SCENTS of adventure

STILL LOOKING FOR YOUR SIGNATURE SCENT? WE'RE ROUNDED UP THE FRAGRANCES OF THE SEASON TO HELP YOU FIND IT.

-  LIESL ROBERTSON

What makes a fragrance iconic? It's something master perfumer Francis Kurkdjian, perfume creation director at Christian Dior Parfums, has thought about a lot. When he posed the same question to a contemporary art advisor friend of his, her answer stuck with him.

'When she looks at a piece of art, she's checking two things. The first thing she's checking is, is there somewhere, even hidden, a kind of a classical anchorage or point? And then she checks if there is something very contemporary, almost avant-garde-ish. And, of course, you have to evoke an emotion. The combination of classicism and avant-garde mixed with something that brings a new emotion is the mark of possible timelessness.' The same thing, he says, applies to fragrance.

According to Christine Nagel, in-house perfumer for Hermès, fragrance has taken on new meaning post-Covid. 'We're living in an unusual time,' she says. "The global pandemic made us realise that we lost the pleasure of life -- that included the sense of smell. Now, it's more meaningful when you leave a trail of perfume behind you.'

Scents of the season

▶ Guess Bella Vita Rosa

Playful and carefree, this fruity floral is for the woman who 'sees life through rose-coloured glasses', says perfumer Gabriela Chelariu. It opens with notes of sparkling Italian lemon, juicy cassis and quince; has a lush floral heart composed of jasmine, magnolia blossom and cypress; and leaves a lingering trail of moss, sandalwood and musk. R1 199 for 100 ml EDT

▶ Les Eaux de Chanel Paris-Paris