From the sizzling sharpness of freshly cut garlic to the cool tang of a father's aftershave; the heady intoxication of a fumbled first kiss to the anodyne void of disinfectant and death, this is a decadently original olfactory memoir. In sixty-three elusive episodes we roam freely across the countryside of Lorraine, North-East France, from kitchen to farm to a lover's bed. Recognising the bittersweet nostalgia of a scent that slips away on the summer breeze, Claudel demonstrates again his impeccable grasp of the personal and the universal, interweaved with a rare, self-deprecating charm. This is an evocative patchwork at once earthy and ethereal, erotic and heart-breaking. Claudel permits us a glimpse of moments that have driven him to delight or despair, creating through the fading aromas of the past fragments of humour, insight and quite intangible beauty.

As the world's leading perfume authority, Dove leads readers on an extravagant journey through the world of scent, from Ancient Egypt to the present. Beginning with a comprehensive discussion of the sense of smell and the materials of the master perfumer, Dove goes on to celebrate the great classics, the makers who brought them to life and the bottle makers who gave them shape.

Born into the world of perfume (his grandfather was the founder of Parfums Christian Dior), Frédéric Malle's deep knowledge of scents and his radical vision of perfumes led him, in 2000, to establish Éditions de Parfums Frédéric Malle, a house for perfumers where fragrances are conceived as haute couture creations. At a time when the self-service sale of perfumes was on the rise, Malle chose to open a boutique that would provide a luxurious setting for the perfumes he "publishes" with the world's greatest perfumers. Malle's determination has been to champion the art of perfumery itself, granting perfumers total and complete freedom to create, furnishing them with exceptional raw materials and releasing all boundaries and constraints, restoring the art of perfume making to its former glory. This October, to mark the twentieth anniversary of Frédéric Malle's quest for beauty and creative freedom, Rizzoli will publish Éditions de Parfums Frédéric Malle: The First Twenty Years. A necessary addition to the libraries of industry masters, this volume is an exploration of the inspirations and vision of one of the great protagonists of contemporary perfume. 2020 marks a historic date for the house: twenty years of audacity and creativity. Twenty years of shifting paradigms in the exacting world of perfumery. In Éditions de Parfums Frédéric Malle: The First Twenty Years, Malle offers readers an intimate glimpse into his brand's saga and shares the stories behind four of his most successful scents in graphic-novel form. Journalist Marion Vignal delves into Malle's lifelong devotion to perfume, personal history, and myriad inspirations to uncover the evolution of his precise olfactory aesthetics, while imagery of perfume bottles, sketches, advertising campaigns, and photos of boutiques explores his comprehensive vision. With art direction by Patrick Li, the book features an eclectic palette of imagery from the personal archives of the founder, as well as illustrations, unique sketches and authentic stories about Malle's collaboration with Perfumers. Éditions de Parfums Frédéric Malle: The First Twenty Years is an invitation to a sensorial journey that will delight perfume lovers everywhere. This volume invites faithful connoisseurs of haute perfumery and lovers of fine craftsmanship alike to join in celebrating an authentic, audacious, exacting, and rich brand.

An intriguing look at vintage perfume's powerful past, including reviews of more than 300 scents, with stunning period advertisements throughout.

An erotic masterpiece of twentieth century fiction - a tale of sensual obsession and bloodlust in eighteenth century Paris 'An astonishing tour de force both in concept and execution' Guardian In eighteenth-century France there lived a man who was one of the most gifted and abominable personages in an era that knew no lack of gifted and abominable personages. His name was Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, and if his name has been forgotten today. It is certainly not because Grenouille fell short of those more famous blackguards when it came to arrogance, misanthropy, immorality, or, more succinctly, wickedness, but because his gifts and his sole ambition were restricted to a domain that leaves no traces in history: to the fleeting realm of scent . . . 'A fantastic tale of murder and twisted eroticism controlled by a disgusted loathing of humanity . .. Clever, stylish, absorbing and well worth reading' Literary Review 'A meditation on the nature of death, desire and decay . . . A remarkable début' Peter Ackroyd, The New York Times Book Review 'Unlike anything else one has read. A phenomenon . . . [It] will remain unique in contemporary literature' Figaro 'An ingenious and totally absorbing fantasy' Daily Telegraph 'Witty, stylish and ferociously absorbing' Observer

Perfume. The very word evokes a world of sensuality. The Book of Perfume details the history, creation and selection of fine fragrance, providing a complete guide to a fundamental element of the feminine mystique. Chapters trace the traditions of scent, from the attars of Cleopatra to Marilyn Monroe's Chanel No. 5. Illustrations.

An intimate exploration of inspiration and creativity, from the "parfumeur exclusif" of the house of Hermès. A scent has incantatory powers, capable of transporting you to your past, of kindling fantasies, of creating a vivid mise en scène—literally out of thin air. In the hands of the truly great, perfume creation is a kind of alchemy. Where does inspiration for this visceral art come from? How does one capture the essence of emotions, of desire? Jean-Claude Ellena has a sublime gift. As "parfumeur exclusif" (or "the nose") for Hermès, he elevates fragrance to an art form. A "writer of perfume," his concoctions are as finely composed and evocative as a haiku. He is also a conjurer of sorts: "I create an illusion that is actually stronger than reality . . . you enter the scent and follow the path." The Diary of a Nose is a collection of Ellena’s meditations on the world of scents, and what stirs his creation of some of the world’s most desired fragrances. Inspiration can come from anywhere—a market stall, a landscape, or even the movement of calligraphy. Though each smell has its own distinct character, a gifted perfumer creates olfactory experiences that are intensely personal and unique, that blossom on the body and leave a trace of us lingering after we have left a room. Seductive, delicate, and elegant as any of Ellena’s creations, The Diary of a Nose seeks to capture the most elusive facets of this rarefied and mysterious art.