Perfume and film are two art forms that have come together on numerous occasions. Furthermore, both are accessible to the vast majority, inviting us to dream of enchanting stories or to envelop ourselves in fragrances that transport us to a specific place or moment from a key scene in cinema. A scent can even immerse us in the unique universe of a particular film character. Dreams and sensations that are undoubtedly worth experiencing and that can transcend the big screen.
Such is the case with the scent worn by the beautiful, capricious, and captivating Scarlett O'Hara in Gone with the Wind (1939). In one of the scenes of this iconic film, she appears wearing a perfume.
It is Florida Water, a cologne that is still sold today and which the actress acknowledged was her favourite in real life. Created over 200 years ago, this unisex cologne is composed of a blend of citrus and floral notes.
Another iconic film perfume is Shalimar. A scent worn by Sigourney Weaver in Working Girl (1988) to seduce Harrison Ford.
Shalimar also appeared in many other films, including: Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Death on The Nile (1978) or Jackie (2016).
In Sanskrit Shalimar means ‘temple of love’, a fragrance created in 1925, inspired by the love story of Shah Jahan, the great Emperor of India, and his favourite wife.
In Me Before You (2016), when Louisa (Emilia Clarke) and William (Sam Claflin) visit Paris, Louisa stops to admire the marvellous window display of a French niche perfume house founded in 1979. The same house also appears in The Joneses (2009) and Confessions of a Shopaholic (2009).
In more recent films, we can see one of the protagonists, Yeon-gyo (Cho Yeo-jeong), in the Oscar-winning Parasite (2019). A wealthy woman with a luxurious and minimalist style, she uses Orange Blossom, from a luxury British perfume house founded at the end of the 19th century.
The list of perfumes in film is extensive, and undoubtedly one of the favourite topics for perfume lovers. We will continue to add to the list!
