A Personal Ephemeral Touch, A Love Letter For Your Olfactory Senses

I am someone that is moved by the small beautiful little details in life that reminds me of how poetic it is to exist, right here, right now. I have been brought to tears while watching the sun set at the ocean, have yelped in delight witnessing someone experiencing unexpected joy, and have shrieked with awe when driving by tall fields of grass dancing in the breeze. I feel fortunate that I am someone that can easily find beauty and wonder in things that most people overlook or don't bother to pay attention to. Or they're indifferent, I think that's the one that makes me the saddest.

This morning, I finally received the new hangtags I designed for Atèlette for all the upcoming markets I am participating in this year. As I was punching all the holes and stringing the tags (kept debating between twine or cotton string) at my desk while watching "A Closer Look: Inside The Queen’s Quarters at the Palace of Versailles" on Youtube, the scent of Saint Joseph Charpentier, one of my most beloved perfumes, wafted in the air.

The source is a small square alabaster stone that once a month I put a drop of concentrated oil on. This precious oil was procured from Paris back in the Autumn of 2019 when I went to visit. The scent was collaboration between L’Officine Universelle Buly (founded in 1803) and the Louvre in which scents were created inspired by paintings in the museum. Saint Joseph Charpentier was developed by perfumer, Sidonie Lancesseur, interpreting the painting Joseph the Carpenter by Georges de La Tour in 1642. "Georges de La Tour’s tender depiction of Joseph’s weather-beaten face, lit by candelight and looking with concern at the infant Jesus, is demonstrated by Lancesseur with a deep, resonant thrum of cedar wood suddenly illuminated by verbena, pink berries and vetiver." - from Perfume Society, Buly 1803 at the Louvre. Lancesseur's interpretation of this painting feels like home and a dream world to me.

I wanted to add a special touch to the tags of the garments I am preparing for the markets I am attending, and I thought, "Wouldn't it be just absolutely lovely to have this scent, oh so subtly, playing in the background?"

The oil is no longer being produced (it was only sold until Jan. 6 2020), which makes it even more precious and valuable. I tenderly placed two drops inside my antique decoupaged trinket boxes (which is how I store these little cards) and after a few moments, the scent of the oil has lightly permeated the paper and linen cards.

"Oh how lovely, how absolutely lovely!" I sighed to myself. I do these things because I would want these things for myself. I want to have that experience of unwrapping an Atèlette dress and feeling transported to a beloved memory. I do not have that much of this oil left and once I run out, I won't be able to get more, so I hope this personal ephemeral touch feels like a little love letter for your olfactory senses from yours truly.