Fragrance is shaped by overlapping points of view. At any given moment, a scent is a mix of inputs and outputs, stimulations and reactions. Its effects are both physical and psychological. A fragrance can be worn by many, yet it can feel deeply personal depending on how it touches each of us. It is never static.

Recently, I had a conversation on social media with Jane Daly. She shared an article by Kevin Depew of The Awl, chronicling a man’s coming-of-age story through the fragrances he wore. It was a personal scent diary of an aromatic life. I suggested exploring the story further from alternative points of view. That means looking at the same moments through the eyes and noses of Kevin’s friends and family. Each perspective adds depth and context, revealing how fragrance shapes collective experience.

In my mind, fragrance is a curve. Why a curve? Two reasons. First, whether worn by me or simply experienced in passing, a scent has a beginning and an end. Second, it moves. Once released, it flows and eventually fades into the air. This combination of impermanence and movement reminds me of geometry class. My work in a GC lab, where instrument readings appeared as curves, reinforces this visual.

A curve can represent many things: a person, a brand, or a fragrance. For now, let it represent Kevin’s story. Life and scent experienced through his eyes and nose. Each point along the curve is another tale.

Now consider a single point: Hai Karate at age nine. What else is present in that moment? Dwight, his mom, the den, the telephone, the couch. All these elements touch Kevin’s memory and interact tangentially with his experience. Moving along one of these tangents, such as Dwight’s perspective, provides additional insights. This enriches the memory of a single fragrance while expanding our understanding of the world surrounding it.

Curves and tangents remind us to look inward at our own thoughts on fragrance and outward at its effects on the environment. Multiple points of view give fragrance its full meaning.

Not a fan of math? Fiction offers another lens. Consider Bret Easton Ellis’ The Rules of Attraction, a novel told from alternating points of view.

When we wear fragrance, others experience it as well. Each person reacts differently, some positively, some negatively. These responses are independent, yet connected to our presence. Fragrance is a mingling of narratives.

In Ellis’ novel, the story bounces between characters, showing overlapping experiences from multiple perspectives. Similarly, adding viewpoints to Kevin’s fragrance story creates a fuller narrative. Did Dwight have another Hai Karate memory at age fifteen? Did Sharon notice Kevin’s Stetson? This approach reveals the wider olfactive world surrounding Kevin and highlights fragrance as a tool for communication, connection, and context.

Fragrance can also be experienced like a film camera. Imagine the opening scene of Robert Altman’s The Player. The camera moves from character to character, lingering on some while passing quickly by others. Moments overlap, actions intersect, and a larger narrative emerges.

Fragrance behaves in much the same way. It moves through spaces, layering meaning and memory, shaping moments that interact with one another. Like Altman’s camera, fragrance allows us to observe relationships, context, and impact.

Ask yourself: what story does your fragrance tell? Is it personal? Does it influence the world around you? Who participates in your narrative and how important are they to your experience?

For another example of fragrance points of view, consider Christopher Street.