Liquid Luxury?

Perfume, L'eau de toilette, We all have a particular scent don't we? My personal favourite and repeat go to bottle is 'La Vie Est Belle' by Lancome. I originally found it in the duty free section at Boston International airport just after it was released and bought it on a whim. However I fell in love with the scent and have worn it tonnes since then. I have been bought Vera Wang's Princess but it didn't have the same fullness and richness that I loved with Lancome.

After watching the BBC docu-series on perfume I have gained a much better understanding of why I attracted to the particular perfumes and scents that I buy. The Fragrance industry is a multi billion dollar industry so it is not one to be taken lightly when it comes to marketing and investment. In 2011 there were 1200 new perfumes released into the market and this number has no doubt risen in recent years due to the expanding markets in the east to Mumbi and Shanghi in particular. This is contributing to the changes in the trends of the new perfumes that are being released each year with a much larger focus on the trends that are developing in regions such as brazil who prefer much lighter fruity smells. The traditional American or European taste is more and more being disregarded in place of the upcoming markets where the most money is to be made.

This is not something that bothers me too much because I have already found the scent that I identify with, moreover a new perspective within this industry has the potential to revolutionise the way in which us westerners use fragrance. Our tastes are more than likely to evolve to accept and even revere those of Mumbi and Brazil the fastest growing market in the world.

Another thing that I found particularly interesting was the connection that the documentary made between smell and memory. Suggesting that the fragrance industry, namely the perfumers are in fact exploiting loss and the human need for nostalgia to get us to buy their products. I have to say I think that this is an excellent point, the cynic in me says that is it praying on human weakness however the optimist in me can not see this as a bad thing; smell is one of our most primitive senses and therefore to be able to transport someone back to a good memory or a good feeling can not possibly be a bad thing. Perfume offers an escape to the wearer but also to all those who smell the scent as it could for a few fleeting moments take them back to a more desirable or exciting point in their lives.

So  is perfume liquid luxury or a hoax to get us to spend more money that we don't have?

 I  have always thought that perfume was expensive however I am now aware of the painstaking process that perfumers have to go through to create each individual smell the amount of labour that goes into each scent justifies the hefty price tag. Not only do I understand the price that perfume is I now respect the price. I think that 'La vie est belle' is pure liquid luxury because I have to spend a substantial amount on it it makes it feel like I am getting a high quality product, I adore the smell of it so it makes me feel good when I am wearing it. It also reminds me of holidays and precious private moments when I smell it on my clothes. It gives me a real sense of peace and comfort.

So as far as I am concerned perfume is Liquid luxury through and through.

Much love K xx

My Favourite things about the Art Movements.

The Gothic Revival 

The Gothic Revival came in the 1740's and was a time in which many new churches where being built with large arches and extravagant exteriors and interiors. It was a movement that was greatly bought into by the wealthy of the time because of its opulence though it did traverse the whole social spectrum. My favourite thing about this movement has to be the architecture, the stunning opulent facades of buildings that still even today leave onlookers in awe. I love the craftsmanship and the devotion to the buildings and particularly the way they make you feel. 

The Arts and Crafts Movement

The arts and Crafts movement came about in 1863 as a rebellion against the advances in technology that had bought upon the industrial revolution. Making it easy for large quantities of products to be made by machines. This was a revolution within the creative sector with craftsmen who had devoted their lives to their crafts making products with great skill and execution and of the most famous and pivotal figures in this movement is the artist William Morris. My favourite thing about this movement is the furniture that was created and the great amount of detail that was put into everything that was made. 

The Bauhaus 

The Bauhaus is an arts college maybe one of the most celebrated in the world but became functionally an art movement (as such) between the two world wars. It was focusing on true minimalism and tidiness almost utilitarian however it was also an advocate for a new way of life a creative and free lifestyle. The college had a grand focus on interiors and architecture but my favourite thing that came from this movement was the collage art I think that it is both whimsical and full of striking messages making them really arresting. 

The Modernism Movement 

Modernism really kicked off in the late 19th to the early 20th century and it was used in a way to forget or at least reinterpret history in a more palatable and desirable way. It was an ra within art when function dictated form but also a time for expression for artists such as Picasso, Dali and Monet to flourish. Unmistakably it was the art that came out of this era that was my favourite thing, I absolutely love the expressionism and the raw emotions in the paintings but also the impact that they had buy culturally turning the world on its head. 

The American Industrial Design 

The american Industrial Design came about in the 1920's post the great depression as a way to encourage consumers to start spending again to boost the economy. The products where designed for mass consumption and as streamlined, elegant and efficient as possible because they found that consumers where buying into style over function. The more futuristic and aesthetic a product the better it sold. My favorite thing about this movement is the vinyl and chrome products that gleam and personified the roaring twenties aesthetic. 

The Post - Modern Movement 

The Postmodern movement allegedly happened at 3pm march 16th 1972 and is still in full swing today. It is a movement that pushed the viewer to question everything, question why some things are and some things are not. It is the complete artistic freedom maybe the anarchy of art that pushed this movement as a sort of collage of all those that came before it. I was born into this art movement so it is not a surprise that this sis the one with which i identify the most. I love the effect that it has had on all aspects of life from food to fashion. However the things I like most about this movement is the inability to predict what will be made next the enigma of the designs that raise more questions than they answer.