1. P O R t F
O L I O
olfactory in design
Helen N.N.H. Dang
2. c o n t e n t s
the site smell map
timeline through history
4
6
transcribing what is pondered 8
pondering in the space 10
360° collage 12
the study critical context 14
a narrative towards direction 24the designed story
the story 28flower talk
more case studies design context 36
the letter to the client 48
critical reflection looking back at the design 50
bibliography 52
3. 3
âSmell is a way of understanding
that nothing is lost.â
- Daniela Andrier.
4. 4
the site
Holywell Lane is
quieter than its
other side,
probably a result
of the smaller1
3
2
Great Eastern street is
both busier and noisier
due to the width of the
road being larger which
allows at least two
vehicles at a time. The
walkways are wide for
safer passage.
width of the road. It
only allows one
vehicle through at a
time and the pavements
are much narrower.
1
Here with roadworks, it smelled more industrial, like dusty bricks and the
slightly sour metals. But it was not overwhelming, instead these smells made this
part seem like a productive place.
2
Like the cars rushing in from Fairchild Street and smaller roads, the smells in
the air here are fleeting as if they are faint in the first place. Perhaps this
is beneficial for a perfume shop to start anew.
3
In this corner on Holywell Lane, though I would not necessarily label the smell
as putrid, it was not a fresh or pleasant smell emanating from the area. This made
the whole side of this place the opposite of inviting.
6. 6
the site
1746 After seventy years, the Shoreditch
area has retained its name. Nevertheless,
the land has much changed with various
architectures that was found in both the
shapes of each building and even the
2017-present Today
we are able to make
use of a photographic
map, showcasing the
fact that several
buildings around
1869-80 During this period
over ten years, Holywell
Lane has still been
contained within the area
as one of the oldest kept
roads. It is narrow, but
perhaps its importance lies
in the fact that there was
a working railway built
above it, cutting through
at a perpendicular angle
as exhibited on the map.
1960 In the sixties, the railway was
still very much used. It is even more
clearer on this map; the width of the
tracks together are as large as the main
grassy patches.
road, Great Eastern
Street. Another thing
that is rather
interesting is the
buildingsâ edges are
rounded in contrast
to other buildings in
London.
Holywell Lane in Shoreditch still have
rounded edges. Additionally, some
newer roads have been built that are
even curved to match. Albeit the Great
Eastern Street is still there, the
overground railway that used to be
popular is now gone.
Shoreditch High Street Station
replaced an underground service
in 2006, now working as an
overground line. However, it
retains its inviting aura with a
partial roof, as if it were
symbolic of a shelter. I want to
incorporate this idea into my
design as to deliver an almost
homely mood.
7. 7
timeline through history
Even though the shop I will be designing is tiny, its small structure is
the reason why it pops out. Among the ever-changing wall of art on the
left, old buildings and a towering curved wall on the right, the space
was in-built like it was made to fill an emptiness. Above the shop and
graffitied wall stays the installation of a pseudo train carriage to pay
tribute to the memory of the pastâs railway up there.
Moreover, the interior of the shop is also relatively compact, staying
true to its exterior. The sunlight arrives from the left on Holywell
Lane, whereas it comes from the right on the other side on Great Eastern
Street. This means that for a positively good amount of time,
specifically noon, the sun showers into the shop as its own natural
lighting, hence the dimly lit space with minimal artificial lights
inside. It is vastly decorated, not much focus on the interior layout as
of now besides the split in floors creating a contrast within the space.
8. 8
the site
CROSS SECTION BB
1:100@A3
Under the tall heights of the surrounding three buildings at this point on one of
Londonâs oldest streets, Holywell Lane, the air does not leave a putrid effect in my
nose as I had expected but it is slightly unpleasant. You can tell the area is old by
the way it smells. While the area smells old, it attempts to seem more modern than it
is with newer buildings filling in once empty spaces. Sprinkling onto this supposedly
contemporary atmosphere, the place features a towering Calvin Klein advertisement
plastered on a fifty-foot, curved wall. I remember feeling little, suffocated by
looking up because the triangular shape seen blocks an otherwise clear sky. This
form against the blue sky is created via the very tops of each building whilst I am
positioned at the centre on the ground the edges line up to produce a non-equilateral
triangle around my vision. This is what gives off an impression of being trapped.
At this location, I am surrounded by smells, materials; of various architecture and
perhaps time itself.
Firstly, the initial task is to enter the space that has been chosen for designing in
the second semester. The building is ambiguous as one might think it wants to change
with ongoing repair works and increasing amounts of loading and unloading new parts/
instalments to the space. However, the building itself has not yet started to fall
apart at all. It smells old, if you smell deeply enough; something like cemented
brickwork and coppery aromas lay underneath the several layers of newer metal. If it
were to be personified with its own emotions, perhaps the building does not want to
change as the lurking perfumes smell like history. It wants to hold on maybe, to that
history, and the only ones wanting change is the forced metalwork produced by humans.
Nevertheless, these humans are not trying to replace or cover up remnants of history,
instead building on top of it using as many innovative and resilient processes for
design as possible.
9. 9
transcribing what is pondered
Similarly to the initial opinion of the experience standing outside on Holywell Lane,
the aura taken in was that of being trapped once again: the interiorâs space
resonates with this word as it contained fixed geometry like triangles, circles,
squares and arches. On the other hand, it can be said that the design which we will
produce as part of the project will set it free. In conclusion, I want my clients to
recall memories within my design of the place, something like nostalgia, such as I am
feeling while writing on this table that is not fully decayed.
11. 11
pondering in the space
the artificial lights within the interior hit the surface of
semi-matte black, rendering a gradient onto the wall.
the closed-off block of solid colour itself stands out
against the contrasting wall of old brick. The peculiar
thing about perfumes is that they are built up from many components, each a
concoction of different ingredients. The mixture of smells within a single perfume
bottle reflects this idea of contrasting and placing together that the image on the
left exhibits: there is a contrast between the block colour and the grungy brickwork.
Having them together has created an interesting little space.
12. 12
This w
refurb
as dif
over.
interv
Grenfe
to re
which
The entrances are
nearly identical on
both sides.
the site
This wall is constantly
refurbished with new paint
as different artists take
over. Because the worker I
interviewed lived by
Grenfell Tower, he was sad
to remove the painting
which was a memorial.
The entrances are
nearly identical on
both sides.
13. 13
wall is constantly
bished with new paint
fferent artists take
Because the worker I
viewed lived by
ell Tower, he was sad
emove the painting
was a memorial.
An art instalment
to commemorate
the fact that
there used to be
a railway above.
The interior
design maintains
a rustic look as
it appears from
the outside.
360° collage
14. the study
1 MONEY, J., (1955) Hermaphroditism, gender and precocity in
hyperadrenocorticism: Psychologic findings. Bulletin of the Johns
Hopkins Hospital. 96(6) pp.253-64.
2 CRESSY, S., (2017) Brief History of Perfume. [pdf] Available
at: http://susancressy.com/articles/brief-history-of-perfume.aspx
[Accessed 19/12/17].
The relationship between gender and perfume is more complicated than it
may seem. Perfume is usually marketed for either women or men, which
leads to the question of whether the actual smell is gendered. In this study,
I will carry out an analysis into this connection by investigating case
studies: CK One by Alberto Morillas and Harry Fremont for Calvin Klein,
the work of Jean-Paul Gaultier and exhibitions by Peter de Cupere. All three
are different in kind, one being a bottled perfume, another the opinions of
a designer and the last being artwork. The similarity between them is the
presence of exploration into whether there is gender in scent. Is perfume
gendered? In response to this question, it is important to comprehend the
two terms, perfume and gender, separately. It is commonly argued that
gender on its own is a social construct dating back to the years before Christ
while others accept the idea that it is new, when sexologist
John Money established the term âgender roleâ in 19551
,
defining it as âthe actions or responses that may reveal their
(the person in question, respectively) status as a boy, man,
girl or woman.â Parallel to the genesis of gender and the
ideals surrounding it, the origins of scent technology are
debated to have first appeared during Ancient Egypt. Cressyâs
Brief History of Perfume2
explains, âIncense was used in
Ancient Egypt as a perfume and the word itself comes from
the Latin âper fumusâ which meant âthrough smokeâ.â Tying
gender and perfume together, this essay will explore the
implications between the two topics as one.
Is perfume gendered?
15. 15
critical context
The olfactory magazine NEZ has featured both factual and opinion led
knowledge gathered by perfumers, perfume bloggers and experts. In one of
its many articles, titled the Gender of Scent, Beaulieu3
offers the interpre-
tation, âScent has been playing a game of smoke and mirrors with sexual
identity.â This showcases fragrance as a metaphor for gender abstractly,
drifting through changes such as liquid turning into gas particles, much like
how gender is very abstract itself by always evolving its definition. Beaulieu
describes scent as âFeminine by definition but androgynous in essence,â
respecting that perfume has originated with a purpose to be used by women
initially but the use of it is now inclusive to men, because our society has
grown in order to accept the feminine side of men. Ultimately, it is under-
stood that perfume is in actuality âandrogynousâ and freely functional in
the hands of everyone.
In Briotâs study of male fragrance4
, it is stated that, âBoth sexes have always
used scented products, whether for reasons of hygiene or to protect against
bad smells and disease.â This holds the indication that perfume is old, your
sense of scent and its impacts being acknowledged for thousands of years.
The perfumer goes on to explain, âIt was not until the early 20th century,
with the development of masculine codes and new approaches to market-
ing, that seductive fragrances began to be aimed at men.â Briot has claimed
that a fragrance in general is a âsymbol of both purity and sin, ⊠a primary
female fetish in the Western subconscious.â Modern society has fashioned
archaic uses of perfume into its own interpretations, convenient to the con-
stantly changing gender roles in human social development.
3 BEAULIEU, D., (2017) Pour Homme: The Gender of Scent. NEZ the
Olfactory Magazine. 4(3) pp.89-110.
4 BRIOT, E., (2017) Pour Homme: The Story of Male Fragrance. NEZ
the Olfactory Magazine. 4(3) pp.83-87.
17. 17
critical context
According to Udry5
, the historic meaning of gender ultimately derived
from Latin genus and was of âkindâ or âvarietyâ. Furthermore, âBy the 20th
century, this meaning was obsolete, and the only formal use of gender was
in grammar.â This carries the proposition that the issue of gender is to be
interpreted in an individualâs mind, something subjective to their
exploration. With the earliest example cited being from 1963, Curzan6
points out that the Oxford English Dictionary definition of gender is, â[i]n
mod. (esp. feminist) use, a euphemism for the sex of a human being, often
intended to emphasize the social and cultural, as opposed to the biological
distinctions between the sexes.â Moreover, Haig7
claims, âThe work of John
Money, the ⊠textbook Man & Woman, Boy & Girl, was embraced by
feminist theory. This meaning of gender is now prevalent in the social
sciences; although in many other contexts, gender includes sex or replaces
it.â The thesis suggests that not only biological evidence points to the
construct of gender but also the social studies collected by psychologists
and found in the environment of each personâs life stages of growing into
adulthood, ultimately making gender subjective. Additionally, this
movement surrounding gender issues being âembraced by feminist theoryâ
showcases the fact that intersectional feminism is inclusive to the rights of
men and their freedom of expression.
5 UDRY, J.R., (1994) The Nature of Gender. [pdf] 31(4) pp.561-573. Available at:
http://people.virginia.edu/~ser6f/udry.pdf [Accessed 05/12/17].
6 CURZAN, A., (2003) Gender Shifts in the History of English. London: Cambridge
University Press.
7 HAIG, D., (2004) The Inexorable Rise of Gender and the Decline of Sex: Social
Change in Academic Titles, 1945-2001. [pdf] 33(2) pp.87-96. Available at: https://
web.archive.org/web/20110525090802/http://www.oeb.harvard.edu/faculty/haig/Publica-
tions_files/04InexorableRise.pdf [Accessed 05/12/17].
18. the study
A case study that exhibits one of the first perfumes created and marketed
for both men and women is CK One, developed by Alberto Morillas and
Harry Fremont for Calvin Klein. The eau de toilette spray, produced and
uncovered to the world in 1994, is an âintimate, aromatic and unisexâ
fragrance, designed to be used lavishly. Top notes of the fragrance are:
pineapple, papaya and green notes; middle notes being jasmine, lily-of-
the-valley and rose; including base notes like amber, musk and cedar; all of
which have been identified by Fragrantica8
. Its launch caused a stir. Block9
writes, âthe worlds of fashion and beauty were turned upside down. ⊠But
the unisex idea wasnât just adopted by the fashion industry: The beauty
industry also embraced it, and nothing represented that better then (than)
the creation of CK One.â During the middle of the decade, annual sales
reached seventy million pounds sterling. It became a phenomenon, âin part
thanks to its pioneering unisex campaign,â since the television advert was
shot with models that were various young men and women. Nonetheless,
the scent itself was as indisputably attractive to men as it was to women.
Despite being released in the nineties, it is still being sold today as a fan
favourite of Calvin Kleinâs collections, a reflection of the positive impact it
has raised for its acceptance of gender fluidity. In my opinion, it is as if
consumers want to hold onto and commemorate these flourishing ideals.
8 FRAGRANTICA, (2007) CK One Calvin Klein for women and men.
Fragrantica. [Online] Available at: https://www.fragrantica.com/
perfume/Calvin-Klein/CK-One-276.html [Accessed 05/12/17].
9 BLOCK, E., (2017) This â90s Fragrance Has Over 1000 5-Star
Reviews on Amazon. Byrdie. [Online] Available at: http://www.
byrdie.co.uk/ck-one-review [Accessed 05/12/17].
19.
20. 20
the study
Similarly, another case study which promotes expression of gender, is the
collections of fragrances delivered by Jean-Paul Gaultier, a French haute
couture fashion designer. He was known for, claimed by Beaulieu2
his
âpostmodern twists on stereotypes ⊠(his) fragrances have often blurred
the boundaries between masculine and feminine notes.â This means that
albeit the designer is one of the most influential people in the postmodern
era within the fashion industry, it is not mutually exclusive that he was an
influencer in the movement for freedom of gender expression. In an
interview with Lawson10
, Gaultier told Dazed and Confused magazine,
âThere is an expression in France that I find awful which is sois belle et
tais-toi (âbe beautiful and shut upâ) ⊠I realised there was an injustice there.
Women can have a brain and also be beautiful, you know? And boys, with
all the attributes of masculinity like money and manpower, I found it so
stupid.â Hence Gaultier has since created âa lot of unisex fashion, and that
came from being fascinated by people I (he) admired ⊠who were heroines
to me, like Edwige Belmore, the âqueen of Paris punkâ, who ⊠was like a
couture punk.â The word âpunkâ is like a reflection of his rebellion against
norms amidst fashion design, influencing the act of rebelling social norms
stylishly and the encouragement of being oneself without societyâs
discrimination. As a result, his perfume releases have then challenged what
is for âhimâ and what is for âherâ by twisting the image of gender discerned
by the public eye. Lawson declares that Jean-Paul Gaultier has âearned
yourself (himself) a reputation as an ambassador for androgyny.â It is
important there are positive figures in the perfume industry to whom we
can rely on for the movement towards accepting both masculinity and
femininity within each of ourselves, thus we can live in a more open world.
10 LAWSON, K., (2013) Ooh La La: Jean Paul Gaultier interview.
Dazed. [Online] Available at: http://www.dazeddigital.com/fash-
ion/article/15980/1/ooh-la-la-jean-paul-gaultier-interview [Ac-
cessed 05/12/17].
22. 22
the study
On the other hand, a case study which points towards the idea that gender
concepts do not have to be expressed in fragrances, is the installations by
Peter de Cupere who has established himself as one of the leading pioneers
of olfactory art. Baysa11
asks, âWhen the flower of a bromeliad plant is made
to smell like a fresh dollar bill, alluding to an epiphytic relationship between
the US and Cuba, does it remain a flower in our perception?â The answer,
according to Baysa, is The Smell of a Stranger, one of De Cupereâs
exhibitions that was performed as an outdoor series in a nine-piece at the
Havana Biennial, where native plants were âscent-engineered to the smells
of death, violence, body fluids and pollution.â In support of this, the artist
affirms, âI feel that I am more of a visual artist who uses smell/scent as a
sense/medium to give meaning to the image.â This implies that he and
other artists or designers with a platform use their position to endorse
positivity to the growth of perfumeryâs effects on society. In addition, Baysa
writes, âThis artistâs prodigious production of olfactory art reinforces our
understanding that our sense of smell is inextricably linked to emotion as
well as being culture-bound.â There is the general idea that expression of
gender concepts is not compulsory in the making of perfume, rather the
emotions that perfumes are able to produce.
11 BAYSA, K.J., (2017) Peter de Cupere and the art of âtrom-
pe-nezâ. NEZ the Olfactory Magazine. 4(3) pp.48-49.
23. 23
critical context
In conclusion, throughout the study into gender and perfume, we have
determined that there is more than one answer to the question of
whether perfume is gendered. Firstly, Calvin Kleinâs unisex perfume
persuades to embrace every way you choose to express yourself and that
scents can be gendered to an extent in order to deliver this expression.
Likewise, the designer Gaultier vitalises the importance of gender
expression being open in order to show the acceptance of all genders in
fashion such as the standing of perfumeâs significance in the industry. He
claims that we should challenge gender stereotypes and include both sides
of femininity and masculinity within ourselves no matter our identity. âAnd
boys, with all the attributes of masculinity like money and manpower, I
found it so stupid.â10
In comparison to both, the art installations of Peter
de Cupereâs are ungendered and do not try to translate a scent to connect
with male or female attributions. This holds the suggestion that, perhaps,
a perfume can be simple in its purpose by just smelling as it is without any
connotations to the complex beliefs in todayâs society. âIn the
commercialization of fragrances created specifically for men, the first
challenge will be to overcome the conservatism of the publicâs taste,â
describes Jellinek12
, implying that there must be a freedom expressed
through perfume as long as it is fresh, these ideas âoften underestimated in
perfumery, which likes novelty but only if it adheres to the familiar style.â
Perfume may be gendered if the wearer positively uses it for an expressive
meaning, simultaneously it may not be for the same reason: as long as
perfume is worn for expressing oneself with or without the attributes of
notes to gender.
12 JELLINEK, P., (1997) The Psychological Basis of Perfumery. 4th
Ed. London: Chapman & Hall.
24. 24
the designed story
take in the red ânotesâ to follow the
design process..
sometimes parts
of a story have no
extra subliminal
meaning, just a
story.
idea of clients having different
interpretations of a space
writing this story helped to
design a space in my head
26. 26
the designed story
exhaling is
quicker than
inhaling
sacred, link to concept of something
spiritual
rule of three; ultimatum on 3rd
theme of spirit & identity
structured with references to interior
design; redesigning a new space (new
neighbour) into a âbetterâ space (quoted
Landon)
flower talk - a popular association with
perfume; characters in touch with their
feminine side without shame
a concept of respiration
27. 27
a narrative towards direction
The main themes for this creative writing piece was identity and spirituality.
Starting off the story in a humorous way then ending it on a tragic note was my way
of poking at how, in the media, LGBT representation is portrayed by characters who
are usually just comic relief. However, there is a positive light in my story in
that the brief flower language in the presence of only male characters imply that men
can be feminine too and they should not be afraid to show their softer side, instead
embracing it as part of themselves as a human. The fact that a heterosexual couple
could easily replace my two main characters (with little changes made to the original
plot) is a reflection of the normality of a gay couple. Hopefully society would take
these steps in showing that everyone is human. I want to bring this idea of customers
âmeeting in the middleâ and ending up in the same space within my design.
29. 29
canât even smell you anymore.â For as long as he could
remember,thosewordshadbeenetchedintothepalmsofhis
hands.Cursiveandspidery,cursedtobetheretoremindhim
ofacertaindestinybesidesthebullieslaughingattheminprimaryschool.
Theyhadbeenthereeversincehislittlefistslearnthowtoopenandclose.
Your soul mark was said to be the last words your soulmate
would say to you. They said it was usually coming from your lover,
âtheyâ being societyâs romantically warped mind, though sometimes
it could be your father, sister or a friend.
SittinginfrontoftheT.V.,atoddlerKeithwastaughtthatgeneral-
ly in society, your soul mark was happiness-borne. Leonardo DiCaprio
had âyou are my sunâ inked onto his forearm and his co-star Kate Win-
slet had a matching âand you are my starsâ on her wrist. Of course, this
was for their blockbuster Titanic and DiCaprioâs real soul markânot
an unauthentic tattooâwas flaunted in a wrap around his neck, seen in
Flower Talk
âI
30. 30
the candid photos from the magazines Keith collected. âYouâve won,â
it said in stretched bold. Years later, he would win an Oscar award. For
the 1997 film, he had the soul mark covered with foundation, where-
as his celebrity friend Kate Winslet kept her own soul mark hidden
from the public eye, unknown to this day, as she respected her privacy
more. Neither doing was taboo, just a personal choice. Everyone in
their childhood had nonetheless looked up to their onscreen romance,
believing they too would share the same with their soulmate someday.
Keith could relate to Kate. He didnât know whether he was
scared, ashamed or both building up along the years. He was fourteen
when his father bought him a pair of leather gloves as a birthday gift,
late by five months, but he was still grateful. They were fingerless
and dyed black, large enough to cover the unwanted letters and dark
enough to swallow them. He was fifteen when his father left him, dis-
appeared from home forever. He thought that if âI canât even smell
you anymoreâ hadnât happened yet, but this departure had left him
broken, what worse could happen in the future that would break any
more parts of him?
It was natural for Keith to think the sentence on his small palms
carried a heavy fate. He had lost his mother at a young age, before he
could walk, and now his father, too, abandoned him. Great would be
an understatement for the rabid fear of abandonment on Keithâs hands
and in his heart.
His next-door neighbour was going through an extremely
rough year around the same time as him. At least Takashiâs soul mark
was a positive one. âI love youâ in tiny, lilac writing across the bridge
FLOWER TALK
31. 31
of his nose. They were the words Takashiâs mother whispered to him
before falling ill to cancer. It was too late. She grasped his hands,
voice not weak but unwavering despite her condition. âMy little boy, I
love you.â His mother was his soulmate. It was a sweet tragedy Keith
himself could wish he respired, instead of nothing. He couldnât re-
member the woman from his earliest memories; not even the sound
of her laughter. It was a selfish wish and he couldnât imagine the pain
Takashi had endured but neither could he help feeling that jealous way
toward him. Now the words on his nose looked like a gash across his
face, a scar to remember his loss. Keith stayed away from his neigh-
bour out of pure guilt.
He was twenty when his neighbour moved out and a new
neighbour moved in.
âI can smell your flowers from a mile away,â the man drawled,
a smirk in his voice. Keith got up from gardening, hands on his hips to
stop himself from punching the sunglasses off the new face. Why was
he wearing sunglasses?
âWhatâs that supposed to mean?â
His neighbour didnât answer, or sort of did. âIâm Landon and I
am here from today to make your life better.â His arms crossed them-
selves and leant casually on Keithâs side of the fence.
The black sunglasses did not help with lessening his current
dispositionâs arrogance.
âAh, how old are you? Iâm sorryââ
ââIâm twenty,â Keith cut in.
âOh.â There was like an unsaid phew sighing in relief. âIâll
HELEN DANG
32. 32
carry on then. Thought you were younger, canât tell with such a high
voice!â
âI get that a lot.â This guy was so strange. âDonât tell me you
thought I was a girl, though, just because my hairâs getting longâŠâ
Keith muttered. Really, he didnât trim his hair often enough. Not as
much attention was paid to it as he did the grass in his garden. He un-
consciously twisted the end of the strands. The kids at his old school
used to call him Mullet Head.
Landon simply smiled. Suddenly, there was a yapping from
some small animal, a bark, then some more barking. âAlright, alright,
Blue, Iâm coming in.â
Keith grinned. âYour dogâs name is Blue?â He raised his eye-
brow in concern while watching Landon feel around, his fingertips
searching along the pointed tops of the fence until he found his way to
the end and back to his house. As soon as he recognised the jacket on
the service dog, Keith frowned.
Landon was blind and Keith was an idiot.
âYeah, you might want to buy lilies by the way.â Landon dis-
appeared through the door then poked his head out again. âIt balances
the lavender out.â
They had begun flirting before the day even ended.
After months of growing comfortable with each other, Keith
had taken off his gloves and Landon had taken off his sunglasses. He
couldnât see, anyway.
Landonâs eyes were honest, the most sparkling of blues. Keith
always told him they remind him of the ocean. Somewhere Keith
FLOWER TALK
36. more case studies
The first case study I looked at was the Fragrance Lab at Selfridges
in London. âAn immersive experience⊠that takes visitors on a
journey to find a scent that matches their personality,â Howarth
(2014) points out the connection between the space and the one in
my brief, as it is a place of creation and perfume. What makes the
Fragrance Lab so interesting is that it acts like it carries art to
behold, having an audio-guided journey as part of the experience
once you step in. This is in order to âheighten the sensesâ of your
mind, otherwise how else would you better connect with a fragrance?
The Fragrance Lab stays true to its name by acting out the part, its
laboratory-like space accompanied by retail assistants in lab coats.
While visitors are encouraged to interact along a path with various
items inside, they are led to produce an âolfactory pictureâ of their
personality. At the end of this enriching road, the customers are
presented with a scent that matches their character by the perfumer
Givaudan.
In regard to the Labâs very important interior design, Handford
(2014) told Dezeen, âYour engagement with space is intuitive.â By
using this, the designers Campaign and The Future Laboratory have
worked together to form a space which respects that and âwhat you
interact with impacts the fragrance that youâre given.â Initially, a
visitor is given an iPad for conducting a personality test, so the
space keeps the modern world in mind. Additionally, they are given a
set of headphones to listen to an audio guide, walking them through
the real start of the interior.
Handford articulates, âFirst of all thereâs anticipation, then
disorientation in the dark space and then comfort, with cleansing
moments in between, before the revelation at the end.â It is
satisfying to know the designers thought of the clientâs emotions,
how they would react to the design and applying this to their design.
In my own, I would like to draw out a sensory journey similarly.
HOWARTH, D. (2014) Selfridgesâ Fragrance Lab attempts to distill your character
into a scent. Dezeen. [Online] Available at: https://www.dezeen.com/2014/05/02/sel-
fridges-fragrance-lab-distill-your-character-into-a-scent [Accessed 15/02/18].
HANDFORD, P. (2014) Selfridgesâ Fragrance Lab attempts to distill your character
into a scent. Dezeen. [Online] Available at: https://www.dezeen.com/2014/05/02/sel-
fridges-fragrance-lab-distill-your-character-into-a-scent [Accessed 15/02/18].
40. 40
more case studies
Another case study that resides in London, is the Illuminum
Fragrance shop designed by Italian architect, Antonio Cardillo. The
reason why I chose this store is because of its utterly authentic
design: by coating a room inside an old building with volcanic ash,
an interior has drawn the extreme line of difference between other
perfume shopsâ interiors.
Cardillo combines scent and texture for this store of fragrance.
The architect (2015) has described the twenty-eight-metre room as
an âApollonian and Dionysian grottoâ immediately making us imagine
ancient legends if that had not come to mind already from the idea
of volcanic ashes as a material. He goes on to explain, âThis
mineral dust was widely used in ancient Rome for building the largest
constructions of the late-ancient era.â Perhaps he wanted to make a
large statement with this piece. The interior design holds a certain
old air about it, a powerful atmosphere. He even wrote a poetic text
to accompany the project, âBehind a portal on a Georgian street in
London, lives a small grey grotto. Its rugged walls, imprinted with
gestures of the masonâs trowel reveal the eroticism which was
conveyed in the act of construction by the ancients.â There is indeed
something very romantic about the walls that seem to be melting, like
the liquid in perfume bottles.
Despite its rough, cave-like walls, the floor is lined with a plush
grey carpet. Winston (2015) writes that it âcomplements the tone of
the walls but offering a contrasting soft texture.â She reiterates
Cardilloâs words, describing the neutral backdrops of the interior
as bringing out the thirty-seven different scents sold by the
company, âInvisible colours revealed only by the nose.â
Finally, the project was named Colour As A Narrative. The roomâs
interior is lit by two freestanding metal spotlights. However,
because of their naturally black colour the tone is too stark
compared to the rest of the room and it reduces some of the
authenticity you want to feel about the place. It makes the store
seem like an exhibition that, perhaps will positively bring new
customers but will also confuse regular perfume buyers. The way
Cardillo rips away the normal conventions of purchasing perfume
might not be welcoming to regular customers.
On the other hand, Geraghty (2015) claims, âStripping away learnt
associations built around graphics, names, ingredients encourage a
more physical and intuitive experience of scent; the components of
which (fragrance oils) are originally sourced from the earth.â The
Illuminum creative director compliments Cardilloâs design as one
that positively works with neutral materials from nature. In
41. 41
design context
contrast to the Fragrance Lab in Selfridges, the Illuminum Fragrance
shop motivates the customers toward a more physical and intuitive
interaction with its prominent textures.
CARDILLO, A. (2015) Antonio Cardillo combines scent and texture for Illumi-
num Fragrance shop interior. Dezeen. [Online] Available at: https://www.dezeen.
com/2015/05/06/antonino-cardillo-scent-texture-illuminum-fragrance-shop-interi-
or-london-england-volcanic-ash [Accessed 15/02/18].
WINSTON, A. (2015) Antonio Cardillo combines scent and texture for Illumi-
num Fragrance shop interior. Dezeen. [Online] Available at: https://www.dezeen.
com/2015/05/06/antonino-cardillo-scent-texture-illuminum-fragrance-shop-interi-
or-london-england-volcanic-ash [Accessed 15/02/18].
GERAGHTY, A. (2015) Antonio Cardillo combines scent and texture for Illumi-
num Fragrance shop interior. Dezeen. [Online] Available at: https://www.dezeen.
com/2015/05/06/antonino-cardillo-scent-texture-illuminum-fragrance-shop-interi-
or-london-england-volcanic-ash [Accessed 15/02/18].
47. 47
âPerfumes are more than just
beautiful scents. They are a
philosophy, a representation of life,
living, who we are and how we want
to define ourselves.â
- Christopher Chong, Amouage.
49. 49
21 February 2018
Dear Mr. McClain,
After several reflective meetings that have been very fruitful, I am writing to
update you on our current design scheme. We are flattered that a
well-known client has chosen our company to design the new perfume
shop. It is an honour for you to place the responsibility of naming the store
that will be replacing the hairdressersâ Mie Mani in our hands.
Although the existing shop is much smaller compared to the vast space next
to it, this positively lets us focus on detail which is more important than
simply filling up a large space. We are excited to create an interior space
that will stand out against Village Underground and other fragrance stores
in London.
Since carefully going over the brief and requirements, a great concept that
links people to a place of scent is nostalgia. This has led to ideas such as
leaving a part of yourself there as a memory, embedding a figurative
footprint in the space. We think of inhaling a fragrance upon entering and
exhaling on exit. There will be an intriguing aura if the store will have a
spiritual sense to it.
I will write again upon new ideas and to inform you on the status of our
design for your shop as thoroughly as time allows. It will be designed with
fresh creativity and the finished outcome will be ageless, its effect long
lasting into the future.
Yours Sincerely,
Helen N.N.H. Dang
Director
50. 50
critical reflection
After the launch and completion of my design project, there are
some criticisms I should recognise about my work.
In the very beginning where research must take place surrounding
the brief, I could have looked more into illnesses that affect the
mind and memory, such as expanding my knowledge about Alzheimerâs
disease, Korsakoffâs syndrome, amnesia and even the other end of
the spectrum; hyperthymesia. Had there been more time I could have
included several more disorders that affect our memory other than
Alzheimerâs.
Moreover, where I had studied the clientâs feelings and my own in
their shoes while in the production of fragrances, it would have
been excellent to do a practical test on different fragrances as
scientific results would prove objectivity, extending the
knowledge to be showcased in my portfolio.
The piece I named my â360 degrees collageâ is mostly inspired by
David Hockneyâs collages featuring his photography. My past
qualification in photography reminded me of what I could be
capable of doing, however, I could have honed and refined my
skills by taking more photographs to put together and create a
larger picture.
Pondering in the space, I should have made the clarity that this
page in my portfolio was a transcript of the free writing.
Being critical again, a weakness of mine is the fact that I plan
all in my head without notes or even small sketches explaining my
ideas. This results in it appearing as if I do not have a lot of
thinking in design development, sadly. A way to improve is to do
all these things: jot down every concept in my head on pen and
paper first.
For exemplars, I could have drawn my own interpretations of each
that I was analysing.
Albeit I made the keywords larger in the little paragraph on the
page, I am worried my concept is not clear enough. Sentences,
instead of words, could cause confusion instead of comprehension.
Furthermore, my concept models have a developmental connection
one after the other but what could have improved is putting these
within the actual space to scale.
51. 51
looking back at the design
Perhaps I could have toned down the lilac colours in my design.
Though the shade gives the interior space a contemporary feel, I
do hope it does not appear childish and the choice of neutral
colours in rammed earth balances the purple hues out, as my target
audience is of a mature age.
Finally, for the construction of the detail I focused on in the
scheme, avoiding a model of the full detail was a good move for
the outcome to not be like a dollhouseâs toy. The material model
became a greater idea but the quality of the rammed earth was not
to perfection since I lacked the materials in order to produce it.
52. 52
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CARDILLO, A. (2015) Antonio Cardillo combines scent and texture for Illumi-
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or-london-england-volcanic-ash [Accessed 15/02/18].
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fridges-fragrance-lab-distill-your-character-into-a-scent [Accessed 15/02/18].
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Miscellaneous
FRAGRANTICA (2007) CK One Calvin Klein for women and men. Fragrantica. [Online]
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cessed 05/12/17].
