NOSE, the olfactory magazine - Issue #05

Natural or Synthetic? Calone // Insects // Bergamot // Countryside Michel Almairac // // Lyn Harris // Parfum dempire Joris-Karl Huysmans // Percy Kemp Marlene Staiger // Nicolas Julhès London // The Belle Epoque // Blonde Tobacco Architects // Artificial Intelligence The fifth issue of Nez continues its olfactory exploration, taking us even further beyond borders, clichés, and preconceived ideas about our sense of smell. To start, the Icons of Olfaction: from Kentaro Kawaguchi who scents video games, to Michael Edwards, the founder of the world's largest perfume database Fragrances of the World, and André Holley, a neurobiologist specializing in smell and taste who passed away in 2017. The architects' sense of smell delves into the olfactory universe of this profession, between the scents related to the job and the unique relationship that each architect has with their sense of smell. In our Odorama section, you will discover how insects smell, the saga of Calone, a molecule with a marine scent, and the olfactory secrets of cardamom. We invite you to the countryside to dissect all the scents encountered during a weekend in the country. Through the Correspondences, explore an excerpt from the novel Musc by British author Percy Kemp, delve into the olfactory universe of writer Joris-Karl Huysmans and artist Goldie Poblador. Discover the fragrant secrets of a painting by Jan Davidz de Heem and sniff the aromas of Camden Market in London with perfumer Lyn Harris in our olfactory portfolio. Lastly, explore the intimate connections between perfumes and spirits in a joint interview with Marlène Staiger (Liqueurs H.Theoria) and Nicolas Julhès (La Distillerie de Paris). In the magazine section, travel to Calabria, Italy for a report on the cultivation of bergamot, a citrus essential to colognes, and which has given its aroma to Earl Grey tea. Perfumer Michel Almairac, known for creations like Chloé, Bottega Veneta, and Fahrenheit by Dior, as well as the founder of the niche brand Parle-moi de parfum, shares his vision of perfumery and his profession in a lengthy interview. An olfactory flashback takes you to the Belle Époque, while the imaginary boutique advises illustrious personalities of that decade. The main feature delves into the delicate and ambiguous question of the role of natural and synthetic ingredients in perfumes, a controversial and blurry issue mainly due to a lack of public understanding on the subject. Between closely guarded manufacturing secrets and opportunistic communications, technological advances, beliefs, misconceptions, and amalgamations, it is often difficult to form an informed and fair opinion. Nez will guide you by providing answers to diverse questions such as: What exactly are perfumes made of? How did chemical synthesis emerge in perfumery? Are synthetic compounds dangerous? How have natural ingredients evolved over time and how are they utilized by brands today? What parallels exist with other industries like the food industry? The Perfume Notebook helps to better understand an industry undergoing significant transformation, through an investigation into artificial intelligence used in perfume creation, the genealogy of Caron's Tabac Blond, the first leather perfume to make a mark, and a profile of the brand Parfum dempire founded by perfumer Marc-Antoine Corticchiato. A Critique Notebook scrutinizes, among the (very numerous) launches, a selection of 30 perfumes, as well as a handful of scented products for the body and home. Finally, an agenda lists olfactory events not to be missed: books, exhibitions, or other (increasingly numerous) events related to smell or perfume.