BEFORE HEDIONE? Scenthusiasm Scent School explores vintage styles

In the 1980s everything changed in perfumery, as some excellent molecules became affordable as their patents ran out, and perfumers also experimented with superdoses of single aromachemicals rather than naturals. But what happened before then? Firstly fine fragrance was more expensive, notable launches were in their tens each year, not in their thousands. Perfumers had months - sometimes years - to construct their clients' next fragrance. The modern industry no longer works like this, but indies can. So this month we ask ourselves what happened before the Grojsman accord?