"Whoever dominates scents dominates the hearts of people." - Patrick Süskind, Perfume.
Chanel, Dior, Versace, Gucci... the range of these magnificent aromas is endless, and for each of us, there is a special, captivating scent without which the day doesn't begin, and no important event is attended. Sometimes we change them, giving preference to a new fragrance, and thus, a new state of mind, new sensations.
Yes, perfume is an essential part of our appearance, sensations, and to some extent, our relationships with the world around us. However, this love story between a person and perfume has only been around for about 100 years. Perfume entered the lives of modern society at approximately the same time as the automobile. Humanity became witness to completely new traces: those of cars on the roads and perfume in the air.
Of course, perfume didn't appear out of nowhere and wasn't suddenly introduced into our lives. As far back as the year 1370, a perfume made from aromatic oils and alcohol was created for Queen Isabella of Hungary. This perfume spread under the name "Hungarian water." Much earlier, in the ancient empires of Mesopotamia, Egypt, Rome, and Persia, successful attempts were made to create fragrances mainly used during sacrifices.
In ancient Egyptian mythology, there was even a god of scents, Dedun. In the second millennium BC, a chemically knowledgeable woman named Taputi produced perfumes, as documented in a cuneiform inscription tablet. In summary, humanity's interest in perfumes spans thousands of years.
But it wasn't until the beginning of the last century that perfume became massively accessible, yet aromatic luxury was still only affordable for wealthy members of society.
The 20th century brought hope for novelty, originality, comfort, and, of course, beauty. The latter came from the hands of master fashion artisans, the Parisian tailors who decided that perfume was an important accessory for the female image (and not just for females). Thus began the triumphant march of perfume across the planet. It was truly triumphant, captivating millions of hearts and the world. Paris became not only the fashion capital but also the perfume capital. From Paris, the notes of rose and lavender, sandalwood and musk, jasmine and iris, lily of the valley and violet began to spread.
The legendary Coco Chanel, with her characteristic audacity, named the first fragrance created by the Chanel house after herself, Chanel No. 5. Christian Dior once said, "Perfume is an indispensable shade of feminine individuality, the final touch of the image."
Today, it is difficult to navigate a perfume boutique due to the multitude of options offered, and the more scents the perfume wizards create, the harder it is to choose that one unique and unforgettable fragrance created especially for us. But in the world of perfume, there is a fundamental rule: legends are always legends. And when we choose a legend, we feel like participants in the ancient mystery of creating a scent, experiencing our right to spread the magical fragrance and leave our mark.
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