via CB
I’ll be the first to admit it that I like the smell of gasoline. I also like the smell of diabetic insulin, plastic, rusty iron, and old books. Our sense of smell is the most complex of all our senses, and a powerful trigger of old memories. This explains why the smell of seagull shit in the morning gets me misty eyed.
Christopher Brosius is the mastermind behind the CB I Hate Perfume Gallery in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. His mantra is that “Scent is life”, and has created his brand around the idea that not all smells are attractive. He openly states that most of the pleasant scents in life come from unpleasant places such as waffles, laundromats, tar, and mildew.
What I find most intriguing is the naming process for his scents. Britney Spears (or rather the perfumers and scientists who create her scents for her) come up with names like Radiance, Fantasy, Curious, and Midnight. How does someone smell like “Midnight”? Is it possible to smell like a time of day? Do you know what my midnights smell like?
Vodka.
Christopher dubs his fragrances with monikers like : In the Library, Gathering Apples, Burning Leaves, and At the Beach 1966. He also works with clients to create signature scents and the range for his perfumes is around $17-$1200.
via flickr
We live in a society where celebrities pay other people to make crazed fans smell like their public image. (Conflicted about that Halle, by Halle Berry bottle you just bought for $28 yet?)
If you are really honest, most of your favorite scents come from memories you hold dear. Given the choice between smelling like Jennifer Lopez or a kitchen sink in 1986 I’ll take the sink every time.
Because while I love certain scents I hate perfume, too.
