Part 2: Why Everyone Owns Perfume Now (History of Fragrance Wardrobes)
The Signature Scent Era (Pre-1920s)
One perfume defined your identity. Guerlain's Jicky was "your scent." Marie Antoinette wore Sillage de la Reine exclusively. Your signature fragrance signaled status and personality. Coco Chanel changed everything.
Chanel No. 5 Revolution (1921)
Gabrielle Chanel wanted a timeless scent. Ernest Beaux offered her 24 samples. She picked #5. Aldehydes gave sparkling cleanliness. The simple flacon mimicked Place Vendôme geometry. Women bought perfume for the first time, not just receiving it from husbands. Department stores exploded. One scent became the collection starter.
Post-WWII Designer Fragrance Boom
Christian Dior launched Miss Dior (1947). Givenchy created L'Interdit (1957). YSL debuted Rive Gauche (1971). Each fashion house needed "the fragrance." Fashion plus scent became a power couple. Smart women owned Shalimar OR Poison, not both.
1990s Collection Mentality Begins
CK One (1994) sparked the unisex revolution. Angel by Mugler (1992) pioneered gourmands. Niche houses like Creed and Amouage emerged for collectors. Fragrantica launched in 2007, letting perfume geeks compare notes online. "What suits my skin chemistry?" replaced "What's my signature?"
" One signature perfume ruled for centuries. Discover how Chanel, TikTok influencers, and discovery sets created today's fragrance wardrobes with multiple scents."
Influencer Era and Layering (2010s-Now)
TikTok #PerfumeTok exploded in 2020. Influencers reviewed 50+ bottles. Layering tutorials went viral, "Vanilla 28 plus Baccarat equals perfect date scent." Gym Hoodie fragrance (light citrus), Office Professional (clean musk), Night Out Bombshell (oud bomb).
Why Fragrance Wardrobes Won
Discovery sets made sampling cheap, just $50 for 10 scents instead of $200 blind buys. Skin chemistry awareness proved one scent smells different daily. Occasion dressing extended to scent, you wouldn't wear an evening gown to the gym. Social proof made collecting cool, Instagram scent shelves became status symbols.
The Modern Perfume Evolution
Perfume evolved from France's stench-masking necessity to today's fragrance wardrobes where different scents suit different moods and occasions. History proves smart collectors choose quality over quantity, building versatile collections that match their lives.
From France's stinky courts to modern scent collections, perfume's journey proves one fragrance can never capture every moment. If you loved learning how France turned stench into scent royalty in Part 1, read it here.
