Scent of a Great Story

By Betsy Kroll

When Perfume: The Story of a Murderer was published in the U.S. in 1986, it caused a sensation. It also left an imprint so deep on the minds of two talented perfumers from International Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) that in 2000 they began an endeavor to try to bring the odors described in the book to life. Now that the tale of Jean-Baptiste Grenouille--an orphan with an olfactory sense so extraordinary that it compels him to commit unimaginable horrors--is being released as a movie next month, the brains at Thierry Mugler fragrance have teamed up with the noses at IFF to create a set of 15 scents that encapsulate the alternately pungent and sweet-smelling progression of Grenouille's story. Though most of the aromas are enjoyable, not all are wearable. Human Existence, for example, is downright vile. The collection culminates with Aura, a light, thoughtful elixir containing 84 ingredients. Available exclusively at www.perfume.thierrymugler.com the coffret, above, is $700.