Uncommon Scents

The new ways of exploring perfumery, from scented paintings to a bespoke fragrance-making experience.

- Renee Batchelor

The act of perfuming is probably one of the most personal steps in any grooming ritual. Dropped, rubbed on or sprayed against the skin, perfume is both ephemeral and everlasting. Similarly, our reaction to scents is always instinctual. Beyond the pretty bottles and advertising campaigns, a scent either resonates with an individual or it doesn’t. It’s the reason that many of us return to the same fragrances and even seek out discontinued ones that we have formed an attachment to. Perfume is a comforter, mood-lifter and individual signature all at once.

When it comes to the art of fragrance, perfumers have begun to explore new ways of doing things. Gone are the days where smell-a-like scents, boasting the usual fruity-floral notes would sell simply based on an advertising campaign or celebrity spokesperson. As consumers become increasingly sophisticated and discerning, they demand more unique scent compositions, unconventional notes and even the prerogative to create their own bespoke fragrances. Beyond that, the idea of exploring the sense of smell — and even combining it with the other senses like touch and sight — is pushing the perimeters of what a fragrance can and should be able to do.

THE CULT PERFUMERY