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Portia

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Hey Crew,

Thinking Christmas? Want something totally fabulous but a little bit different?

Neil Chapman, longtime blogger under the guise of The Black Narcissus, has written a book about perfume and the finding of your signature scent, or scents. Anyone who reads TBN will already be acquainted with his spectacular prose and far flung knowledge realms, his posts can be utterly mind blowing and thought provoking and sometimes even just plain weird assed shit. He is a grand devotee of art and literature, lives in Japan and cruises the second hand perfume emporiums there grabbing the rarest vintage gems for peanuts. He is my perfumed spirit animal and I aspire to be more like him (without the book obviously).

Perfume by Neil Chapman

In Search Of Your Signature Scent

Neil thoughtfully sent me a Press Copy which took eternity to get to Australia. It was the day before the big London Launch Party that it finally arrived. I tore it open and immediately stated to read. GAWD! It’s so damn enjoyable. He drops the names of so many fragrances I know and love. Also things I’ve never heard of, by houses that are brand new to me. Well. you can imagine how excited that gets me. Furiously hitting Fragrantica to find out more, obvs. Even that makes it more fun. Like he’s leading me on a journey of discovery too.

Neil sets the scene, gives us some info. He then launches us into a catalogue of fragrance styles and some of his favourites in each category. Now I must warn you that lists are not exhaustive, it’s a taste of Neil’s taste. So you’re not allowed to get all huffy that your personal favourite isn’t mentioned, OK? We are merely flotsam in Neil Chapman’s fragrant thought stream and must go where he takes us. It’s actually a really fun way to do it. Like sitting at his house and you mention a fragrance style. He goes and gets his best of list of bottles for each style and you sit together and try them over a few drinks.

I’m not sure where you’ll be getting your copy from but look it up online and I reckon you will be able to order one.

It’s a fun window into fragrance by one of us, most enjoyable.

Portia xx

 

The was first posted on Perfume Posse with only slight alterations for APJ.