The spirit of a decade
Driven by feminism and the counterculture, the decade brought perfumes designed for independent women. Chanel N°19, in 1971, asserted a green, iris-laden floral that felt dry and determined. That same year, Clinique launched Aromatics Elixir, a powerful herbal chypre composed by Bernard Chant. In 1977, Yves Saint Laurent caused a scandal with Opium: its name and campaign sparked protests, but its spicy amber became a worldwide phenomenon. In 1978, Cacharel launched Anaïs Anaïs, a tender, powdery floral hugely popular with teenagers, while Ralph Lauren's Polo and Azzaro pour Homme shaped men's perfumery around strong aromatics and fougères. The decade also established American fashion brands as major players in a market long dominated by Paris. Perfume was becoming a truly global business, and its codes began to reflect that.
