What's In a Name

Barb Stegemann is a perfumer with an ambitious new product to launch: a fragrance made with rose petals from Afghanistan. She needs a name that both salutes that country’s people and honours Canada’s war effort there. To find it, she follows the scent of perfume names throughout history. Advice comes from such business notables as Brett Wilson (Dragon’s Den) Karen Khouri (Senior VP, Estee Lauder) and Rojer Dove (House of Geurlain). This episode not only chronicles perfume names through the years but how they’ve reflected the culture brilliantly (Tabac Blonde), provocatively (Pussy Deluxe) or in ways we’re still not sure of (Mon Fluide?). Those who swoon for sweet perfume, and even those who hold their noses, will be intoxicated by the story of fragrance names through time.