Visit the Scent Festival Linktree resources here to better understand why the industry is reclassifying “Oriental.” It includes a database of Diverse Talent.
“Oriental” is an outdated term with colonial roots. Edward Said’s seminal book, Orientalism offers a critique on the West’s perception of the East. What is The East, except Othering, exoticizing and fetishizing? “Oriental” has no olfactive meaning and in fact, no other industry uses this term: not wine, whisky, chocolate, tea, coffee or beer. Amber, Vamber, Spice, Resin, Incense, Animalic, or Woody are much more specific.
The word “Mukhallat” which means “mix” in Arabic refers to a rose-saffron-oud accord found in The G.C.C. Why not use local words that describe more precisely fragrances that are native to their region? Factoid: some insist that “The Orient” is defined as East. But East of where, exactly? Some continue to call fragrances from Morocco, Egypt, and Somaliland “Oriental” even though these countries are South of Europe, in Africa. There are more than 50+ countries in Asia, Far East, South East Asia and South West Asia. Let’s work together to update the vernacular in perfumery. Join the pledge now!
