Nasreen Rehmat’s tiny Parfumerie Nasreen in Seattle’s Alexis Hotel (“a jewel box,” her website calls it) is stacked floor to ceiling with perfume boxes and glittering display bottles. Nasreen’s specialty is being able to peg the perfect fragrance for a customer within minutes. For twenty years she has held court in her store, scenting the thousands of visitors who have sidled in and tucked their purses under their arms to avoid knocking a bottle off a nearby shelf.

I called Ms. Rehmat and told her that when I was in college she helped me pick a scent, Dolce & Gabanna, which I wore through my mid-20s. Her voice was animated, with a slight and elegant accent. “Ah!” she said, “You must be very naughty…”

Read the rest of this article »