Viscose Journal - Vol.7 "Scent"

The seventh issue of Viscose delves into the intricate and enduring connection between fashion and scent, exploring how olfaction is woven into the cultural, historical, and social fabric of style. Since the earliest trade routes, scent and textiles have been exchanged as precious commodities, but their bond goes deeper than economics. Scent functions as a “garment” for the body, an atmospheric extension that enhances identity and transforms how we experience the self.

This issue examines how smell shapes notions of cleanliness, gender, class, and ethnicity—touching on both personal and societal anxieties. Like fashion, scent reflects desires and aspirations, yet it operates in a realm that is elusive and abstract. Writing about scent is as challenging as capturing it, but Viscose 07 rises to this challenge, exploring its influence on memory, identity, and creative expression.

Through essays and projects by artists, designers, and philosophers, Viscose 07 traces olfaction’s role in shaping histories of trade, branding, and manufacturing while also addressing its presence in art, sexuality, and modern culture. With perspectives that blend literature, science, and philosophy, this issue synthesizes the sensory and symbolic power of scent, much like the complex composition of a fine perfume.

A celebration of fashion’s olfactory dimensions, Viscose 07 offers a thought-provoking exploration of how scent not only complements fashion but also stands as a medium of creative and cultural significance.