Do Cultural Preferences Influence Fragrance Development?
A number of factors have long differentiated the preferences of cultures worldwide. There are different tastes in foods and spices, in colors and clothing design, and in scents, too. Climate, raw materials, and the availability and variety of food sources all influence the preferences of local populations. The ancient civilizations of Egypt, Rome and Greece, used scents abstracted from flowers, woods, resins and spices to perfume their bodies. Modern perfumery originated in Italy and France, and flowery and citrus scents, like scents of the ancient past, were indigenous to their growing regions. Today, tastes and trends must be considered globally in order to effectively market a product, and understanding regional preferences is a prerequisite. Though the U.S. has had a knack for creating demand for its products and establishing trends, the U.S. fragrance market did not truly begin until after World War II, when many perfumers immigrated to the U.S. This, along with the synthesis of o
