Here we are at the end of the history of perfumery! It was a long journey that started from'ancient Greece and arrived up to the present day in which the history of'humanity and that of perfumery have intersected and sometimes even divided. Let's see what happens from the end of world conflicts until today.
After the war the spirit of renewal is strong and spreads over the years until 1970 where the wind of freedom blows over a young Europe. The scented compositions reflect this era of freshness and are, for the most part, light and green. Women emancipate themselves and claim perfumes that embody this desire, so N°19 by
In this'era of new tastes, iconic perfumes are born such as Eau Sauvage by Dior and Paco Rabanne pour Homme by Paco Rabanne who determine, with their notes, the rescue and the new affirmation of the olfactory family of Fuogère - a fantasy name that indicates men's fragrances characterized by virile notes and accords of lavender, geranium, vetiver and musk.
The 80s are the years of the boom, even in perfumery, the launches of new fragrances are numerous and the sensual and opulent fragrances stand out. In these years, Coco di Chanel, Poison di see the light >Dior and Opium by YSL.
The years '90 are more modest and characterized by world events such as the diffusion of the AIDS which, as we have seen in the past, brings to the world of perfumes more medical, light, fresh and musky scents. In these years Acqua di Giò by Giorgio Armani and Kenzo pour homme were born .
The'use of perfume also extends to young, urban and transgressive adolescent boys and girls who with CK One (those who have not owned at least one bottle!) of Calvin Klein feel mirrored!
In the 2000s, the launches continued and new fragrances followed one another in a continuous vortex, it was the period of Chloé, Chance by Chanel, J'Adore by Dior and Light Blue by Dolce and Gabbana.
Perfumery is now accessible to everyone in department stores and commercial perfumeries and each person usually owns at least one perfume. The advertising of fragrances takes on a central role and manufacturers often invest more in this medium than in the fragrance itself. We are witnessing a qualitative deterioration of fragrances that also lose their originality as they have to conform to an ever wider and more globalized public.
In this scenario, actually starting from the 70s, I like to say out of simple resistance, the houses of Niche perfumery were born. Where launches are very limited, the packaging is iconic and clean and advertising non-existent, everything is invested in the quality of the fragrance.
We have already talked in depth about Niche perfumery, here you can find the links to the articles:
Today, commercial perfumery mixes with niche perfumery and c'is a return to the' essentiality of the fragrances: the pack is minimized, communication has moved to social media and a lot is invested again in the quality of the fragrance.
Now is another period of revolution for perfumery. We are heading towards the'extinction of the genus! Perfumes are no longer designed according to the logic of man, woman, male and female but are designed to be appreciated by both and so it can happen that a couple shares and loves the same perfume.
We have seen the history of perfumery, between ups and downs, revolutions and changes of direction. It is certainly an exciting journey that mixes with history and human culture in a profound way.
The future of perfumery is a blank book and in a few years we will discover the words, I can't waitnow!
Dr. Federica D'Incà - COSMAST Master in Cosmetic Science and Technology
“Every woman has the right to be beautiful” - Elizabeth Arden