Friday 18 December 2009

The sweet smell of........

So after a conversation at work about when in a woman's life does Yardley's Lily of the Valley become THE fragrance to be worn at all times. I started to ponder perfume.
What makes a classic classic? How and when does a particular fragrance become a classic? In this festive season we are being bombarded by adverts for the latest from Armani, Chanel et al, which makes me wonder how long will they be around?

I tried to recall perfumes from my childhood, apart from memories for adverts for Charlie and Tweed I was stumped. My mother used to wear Madame Rocha but I can't say I have heard of it in recent years. I have vivid memories of my Dad buying her a bottle of Arpege which I adored the smell of. I used to ask her to wear it I loved it so much. After that it was Giorgio Wings, big in the 80's but who has heard of it now?

I then thought of my own forays into the world of fragrance as a teenager/young adult. After finally discovering I am one of those people whose skin makes perfumes smell wrong. I no longer use any, but back in the day I was sampling them with the best. I settled on Jackie Smith's California, who has heard of that now? Would your average perfume wearer even know who Jackie Smith was let alone what she thought California should smell like.
This time next year will we still follow the Armani Code or lust for the Diesel life?