Nez - number 9 The olfactory magazine

In a world where borders tend to become blurrier, what role do perfumes and scents play, both in their specificity and universality? Nez offers a olfactory world tour, through the lenses of history, anthropology, marketing, commerce, and education. FEATURE ARTICLE Perfumery was founded thanks to raw materials coming from all corners of the world, thus becoming a deeply cosmopolitan and universal industry. However, the cultural codes that shape our olfactory preferences are still deeply rooted and are reflected in every product we use daily. Why has French perfumery become a reference in terms of luxury? How does a perfumer learn to create perfumes intended for a culture different from their own? How do brands manage to distribute their bottles all around the world? And how do scents constitute a cultural heritage, especially for those who live far from their country? Infographic: when perfumery takes inspiration from travel Raw materials on the move French luxury Is "good taste" universal? Globe-trotting perfumers Olfactory cultural markers Distribution of perfume worldwideIN THIS ISSUE The dissection: the beach (monoi oil, sunscreen, sea spray, the smell of the sea, Biafine, hair scrunchies, flotation device, beach mat... damp towel) The herbarium: saffron Correspondences: Lautreamont, The Songs of Maldoror Mouth interview: olive oil with Alexis Munoz MP Report: ylang-ylang from Madagascar Flashback: the 1960s Perfumer interview: Alberto Morillas