Posted on January 5, 2015 by Parfumerie Nasreen

The story behind a fragrance is just as important as the fragrance itself. Fragrances conjure up feelings and memories. Fragrances conjure up memories and feelings within you when you are wearing and smelling them. Some fragrances tell a story, adding an entire new dimension to your scent.

Arquiste, a newer collection, does just that. Each fragrance of their line paints a beautiful image in your mind. It gives you an idea of what Carlos Huber, the creator of the line, was inspired by to create these fragrances.

One of his fragrances, Aleksandr, is a divine fragrance with notes of Leather, Fir, Violet and Lavender. It tells the story of a fiery gentleman preparing for a duel to the death. On a wintry morning, he splashes on his toilette of Neroli and Violet, dons his heavy fir and leather boots, and rides off to meet his destiny.

Another fragrance, Infanta En Flor, is a beautiful powdery scent with notes of Orange Flower Water, Leather and Immortelle. It tells of Maria Teresa, the Infanta of Spain, who is offered to Louis XIV in exchange for peace between the two nations. Another scent, Fleur de Louis, the counterpart to Infanta En Flor, sets the scene again, telling the same story from the other side’s point of view. Two scents of different sides coming together into one fragrance story.

Arquiste is not the only fragrance collection to tell stories. An extremely niche collection, Romea d’Ameor, created by Annie Vannier, shows a rich history of women throughout time.

A scent from the line, The Taj Mahal’s Eternal Love, is a tragic and eternal love. Lush flowers, including the Taj Mahal Blue Lotus, mixed with fruits and green notes place you in the very palace built for Emperor Shah Jahan’s one true love.

Another fragrance, The Secret Heroines of the Tsar tells of Tsar Peter the Great sends his favorite spy on a secret mission to commission a now famous painting, so that he may outdo King Louis XV’s reputation as patron of the arts. Anna, the spy, travels far and leaves such a beautiful scent from her journey behind, that it haunts the painter, Francois Boucher, and inspires his painting “The Secret Heroines of the Tsar”.

There are collections like The House of Creed. While not exactly painting a picture of a rich history or story, tells of the inspirations behind their scents. A celebrity fragrance collection before celebrity fragrances were a ‘thing’, the Creed family would create fragrances inspired by, or created specifically for, royalty and celebrities alike.

For example, Spring Flower was created for Audrey Hepburn. The scent is light and airy as is the actress is herself. You can picture her standing next to you if you close your eyes.

Royal Water was created for the next generation of The House of Windsor; Britain’s young royals; a fresh and light fragrance that emanates sophistication.

Bois du Portugal, inspired by the woods of Portugal, leaves you feeling like you’ve just been on a hike in the Southern countries hills.

Fragrances can even reminisce upon personal stories, created after wearing something throughout a certain time in your life. They inspire the feeling you experience later in life.

The histories behind fragrances are just as important as the scent itself. What inspires perfumers can create new memories and feelings for you.


Written by Valleri Ortiz.