American Legends is the long-awaited companion to Perfume Legends, the cult book in which French perfumers spoke openly for the first time about their work and the sources of their inspiration. “There is no book like it,” stated Edmond Roudnitska, the celebrated perfumer.
Now, in American Legends, Michael Edwards documents the evolution, the richness and the sheer originality of American fragrances from Elizabeth Arden’s Blue Grass (1934) to Le Labo’s Santal 33 (2011). The result is living history, told through the words of the creators behind forty legendary American perfumes.
First published in 1996 and now considered one of the most significant books written on modern perfumery. For the first time, creators, perfumers, couturiers, bottle designers and key house executives spoke openly about their fragrances. “There is no other book like it,” wrote Edmond Roudnitska, the celebrated perfumer.
Revised and updated in 2019, Perfume Legends II presents new research, stunning images and eight new legends.
“For me, Roudnitska then and still is one of the most celebrated perfumers of the 20th
century. Having the opportunity to meet him, remains a career highlight. I was surprised
that he accepted an invitation to meet, and even more surprised when he continued to give me
more 3 hours of his time for the interview. I liked to open my interviews with an unexpected
question. When I met Edmond Roudnitska it was “Mr Roudnitska, do you regard Diorella as Eau
Sauvage’s sister?” which really stirred his juices!”
Why Perfume Legends II after 20 years?
“In an age where so many perfumes have been changed, altered, or destroyed – if
it were not for the Osmotheque or Perfume Legends how would we know where it all started,
what it was meant to be and why it had such impact? I am the curator of the written perfume
museum, therefore it was inevitable that the book had to be revised” - Michael Edwards
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