PERFUMISTAS, what is that

Perfumistas? I researched the word in all known dictionaries and could not find any definition for it. The only lead I found was a web link to “YouTube” for a video featuring a Latin band of crossdressers.

The word itself doesn’t sounds right, it is a cross in between “perfumer” and “fumistas” in French a “Fumiste” is a fake.  In  Italian “Fumista” is a jester a joker, someone that pretends to be someone else. Maybe its farfetched but why not, if they do it with perfume, I can do it with etymology.

The proliferation of internet sites devoted to perfume such as basenotes.net, sniffapalooza.com and nowsmellthis.com opened the way  to many copycat perfumista’s  blogs of lesser quality to explode all over the internet delighting  us with perfume knowledge and perfume critics.

Seriously, they said that perfumery is an art so do I (www.perfumexamerica.com ) and yet they forgot that “perfumery is in the nose of the beholder”. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but perfume is so subjective and so personal (tied to oneself memories) that it is almost impossible to honestly critic a perfume.  For example; do you know the smell of the Dorian Fruit? The smell is disgusting to ones including myself but fragrant and delicate to many. The smell of Roquefort cheese is unbearable for many people but others including me, I like it to the point of eating it.
Ok I believe in the right to express yourself and its fine to open a blog and start debating perfume testing and meeting perfumers and perfume companies as well as writing reviews as long as you clearly state that its only your opinion and open the debate on it. Stop the insanity, wake up and smell the coffee! Most of the self proclaimed perfume critics are doing it for the money.  The bloggers for advertising banners, Chandler Burr for his salary at the NY Times and to sell his books, Turin and Sanchez to sell their book. Speaking of “witches” I came across an article today where  his Highness Luca Turin himself threatened perfume houses to be nice with him because he can make people go to stores and buy products *"Houses such as Guerlain are beginning to get it," concedes Turin. "They hate my guts, but they know I can get them in the store. Perfumes are public domain, so they might as well get me in a good mood as have me trudge to Harrods in driving rain.” Isn’t that an abuse of power your majesty? Don’t take it the wrong way Luca, I do agree with some of your perfume reviews and the fact that we should come back ASAP to noble art of perfumery or at least to a quality perfumery but having a modest approach will certainly help you to gain credibility into an industry you obviously want to make money out of.

Bernard Pommier