Morse’s complex character, the prequel already shows him as refined, standing apart from the crowd, and placing great importance on culture, art, and especially classical music and opera. With this homage to the Divina of all operatic performers, there’s a nuanced vulnerability amidst strength. Endeavour would bring out the backbone of reassuring woodiness which grounds the softer, amber-warmed rose and sparkling top notes. Encore!
Jane Marple may be seen by some as a tweed-y, twittery, nosey yet harmless senior citizen, but the mischievous twinkle in those piercing eyes hints at her innate ability to see through lies, right to the heart of the matter. Here, ferns are pressed between pages of a diary, love letters discovered in faded ribbons, a lipstick kiss on a foxed mirror, a silk scarf with the faint tang of a gentleman’s Cologne entwined with a woman’s scent is found at the crime scene. Whodunnit? Oh, she knows.
The always immaculate Belgian detective requires a fragrance that feels understated yet characterful, utterly classic but timeless. Perhaps after living in London a while, and being (we are sure) a regular patron of Jermyn Street (known for its traditional tailoring and gentleman’s grooming); he would elegantly saunter his way to Floris. There’s a refreshing citrus blend of bergamot and orange with petitgrain, a cool heart of lavender and geranium, while patchouli and musk add longevity.
Discover in the Floris Classic Collection Set,£35 for 6 x 2ml samplesin our shop
Jessica Fletcher – Map of the Heart Purple Heart v.5
Being dedicated to ‘a teller of tales’, this scent perfectly befits the murder mystery writer Jessica Fletcher, who seems more often embroiled in tangled reality than the tales she imagines. However, we picture her taking a break from discovering bodies at friends’ houses, and instead sitting at her desk pondering the next novel. Ink smudges the typewriter keys, a tin of licorice and bowl of black cherries sit beside a vase of purple roses. Intriguing and optimistic, this scent is a triumph on skin.
Try it in the Map of the Heart Discovery Set, £35 for 7 x 1ml samplesin our shop
Sherlock Holmes – Redolescent Hive Mind
In the story ‘His Last Bow: An Epilogue of Sherlock Holmes’ we learn that the world-famous detective has retired and become a beekeeper on the South Downs. Not as unusual a transition as you may think, because, as Holmes’ tome on the subject reveals, it is “the fruit of the pensive nights and laborious days when I watched the little working gangs as I once watched the criminal world of London.” He’d take comfort in this honied meadow scent – as mellow as it is meticulously structured.
Every year in the month of May, Guerlain releases their much-anticipated Muguet – a limited edition, Bee-bottled fragrant homage to the the spring season, and artistically referencing legends surrounding lily of the valley…
Only available on guerlain.com and in Guerlain boutiques, this annual exquisite collectors piece represents Guerlain’s olfactive ode to their heritage – utilising a beloved floral symbol which we happen to adore at The Perfume Society, too, lily of the valley being the emblem we chose for its fragrant folklore meanings (and because we began ten years ago on May 1st, when bouquets of lily of the valley, or muguet in French, are traditionally bequeathed to loved ones.
Guerlain Says: ‘Like every year, the House of Guerlain celebrates the arrival of spring with its emblematic Muguet in a limited, numbered pieces edition. For this long-awaited and exclusive lucky rendezvous, Guerlain reaffirms its commitment to arts and crafts by collaborating with Anne Lopez.’
‘On the iconic Bee Bottle, the sculptor brings to life subtle bells fashioned in stucco and enhanced with 22-carat fine gold, turning the 2024 Millésime into a singular sculptural work. A trail, which freshness reminisces of a freshly-picked sprig of lily of the valley.’
Artist Anne Lopez was chosen to design the precious flaçon this year, and Guerlain explains that ‘The adornment of lucky bell-shaped flowers was born from her delicate sketches, drafts that create a singular vision. Fashioned in stucco, a coating made of marble powder, the twenty-four bell-shaped flowers illuminated with gold and the two green leaves are sculpted by Anne Lopez directly on the glass. Just like a delicate necklace, the lily-of-the-valley sprig composition unfolds in a considered way around the bottle’s curves : plump bell-shaped flowers at the top, then gradually refining into an utterly graceful string.’
Although each year the bottle design and embellishments change depending on the artist Guerlain is collaborating with, the stunning scent remains – gracefully, gratefully – unchanged. ‘It is to Guerlain’s Master Perfumer that we owe the feat of reproducing the fragrance of lily of the valley.’ And Guerlain reminds us that the this flower is one of the trickiest to translate in fragrant form. ‘Described as “mute”, its natural essence is impossible to extract. Guerlain’s Muguet, composed since 2016 by Thierry Wasser, captures as faithfully as possible the scent of the lucky sprigs. In a burst of freshness, the green notes meeting the floral preciousness of jasmine and rose adorn this emblematic trail with soft and pearly green and rosy facets. At the heart of this bouquet, the olfactory illusion of a freshly picked sprig of lily of the valley emerges.’
Of course this is a dream piece – these are collected, and beloved all over the world. But how wonderful that such artistry can still be found, and admired (even in simply gasping at pictures of the work, or watching the bottle spin in the film found on Guerlain’s website). Drink in the artistry of the images, and (we urge you) do go and smell the scent in-store, and allow yourself to be awed awhile by something beautiful. It’s good for the soul…
Guerlain Muguet Millésime 2024 (4885 limited and numbered collection pieces), £675 for 100ml Bee Bottle + 30ml Spray Bottle guerlain.com
The opening of Tate Britain’s Sargent and Fashion exhibition is more than an opportunity to view some of the most famous portraits in the world: it’s an invitation to spend time with people who began as acquaintances – faces you recognised, who played a perhaps minor moment in your life – and leave having made several roomfuls of dear friends.
There are so many connections between other art-forms and fragrance – music and literature being the most usually cited – but pairing portraiture and perfume was an emotional connection impossible to resist. It’s because (as those of us obsessed with fragrance readily understand, and which anyone can feel deep inside when a certain smell triggers an emotional response within them;) a scent can communicate with such aching, soul-baring intimacy; telling complete strangers things about ourselves that we’d never otherwise overtly express.
Partly, the intimacy one feels in Sargent and Fashion comes from seeing the paintings up close and in person. The way these people (mostly women, in this exhibition) meet your eye, often challengingly, or sometimes deliberately evading your gaze. Intimacy, too, in the way he painted them – mostly these people were very close friends within Sargent’s social circle, and this fact absolutely leaps off each canvas in the vivacious vibrancy and liveliness with which they’re depicted. There’s tenderness at times, and humour, too. A vulnerability or a twinkle in the eye that can only be achieved through decades of a deep bond between painter and sitter.
John Singer Sargent in his studio (Madame X in the background)
We, as visitors, get to feel truly included in this partnership while viewing the exhibition. And the shortcut to our deeper understanding of the people behind the paint is partly thanks to the clothing and accessories displayed alongside the portraits. Many of them are the very outfits the sitters were wearing while he painted them, and we learn from the exhibition notes and signs beside the displays, that not only did Sargent keep costumes and props in his studio, but that on numerous occasions Sargent designed many of the outfits himself – in collaboration with esteemed couture fashion houses such as Worth. It wasn’t a case of ‘come as you are’ when turning up to Sargent’s studio to be painted. It was far more ‘let’s show these people who you REALLY are.’ As the introduction to the exhibition guide states:
‘Sargent and his sitters thought carefully about the clothes that he would paint them in, the messages their choices would send, and how well particular outfits would translate to paint. The rapport between fashion and painting was well understood at this time: as one French critic noted, ‘there is now a class who dress after pictures, and when they buy a gown ask ‘will it paint?’’’
At this point I have to allow myself a rant. Not about the exhibition – which I adored, and which I shall think about for many years to come – but about some of the reviews by art critics I’ve read since attending the Press View. In their opinion, the extraordinary artefacts detracted from the portraits and were entirely unconnected to our understanding of Sargent or the sitters. They describe the clothes and accessories, variously, as ‘old rags’ and ‘glittery baubles’, or ‘belonging in Miss Havisham’s attic’. And the undercurrent of these reviews very strongly comes across as ‘these are women’s fripperies, therefore utterly bereft of meaning or importance.’
To arrive at this conclusion is – quite apart from being disgustingly misogynistic, and in the same patronising lineage as literary critics dismissing Jane Austen’s work as historic ‘chick lit’ because it dares to document the lives of women – to miss the point of the exhibition entirely. The clue was in the name, after all: Sargent and Fashion. The clothing was even capitalised in the title to help them.
Women have always been especially judged on what clothes they wear, and in this exhibition the point is made – again and again, if you care to comprehend – that the sitters and Sargent liked to subvert this power play in the colour and cut of the clothing, in the positioning of their bodies. They were judged for these choices contemporarily, too – several of the portraits causing shocking scandals and what we’d now understand as ‘being cancelled’. Most notably with the famous (and swoon-worthy) portrait of Madam X, for which, as this brilliant Varsity article on the infamous portrait explains:
‘Sargent initially depicted Gautreau in a tightly silhouetted black gown, with chained straps doing very little to conceal her pearlescent shoulders and décolletage. In fact, originally, Sargent chose to drape one strap down Gautreau’s arm; this inadvertently caused further outrage. To spectators past, it was a brazen attempt to barely veil Gautreau’s body, suggesting that if one strap can breezily slip, so can the rest.’
The clothing has nothing to do with the portraits? No importance? Tell that to Virginie Amélie Avegno Gautreau, who was lacerated by public opinion to the point where, as the Varsity article recounts:
‘Even Gautreau – a woman fiercely aware of her beauty, and inclined to weaponise it for advancement by becoming the archetypal ‘Parisienne’ – felt that it was best to anonymise her painted figure: thus Madame X was born.’
These spectacularly cloistered critics failed to appreciate the importance Sargent himself placed on the clothing – let’s reiterate the fact he DESIGNED many of the outfits himself, or carefully positioned the clothing and angles we can view them from; choosing to deliberately drape and conceal, or otherwise starkly reveal his sitters. And little wonder they missed (or elected not to place value on) the many examples of how important these clothes were – they spent very little time actually looking at the portraits or the clothes, or the numerous signs next to them explaining the significance. Instead, they gathered in tiny, tutting cabals during the exhibition, loudly discussing which other exhibitions or parties they had, or had not, been invited to.
#notallmen, but sadly, the ones I saw doing this all were. Ironically, I overheard them discussing what outifits they were going to wear to various fashion event parties that evening. But these were their clothes – men’s clothes – so presumably were of significance to them.
I shan’t link to their excoriating yet ultimately vacuous reviews because it lends them more credence than they’re due. And I needn’t couch my words, because they’ll never bother reading something so frivolous as an article matching PERFUME to portraits. Fragrance, I feel pretty confident in assuming, is something they would similarly sneer at as being bereft of cultural and emotional value, so equally pointless in examining. Those of us who feel otherwise are lucky in having our lives enriched by art in more ways than they could ever comprehend.
Let’s allow them to tut away to their heart’s content, and instead go and see the exhibition, and then imagine if we knew what fragrances the people in these portraits had also chosen to wear! Or what scent they might select, were they around now. Such consideration adds further layers which might reveal depths even Sargent never got to know. Which perhaps they never even truly realised about themselves.
Fragrance can do that. The right scent, worn at the right time, can disclose intimate secrets or conceal us in a cloak of intrigue. A perfume can be a worn as a kind of emotional X-Ray, or played with like choosing a costume from a dressing-up box.
The women in these portraits, we learn (and FEEL by smiling along with them), were not passive, wilting muses – they were accomplished artists, poets, academics, and philosophers in their own right. And they were in partnership with Sargent, with the fashion designers, and with us as we look at them and feel something that goes beyond the gaze to a complicit understanding. Just as wearing a particular fragrance can announce to the world who we are inside, or dictate how we want others to feel about us – transcending words and going straight to the soul.
When we take time to select a scent based on our emotional response to it – or gather whole wardrobes and toolboxes of them – we go beyond passive consumers to being in a relationship with the perfumer, the packaging designers, the experts and consultants that recommended them, and the people who then smell that fragrance as we waft past.
In pairing perfumes with Sargent’s portraits, then, I hope it helps you feel an even closer companionship to the people portrayed in them, and a have deeper understanding of the mood each scent can similarly evoke. And I urge you to try this for yourselves next time you’re in a museum or art gallery – or meeting friends in your own social circle. Wonder how you’d scent them, and then reflect on what this tells you about them, about the fragrance, and even what this reveals about our own levels of perception and interpretation.
Having gained a greater closeness to Sargent the man (not just the painter), and to the people (not only the portraits) during this exquisitely soul-enriching, emotional conversation of an exhibition, I feel he’d have approved. Indeed, he’d likely have had fragrances specially commissioned, worked on exacting briefs for the perfumers, and suggested precise tweaks to the perfumes’ formulae – the better to reflect the people behind the layers of paint, and further shaping our understanding of them.
Without such bespoke examples, what follows are the perfumes I felt ‘matched’ the personality of five portraits that particularly spoke to me. Indeed, there were so many other fragrance pairings inspired in my mind (and still bubbling away) by seeing this exhibition, that I’ll need to do a Part Two to stop them invading my every thought. But for now, what I really want to know is – which portraits would you decide to match, having got to know them at the exhibition; how would you scent them, and why would you pick that to evoke their character, the clothing, and the mood of the portrait itself…?
Sargent and Fashion is at Tate Britain until 7 July 2024. [Free for Tate members, and worth every penny if you’re not]
John Singer Sargent Lady Agnew of Lochnaw
Outwardly the very picture of femininity, in both the sitter and the scent there’s a strong backbone that runs through the centre. Gertrude is surrounded by a froth of delicate, transparent material, but she sits on a hard-backed chair and meets us with a direct and judging stare. In Apres L’Ondee a spring garden of rain-soaked blossoms feels encircled by a high fence. The violet in it is cool, almost frosted, but has survived the storm. You may admire the garden, but the casual passer-by will not be invited inside.
Guerlain Apres L’Ondee£108 for 75ml eau de parfumguerlain.com
John Singer Sargent Ena Wertheimer
Sargent and Ena were great friends, their rapport and her amusement vibrating through this unconventional portrait, and the stance apparently all Ena’s doing. She came to his studio, grabbed a broom and began fencing with it. Her heavy opera coat becomes a Cavalier’s uniform (or a witch’s cloak, given the subtext of the broomstick). In Moonlight Patchouli, inky black velvet is suddenly spotlit, bathed in a phosphorescent glow, dusted with iris – a focus on warm skin dominating the darkness.
Van Cleef & Arpels Moonlight Patchouli£145 for 75ml eau de parfumharrods.com
John Singer Sargent Mrs Hugh Hammersley (Mary Frances Grant)
A fashionable hostess of salons, Mary looks so happy to see you, but would like you to understand she has a lot to do. The extraordinary depth of colour and texture in her gown are discussed in this Metropolitan Museum of Art feature, but her vivacity and poised opulence are obvious. I tried not to use this scent in this piece, but it had to be hers. The striking depths of rose, raspberry and patchouli are hugely impactful, filled with beauty, power, and a presence that lasts long after you’ve left a room.
Frédéric Malle Portrait of a Ladyfrom £60 for 10ml eau de parfumfredericmalle.co.uk
John Singer Sargent Dr. Pozzi at Home
A blaze of passionate red, this man might appear a dandy, but he’s incredibly intelligent. He may look casually attired, but the drape of his dressing gown and the meticulous pleats of the white linen shirt dramatically contrast the swathe of scarlet. Habit Rouge is devilishly handsome and knows it. Dynamically woody, a hint of animalic magnetism balanced by almost soapy neroli and jasmine; rendered irresistible by the creamy warmth of spiced vanilla and moody patchouli in the base.
[P.S. I also attempted not to use Guerlain twice in my matches, but the body craves what it needs, and Pozzi’s needed this.]
Guerlain Habit Rouge£81 for 50ml eau de parfumguerlain.com
John Singer Sargent Madame X (Madame Pierre Gautreau)
The largest space in the exhibition is given over to Sargent’s most famous portrait, room for captivated crowds to gather and gaze, elongating their bodies and arching upwards, echoing her position, desperate for her to turn and look back. Virginie adored this painting, as did Sargent, but her life was scandalised by it. In Santal Majuscule, we’re invited to worship the sandalwood, acres of creaminess suggesting an expanse of bare skin. A pared back elegance which nonetheless skewers with longing.
Serges Lutens Santal Majuscule£135 for 50ml eau de parfumsergeslutens.co.uk
In the depths of winter, when life seems dormant and waiting, there is one little glimpse of brighter times to come – a whiff of hope on the frosty breeze – in that cheering moment we first spot a snowdrop. Yes, that might sound clichéd, but I defy you to smother a smile when you see one.
SO delicately scented with a lightly honeyed, creamy almond kind of smell, the latin name ‘Galanthus‘ means ‘milky flower’, and this tiny bloom has gathered centuries of fragrant folklore around its origins, continuing to inspire perfumers with its transcendent prettiness.
Native to Alpine regions, where they thrive amidst the cold, mountainous climes; snowdrops are believed to have first appeared in the British Isles when they were brought there by monks. It’s rather nice to imagine them tenderly tucked in religious robes while they travelled, but however they first arrived, they took root in the frozen winter soil of this country, and in our souls, somehow. Perhaps we were seduced by the mythology – stories passed down through generations, such as the legend recounted on the snowdrop-centric website snowdrops.me: ‘when you listen closely,’ they explain, ‘you can hear their bells ringing, trying to wake up nature from its winter sleep.’ Even more beautiful is the ancient German tale re-told on The Creative Countryside blog:
‘At the beginning of all things when life was new, the Snow sought to borrow a colour. The flowers were much admired by all the elements but they guarded their colour’s jealousy and when the Snow pleaded with them, they turned their backs in contempt for they believed the Snow cold and unpleasant. The tiny humble snowdrops took pity on the Snow for none of the other flowers had shown it any kindness and so they came forth and offered up to the Snow their colour. The Snow gratefully accepted and became white forevermore, just like the Snowdrops. In its gratitude, the Snow permitted the little pearly flowers the protection to appear in winter, to be impervious to the ice and bitter chill. From then on, the Snow and the Snowdrops coexisted side by side as friends.’
I’ll be the first to admit the smell of snowdrops isn’t effusive, it doesn’t billow through the woods as a scented cloud harkening Spring; but though tenderly scented, it’s the symbolism of this flower that so inspires perfumers, I think. And to which we feel drawn – perhaps likening ourselves to the ‘brave’ flower having clung on through icy conditions, and having managed to immerge, even through the frozen ground. A triumph of beauty over adversity, if you will.
Quietly scented (to us) they may be, but that smell acts as a clarion call for potential pollinators. The composition of the snowdrop’s fragrant waft depends on the type of insect it wants to attract. The honeyed kind attract bees (and us), but because the snowdrop is a fairly recent inhabitant on British shores, the scent they exude can also be a wordless cry to a species not available here. So, not all snowdrops have a smell that pleases the masses. Explains the National Plant Collection of Galanthus at Bruckhills Croft in Aberdeenshire on their snowdrops.me blog (where you can purchase several varieties of the flower): ‘The species Koenenianus is often described as having a smell of animal urine or bitter almonds, so perhaps has evolved to attract pollenating beetles in its native North-Eastern Turkey?’
Fragrances evoking snowdrops are (given our love for the flowers and their symbolism) still surprisingly rather scarce, but when we find them they may lean on the tenderly honeyed side of their scent (I’m very glad to say), with clever ‘noses’ tending to use a blend of notes to evoke these seasonal flagposts of hope in their fragrances – boosting their brightness, smoothing the edges, radiating anticipation. Such is the alchemy of a fragrant composition, we might be smelling lily-of-the-valley or bluebell accords (also imagined evocations) or the dewy green of violet leaf. Creamy white musks are often used to create that elegant shiver of the flower, or a whisper of cool woodiness wafting an imagined breeze to shake their bells. Conversely, the sense of snowdrops may be borrowed to add pale shafts of sunlight within the darkness of a scent, the contrast emboldening the harmony of the whole blend.
So, while you may not pick up a bottle and confidently declare ‘Aha! I detect snowdrops!’ we can quite willingly succumb to the romance of the story, and cling on to the feeling of hopefulness each of these four snowdrop fragrances grant the wearer…
Shay & Blue Black Tulip From £7.95 for 10ml eau de parfum Contrasts abound as white chocolate swathes spiced plum, but before gourmand-avoiders back away, it’s not overtly sweet – think of it more like the silky ‘mouth-feel’ amidst swathes of bright snowdrops and creamy cyclamen. The dark heart hushes to wood shavings, curls of chocolate still falling like snowflakes.
Dawn Spencer Hurwitz’s calone-based ‘snow accord’ imagines the backdrop for the owl’s scented swooping: ‘A thick carpet of silver envelops the landscape, untouched but for the dazzling reflection of the sun.’ Icy mint, lily of the valley and coconut drift to snowdrops and sap-filled galbanum, softly feathered by the moss-snuggled base.
A portrait of a frozen stream in perfumed form, snowdrops and freesia are lapped by lychee water, peony petals and jasmine hinting at warmer days, clementine blossom a burat of happiness amidst misty, crystalline musks. Then, the smooth teakwood base is whipped through with fluffs of creamy vanilla for an ambient blanket of calm.
Angela Flanders Lawn £85 for 30ml eau de parfum
Kate learned perfumery at her mother’s knee, taking over the house after Angela died, with this dew-speckled, dawn-struck scent her first offering. ‘Lawn marked a new start for me as a perfumer’, she explains, ‘and is therefore a most appropriate scent for the time of year when we feel ready to embrace the promise of a new season.’
