Coco Chanel said “No elegance is possible without perfume. It is the unseen, unforgettable, ultimate accessory."

Giorgio Armani said "A perfume is more than an extract it is a presence in abstraction. A perfume, for me, is a mystique."

Perfumes have been spreading the essence of aroma ever since the human civilization came into existence when oils and raw flowers were used to invocate the quintessence of smell. The Egyptians use to anoint their bodies using scents of cinnamon and honey. From the remains of Edfu temple, researchers are making depiction of the art of floral extraction as perfume is distilled from the flowers of the white Madonna lily. This accessory was for the upper class of the society but both men and women alike wore the precious scents.

Fragrance has the power to control our emotions setting the mood, be it a professional feel romantic or some nostalgic instance. Every person has a favorite fragrance which his olfactory centre recognizes. At an instant, our nose can detect, and associate, an elixir long forgotten. The oldest perfume was found in the island of Cyprus which is 4000 years old with sweet smelling concoctions brewed from lavender, bay, rosemary, pine or coriander. This article explores some of the great perfumes of the 20th century which lingers a nostalgic smell of an era. Chanel No 5, Joy, Femme, Youth Dew, Shalimar, Miss Dior, Caleche are some of the most successful perfumes which were developed during the 20th century and even after several decades they have managed to captivate our senses. This is a diminutive attempt to pay tribute to these timeless classics.

Chanel N 5

N°5 remains the greatest and best known perfume in the world. It was launched in 1921 by legendary Coco Chanel. A famous Marilyn Monroe story help commemorate this scents fascination. When asked what she wears to bed, Monroe replied “Few drops of Channel N°5”. This timeless classic, both contemporary and unusual, remains the absolute benchmark of feminine fragrances, entrancing, elegant and always modern. Known to all women and yet belonging to each individual, this abstract olfactory bouquet was the first of its kind to blend floral essences and aldehydes in these proportions. It is also known as the world’s first modern perfume. Today Chanel No.5 sells a bottle every 30 seconds. In recent years Chanel No. 5 has been marketed as a spray with two refills in an effort to have it recognized as an essential everyday finishing touch rather than a precious scent to be used sparingly.

Joy

Joy is the second best selling perfume after Chanel No 5. Joy is always advertised as "The most costly perfume in the world". It was created by designer Jean Patau in 1930 during the great American depression. It was made using two most expensive ingredients at that time: 28 dozen Bulgarian roses and 10,600 grassie jasmine blossom to produce a single ounce.


Miss Dior

Miss Dior perfume was launched in 1947 by Christian Dior SA, in breaking a record period- in one month! Stable and feminine scent was very unusual for those times. Dior’s perfumes combine almost-austere, conservative elegance with fantastic opulence and quite shamelessly animalic undertones.