What does a scent say about your personality or even cultural identity?
Quite a lot, according to the fragrance industry.
For example, Hongkongers used to have a penchant for English perfumes such as Jo Malone and Penhaligon’s, due to the city’s past as a British colony, says Patrick Hui, founder of Hong Kong perfume store Scented Niche.
In mainland China, florals like osmanthus, rose and jasmine had for around a decade been top scents, he adds, though that started to change about five years ago.
Some believe that the popularity of those florals was because Chinese women associate florals with a touch of innocence. That is why Hermès’ Osmanthe Yunnan (tea, osmanthus, orange) and Dominique Ropion’s Portrait of a Lady (amber-floral, patchouli and rose) were such a hit there.
