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In an installation curated by therapist, author and perfumer Mandy Aftel, hand-colored illustrations, maps and photographs demonstrate the properties of natural spices and chronicle the history of natural perfumery.
Ah, the 1980s.
Cher was “Uninhibited,” Elizabeth Taylor had “Passion” and Jaclyn Smith sold “California.”
Even of-the-moment teen sensation Debbie Gibson flaunted her “Electric Youth.”
That image-conscious era ushered in the latest trend in Hollywood vanity: the celebrity fragrance.
But long before J. Lo “Glow”-ed, Britney got "Curious" or New York Post columnist Cindy Adams spread “Gossip,” perfumes, colognes and toilet waters were luxury items coveted by women the world over.
This exhibition traces the history and nature of the aromatic concoctions that have stimulated olfactory receptors for millennia. A lecture on the science of odor perception and workshops on the creation of custom-made perfumes also will be held in conjunction with the installation.
Dating back to the 10th century B.C., perfumes were created to mask smells associated with overeating and poor hygiene.
The Egyptians would later use fragrances in religious ceremonies and to assist in lovemaking. Queen Cleopatra reportedly employed perfumes in her libidinous conquests, paving the way for such erotic-sounding fragrances as “Desire,” “Decadence,” “Fetish” and “Obsession.”
In 16th-century France, the court of Louis XV even became known as “the perfumed court” due to the scents that were applied to skin, clothing, fans and furniture.
As demand for perfumes grew, the list of their ingredients grew as well. Today, fragrances are made both from the more common vanilla, musk, patchouli and sandalwood, as well as the more exotic orris, Chinese star anise and Italian bergamot.
Perfumes also vary greatly in price.
The world’s most expensive, mass-produced perfume may be Clive Christian’s “No.1.” Prices for a 30 mL bottle – featuring a white cut diamond embedded in crystal – begin at around $1,800 and can reach upwards of $14,500, depending on the bottle in which it is sold.
Even though dozens of new fragrances are launched each year, most women have their favorites.
"Joy," "Shalimar" and "Chanel No. 5" – the only thing movie icon Marilyn Monroe said she wore to bed – remain among the most beloved scents in the world, despite their Jazz-age origins.
Some things never go out of style.
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