Good Scents

IN ONE OF HIS NOVELS, French writer Marcel Proust describes a character recalling distinct memories from his childhood after sniffing a madeleine pastry soaked in tea. This "Proustian phenomenon" which suggests that distinctive smells have more power than any other sense, is a well-known fact. Studies have shown a connection between what you smell and your well-being, largely because the olfactory lobe is part of the limbic system - or the emotional brain.

Anne-Lise Cremona, CEO of Parfums Henry Jacques, and daughter to its founder Henry Cremona who founded the brand in 1975, subscribes to this theory. "There is a profound correlation between a scent and our emotions," she says, recalling the story of a client who's a fan of their bespoke fragrances. "She's a princess who loved roses," Ms Cremona says candidly. "She told me that whenever she was feeling down, she would apply her Henry Jacques rose scent - that was her pick-me-up. This is my goal - for my clients to understand the art of perfumery - and how it coincides with our moods."

But, how does one develop "the nose" for scents? "I always emphasise that our job is to share the art of perfumery to our clients - share first, not sell," Ms Cremona says, at the opening of the first standalone Henry Jacques store in the world, in Singapore