A few weeks ago while I was in Paris, I dropped by Frank & Fils department store located in Paris' elegant seizieme arrondissement. I wasn't looking for anything in particular but since I had been searching on and off for a perfume for some time, I stopped by the small l'Artisan Parfumeur counter on the second floor. I wore Lanvin's Oxygene fragrance for years and so I was bereft when they discontinued it and have been looking for a new scent ever since. In some respects, finding a scent you love is almost as hard as finding love itself - many false starts, many promising beginnings that simply fizzle out and more than one frog masquerading as Prince Charming.
I wasn't expecting to find anything when I stopped by l'Artisan Parfumeur but something about the way the fragrances were presented and the intimacy of the space suddenly appealed to me. It also helped that the gentleman who served me was not your typical department store fragrance salesperson. First, he was extremely knowledgeable about the fragrances in question - he works for l'Artisan Parfumeur, not the department store. Also, he took the time to understand what it was exactly that I loved so much about my previous fragrance and expertly steered me towards scents that had the kind of notes that appealed to me rather than merely foisting random scents in the hopes that one would stick. Then, when we had narrowed it down to just two possibilities, he gave me two generously sized samples and recommended I try them out for a few days before purchasing any one scent. No hard sell, no pressure. That has never happened to me before at a fragrance counter. Ever.
I ultimately went back and chose La Chasse aux Papillons fragrance. I've been wearing it ever since and it now feels like "my scent", familiar and comforting. Then, yesterday as I opened my mail, I found a lovely, handwritten note from the gentleman who helped my select my new scent. He wanted to thank me for choosing l'Artisan Parfumeur and hoped I was enjoying my new fragrance. That has never happened to me either. Funny how a small gesture, or in this case a succession of small gestures, can make such a huge impact.
Sincerely,
The Luxe Chronicles
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