In Search of Perfumes

In order to pro duce one kilogram of rose oil, one million flowers must be picked, by hand. This book is my homage to the harvesters of the world.

When it comes to nature, Dominique Roques is a unique authority. He has spent the last thirty years working closely with local communities across the globe to establish a sustainable supply of natural ingredients crucial to perfume making. From resin cultivated by traditional methods in El Salvador to rose oil distilleries in India as old as the Taj Mahal, his network reveals an elusive trade built on the fault lines of tradition and modernity.

With In Search of Perfumes, Roques takes us on a fragrant journey from Andalusia to Somaliland, revealing seventeen of the industry's most precious ingredients and the vast but delicate ecosystem sustained by the artisans who are its caretakers.

Roques shows us the beauty and mysteries of a familiar trade. This is a return to the source of the world's scents.

[An] immersive debut... with detailed accounts of his trips and vivid descriptions of the scents ... [Roques'] rich travelogue will transport readers Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)
A joy ... I would recommend it to everyone who wants an insight into perfumery and its ingredients Marianne Martin, President of the British Society of Perfumers
A fresh and informative book of warmth and intelligence Libération
Dominique Roques' passionate account of his journey in search of the world's unique and sometimes ancient scents inspires us to join him NRC Handelsblad

DOMINIQUE ROQUES is the head of sourcing at Firmenich, a Swiss company which provides the world's leading perfume brands with natural fragrances, essences, and extracts. Over the last thirty years, he has worked with companies such as Bulgari, Thierry Mugler, Guerlain and Yves Saint Laurent.

STEPHANIE SMEE is a translator of French literature into English.

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