THE STORY OF PERFUME
Paris and perfumes go hand in hand. Most self-respecting Parisiennes have a signature scent that they stick to for decades. MiNDFOOD gains a fascinating insight into the world of fragrance makers by visiting a most unusual museum.
A unique museum in Paris reveals the intoxicating history of French perfume.
You don’t have to walk very far in Paris to encounter a ‘parfumerie’, where the heady aromas of bewitching fragrances waft onto the sidewalk, enticing you to enter.
Step inside one of these many perfume shops and it’s a treat for the senses, as you are overwhelmed by decadent spicy, floral or more unusual scents or notes created by traditional or contemporary perfume makers.
“Smell this, my dear,” says Jerome Spander, who describes himself as a “perfume dandy” after years of creating perfumes. “It’s rich, sensual and just so so French – no- one can resist it. You will get it home and
always remember Paris. Everyone wears perfume here; no self-respecting Parisian would ever leave their apartment without a dab of perfume – it’s just not French.”
Like croissants and café au lait, Paris and perfume go together and there’s a rich history of the creation of beautiful aromas well preserved at the Musée du Parfum Fragonard Parfumeur, which opened in 2015.
Named after the rococo painter Jean-Honoré Fragonard, the business was established by Eugene Fuchs in Grasse in 1926 and is still in the family. The first Fragonard parfumerie opened in Paris in 1926 and has been dedicated to creating traditional signature scents ever since, with its production centre in the flower- clad hills of Grasse on the Côte d’Azur.
Close to the Opéra Garnier, the museum’s historic location was once the oriental- styled Eden Theatre, where fairytale ballets were performed, and later converted into a velodrome where Parisians came to learn how to cycle.
It later became the home of British furniture retailer, Maple & Co until 2014. Now, it is dedicated to perfume. The museum reveals the secrets of the perfume trade and is home to a magnificent collection of precious objets d’art, tracing the history of perfume.
There’s great debate about where perfume was discovered, with ancient Mesopotamia and Arabia both hot contenders. The earliest records are from Egypt, dating back to 2000BC, when incense was put in the tombs with mummies and perfume was believed to be the sweat of the gods.
There’s a lot more to perfume than just lingering aromas and our museum guide, Francine explains how, before the age of running water, perfume and the scent of flowers were used to hide the odours of unwashed bodies.
The tour takes you back to the early days when the essence from animals’ anal glands, such as the civet cat and beaver, was used as a base to help scents linger. This practice stopped with the introduction of synthetic versions. Early apothecary jars, maps, measuring instruments, engravings and botanical illustrations are displayed, but the most unusual award goes to the remains of shrivelled animal glands.
Francine explains the early secrets of production. Several old copper stills and vats are exhibited in an early 20th- century factory setting, and intriguing archival footage features flower picking in Grasse. The stages of production, including harvesting, cold-fat extraction, distillation, maceration and packaging are also shown. “Petals of flowers were handpicked and pressed between sheets of blotting paper in the early days to capture the essence – so much hard work, but the fragrances were spectacular,” she says.
The intriguing work of perfumers or ‘noses’, who have the unique skill of recognising several thousand different smells is well recognised. Described as magicians-come-artists-come-chemists, they possess a unique know-how and develop their own olfactory signature. Often compared to a work of art, the perfume creation process can take years. “These geniuses develop their own olfactory signatures through their imagination, creativity and feeling for harmonious combinations, which enable them to create endless compositions,” says Francine.
A collection of antique essence bottles with beautifully handwritten labels is displayed along with old books and the label section that reflects the fashions and artistic trends of the early 20th century. But it is the collection of beautiful and intricate perfume objets d’art that stars.
Worn on the belt, as a pendant, or carried in the hand, pomanders or smelling boxes were used to repel disease and epidemics and were widespread in the Middle Ages. Used in a solid form, the perfume was placed in the various compartments.
Under Louis XIV’s reign, the aristocracy and bourgeoisie enthused about perfume products in every shape and form, and artists put their talent into creating striking objects.
The perfume bottle created by the Russian jeweller, Peter Carl Fabergé – famed for his Easter eggs – is set with precious gems and was commissioned by the Tsar for his wife. It is made of smoked quartz, mounted with gold, and adorned with diamonds and sapphires. “Perfume was such an expensive commodity, it needed to be transported in beautiful containers,” says Francine. In this unique collection, you will find pomanders, kohl pots, richly decorated bottles, perfume burners, intricately carved antique travel sets, potpourris, smelling salt bottles, perfume burners and precious flasks, all paying tribute to exceptional skills from antiquity through to the 20th century.
The 30-minute olfactory journey around the museum leaves you with a far greater appreciation of the story of perfume and why we love it.
Jerome Spander was right – every time I dab on my newest fragrance, I really do think of Paris and my friend the perfume dandy.