One might think that Frederic Malle invented that "glass column" to test the fragrance in the air. But nothing is new again and I should credit again the pre WWII period for inventing almost everything in modern perfumery (and marketing). In fact it was Lanvin who presented and used in USA such a device to test their fragrances, that resembled a telephone box, both in size and shape. Inside a woman may select any of the famous Lanvin perfumes she wishes to sample. By pressing a button, a flush of clean , fresh air ventilates the cabinet and then a quick breath of perfectly atomized perfume fills the "room", followed by another flush of the clean air. By pressing another button a second perfume is sampled and so on. The device allowed a concentration on the sense of smell "shutting out" the senses of sound, sight and touch.
There is an amazing contrast between the 30's and today. The fragrance business was not so big as today, yet they were more inventive in promoting fragrances. Today big brands, with larger budgets than in the 30's did not spend a lot in devices to test the perfume or appreciate it. It was only with the emergence of niche that I saw creative ways to test a perfume (F Malle, Iunx). In fact, in many cases the modern consumer is not helped to test correctly the fragrance. Surprisingly, "the smell" is the last point in the so called "brand experience" inside a shop.
There is an amazing contrast between the 30's and today. The fragrance business was not so big as today, yet they were more inventive in promoting fragrances. Today big brands, with larger budgets than in the 30's did not spend a lot in devices to test the perfume or appreciate it. It was only with the emergence of niche that I saw creative ways to test a perfume (F Malle, Iunx). In fact, in many cases the modern consumer is not helped to test correctly the fragrance. Surprisingly, "the smell" is the last point in the so called "brand experience" inside a shop.
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Fragrance is the 8th Art - Octavian Coifan - Le Parfum est le 8ème Art
