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Cinematic Scents: Your Aromatic Holiday Viewing List

As the festive season settles in and we find ourselves nestled comfortably at home, it’s the perfect time to indulge in some fragrant-themed films. If you’ve already exhausted your streaming platforms and are wearily scrolling through terrestrial TV channels, fear not! We’ve curated a delightful list of scent-centric movies to keep you entertained between now and the New Year.

It’s worth noting that we’re seeing an increasing number of fragrance references in films, TV shows, and various forms of culture. This trend is expected to grow even more in the coming year, reflecting the rising interest in our olfactory world. So, let’s dive into some cinematic treats that celebrate the power of scent…

 

 

Nose is a more than a documentary following Dior perfumer François Demachy, it’s a paean to the raw ingredients of perfumery, and the hardworking people who grow and harvest the ingredients around the world. Dior describe it as ‘A true “smell good movie” Nose sheds light on one of the most secret jobs in the world.’ And while we mostly remainly quarantined, what a wonderful way to travel by your nose it is.

Rent for £5.49 Amazon Prime

 

 

“Perfume: Story of a Murderer” is a must-watch for any fragrance enthusiast. Based on Patrick Süskind’s infamous novel, this visually stunning adaptation follows Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, an 18th-century French perfumer with an extraordinary sense of smell. His obsession with capturing the scent of young womanhood leads to a chilling series of events. This film not only brought a seemingly unfilmable book to life but also changed the way fragrance was discussed in media. It’s a gripping tale that will leave you pondering the dark side of olfactory obsession.

From £3.49 Apple TV

 

 

For a lighter yet equally scent-focused experience, “Perfumes” (aka: Les Parfums) offers a charming exploration of a reclusive French perfumer’s life through the eyes of her new chauffeur. This gentle comedy provides a rare and well-presented look into the world of perfumery. You’ll find yourself smiling at scenes like Guillaume, the chauffeur, discovering his newfound appreciation for smell in a supermarket aisle. It’s a delightful journey that celebrates the art of fragrance creation.

Rent from £4.49 Amazon Prime

 

 

Al Pacino delivers a tour de force performance in “Scent of a Woman”. While not strictly about perfume, this film highlights the importance of our sense of smell. Pacino plays Frank, a blind, retired Army officer with an uncanny ability to identify fragrances. Watch out for the scene where he detects ‘Ogleby Sisters Soap’ on a woman waiting for her date – it’s a masterclass in olfactory observation.

Rent from £2.49 YouTube

 

 

For those who enjoy a bit of whimsy, “Love Blossoms” offers a Hallmark-style take on the perfume world. The story follows a perfumer’s daughter racing to meet a production deadline for her late father’s company’s latest scent. While it may not delve deeply into olfactory intricacies, it’s a cosy film perfect for curling up with on a chilly evening.

Free on Amazon Prime

 

 

Step back in time with “The Women” (1939), a classic film featuring a star-studded all-female cast. Although it only has one perfume-related scene, it’s a memorable one set in a classy department store’s fragrance section. Joan Crawford’s turn as a predatory perfume counter girl is deliciously catty. The film’s sudden switch to full colour during a fashion show sequence is a visual treat that was groundbreaking for its time.

Rent from £3.09 YouTube

 

 

For a more educational experience, seek out the BBC documentary series “Perfume”. This fascinating deep dive into the fragrance business covers everything from the creation process to the revival of perfume houses. Although no longer on BBC iPlayer, you can find episodes on YouTube.

Free to watch YouTube

 

 

History buffs will appreciate “Birth of a Perfume”, a 1967 British Pathé documentary available on YouTube. Despite the dated ‘Received Pronunciation’ voiceover, it provides a still-relevant look at Grasse and the technical aspects of French perfumery.

 

 

Lastly, for those who enjoy a dramatic series, “The Legend of Fragrance” promises an intriguing blend of romance, revenge, and olfactory intrigue set in the Republican era. While we haven’t watched it yet, the premise of a family guarding their secret fragrance recipes against those who would steal them sounds utterly binge-worthy.

 

As you snuggle down with these fragrant films, you’ll notice how scent is becoming an increasingly prevalent theme in popular culture. This growing trend reflects a wider appreciation for the power of smell, and we can’t wait to see how it develops in the year ahead. So, grab your favourite perfume, spritz liberally, and lose yourself in these olfactory-inspired stories. Happy viewing!

Written by Suzy Nightingale

Vintage perfume posters (to purchase & swoon over…)

Vintage perfume posters are currently making us consider papering entire rooms with them, and these are particularly swoon-worthy versions…

In these uncertain times, sales of classic fragrances are, appparently soaring.

And no wonder. We’re crying out for a bit of soothing scented nostalgia to wallow in, and so although actual vintage versions of these fragrances would set you back a pretty penny (well-preserved bottles and rare examples can go for anything from a couple of hundred quid to several hundred thousand!) it’s rather tempting to purchase several of these gorgeous advertising poster prints, non?

 

Ahoy! Recognise the shape of the bottle this sailor’s snuggling up to in the Schiaparelli Perfumes1945 ‘Shocking Sailor’ image by artist Marcel Vertès?

 

The HP Prints website we came across has THOUSANDS to choose from when you type ‘perfume’ as a key-word search (which we spend most of the day doing online, tbh…)

But where to begin?!

 

Bourjois 1944 Mais Oui, Leonard. ‘Frankly flirtatious’? We’ll take the largest bottle you have, thank you.

 

Well, we’ve picked some favourites for you – each of which can be purchased as a print (if in stock) or, for a fee, downloaded as a high quality image file to use as you please, sans the watermarks of course.

 

Guerlain (Perfumes) 1959 J. Charnotet, Mitsouko. Would v much like a cutting from this tree, please.

 

We’re thinking ahead to (shhh!) Christmas, and birthday presents, or perhaps just to send to fragrance-loving friends we can’t meet up with right now. As well as, you know, papering every wall we can find…

 

Nina Ricci (Perfumes) 1971 L’Air du Temps (Version B). Such a classic – and a first scent love for so many.

 

Le Galion (Perfumes) 1959 Lily of the Valley, Lovers, Maurel. Stunning, and slightly sinister fairytale-esque: we approve.

 

Elizabeth Arden (Perfumes) 1941 It’s You. (We wish it was – say yes to that dress!)

 

By Suzy Nightingale

Gentle Fluidity – Maison Francis Kurkdjian’s new duo

‘Same note, two identities…’ So says perfumer Francis Kurkdjian – (pronounced coor-shone, by the way) at the end of the mesmerising film for his new fragrance duo of Gentle Fluidity. Scroll down to watch it, here, and find out how you can get samples of BOTH to try at home…

The idea was to create two fragrances that smell very different – using exactly the same notes but crafting them in such a way, the scents evolve their own distinct characters.

Such elegant playfulness can be said to be something of a signature for Kurkdjian throughout his lustrous career; begining straight out of perfumery school and slap bang into composing his first commercial scent, then aged just 25: Le Mâle for Jean Paul Gaultier.

An instant success and still a best-seller, fragrance fans and perfume industry peers could already see this was a special ‘nose’, setting out to do something different, with an insouciant dry humour and ultimate sophistication. From there, young Francis set about creating Iris Nobile for Acqua di Parma, Lanvin Rumeur, multi-award-winning Elie Saab Le Parfum, and a duo of fragrances for the newly-revived Carven perfume house, among many others. Finally, in 2009, he got to found his very own house, Maison Francis Kurkdjian, near the Place Vendóme in Paris; and his subsequent creations have wowed the fragrance world ever since.

Talking of what creative freedom owning his own Maison affords him, Francis told us ‘…it is my way to express what I think about the world of fragrances, it is my take on luxury. It is nurtured from my background as a perfumer and a composer, my artistic sensibility and sensitivity.’

Put quite simply: the man’s a genius. And we don’t say that lightly.

You can read much more about his upwardly-mobile career and other fragrances on our page dedicated to Maison Francis Kurkdjian, but in the meantime, let us introduce you to his two newest fragrant launches – the Gentle Fluidity duo…

The inspiration: ”Working the ingredient to express its full potential and meeting the challenge of composing two different eaux de parfum with the same notes: juniper berries, nutmeg, coriander, musks, ambery woods and vanilla. The Gentle Fluidity duo was born of the perfumer’s imagination to offer two distinct olfactory silhouettes, for her or for him.’

gentle Fluidity Gold Edition £150 for 70ml eau de parfum selfridges.com
‘In gentle Fluidity’s (gold) generous, enveloping trail, we can find coriander seed essence and an overdose of musks and vanilla. The floral, spicy note of coriander seeds brings, just like musks, ethereal volume and a lingering trail. In the base notes, the gourmand, reassuring notes of the vanilla accord enhanced by the ambery woods reveal a radiant, bright silhouette.’

Gentle fluidity Silver Edition £150 for 70ml eau de parfum selfridges.com
‘In Gentle fluidity (silver), nutmeg and ambery woods are dominant and release a vibrant, comfortable trail. As for juniper berry essence, it leads to an ascending, ultra-fresh, aromatic note, similar to a “gin frappé” effect, balanced by the dry, slightly balmy, spicy notes of nutmeg. The base notes reveal ambery wood facets ranging from sweet and enveloping to powerful and dry.’

It’s really quite remarkable how unique they both smell – the Gold version warmer, a more snuggle-up-and-nuzzle-me type scent, perhaps, which is sure to be a hit for anyone who adores a more decadent, sensual side of perfumes. For the Silver edition, we find an unexpected freshness, a luminescence that shivers beguilingly and feels like wearing a lace shawl spun from dew-speckled spiderwebs. And yet, we must remind ourselves, these are the same ingredients…

It’s a useful reminder that we should never merely glance at a list of perfume notes and assume we know what something will smell like – it depends entirely on how and where the perfumer has used them in the composition; how they react to the other notes around them, the rate they evaporate on the skin depending if they’re used dominantly in the top, heart or base notes. So many factors can utterly transform how a perfume smells on your skin.

And so then – how to choose between them? Well we’re thrilled to offer you the opportunity to try samples of BOTH the gentle Fluidity Gold AND the Gentle fluidity Silver in our Launches We Love Discovery Box – among over a dozen new fragrances we’ve curated for you to explore at home!

Launches We Love Discovery Box £19 (£15 for VIP Club members)

We’re pretty sure whichever of the Maison Francis Kurkdjian fragrances you fall for, it will be just the start of your love affair with this always-exciting niche house… and we cannot wait to see (and smell) what comes next.

Written by Suzy Nightingale