13 years ago - 02/19/2013

22 1

Please Excuse Me While I Rant

I love any number of perfumes, noses and houses, but on the whole, I don't have much respect for the collective perfume industry. In the last few years we've seen draconian restrictions on "allergenic" notes, wholesale bans on fragrance in certain settings and recently, a series of new/newly enforced postal regulations that do not bode well for the future of perfume. Meanwhile, to all appearances the fragrance industry sat on its collective ass and passively allowed lawmakers to whittle away at its artistic tools and financial livelihood. Occasionally a Serge Lutens or a Frédéric Malle will step forward and make a statement about the damage resulting from the IFRA regs, but I've seen nothing in the way of action, proactive or even reactive, from this ineffectual group of people who create the substance that we love.

Here are just a few suggestions that might help the situation:

1. Hire the European equivalent of a K Street lobbyist to campaign on behalf of the industry with the European Union, the apparent source of the allergen legislation;

2. Commission an impact study on the loss of jobs and revenue that will ensue based on the various existing and proposed restrictions to the industry;

3. Underwrite some research on the many positive benefits of perfume usage. Anyone who wears perfume on a regular basis will tell you that it can instill confidence, calm frayed nerves and lift spirits. Some even claim that fragrance works as an aphrodisiac.

If a layperson can come up with a few ideas on the spur of the moment, imagine what the professionals could do if they would simply get organized. Unfortunately, it may already be too late.

Cryptic 12 years ago

I beg your pardon, Sorceress. I'm just now seeing your comments, having been absent recently. The whole issue has absolutely exploded in the last few weeks and good things are happening in the Facebook groups. :D Here's an English one and a French sister site for anyone who may be interested. https://www.facebook.com/groups/thatstinks/ https://www.facebook.com/defenseparfumerietraditionnelle

Sorceress 12 years ago

And of course, as I've said to you, I always believe in petitions. One voice is heard as is many.

Sorceress 12 years ago

Well-written, Cryptic. Unfortunately, there are too few of us,and too many of them. Capitalism seems to always win, doesn't it? But there are ways to fight, to show strength, if in only small ways to start. We can begin by educating people about perfumes. About what their money is actually purchasing. Tell them the differences between perfumes of old and today and why you think an older perfume is better. An educated person will make an educated choice. A slight dent in sales may someday happen..

Coutureguru 13 years ago

A group to tackle these issues now exists at : http://www.facebook.com/groups/thatstinks/ ... come and join us :)!!!

Dulcemio 13 years ago

" . . the major producers of aromachemicals (IFF, Firmenich, Symrise, Givaudan, etc), who have captive molecules they'd like to use and who can make a bigger profit if they get non-captive molecules out of the way. Now, because these major producers are also the employers of many of the noses we know and love . . "

PBF and everyone else, this seems plausible, especially since the answer to most questions is usually "just follow the money," so yes, this must be what's happening. And it goes hand-in-hand with what I wrote earlier: if the majority of their sales and profits come from products made with these aromachemicals and the largest part of the fragrance consuming public is none the wiser (and likely wouldn't care if they knew), I wouldn't expect anything to ever, ever change. As a rule, I'm usually more pollyanna than pessimist, but this does not seem like an issue that anyone with any power has any reason to want to change.

Cryptic 13 years ago

Thank you, Sherapop. I only wish I could figure out how to enlarge the font! My apologies for an eyestrain I may have caused. :/

Sherapop 13 years ago

Thank you for this thoughtful rant, Cryptic! I hope that we'll be hearing more from you in the future! xxxooo

BTW: I am equally suspicious of the IFRA... There are lots of connections and conspiracies here to be unearthed, it seems to me.

Pipette 13 years ago

I was thinking something along the lines of thoughts of PBullFriend. There are hidden gains somewhere in this system of capitalism: the bottom line matters. Perfume is an art form. Although we - as perfumistas - bemoan the fact that this form is altered and diminished in our perceived value - it is not a matter of life and death. The Thalidomide drug was banned because it was dangerous and protests (lobbying) were not even necessary, I don't remember. To stage lobbying for the preservation of perfume as ART will cost money and the perfumistas are not the type of fighters and organizers to stage the campaign and carry it out - and neither are the actual perfumers. There is not enough steam behind it, not an inherent damage to survival, just a deterioration of something beautiful. Sad ... but true.

PBullFriend 13 years ago

If I remember correctly, some folks have pointed out that the increased regulations actually come in a backdoor way from the major producers of aromachemicals (IFF, Firmenich, Symrise, Givaudan, etc), who have captive molecules they'd like to use and who can make a bigger profit if they get non-captive molecules out of the way. Now, because these major producers are also the employers of many of the noses we know and love, wouldn't that be why the noses aren't speaking up? (Not that this is a solution or anything, but I'm just trying to figure out the motivations.)

Dulcemio 13 years ago

If the major players' bread and butter is the pink, patchouli infused light florals, then where is their motivation to invest resources into fighting the good fight to save the Chypre?

The majority of the perfume buying public is not comprised of the likes of you lot. The air you breathe here amongst your own kind is rare and sophisticated. The Eau de Sameness crap flies off the shelf all day long because it *doesn't* contain oakmoss.

My perfect example of how on board the average consumer is with these lackluster offerings is a woman I work with, one of the most fashionably yet effortlessly chic women I know, loves fine wine, has excellent taste in music, is well-travelled and well-read. A while back she went on a quest to find a new signature (which for her means the only scent she ever wears). After extensive testing, she settled on Juicy Couture. I rest my case.

ExUser 13 years ago

I think your humble opinion is spot on, Cryptic! But it means we have put forth a concerted effort as a group if we're to convince the industry and their representative trade organizations that they should take the measures you've outlined as a remedy to the situation. Let's go!

Cryptic 13 years ago

The funding would have to come from the industry, Grey, and it would be money well spent, IMHO.

ExUser 13 years ago

Cryptic, like I've said before, I have an annoyingly optimistic attitude about everything so no insult taken :^) I swear, I must have been a golden retriever in a previous life! However, I think you're absolutely right, that, by and large, the major players in the industry aren't interested in putting up a fight. Not only are they making fat profits, they're also owned by huge corporations with close ties to the chemical industry so, in some cases, it's against their economic self interest to put up a fight. Nonetheless, as long as it's OK with the founders and administrators of Parfumo, I'd be willing to work with any of our membership to draft letters targeting government agencies, corporations and trade organizations and then post those letters online for use by anyone who chooses to participate. The chances may be slim to none that it will have an effect but I'm willing to try. It only involves a bit of time and maybe the cost of a stamp. Besides, apart from your initial suggestions (which are, BTW, excellent what are the options? I just hate to see thread after thread of rants on the forum which would be better directed at those making decisions which effect the governance of our passion. Just a quick question Cryptic, as I've said, I think your suggestions are excellent but where would the funding come from to hire lobbyists or commission studies?

Cryptic 13 years ago

CG, I'm sorry to sound so whiney and defeatist, but this shite makes me a little crazy at times. :(

Cryptic 13 years ago

I don't completely agree that the IFRA is not the bad guy, Mia. Based on my limited understanding, the IFRA is an organization that was founded in 1973 by the perfume industry in an attempt to self-regulate. Rather than attempting to fight the EU's restrictions in any meaningful way, they have consistently knuckled under to their demands. I concede your point that the IFRA fought for a restriction on oakmoss where the EU wanted it abolished completely, but the end result was that the reformulated oakmoss chypres are crapulent, and the chypre is dead, for all intents and purposes. Instead of acknowledging that reality, the bliss ninnies in the perfume industry would have us believe that a bottle of pink juice with a little patchouli thrown in is an effective substitute.

I think than an effective solution to the allergen issue would certainly include warnings. I don't think that all the ingredients would have to be listed, only the ones that are potentially allergenic. That's where the stubborness of the industry comes in: They refuse to go down that road because they fear the slippery slope would end with them being required to list EVERY ingredient in the formula. Which is ridiculous, when you come to think of it, because anyone with a gas chromatograph can break down the notes in a perfume. If I sound frustrated it's because I am, but not with you, my dear. :)

Coutureguru 13 years ago

Cryptic dearest ... all it takes is a few voices raised in anger. Keep the faith :) ...

MiaTrost 13 years ago

Apparently the IFRA isn't the bad guy. "IFRA has in fact delivered some very positive results. Far from banning certain materials, IFRA has in fact been protecting them from potential bans. A material such as oak-moss would have disappeared if it hadn’t been for IFRA. The EU would have abolished it. In fact, thanks to IFRA’s work, many materials are still capable of being utilised as part of the palette of more that 3000 materials which perfumers can employ in their creative art." Source: http://www.premiumbeautynews.com/en/our-goal-is-the-safe-enjoyment-of,4307 The alternative to banning allergens is labelling them. And I wonder how perfumers would like an ingredient list ...

Cryptic 13 years ago

Guys, thanks for the thoughtful comments, but I'm not sure the industry would even welcome our assistance. As much as I love perfume, I'm not going to bust my tailfeather working on behalf of a group that refuses to help itself...sorry. If I heard that Thierry Wasser, for instance, was meeting with the French Legislature over the allergen restrictions and had asked the online community for some type of support, I'd make a huge effort. However, these people are ostriches, for the most part. With the exception of a rare few, they refuse to even acknowledge that there is a problem let alone do anything about it. I've actually read industry statements that the IFRA regs are not a problem...that they will only spur the industry to become more creative (!!!). I don't mean to be insulting, but that it is a rather delusional statement given how much harm has already been caused. How do you help people that don't want to be helped and deny that a problem exists? :(

Coutureguru 13 years ago

Well said Cryptic!! I'm in Greysolon ... I'm quite willing to to help in any way I can ... I'm off to have a look at how a petition can be started ...

ExUser 13 years ago

Cryptic, excellent suggestions for action! We need to use the organization provided by forums and social networks, like Parfumo, and become politically active. Whether it's something as substantive as your suggestions or simply organizing a letter writing campaign, we have to use the intelligence and numbers provided by our membership and focus it in the right direction. What usually keeps people from actually taking part in a concerted effort to make their voice heard is not apathy, it's knowing where to write and how begin to put their words to paper (email) in an organized, fact based way. Not to start a political discussion here, but one way large organizations, like The World Wildlife Fund, Amnesty International, and unions, get their members to actually take part in a letter writing campaign is to send out a suggested form letter to its membership asking them to either use it as model for their own personal letter or simply rewrite it in their own hand. All that's left to do after that bit of work is to ACTUALLY mail or email the letter. This method is effective because most of the work is done: the thought behind the letter is organized and fact based (rather than a jumbled, angry rant) and the political entity being targeted is receiving a clear, consistent, consensus message from the people they were elected to represent. Or, in the case of a corporation, their consumers. I know it sounds artificial, but it works. It's one of the ways that an organization made up of people of ordinary economic/political means can band together and go up against the wealth and power of a government entity or company and have chance of convincing them to change. Like I said it's not apathy that keeps people from acting it's the lack of a platform from which to begin. We have the brain power here on Perfumo to do this, so let's stop using the forums as a bitching post and instead use them to disseminate factual information and create organized action.

Cincy 13 years ago

You are entiltled to your rant, and thank you for spuring us on with thoughts and ideas that may help. I too think control is the biggy factor.

Silverfire 13 years ago

Agreed!! The industry does not realize that it is under assault by an army of bureauweenies who want to control them and who would legislate happiness out of existence if only they could. Are there THAT many backdoor deals and secret arrangements? The ability to smell as you wish is a means of self-expression; in a sense, it is free speech. There could be amazing PR campaigns if only people the need for them.

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Please Excuse Me While I Rant