The Secret of Scent Along this olfactory journey, we'll breathe in the essence of each of the destinations that serve as our inspiration and discover their intangible and ethereal realities.
The Book
The Secret of Scent Contents
Introduction
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Chapter I. The History of Perfume
7
Chapter II. The Inspiration
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Chapter III. Manhattan Light
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Chapter IV. Souffle Marais
27
Chapter V. Evening Whispers
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Chapter VI. Kashbah Sunset
39
Chapter VII. Island Accord
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Chapter VIII. Sandy Papyrus
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The Secret of Scent
INTRODUCTION
The new perfume collection by Massimo Dutti transcends time and place. To own one is to feel empowered, elegant and sophisticated. Fragrances that captivate, exquisite aromas that originate in the brand's universe in which everything is conceived to express sublime style. Seductive formulas result from the incessant work of a dedicated team, basis of all original creations. Next generation creations that go beyond ephemeral trends and remain loyal to the timeless personality of the brand, evolving with time. In an era in which expert perfumers can obtain any aromatic note, Massimo Dutti continues to draw inspiration from natural raw materials, because they have always been the basis of its scents. Traditional ingredients that have always existed and that the brand pursues to make the most of the endless possibilities offered by the analysis of the experts in this sector. Perfectionism and exclusivity are key premises. Opening any of the six bottles that form part of Massimo Dutti's new collection of scents is like setting free the spirit of uniqueness, to enjoy a new and neverending magic experience each time.
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The Secret of Scent
The HIS of PERF A STORY OF MYSTERY - From the secrets of the first alchemists who discovered the hidden power of combining fragrances, to the literature that developed around it, perfume continues to be praised by poets, contemplated by philosophers and universally appreciated for its profound effects on body, mind and soul. The technique of extracting dyes, perfumes and medicines from plants began with a primitive pressing system which later developed into new procedures such as boiling, maceration, and distilling. These methods all relied on the solvent properties of water vapour. It was soon discovered that water was not sufficient to isolate certain less volatile perfumes but that these were well absorbed by fats.
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Chapter I
STORY FUME However, for a long time this union of perfumes and fats was used only for the manufacture of creams and cosmetics. Perfume became an art form when chemists had the idea of using alcohol to dissolve the main ingredients from some plant substances. The greatest contribution to the current system of perfume making came with the Arabs and the appearance of a new science, alchemy. The Arabs perfected the technique of using musk and expanded the olfactory palette with a range of oriental essences. They were also at the forefront of research into perfume making, creating centres of learning where the primitive extraction methods were perfected. Oils and fragrant resins diluted in alcohol revealed a range of aromatic qualities which led to the creation of more refined perfumes.
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The Secret of Scent
During the Renaissance, advances in chemistry made it possible to perfect the techniques used to extract perfume through distillation. Until then, pressing petals and soaking flowers were the only techniques used, but from the Renaissance on, the new method made it possible to separate the volatile parts of the plants from the less volatile parts, creating different qualities of products from one raw material. Before the Renaissance, Italy had been the nerve centre of perfume making, but from the 17 th century it was France and the French court that capitalised on the emerging perfume industry. From this point, the French city of Grasse became the most important source of raw materials, among them its famous mix of musk, amber and civet; and Paris became the symbol of the mystery and romance of perfume. The beginning of the 19 th century saw the start of industrial production, which can be seen as a precursor to modern factory methods. Perfume, once used by the aristocracy to hide body odour, became something used for day-to-day hygiene. Many perfume companies were founded at that time. Classic perfumes of the time included the famous Hungary Water, a favourite with high society at the time and said to help combat sadness and melancholy. This complex creation marked the beginning of "emotional" perfumery, that stopped emulating the fragrance of flowers and started looking at other formulas, using alternative ingredients, such as fern, sandalwood and many other aromatic herbs.
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Chapter I
A few decades later, Worth, considered the father of haute couture, was one of the first to create perfumes as accessories for his fashion collections. Colognes became popular, as nearly every woman used lavender or sophisticated colognes. In the 1960s, perfume becomes a distinctive characteristic of the great fashion designers. It sparked an authentic revolution, as at the time men chose their perfume, discretely, at their tailor's shop. In the 90s, to meet the growing request for exotic fragrances, essences embraced woody and spicy notes. To contrast the aromas of lavender and lemon that had prevailed until then. Today perfumes are the result of highly scientific techniques and formulas in which technology plays an essential role, however, the magic created in the laboratories where the impalpable, ethereal and ephemeral substances are secretly concocted, remains intact.
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''THERE ARE PERFUMES AS COOL AS THE FLESH OF CHILDREN, SWEET AS OBOES, GREEN AS MEADOWS'' Charles Baudelaire
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''I LOOK AT YOUR... HANDKERCHIEF, YOUR HAIR, YOUR PORTRAIT, I REREAD YOUR LETTERS AND BREATHE THEIR MUSKY PERFUME. IF YOU COULD KNOW WHAT I AM FEELING AT THIS MOMENT!'' Gustave Flaubert
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''PERFUME IS THE MOST INTENSE FORM OF MEMORY'' Jean-Paul Sartre
Chapter II
THE INSPIRATION
Each fragrance holds the secrets of a particular journey Massimo Dutti takes a new step forward with the creation of a perfume collection of six pure, highquality fragrances inspired by the art of travel. This initiative reflects the brand's strong commitment to move towards the creation of new signs of identity that reaffirm its solid position in the international fashion sector. Sense of smell is the most evocative of our senses, as it can take us anywhere at any time with absolute precision. And this new olfactory direction that the brand has taken is an invitation to experience the essence of six inspiring and emblematic destinations chosen for their specific aromas, and that serve as inspiration to discover the most intangible and ethereal reality of each one. In a world constantly searching for confirmation and proof, daring to discover a place through its fragrances is, in some way, the opportunity to look inside its soul.
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The Secret of Scent
Chapter III
MANHATTAN LIGHT Manhattan Light is a modern perfume, embodying and presenting the concept of elegance that has turned the most cosmopolitan city in the world into an icon of contemporary fashion.
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Manhattan Light
by Olivier Cresp
Olivier Cresp is the prestigious master perfumer who creates these unique fragrances. His unique olfactory talents help him to create an exquisite and evocative formula for each note. Named as Master Perfumer in 2006 and Perfumer of the Year in 2007, Olivier is a lover of refinement. As you would expect, all his fragrances are exquisitely created, delicately produced and timeless.
The Secret of Scent
Chapter IV
SOUFFLE MARAIS Souffle Marais emerges in an eclectic and avant-garde city. Refined, forward-looking and with its beautifully simple name and packaging, it is an aroma with a French touch, powerful and powdery with transparent, ethereal notes that evoke an authentically natural fragrance.
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Souffle Marais
by Honorine Blanc
Master perfumer Honorine Blanc has imbued her Souffle Marais fragrance with her passion for communicating a sense of the impalpable addictiveness that makes a perfume extraordinary. Blanc is a worldrenowned perfumer and a perfectionist who aims to create perfumes that are ''addictive and full of new ideas, tensions and feelings''. She creates formulas that transport us to the most intangible exquisiteness.
The Secret of Scent
Chapter V
EVENING WHISPERS Evening Whispers is an enveloping and mysterious aroma, with its unique alchemy of fruity, floral and charismatic, unmistakable spicy notes that leave a vibrant trace and make an instant impact. Its trail is soft to moderate and is longlasting on the skin.
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Evening Whispers
by Amandine Clerc
Amandine Clerc Marie has been familiar with perfume from a very young age. Amandine loves the process of creating a perfume. Searching for an idea, drawing up a preliminary outline and seeing it all come together. Her artistic and creative approach makes her a very visual person, motivated by movement, colours, shapes and travelling in search of the new ideas.
The Secret of Scent
Chapter VI
KASHBAH SUNSET The desert is always an ideal scenario for magic. And in this inhospitable setting, full of mystery, emerges Kashbah Sunset, a formula in which the warm end notes combine and intoxicate like the hot, dusty sunrises and sunsets typical of southern lands.
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Kashbah Sunset
by Harry Fremont
Master perfumer Harry Fremont's memories of his childhood in the south of France continue to influence his work. He firmly believes that an excellent perfume must have character, a signature and its own aura to make it memorable. Just like Kashbah Sunset, the perfume that carries his name. He is the only perfumer to have won the French Society of Perfumers awards two years running.
The Secret of Scent
Chapter VII
ISLAND ACCORD Island Accord is an essence that radiates the aromas of a place that inspires and generates a feeling of addiction. The power of an island. A unique setting, full of mystery, magnetism and an endless blue sea that invites you to experience a more relaxed routine.
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Island Accord
by Christophe Raynaud
The formula developed by well renowned perfumer Christophe Raynaud, introduces new aromatic chords that evoke some of the things we love the most such as the sea or island life. For Raynaud, perfume brings with it the warm feelings associated with sharing. And it is precisely this desire to share his passions that led to the Island Accord fragrance.
The Secret of Scent
Chapter VIII
SANDY PAPYRUS The extraordinary abundance of nature combines with the beauty of the exotic to create Sandy Papyrus. A perfume that reveals the seductive and mysterious sides in each of us. A passport to the discovery of something that may at first seem far away, but that soon becomes part of our everyday reality.
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Sandy Papyrus
by Fabrice Pellegrin
Fabrice Pellegrin is a discreet man, attentive to the wants and concerns of those who trust in his talent to develop exclusive formulas. His humility and perseverance are two essential qualities for someone who is dedicated this profession and who firmly hopes that his savoir-faire will be handed down through the generations. In his laboratory, he secretly orchestrated the enticing mixtures used in Sandy Papyrus.