We are living in what some call “the anti-social century,” increasingly isolated from others and the material world. Last year, Chen observed a cultural arc in which food is being compressed “from solids to liquids (think soylent, branded as a meal replacement) to gaseous (perfume when sprayed),” as she wrote on Substack. In the era of Ozempic, she speculated, gourmand perfumes could replace dessert. Already, the fashion and advertising worlds have turned food into fetish, serving up decadence without the calories. Croissant laundry detergent and restaurant-commissioned “pasta water” candles satisfy the same cultural craving.

— Read more in at Perfume Culture Is Starting to Stink at New York.