Vintage

As a perfumer student, not only you have to be able to recreate Chanel number 5 - purely based on your olfactory analyses, but you also have to be aware of the main perfume trends of 2010.

One of the biggest trend of this year is inevitably the Retro feeling.

Some of the brands are going for the low budget solution and just over-advertising an already existing successful product, like D&G and Dior : I see more Light Blue ads nowadays than in its year of original launch, and Alain Delon looks more charming on Eau Sauvage billboards than back in the 60's.

On the other hand, we have Chanel No 5 Eau Premiere ( is that only me or it is really too much numbers in just one perfume's name?! ), the "new" Chloe In Love, and just recently Belle D'Opium from YSL.

Even Davidoff is hoping to reiterate the success of Cool Water - his best selling men's scent from 1988 -with Hot Water, a "red-hot oriental".

It seems that due to the economic recession, institutional perfume brands are playing it safe and reviving all their perfume blockbusters to capitalize on their success, by making a direct reference between them and the "new" products.

Fine with me. I have to say I like the vintage trend! I totally understand that consumers need some cocooning in this ever changing environment, and it totally works with me too. I recently created a new perfume based on Chamomile, Rose and Tea accords, which directly took me back to my childhood. Even though it was 20 years ago, after just one sniff of the perfume I truly felt the joy of not having to go to school - even though I had just been diagnosed with chronic sinusitis. The scent of chamomile an tea (with serious overdose of honey and lemon) reminds me of my fluffy bed back to my parents house and my mum nursing me.

Some say that the key of the success of Angel /Thierry Mugler is based on the direct link of childhood memories, in this particular case : sweets. ( I have to add that in my humble opinion, the little Brut / Faberge accord hidden in Angel did certainly help too! )

Even though it became trendy to frown at gourmand style perfumes, Angel is still one of the best selling fragrances in the world and its sophisticated little sister Nina / Nina Ricci, in green, candied apple disguise ( from the same perfumer ) is claiming its share!

However, contrary to the 1990's, when vanilla usually served as the central accord, now it is associated with many other ingredients, and the once harsh gourmand note is softened down with floral, woody or spicy accords.

Vintage responds to consumers who would like to reach back to their roots, taking what was secure from the past in order to be ready for the future. The trend offers authenticity and refers to past memories and events, or connections to "real values".

Taken into consideration the current changes in the economic, industrial, environmental and social environment, no surprise that vintage is one of the prevailing consumer trends!

Really, there is nothing wrong with vintage trend, I just wish not only see Chanel No 5 reformulated, but I wish good old days were back too, when the perfume legislation didn't restrict creativity and the ratio of synthetics and natural raw materials in a perfume bottle were closer to 1:1.