Our scent workshop with Karen Gilbert (Creating Perfumes)

Today I had the really exciting opportunity to sit and create my own scent with the perfume specialist Karen Gilbert (who has worked in the industry for over 25 years) whilst I carry on developing my own story and brand for a fragrance. We therefore worked in the groups we had been placed in for the project to create this scent. Within our group we have been closely discussing the idea of energising and relaxation scents for day and night recently therefore, we thought it would be a good idea to try and put together a concoction of aromas for a revitalising, energetic scent which would fit the first half of our idea.

In our fragrance, which reflected the story of a busy women who has no time to get to the spa because of her hectic schedule in the city and who could get a quick fix of revitalisation and comfort at home, we combined a selection of very motivating scents. In the heart of the fragrance (base notes) there was orchid and naturelle homme which we added 120 drops between them to the scent to provide that fresh yet subtle element. Then we added two accessory notes which were fruity and citrus to really give the fragrance that powerful kick to wake a person up on a morning and get them ready for their busy day ahead. Then finally the last notes we added were the fixative and the harmoniser consisting of musk (fixative) and ISO E (harmoniser) to just add that final layer of vitalization to the scent and to provide a luxurious sweet smell.

Overall, our fragrance replicated the exact smell that we were trying to achieve. However, if I were to improve it I would have used a little less musk as it distilled the fresh smell to a small extent and overpowered the naturelle home and orchid base notes which were the scents which primarily achieved this feeling of purity and cleanness. However, the fruity and citrus scents really lifted the fragrance making it perfect for someone to take in and smell after a rough nights sleep. Therefore, we were relatively pleased with the outcome and it really helped us get a grasp of where our story could take us within the fragrance industry and an idea for products later into the project.

Here is a look at our end product and the ingredients that we included......



On the topic, here are a few interesting things I learnt from Karen Gilbert during our scent workshop which I think would be really cool to share.

Knowing your consumer

Archetypes: Before developing your brand and your scent, you need to know who your consumer is and what type of personality or interests do they have. Remember, they are the star of your story and the people who will be buying your product, so it is important you know the ins and outs of them. An archetype is an example of a certain person or even a thing. For instance, one archetype is the Rebel who is known for their rebellious actions in society, their condemned behaviour and who breaks barriers that restrict the human spirit. One example of 'the rebel' in perfume could be CK2 by Calvin Klein which pushes the boundaries of relationships and portrays them in a diverse, revolutionary way to go against societies expectations.

Different narratives behind perfumes through the decades:

Whilst listening to the lecture 'Creating and marketing a fragrance brand' by Karen Gilbert, she mentioned some really interesting information about perfumes throughout the 20th century and the context behind them.

Fragrance is a reflection of the times/era and what is going on in society but this is also something that is reflected throughout fashion.
Perfume is always a reflection of fashion and fashion is always a reflection of what is going on in the world and society.
Fragrance had been around for many many decades however, the first time fragrance was really linked with fashion was the 1920’s

The 20's

The 1920's saw fashion designers such as Paul Poiret create the first designer fragrance which was named after his daughter. However, it was also a time for the birth of one of the most iconic perfumes ever which 97 years later would still be as popular. This perfume was Chanel No.5 by Coco Chanel herself and was so popular due to it's reflection of her identity and what she was doing with her clothing line at the time.

Chanel No.5 arguably represents a shift in the 20's and the emancipation of women who were gaining independence, getting the vote, smoking in public and wearing trousers. Therefore, women were moving from tradition to modern day values. As for the packaging of the bottle, it is quite minimalistic, boyish and androgynous, reflecting the values of women at the time.

30-40s
The 30s saw a period that was all about Hollywood glamour which was a major factor for influencing perfume. Hollywood Glamour was seen as an escapism away from the economic problems that were occurring during this period such as the Wall Street Crash of 1929 and the Great Depression which Hollywood films were able to cover up and keep society sane. Therefore, perfume was seen as a real luxury at this time because it was something people couldn't really afford.
Arguably perfume in this case did not always reflect what was going on in society at the time but instead, it reflected dreams and aspirations.

One specific perfume that translated this image of Hollywood Glamour was Femme Rochas' which was shaped to reflect the silhouette of the Hollywood star May West's curvy figure and ultimate luxury.


50s-70s
Perfume was still classed as a luxury in the 1950's but it was also a time that Estee Lauder joined the world of fragrance and beauty, changing the way women bought perfume forever. Estee Lauder introduced the scent YouthDew which was based on a young woman who was feminine, all American and the girl next door. However, she was also a girl who bought perfume for herself as an everyday item with her new disposable income during the culture shape after WWII. Therefore, Estee Lauder revolutionised the sales of perfume which previously had been purchased as gifts from a male partner or love interest.

One perfume which was extremely popular during the 70's was Charlie by Revlon which was a key turning point in the sector of women and beauty because it portrayed the narrative of an independent women who went out and worked to earn her own income and was in charge of her identity, values and her life goals. Furthermore, this specific women did not rely on her husband to buy her gifts. However, Charlie by Revlon was seen to be extremely affordable so that it could be accessible to any women who also wanted this lifestyle. The advert for Charlie was also the first time an advert showed a woman wearing trousers and therefore, this had a great influence on the way women were both perceived by the public and how they perceived themselves due to this change in social behaviour and expectations. Arguably, this was a breaking point for perfume being primarily seen as luxurious but it was a change that would change society forever in a diverse yet revolutionary way.

80s
In the 80's the perfume industry definitely reflected the image of society. It was all about eccentric styling, bright colours, money, power and it also saw a resurrecting of a luxury commodity. Everything had to be bigger, better and much more luxury than it had been before and women needed a fragrance to reflect this. One perfume which channelled this image well was the perfume Poison by Dior which was an extremely powerful and loud scent during the era that took up space and people aware that this female consumer of Poison had walked into the room. However, to fit with today's consumers and the market, the perfume has been toned down quite a lot and does not reflect the boldness of the 80's any longer.

90s
As for the 90's this period was one nicknamed as the Zen and spiritual era and was arguably a backlash to the bold 80's due to its revival of casualness and minimalistic trends. People's lives were less focussed on wealth and status and people were becoming more focussed on bringing calm home comforts back. It was also a time when the aroma therapy market was flourishing. One example of the revival of home comforts was the debut of the nostalgic perfume 'Angel' by Thierry Mugler which to this day is still a popular scent for the brand. The scent conjures up olfactory memories of a consumer's childhood and having fun at the fair. Thierry Mugler has done this by providing ingredients such as vanilla, chocolate, honey and candy within the sweet aroma to create this sense of comfort for the customer which refers back to a time of safety, tenderness and love.

2000s
The 2000's saw the cult of celebrities take over the fragrance industry with their 'fifteen minutes of fame' as we began to see more and more reality TV stars bring out their own fragrance and seek a celebrity lifestyle. For instance, fragrances by the likes of Nicki Minaj and the cast of TOWIE can be seen to turn their stardom into a brand and become people who put their names on a perfume through their fame for sales rather than to provide a long lasting, quality scent itself. Therefore, there is more emphasis on the outer packaging rather than what is actually inside of the bottle and it has arguably started to exhaust and saturate the product of fragrance.

Another trend in the 2000's which we have started to see is the debut of niche fragrances. For instance, 'By Kilian' is just one example of a niche fragrance which represents luxury, quality of ingredients, beautiful packaging, high prices and limited distribution. Therefore, these types of perfume are seen to be more exclusive and special because you can not just buy this scent anywhere, not just anyone can own it and people are buying into this aspiration rather than seeking mainstream products that the likes of Chanel, Dior and Guerlain have created. (Many of these brands do still offer exclusive fragrances, however, their mainline fragrances such as Chance, Miss Dior and Shalimar are more accessible to the masses.)

Finding inspiration for Art

Another interesting thing that Karen Gilbert expressed during her lecture was the importance of finding inspiration for your product or brand from other sectors of society such as art, culture, media, fashion and film. Here are just a few examples of how certain fashion and perfume brands have taken inspiration from iconic works of art and put their own spins on them.

May Ray and Jean Paul Gaultier

In 1999 for his 'Classique' fragrance advert campaign, Jean Paul Gaultier took inspiration from the artist and photographer May Ray who shot this photograph of Kiki de Montparnasse in 1926 during the Surrealist and Dada movement to represent the surrealist affinity of African Art.


Charles Allan Gilbert and Dior
Another example of a fashion brand who has been influenced by the world of art is Dior's Poison fragrance advert in 2002 which has a great resemblance to the 'haunted' painting 'All is Vanity' by Charles Allan Gilbert in 1892. The advert conveys a narrative which mixes beauty with mystery and darkness to portray an unsettling vision of self admiration and narcissism.


All is Vanity by Charles Allan Gilbert 1892


Dior's Poison fragrance advert in 2002