The first perfume was made by the ancient Egyptians as a gift to their sun god — resins were burnt as offerings, and were seen as a physical pathway connecting heaven to the earth.

Up until the first world war, perfumery was still finding its feet. As the world changed with the war, so did women. Emancipation meant that they wanted to smell different. Along came Chypre, by Coty, a chic, sensual perfume, in which mosses, woods and spices mingled. Suddenly, women smelt of sex.

A revolution was also taking place in fashion. The couturier Paul Poiret gave women harem pants — “for at-home use” — and the first couturier fragrances. Coco Chanel quickly followed suit with a perfume that used newly discovered synthetic ingredients combined with natural raw materials: this was Chanel No 5.

Then came two masterpieces: in 1947, Miss Dior, a chypre scent, freshened by a rare gum called galbanum, redolent of foliage crushed in the hand; and in 1948, one of the most iconic of all perfumes, L’Air du Temps, created by Nina Ricci’s son Robert.

Estée Lauder, meanwhile, was moving in a different direction, making a more affordable luxury. She realised there was a huge market among women who wanted to wear perfume, but could not afford the grandes marques. The result was Youth Dew. Hugely successful, it was the market leader until the 1970s, when Lauder’s great rival, Revlon, gave the world Charlie, the first totally marketed perfume.

Charlie was so successful and so accessible, it changed the fragrance industry for ever. There was no room for natural raw materials that were costly and scarce, with the result that creativity, innovation and luxury were squeezed out by marketing departments and cost constraints. There was still a market for luxury, however, and Yves Saint Laurent was to launch Opium, one of the most daring and opulent perfumes the world had ever seen.

In the 1980s, fashion was about power and influence (think Poison, think Giorgio), so when the global recession hit, perfume got a bad name. People turned their back on these types of fragrance and, in the 1990s, looked instead to the aqueous notes of scents such as Escape, by Calvin Klein, or L’Eau d’Issey, by Issey Miyake. These were smash hits that sent the industry into an orgy of inventiveness, resulting in so many launches that most new perfumes today last no longer than six months: made to be as catchy as a pop song, they are as instantly forgettable.

Fortunately, there are still people who do not want to smell like everyone else, and luxury perfume is re-emerging. Lalique’s Le Parfum, a fragrance based on costly natural raw materials, has sensual white blossoms on top of a luxurious, soft base. Giorgio Armani, with his Privé collection, is also creating original and expensive fragrances, as is Hermès, with Hermessence. And The Different Company exploits the beauty of the world’s finest materials. Each of its creations is based around a central theme (rose, bergamot, orris, osmanthus and jasmine) and combines modernity with luxury.

It is Clive Christian Perfume, however, that is returning to the true origins of master perfumery. His creations have no eye to cost, and he limits the amount of bottles available each year because the raw materials are so scarce. Clive Christian No 1 uses such high concentrations of rare and precious ingredients, it is rarefied beyond compare. If you think the cost (from £355 per bottle) is top-dollar, however, then think again: this winter, Christian launches a creation in Baccarat crystal, called Imperial Majesty. It has an 18ct-gold collar, with a 5ct brilliant-cut diamond, and is available in only two specialist perfumeries in the world. At £115,000, it is a perfume fit for the gods. Real luxury has returned.

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