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It was a tumultuous beginning to a decade that would see the perfume and fragrance industry make some waves of its own. Riding the commercial successes of the '70s, designers continued to flood the market with trendy new perfumes and fragrances. Perfume and fragrance distributors grew larger, ad campaigns grew more elaborate, and the consumer base grew exponentially as young professionals indulged in the finer things in life: - perfumes and fragrances. The perfume and fragrance industry caught on to the ideal of the sensitive, successful "'80s man" early and began to wonder, "could men be ready for perfumes and fragrances of their own. Had they developed enough style?" By the early '80s, the perfume and fragrance industry decided that men were ready for their own fragrances. A popular fragrance launched in the '80s was Drakkar Noir by Guy Laroche. Launched in 1982, Drakkar Noir took the name of Viking ships to emphasize masculinity. The result was a fragrance that was undeniably masculine, one that any man could purchase proudly. Although not launched in the U.S. until 1984, it was an instant success and continues to be a leading seller. Of course, the '80s weren't just about men. It was an important time for women as well. Giorgio Beverly Hills, the signature fragrance launched in 1981, was a blend of rose, jasmine, gardenia and orange flower notes. 1983 saw the introduction of the perfume Paris by Yves Saint Laurent. Paris follows L'Air du Temps' composition rather closely, but it used violet and rose as the main floral notes.
1984 brought us the perfume, Coco, created by Chanel to honor its namesake, Gabrielle Chanel. This spicy-floral-oriental fragrance was said to embody the spirit of Mlle Chanel. The floral-ambery Poison debuted in 1985. This powerful fragrance, created by Christian Dior, was designed to be bold. The same year, Calvin Klein launched his first fragrance, Obsession. This was another unusually strong perfume, also created by cK. They followed that up with Eternity in 1988, a fragrance that is the complete opposite of Obsession. Samsara was introduced by Guerlain in 1989. Perfume is thousands of years old - the word "perfume" comes from the Latin per fume "through smoke". One of the oldest uses of perfume comes from the burning of incense and aromatic herbs used in religious services. The earliest use of perfume bottles was by Egyptians and dates to around 1000 BC. The Egyptians invented glass and perfume bottles were one of the first common uses for glass. There has always been a trade in perfumes and fragrances and by the year 2002 perfume had become a $10 billion industry. Today women have perfume and fragrance wardrobes of at least six different perfumes, rather than a single signature perfume, keeping one special perfume for special occasions. Products that enhance the feel of skin and the smell of the body have been highly valued in every culture.
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