The essence of smell is short-lived, so when we discuss smell, we often borrow vocabulary from other senses.

Linguists have found in several studies that many languages have a smaller vocabulary for describing odors compared to vision or touch, and people rely on the characteristics of objects when discussing odors. Perfume shall not produce sound, change color or have specific shape (except for the color of liquid or the design and packaging of bottle). They do not change the temperature, but they convey the impression of warmth or coolness.

Despite the lack of physical texture, perfume often evokes the association of the real world, whether experienced or imagined. It is difficult to ignore these associations when odor triggers memory. We can use tactile properties to describe some perfume ingredients. They can be powdery, viscous, dry, water-based, breathable, smooth, spiky, granular, rough, blurry, itchy, or chewy like bubble gum or black licorice - this list is truly endless.

Some perfume are associated with specific materials. The whole concept of UER MI is based on the idea that we wear perfume just like we wear clothes, and the smell and fabric will contact our skin. Their series include leather, denim, cashmere, satin, silk and velvet perfume, and the most unusual perfume in the Italian niche brand series - XX ± Latex. However, this review will focus on an equally unique perfume and its inspiration: Concrete, launched by Comme des Gar ç ons in 2017.

"In a world where concrete is everywhere, as an ordinary structure of urban landscape, it is now given a different background: the unique and exquisite perfume field. Here, blandness is regarded as precious; stereotypes are subverted. A multi-functional material has found an unpredictable form. Concrete is an exploration of destruction, construction and creation, it is a perfume that skillfully destroys the preconceived ideas of materials, paving the way for new things."

The creation process of Comme des Gar ç ons perfume reflects their attitude towards clothing series - challenging the traditional aesthetic feeling and emphasizing imperfection and non tradition. Deconstructionism is the core of Kawakubo Ling's design philosophy. Most of her works appear unfinished, transparent, and recyclable, often worn in a loose and neutral manner to fade the contours. This method involves dismantling traditional clothing structures to create works that challenge traditional concepts of fit, shape, and functionality. Concrete embodies this spirit of reshaping, representing a new form of life, a new embodiment of sandalwood.

The Roberts Library in Toronto, Canada.

According to the brand, concrete is ubiquitous in modern reality and intertwined with urban landscapes. The perfume of Comme des Gar ç ons takes this composite material as the theme, reflecting the trinity of destruction, construction and creation. Its unique iconic pebble shaped bottle, wrapped in a gray, inherently porous shell with an eccentric metal lid, reminds me of the Fauvism architecture. This word originates from the French word "b é ton brut", emphasizing primitive, exposed concrete and geometric, holistic forms. The modernist movement, led by figures such as Le Corbusier, Goldfinger, and the Smithsonian couple, emerged to meet the demand for economic, practical, and efficient building methods after World War II.

The Royal National Theatre in London, also known as the National Theatre (NT), was designed by Dennis Lasden in 1962.

In the UK, barbaric designers use cheap and rough materials, but give each building a unique feature. Concrete fa ç ade buildings have appeared throughout the UK, including the Huntington School, Smithsonian Square in Westminster, Balvern Tower, and the National Theatre. In the end, this style spread to other parts of the world and was often used to build administrative buildings, such as the Illinois Institute of Technology Memorial Hall, Perth Hall in Australia, and the Roberts Library in Toronto.

The desolate appearance of the Bank of China Capsule Tower in Tokyo.

The golden age of barbarism was in the 1960s and 1970s. Although this architectural style is essentially unrelated to any specific political ideology, it has lost popularity due to its ongoing connection with gloom and totalitarianism. The thick gray stone slabs often used in administrative buildings make them appear more impenetrable, colorless, and oppressive.

Film producers exploring totalitarian themes often use barbaric architecture as a background. A typical example is Michael Redford's adaptation of George Orwell's 1984, which unfolds against a gray, angular structural background. Blade Runner 2049 also incorporates elements of barbaric architecture, contributing to the futuristic and dystopian aesthetics of the film. Over time, these gloomy buildings remind people of alien spacecraft or long lost cultural heritage, inspiring people around the world: designers, artists, photographers, electronic musicians, and anyone obsessed with historical and modernist architecture. The urban jungle, filled with concrete forests filled with concrete and steel, has become a huge source of inspiration for visual artists Baoling Kawaguchi, Creative Director Christian Astuguevieille of Comme des Gar ç ons Parfums, and IFF perfumer Nicolas Beaulieu.

The most surprising and fascinating thing about Nicolas Beaulieu's perfume is his meticulous treatment of texture, which is incredible and maximizes the contrast. This Comme des Gar ç ons wood floral perfume will be dry and wet. Firstly, the smooth and slightly rough surface of the concrete slab heated by the sun, followed by the same surface, but this time it was wetted by rainwater. The odor sinks into the nostrils like tiny cement dust, but unlike the latter, which is harmful to health, it can only be addictive. In fact, it is almost impossible to remove oneself from the matte gray bottle.

Concrete smells like a construction site undergoing large-scale renovations. You can smell fresh and wet paint, cement mixture and pressed sawdust particles in the front mix, leaving an initial impression. Unexpectedly, wonderful flowers grew from the concrete slab - huge roses made of metal structures covered with thorns. Rose oxide has a distinct clove flavor, and eugenol is completely dissolved in the creamy and sweet sandalwood, which is infused with cardamom, cinnamon, and black pepper. In this defatted sandalwood milk, nuts and tropical fruits float, and there is also paper city. After spraying a few times, it will appear on your skin and then sink.

The most tactile odor of Common des Gar ç ons is fluorescent gray, bright and dazzling. It is filled with the cold purity of fresh air and heavy rain. Just like the echo rolling on the roof of a wooden house, it gently and gradually dissipates, enveloping you in an almost colorless mist, enveloping the entire city at dawn. Concrete is a beautiful and poetic tribute to one of the most controversial and powerful architectural styles of modern times.