Somewhere along the way, fragrance became part of the project.

It was perfect timing. One of my longtime signature scents had been reformulated, so I was already on the hunt. And if I was going to look coherent, I might as well smell coherent too.

I started collecting scents the way I collected clothes. Different ones for different moods. Different ones for different “vibes.” Office. Date. Rainy day. Intellectual bookstore. Mysterious but approachable.

Niche fragrance houses are especially seductive because they carry the same lore as niche clothing brands. Small batch. Concept-driven. Artisanal. A perfume isn’t just a smell. It’s a narrative. It’s semiotics in vapor form.

To be fair though, some of it makes practical sense. Heavier scents feel better in cold weather. Citrusy notes carry in the heat. There are real sensory variables at play.

But I did not need fifteen bottles to manage that.

What I really had was scent as identity management.

If I wear this, I’ll feel sharper. Softer. More interesting. More something.

The shift happened the same way it did with clothes. I noticed which ones I actually reached for. The soft, mellow scents. The vanillas. The musks. A few clean citrusy ones.

The others were concept pieces. Beautiful. Interesting. But very semiotic.

I ended up selling most of my collection.

I kept five.

Which I think is a good balance. Not minimal and not maximal.

Just enough.