’I had a farm in Africa, at the foot of the Ngong Hills,’ wrote Isak Dinesen. Years ago we had a country house on the Cape where the winter could linger through April – and where a lily of the … Read More
In ancient Greece, Sparta was the capital of Laconia, a region from which the words “laconic” and “spartan” derive. A region of strong men, sparse with words. The strong and silent type. The man of your dreams. Think Lawrence of … Read More
Those obsessed by Britain’s royals probably know that the fragrance Kate Middleton wore on her wedding day came from the fragrance house Illuminum. Launched in London by the same perfumer who founded the Boadicea line, Illuminum was introduced in 2011 … Read More
Even before you spritz and inhale, the name alone connotes a specific atmosphere. After all, if you’re dealing with a fragrance named for one of the masters of homoerotica, an artist renowned for his salacious depictions of sailors, soldiers, bikers, … Read More
As the 1955 song has it, “spring can really hang you up the most,” which is itself a sort of paraphrase of T.S. Eliot’s opening line to The Waste Land: “April is the cruelest month.” In other words, spring can … Read More
You might think that nothing tops the fanaticism of Justin Bieber’s fans – but then you haven’t been to a Sniffapalooza event. Launched in 2004, Sniffapalooza is a group of fragrance aficionados whose devotion to the latest and the best … Read More
Long before Hermès perfumer Jean-Claude Ellena wandered through a garden along the Nile in Egypt, which ultimately resulted in the creation of the Hermès fragrance Un Jardin Sur Le Nil, perfumers and fragrance aficionados have circumnavigated the world in search … Read More
In the dead of winter, our thoughts turn to indulgent escapes: journeys to unknown lands, rich in sensation with a hint of intrigue. The ancient spice routes of maritime traders, for example, or a caravansary across North Africa. Places as … Read More
