But his mention of the art dating back to the Renaissance with patrons like the de Medici and Borgia families reminded me that throughout Europe at this time the Italians were considered the absolute masters of poisoning too. Possibly a similar kind of art given the secretive mixing of potions in dark places, and the potential dramatic effects…..

I loved his throwaway remark discussing his bespoke service that sometimes a truly banal scent like lily of the valley suited a customer perfectly so had to be used (probably with a clothes peg on his nose). Wouldn't it be awful to have one's character captured – at huge expense no doubt – by a “banal” scent?

Thanks for a really informative interview – what a labour of love transcribing it though! I hope you at least got to Florence.

http://www.nstperfume.com/blog/_archives/2005/11/22/1417064.html

I was interested in the same Italian vs. French question, and asked him where he fit in.

To my mind, there is something of an Italian style, simpler, less sexy than the French style — more focused on the flowers & other plant materials, less focused on the animalic notes.

But LV doesn't fit into that at all, to my nose. His fragrances have a denseness that I associate somewhat with other lines that are influenced by the Middle Eastern approach (Amouage, Montale).

And thank you so much for the nice compliment

I'm intringued by the difference between Italian and French perfumiers (or is this a myth?) and for instance adore the I Profumi de Firenze Iris de Firenze which is fabulously green and fresh and Irisy all the way through, but very hard to find – and expensive outside Florence!

Thanks for the wonderful review, just when I thought I had enough to delight me for years another world opens up….