Visionaire No. 42: Scent is a groundbreaking, highly collectible multi-format sensory art collection published in 2003 as a strictly limited edition of 4,000 numbered copies. Created in an exclusive collaboration with International Flavors & Fragrances (IFF), this issue deconstructs the conceptual boundaries of fragrance by pairing 21 abstract, experimental perfumes mixed by the world’s top “noses” with 21 matching, full-color visual interpretations from premier contemporary artists, image-makers, and cultural icons.

Packaging & Contents

• Custom Showcase Box: The entire set is housed in an elegant, white vinyl-covered case featuring blind-stamped lettering and an ivory velvet-lined presentation interior.
• The Fragrance Vials: Features twenty-one individual 5 ml glass spray atomizers, containing exclusive liquid scents that explore abstract feelings, environments, and ideas.
• The Art Book: A beautifully bound, removable portfolio containing 21 full-page, high-concept photographs and imagery that serves as the direct visual context for each corresponding aroma.

Notable Collaborations & Concepts

This issue pushes the limits of olfaction, translating invisible forces, psychological states, and raw imagery into unforgettable scent profiles:

• The Scent of “Success”: A collaboration where icon David Bowie described the abstract concept of success as smelling “vaguely rotten,” masterfully paired with a photograph of sand slipping through Iman’s fingers by photographer Dan Forbes and engineered by perfumer Christophe Laudamiel.
• The Scent of “Cold”: A literal and figurative translation featuring a chilling photograph of icebergs by Mario Sorrenti, paired with an ethereal, icy fragrance mixed by perfumer Vera Degen.
• The Scent of “Hunger”: Fashion legend Karl Lagerfeld captured hunger through the olfactory memory of fresh bread baking at Paris’s legendary Poilâne Bakery, pairing a photograph of model Brad Kroenig with a scent designed by Sandrine Malin.
• Master Class Imagery & Formulation: Features additional boundary-pushing pairings from acclaimed visual creators like Mario Testino, Andreas Gursky, Nick Knight, Vanessa Beecroft, and Hedi Slimane alongside industry-defining master perfumers like Sophia Grojsman and Olivier Polge.

A masterpiece of interactive curation, this volume is an essential acquisition for serious collectors of fine art photography, avant-garde publication history, and niche, experiential perfumery.

Note: This copy is “numbered” “Display“ (see photo). [YA2]