Ancient history

The Ancient Egyptians and the Romans adored perfume, but from the start it was very expensive, and considered the luxury of the well-to-do. Their perfume was made by using animal fat or olive oil as a solvent, and so came in the form of thick oils or cream-like pomades and unguents. Their active ingredients were local aromatic flowers, shrubs and herbs; but precious resins, such as myrrh and frankincense, and spices from southern Asia, were traded through ports in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Arab pioneers

The techniques of steam distillation were developed by the Arabs in the 8th century AD. This opened up the possibility of producing high-quality essential oils from a much greater range of raw materials, and mixing them to a far greater degree of sophistication. Perfume as we know it was born. It became a highly-prized trade good that sold throughout out the Western world. During the era of the Crusades (11th to 13th centuries), Europeans witnessed its manufacture at first hand, and brought back the techniques to Europe.

Rich smells

During the ensuing centuries, perfume was used by the wealthy not simply to smell agreeable, but to mask the unpleasant odours of daily life in a world where toilet facilities and hygiene were primitive, washing was difficult, and the proper laundering of clothing made of precious textiles was virtually impossible. France became a major centre of perfume manufacture, notably in the area around Grasse in south-eastern France, noted for its lavender cultivation. Only in the late 19^th century, with mass-porduction and the introduction of cheaper synthetic chemical compounds, did perfume begin to become a little cheaper and more accessible to a broader market.

Couturier perfume

High-quality perfumes were produced by specialist perfumiers such as Guerlain (founded in Paris in 1828), Penhaligon's (founded in London in the late 1860s), and Coty (founded in Paris in 1904). During the Art Nouveau era, increasingly lavish perfume bottles were created for leading perfume houses by craftsmen-designers such as René Lalique (18601945). In the 1920s, couturiers such as Paul Poiret (18791944) and Coco Chanel (18831971) realised that they could trade on their high reputation of their labels to introduce perfumes as accessories. Chanel No.5 dates from 1921. Many other fashion designers have since followed in this trend, such as Yves Saint-Laurent, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Calvin Klein, and Ralph Lauren, to name but a few (see the list of the 50 Top Perfume Brands).

Celebrity perfumes

During the 20^th century, perfume became a mass-market industry, and perfume spread to soaps, shampoos, shower gels, deodorants, and many domestic products such as washing powder and room sprays. It also became an integral part of the international fashion and accessory business, with products at all price bands, right up to the most exclusively expensive. Image and marketing has played a major role in this development. Perfumes are sold not just for their scent, but also for the lifestyle they represent. Recently, new lines have been introduced under the brand names of the stars of sports, film, television and popular music. These include the labels of Cindy Crawford, Kylie Minogue, Britney Spears, David Beckham, Gabriela Sabatini, and even the Big Brother contestant Jade Goody.