The Perfume Lover

by Denyse Beaulieu

  Meanwhile, I’ve got an appointment with Mr D. He says he’s got something new to show me. I’ve never lived a longer dawn.

  Acknowledgements

  I couldn’t be more grateful to Bertrand Duchaufour for his trust, time, creativity, generosity and friendship, and for making me the most beautiful gift a perfume lover could ever hope for.

  A million thanks to Jenny Heller, my marvellous editor at HarperCollins, for sparking the idea for this book as well as for her invaluable support and advice. And thank you so much to Helena Nicholls, who took over the project with such grace and enthusiasm, as well as to Georgina Atsiaris, Elen Jones and all the team at HarperCollins, and to Susan Opie for her keen eye.

  I have a huge debt of gratitude to my wonderful agent Homa Rastegar at A. P. Watt, and to our friend Alexander Greene, who set everything in motion. Thank you also to all the team at A. P. Watt, especially to Linda Shaughnessy and Louise Lamont.

  I am deeply grateful to L’Artisan Parfumeur for launching Séville à l’aube into the world: thank you to Sarah Rotheram, Nick Steward, Alissa Sullivan for making it happen, and to Florian Pedemanaud for being so supportive.

  I am also deeply indebted to my friend Octavian Coifan for sharing his encyclopaedic knowledge so generously and for rereading the historic parts of the manuscript (any remaining errors are mine), as well as for the countless hours we spent discussing and smelling things.

  Thank you to Olivier Maure and Michel Roudnitska, who invited me into the magical realm of Sainte-Blanche, and to Sandrine Videault for instilling some of its spirit into me from afar.

  My heartfelt thanks to everyone in the perfume industry who gave me their time and shared their knowledge and stories with me: Christian Astuguevieille, Abdes Salam Attar, Mathilde Bijaoui, Élisabeth de Feydeau, Étienne de Swardt, Pierre Dinand, Isabelle Doyen, Marie Dumont, Vero Kern, Mathilde Laurent, Annick Le Guérer, Antoine Lie, Serge Lutens, Frédéric Malle, Annick Menardo, Pamela Roberts, Dominique Ropion, Patrick Saint-Yves …

  This book would never have been possible without the vibrant online perfume community where I found so many friends and sources of inspiration: all my gratitude to my fellow bloggers, with special thanks to March Dodge for allowing me to quote extensively from her Perfume Posse posts, to Nathan Branch, who provided a crucial bit of advice at the right moment, and a big shout-out to all of the readers of Grain de Musc who contributed so many thoughtful comments to my blog.

  Thank you to my London support team, Laurent Delaye, Clare Bradley, Basia Szkutnicka, Kit Davis, Nicola Stephens and Silvia Pezzali; to Guy Scarpetta and Rachel Laurent for the house at the back of the garden where I wrote several chapters, and to Catherine Greslot, who made sure I was decently fed while I was shackled to my keyboard.

  I also tenderly dedicate this book to the memory of Fabiana Leonor Heifetz, who gave me more love, advice and support during the brief months of our friendship than most people could in a lifetime.

  And finally, un beso to Enrique, wherever he is. He knows the real story.

  Bibliography

  Baudelaire, Charles, ‘Head of Hair’, The Flowers of Evil, transl. William Aggeler (Fresno: Academy Library Guild, 1954)

  Burr, Chandler, The Perfect Scent (New York: Picador, 2007)

  Calkin, Robert R. and Jellinek, J. Stephan, Perfumery: Practice and Principles (Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, 1994)

  Clark, Kenneth, The Nude: A Study in Ideal Form (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1953)

  Coifan, Octavian, 1000 Fragrances (1000fragrances.blogspot.com)

  Corbin, Alain, The Foul and the Fragrant: Odour and the French Social Imagination, transl. M. Kochan (Oxford: Berg Publishers, 1986)

  DeJean, Joan, The Essence of Style (New York: Free Press, 2005)

  Détienne, Marcel and Vernant, Jean-Pierre, Les Jardins d’Adonis: La Mythologie des parfums et des aromates en Grèce (Paris: Gallimard, 2007)

  Diderot, Denis, Rameau’s Nephew, transl. Ian C. Johnston (http://records.viu.ca/∼johnstoi, 1762)

  Edwards, Michael, Perfume Legends: French Feminine Fragrances (Sydney: Michael Edwards & Co., 1996)

  Ellena, Jean-Claude, Journal of a Perfumer (London: Penguin, 2012)

  Ellena, Jean-Claude, Le Parfum (Paris: Presses Universitaires de France, 2007)

  de Feydeau, Élisabeth, A Scented Palace: The Secret History of Marie-Antoinette’s Perfumer (London: I. B. Tauris, 2006)

  Flaubert, Gustave, Correspondance, Tome 1 (Paris: Gallimard, 1973)

  García Lorca, Federico, Theory and Play of the Duende, transl. A. S. Kline (www.poetryintranslation.com, 1994)

  Genet, Jean, Un Captif amoureux (Paris: Gallimard, 1986)

  Genet, Jean, Journal du voleur (Paris: Gallimard, 1949)

  Gilbert, Avery, What the Nose Knows: The Science of Scent in Everyday Life (New York: Crown Publishers, 2008)

  Greer, Germaine, The Female Eunuch (London: Paladin, 1970)

  Haskins, Susan, Mary Magdalen: Myth and Metaphor (New York: Riverhead Books, 1993)

  Holley, André, Éloge de l’odorat (Paris: Odile Jacob, 1999)

  Jaquet, Chantal, Philosophie de l’odorat (Paris: Presses Universitaires de France, 2010)

  Jellinek, Paul, The Psychological Basis of Perfumery, 4th edition (London: Chapman & Hall, 1997)

  Kaufman, William I., Perfume (New York: Dutton, 1974)

  Le Guérer, Annick, Le Parfum: Des Origines à nos jours (Paris: Odile Jacob, 2005)

  Le Guérer, Annick, Scent: The Mysterious and Essential Power of Smell (London: Chatto & Windus, 1992)

  Piesse, Septimus, The Art of Perfumery (Philadelphia: Lindsay and Blakiston, 1857)

  Pliny the Elder, Natural History, transl. John Bostock (London: G. Bell and Sons, 1892)

  Proust, Marcel, Swann’s Way, transl. C. K. Scott Moncrieff (Forgottenbooks.org, 1913/2008)

  Reverdy, Pierre, ‘L’Image’ in Nord-Sud N°13 (Paris, 1918)

  Rilke, Rainer Maria, Rodin & Other Prose Pieces, transl. G. Craig Houston (London: Quartet Books, 1986)

  Robert, Guy, Les Sens du parfum (Paris: Osman Eyrolles, 2000)

  Roudnitska, Edmond, Le Parfum (Paris: Presses Universitaires de France, 1989)

  Roudnitska, Edmond, Une Vie au service du parfum (Paris: Thérèse Vian Éditions, 1991)

  Schiaparelli, Elsa, Shocking Life (London: V&A Publications, 2007)

  Stamelman, Richard, Perfume: Joy, Obsession, Scandal, Sin (New York: Rizzoli, 2006)

  Turin, Luca, Parfums: Le Guide (Paris: Hermé, 1994)

  Turin, Luca and Sanchez, Tania, Perfumes: The Guide (London: Viking, 2008)

  Permission to quote from The Nude by Kenneth Clark was granted by the Estate of Kenneth Clark c/o The Hanbury Agency Ltd, 28 Moreton Street, London SW1V 2PE. Copyright © Kenneth Clark, 1956. All rights reserved.

  Index

  The index that appeared in the print version of this title does not match the pages in your eBook. Please use the search function on your eReading device to search for terms of interest. For your reference, the terms that appear in the print index are listed below.

  Accord

  African Stone (hyraceum)

  Aldehyde C-11

  Aldehyde C-12

  Aldehyde C-18

  Aldehydes

  Al Oudh (L’Artisan Parfumeur)

  Alpha-damascone

  Ambergris

  Amber notes

  Ambrettolide

  Amouage

  Angelica

  Art et Parfum

  Astuguevieille, Christian

  Attrape-coeur (Guerlain) also: Guet-Apens

  Aurantiol

  Avignon (Comme des Garçons Parfums)

  Baby Soft (Love)

  Bal à Versailles (Jean Desprez)

  Bandit (Robert Piguet)

  Beaux, Ernest

  Beeswax

  Benzaldehyde

  Benzyl acetate

  Bergamot

  Berry notes

  Bijaoui, Mathilde

  Black (Bulg
ari)

  Bois de Violet te (Serge Lutens)

  Brosius, Christopher

  Burr, Chandler

  Calamus (Comme des Garçons Parfums)

  Carles, Jean

  Carnal Flower (Frédéric Malle Éditions de Parfums)

  Caron

  Cartier

  Cassie (Acacia Farnesiana)

  Cassis (blackcurrant bud)

  Castoreum

  Cellier, Germaine

  Chanel, Gabrielle

  Charlie (Revlon)

  Chloé (Chloé)

  Cistus labdanum

  Civet

  Cocaina en Flor (Parera)

  Coifan, Octavian

  Comme des Garçons Parfums

  Communelle

  Corbin, Alain

  Costus

  Coty, François

  Coumarin

  Cresol

  Cuir de Russie (Chanel)

  Daltroff, Ernest

  Daphne (Comme des Garçons Parfums)

  Davana

  De Feydeau, Élisabeth

  Demeter Fragrance Library

  Dinand, Pierre

  Diorissimo (Christian Dior)

  Diptyque

  Doyen, Isabelle

  Duchaufour, Bertrand

  Duende

  Dumont, Marie

  Eau de Cologne

  Edwards, Michael

  Ellena, Jean-Claude

  Escentric Molecules

  État Libre d’ Orange

  Eugenol

  Evening in Paris (Bourjois)

  Fargeon, Jean-Louis

  Farnesiana (Caron)

  First (Van Cleef and Arpels)

  Floriental

  Fougère

  Fougère Royale (Houbigant)

  Fracas (Robert Piguet)

  Frédéric Malle

  Garcia Lorca, Federico

  Gas chromatograph

  Geranium

  Giacobetti, Olivia

  Gilbert, Dr. Avery

  Globalide

  Gottlieb, Ann

  Green Apple (Max Factor)

  Guerlain, Aimé

  Guerlain, Jacques

  Guerlain, Jean-Paul

  Guet-Apens (Guerlain)

  Habanita (Molinard)

  Hedione

  Hermès

  Holley, Dr. André

  Hydroxycitronellal

  Hypnotic Poison (Christian Dior)

  Immortelle

  Incense

  Indole

  International Fragrance Association (IFRA)

  Ionone

  Iris Gris (Jacques Fath)

  Iris Silver Mist (Serge Lutens)

  Isobutyl quinoline

  Iso E super

  Jasmine

  Jasmolactone

  Jellinek, Dr. Paul

  Jicky (Guerlain)

  Joy (Jean Patou)

  Jubilation 25 (Amouage)

  Kern, Vero

  Krasnyi Mak

  Lactone

  L’Antimatière (Les Nez Parfums d’auteur)

  Laporte, Jean

  L’Artisan Parfumeur

  La Treizième Heure (Cartier)

  Laurent, Mathilde

  Lavender

  Le Guérer, Annick

  Le Parfum de Thérèse (Frédéric Malle Éditions de Parfums)

  “Les Heures de Parfum” (Cartier)

  Les Nez Parfums d’auteur

  Lie, Antoine

  Like This (État Libre d’Orange)

  Lily-of-the-valley

  L’Origan (Coty)

  Luisieri lavender

  Lutens, Serge

  Magnolan

  Manoumalia (Les Nez Parfums d’auteur)

  Mary Magdalene

  Maure, Olivier

  Menardo, Annick

  Methyl anthranilate

  Methyl-ionone

  Methyl salicylate

  Mitsouko (Guerlain)

  Molecule 01 (Escentric Molecules)

  Mouchoir de Monsieur (Guerlain)

  Mousse de Saxe

  Muscs Koublaï Khan (Serge Lutens)

  Musk

  Narcisse noir (Caron)

  Narcissus

  N°5 (Chanel)

  Oak moss

  Odeur 71 (Comme des Garçons Parfums)

  Onda (Vero Profumo)

  Opium (Yves Saint Laurent)

  Orange blossom

  Oriental

  Oud

  Paracresol

  Patchouli 24 (Le Labo)

  Perfume bases

  Piesse, Septimus

  Pink pepper

  Poiret, Paul

  Poison (Christian Dior)

  Poivre (Caron)

  Polge, Jacques

  Proust, Marcel

  Rive Gauche (Yves Saint Laurent)

  Robert, Guy

  Roberts, Pamela

  Roger, Maurice

  Ropion, Dominique

  Roucel, Maurice

  Roudnitska, Edmond

  Roudnitska, Michel

  Saint Laurent, Yves

  Salicylates

  Salons du Palais Royal Shiseido

  Schoen, Geza

  Sécrétions Magnifiques (État Libre d’Orange)

  Shalimar (Guerlain)

  Sheldrake, Christopher

  Shocking (Schiaparelli)

  “Skanky”

  “Solar” notes

  Styrax

  Swinton, Tilda

  Tabu (Dana)

  Tagetes

  Tauer, Andy

  Tigress (Fabergé)

  Tobacco

  Tonka bean

  Tubéreuse Criminelle (Serge Lutens)

  Tuberose

  Turin, Luca

  Turtle Vetiver (Les Nez Parfums d’auteur)

  Une Fleur de Cassie (Frédéric Malle Éditions de Parfums)

  Van Cleef and Arpels Pour Homme (Van Cleef and Arpels)

  Vanilla

  Vanille Absolument (L’Artisan Parfumeur)

  Vanillin

  Videault, Sandrine

  Weighing (“pesé”)

  White flowers

  Worth, Charles Frederick

  Yara-Yara

  Zola, Émile

  Some characters described in this book are composites, and certain events have been compressed. The names and identifying characteristics of the individuals involved in the author’s personal life who appear in these pages have been changed.

  THE PERFUME LOVER. Copyright © 2012 by Denyse Beaulieu. All rights reserved. For information, address St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010.

  www.stmartins.com

  ISBN 978-1-250-02501-2 (hardcover)

  ISBN 978-1-250-02502-9 (e-book)

  St. Martin’s Press books may be purchased for educational, business, or promotional use. For information on bulk purchases, please contact Macmillan Corporate and Premium Sales Department at 1-800-221-7945 extension 5442 or write specialmarkets@macmillan.com.

  First published in Great Britain by Collins, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers

  First U.S. Edition: March 2013