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The Perfume Companion: A Connoisseur's Guide
192 pages, Hardcover
First published September 24, 1999
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May 23, 2021
Published in 1999, as a snapshot of the perfume world 20+ years ago it's an interesting read. Back then, I guess, it was still mostly true that "If you can still buy the perfume your mother used when she was a girl, you can be assured that it will be a very good perfume indeed" (p. 11).
The book has entries by the brand where the focus is on the history and ownership transfer of the houses. Their notable perfumes are listed but the smells are not described, in a couple of words if at all. Some brands have since been forgotten (Antonia's Flowers, Mary Chess, Desprez — that's just the beginning of the alphabet). Some have produced tens and hundreds of new products. The Gucci entry ends with: "Finally, in 1997, Gucci introduced Envy, which, having been heavily advertised and very well received, is on its way to being a substantial bestseller" (p. 106).
The book has entries by the brand where the focus is on the history and ownership transfer of the houses. Their notable perfumes are listed but the smells are not described, in a couple of words if at all. Some brands have since been forgotten (Antonia's Flowers, Mary Chess, Desprez — that's just the beginning of the alphabet). Some have produced tens and hundreds of new products. The Gucci entry ends with: "Finally, in 1997, Gucci introduced Envy, which, having been heavily advertised and very well received, is on its way to being a substantial bestseller" (p. 106).
Displaying 1 of 1 review