Heaven Scent
First published in Sunday Times, August 2021
Smell is a word – Perfume is literature
Elizabeth Taylor famously declared, “I never face the day without perfume.”
Coco Chanel opined, “No elegance is possible without perfume. It is the unseen, unforgettable ultimate accessory.”
Daniela Kumanov, co-owner with husband Dimo, of South Africa’s First Perfume Museum would undoubtedly agree. She is a fountain of knowledge on fragrances, perfume bottle designs, essential oils and the history of perfume, delivered with a cheeky sense of humour.
The First South African Perfume Museum – also a first for the African continent – was established in 2012, by the Kumanov family, who originate from Bulgaria. In 2018 the museum moved to Franschhoek as part of the Huguenot Memorial Museum.
But all of it started centuries ago. The Kumanovs was one of the oldest rose oil trader families in Bulgaria.
Back in the 1700s traders in rose oil often accepted perfume bottles and secret recipes as payment in lieu of money.
Bulgaria has the most expensive rose oil in the world, mostly derived from the Rosa Damascena (Damask rose). According to www.rosefestivalkazanlak.com over 1000 petals are needed to produce just one gram of rose oil, known as liquid gold in this part of the world.
The Kumanovs first visited South Africa 32 years ago whilst on honeymoon. They fell in love with the country and soon thereafter they came to settle here.
Why Franschhoek, I ask. France is renowned for its perfume industry and as the French Huguenots settled in Franschhoek, it seemed a logical choice to relocate their perfume museum and its priceless collection of perfume bottles to this Boland town, Daniela explains.
Contrary to popular belief, she enlightens me, Italy – not France – invented modern perfume by incorporating what was known as aqua mirabilis, a 95% alcohol solution, into their perfumes.
In medieval Italy members of the royalty had their own personal perfumer. Catherine de Medici from Florence, Italy married Henry II of France in 1533 (he became king of France in 1547) and took her personal perfumer with her when she moved to France. Thus Catherine de Medici and her perfumer, Renato Bianco (later known as René le Florentin), introduced the French court to the secrets of perfume making.
The rest, as they say, is history. Louis XV’s court became known as “la cour parfumée” (the perfumed court); he insisted on a different fragrance for his apartment every day.
It is said that Napoleon ordered two quarts of violet cologne every week and that he used sixty bottles of jasmine extract every month.
The Kumanov Perfumery imports fine perfume oils, manufactures fragrances and specialises in aphrodisiac fragrances i.e. scents that stimulate the senses.
The Perfume Museum also offers perfume creation workshops: there are three packages – Gold, Platinum and Diamond –where you craft your own scent with the help of scent savants whilst sipping on complimentary champagne.
According to a British Vogue (November 2017) article “Whatever life brings, your essence stays the same.” Although journalist Nicola Moulton had the opportunity to have her very own fragrance (worth £35 000!) created for her by a famed perfumer, her “eureka moment” after it all was that “the epiphany” she was expecting was not there.
Daniela does not agree. She explains, “We live in such exciting times today. In the perfume world the sky is the limit. New molecules are developed all the time. This makes it difficult – if not foolish – to stick to the same thing.”
She adds, “The same perfume won’t smell the same on the same person as the years go by, partly due to hormonal changes.”
What about the nail varnish note in one of the first limited-edition Jean Paul Gaultier fragrances? “Only alcoholics will like that,” she quips.
Her three favourite perfumes of all times are Narciso Rodriquez For Her, Poison by Christian Dior (“I’m old-fashioned that way.”) and Joy by Jean Patou.
Daniela offers the following perfume tips: Dab a drop of perfume behind your hair and ears, and on your wrists – the “warm places” of your body. Never do a “beauty spray” where you “spray in the air and walk through – it doesn’t work and it only looks good on TV!”
The Kumanov permanent collection of perfume bottles and accessories – one of the biggest in the world – from all over the world is not to be missed. There are Egyptian and Roman bottles of 2000+ years old; the biggest KWV perfume bottle collection in one place can be seen here and the Lalique crystal perfume bottles and stoppers are truly magnificent.
Like mother (and father), like daughter. Christina Kumanov (19), currently studying international law in the Netherlands, is about to launch her own two lines of perfume later this year. Daniela proudly testifies that Christina has been working on this since the age of fourteen.
Interesting and unusual bottles in the Perfume Museum
Photo 1 – Thracian perfume vessel
This artefact dates back to 1300 B.C. It is a testimony of the connections between the civilisation of Mycenaean Greece and Bronze Age Ancient Thrace in today’s Bulgaria.
Photo 2 – Phoenician perfume bottle
This Phoenician perfume bottle dates from 1 000-600 B.C. The Phoenicians were great lovers of perfume; they also became the first perfume distributors in the Mediterranean.
Photo 3 – Ancient Roman perfume bottle circa 100 A.D.
Initially perfumes were only used during religious ceremonies and at the funerals of prominent people at the time of the Roman Empire. During the reign of Nero perfume use became “frenzied”, says Daniela Kumanov. Perfume was sprayed on floors and walls and the Romans even used perfume on their horses and dogs. Perfume fountains also became de rigueur.
Photo 4 – Old Dutch perfume bottle
In the 15th century Netherlands was the country with the fastest development of perfume technology (Venice lost its status at the time due to the world opening up). The reason for this was Netherlands’ involvement in international trade including the spice trade. The Dutch used a lot of mixed spices as well as flowers, herbs, musk and amber to make their perfumes.
Photo 5 + 6 – KWV colognes and perfumes
In 1918 the KWV (Koöperatieve Wijnbouwers Vereniging van Zuid-Afrika) was founded as a winemaking co-operative by South African wine farmers. In 1930 alternatives to wine were developed by KWV for export, including KWV Eau de Cologne, crafted by the Master Distiller.
Photo 7 – Shalimar by Guerlain
Shalimar was originally created by Jacques Guerlain in 1921. Jacques Guerlain was inspired by Mumtaz Mahal, the wife of Shah Jahan, Mughal emperor of India, and for whom the Taj Mahal in Agra and the Shalimar Gardens in Lahore were built.
The design of the Shalimar bottle was inspired by the basins of Eastern gardens and Mongolian stupa art. Shalimar’s blue, fan-shaped bottle topper was inspired by a piece of silverware owned by the Guerlain family. The bottle was manufactured by Baccarat Crystal and received the Decorative Arts Exhibition Award in 1925.
Perfume workshops
There are three perfume workshops on offer at the Perfume Museum. Perfume workshops are by appointment only, for a minimum of 2 people and currently for a maximum of 6 people.
Contact details: info@kumanovperfumery.com
- Gold Package Perfume Workshop: The workshop lasts 2 hours and it is suitable for men and women, individuals and small groups. Price R520.
- Platinum Package Perfume Workshop: The workshop lasts 3 hours and includes a scent-crafting experience. Price R650.
- Diamond Package Perfume Workshop: The workshop lasts 3 hours, includes a scent-crafting experience and a bottle of your personalised 10ml concentrated perfume. Price R750.
First South African Perfume Museum by Kumanov
2 Huguenot Street, Franschhoek
Monday to Sunday 9h00-17h00
Perfume workshops: By appointment only
Email: info@kumanovperfumery.com
www.firstsouthafricanperfumemuseum.com
Entrance to Huguenot Memorial Museum (Main Museum Building, Annex, Perfume Museum, Sculpture Garden & Huguenot Monument): Adults R100, students/children/pensioners R50.
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