Scents of change

With perfume ads and beauty counters touting scents to heighten one's femininity or masculinity, what happens when a fragrance comes along that appeals to both sexes? In fact, if a man likes a floral whiff while a woman fancies something woody, why is that an indictment of their sexuality?

Unisex fragrances are a recent trend, but from perfumery's earliest origins in Europe, Asia and the Middle East right up to the early 20th century, scents were gender neutral. Napolean Bonaparte was famously partial to floral colognes made with jasmine and violet extracts, while his wife Josephine adored heavier musk scents.

Now, a new wave of independent, artisanal perfume labels is leading the resurgence of unisex fragrances. Niche brands such as Commodity (available at selected Sephora stores) and Byredo (available at Escentials) feature a line-up of esoteric scents with names like Baudelaire and Book.