Vanshika Rawtani reflects on her favourite perfumes and imagines how iconic legacies can evolve for a new generation.
At Lavenderoom, we believe beauty is more than products — its memory, identity, and culture. In our Guest Author series, we invite diverse voices to share perspectives that shape the future of beauty and fragrance. Here, Gen Z brand strategist and perfume enthusiast Vanshika Rawtani explores the perfumes that have defined her, from Chanel to Dior to Carolina Herrera and Jean Paul Gaultier, and reimagines how their legacies can live on for the next generation.
If skin is our first shield of protection, for me perfume is the second — a subtle storyteller that announces us before words do. It teases at who we are, offering the world a glimpse of us through scent.
Perfume has always felt like more than fragrance to me; it’s memory, identity, and emotion bottled in a way words can barely capture. As an avid perfume collector and brand strategist, I’m fascinated by how certain perfumes don’t just create something unique but instead build legacies and cultures.
Chanel No. 5, Dior J’adore, Good Girl by Carolina Herrera, and Scandal by Jean Paul Gaultier are cultural symbols of true artistry and luxury. Each has crafted its own universe:
Chanel No. 5 whispers timeless elegance, carrying a century of history yet never feeling outdated.
Dior J’adore, my mother’s favourite, is stitched into my childhood, reflecting effortless femininity.
Good Girl by Carolina Herrera celebrates a bold contrast of sweetness and strength, a modern anthem for complexity because women are never just one note — we have many layers that add to individuality.
Scandal by Jean Paul Gaultier is bold and sensual; its fresh blood orange opening softens into honeyed florals and settles into caramel warmth, leaving me feeling powerful and confident.
Miss Dior feels more intimate, a love letter to femininity in its many evolving forms. Its composition balances luminous florals with a touch of patchouli and musk, creating a fragrance that feels modern and refreshing.
If I had the privilege of working with these brands, my ambition would go beyond simply protecting their heritage. It would be about nurturing it, breathing new life into what already makes them timeless. True heritage isn’t meant to be preserved behind glass. It is a living foundation, rich with meaning, that gives us the courage and context to move storytelling forward. For me, the task would be to honour what makes these perfumes iconic while evolving the way their stories are told for a new generation — one that consumes, connects, and dreams differently than the last.
Imagining the Future of Perfume Legacies
To bring heritage alive, I would design immersive, multi-sensory experiences where a fragrance isn’t just worn but lived:
Dior J’adore: An intimate panel conversation, “I J’ADORE – Celebrating Dior Icons,” featuring Rihanna, Jonathan Anderson (Dior’s Creative Director), and Francis Kurkdjian (Perfume Creation Director). Together they would explore J’adore’s cultural significance, Rihanna’s personal journey with scent and motherhood, Jonathan’s new creative vision, and Francis’s philosophy on creating extraordinary perfumes. This dialogue would celebrate Dior’s past while charting its evolving future.
Good Girl by Carolina Herrera: An exclusive evening in Venice, beginning with gondola rides scented with jasmine and tuberose, leading to a candlelit palazzo where cocktails, florals, and live jazz echo the fragrance’s playful yet sophisticated spirit. Good Girl would be positioned not just as a fragrance, but as a creator of unforgettable cultural moments.
Chanel No. 5: A garden high tea, inspired by the perfume’s abstract bouquet of aldehydes, rose, jasmine, and musk. Hosted with brand muse Margot Robbie, each perfumery note would be translated into bespoke teas and delicacies, immersing guests in the decadence of heritage while reimagining its modern expression.
Scandal by Jean Paul Gaultier: A daring collaboration with the Moulin Rouge in Paris. A private cabaret performance, infused with scent and theatrics, would unfold in acts reflecting each fragrance note — playful blood orange, honeyed florals, and rich caramel-patchouli. It would be a bold, sensual, multi-sensory performance where fragrance, music, dance, and fashion collide.
Miss Dior: “Miss Dior: A Garden of Self-Love”, an immersive botanical installation in Paris’s Palais-Royal gardens, where each floral note of the perfume is translated into art installations. Guests would wander through rose pavilions, lily-of-the-valley arches, and peony courtyards, ending in a mirrored “reflection room” infused with soft musk.
Closing Thoughts
To me, the true power of fragrance lies not only in how it lingers in the air, but in how it leaves an imprint on people, cultures, and generations. That is the legacy worth protecting — and the future worth creating.
Through storytelling that bridges heritage and innovation, I aim to make each scent not just a perfume, but a living, breathing experience of identity, memory, and artistry.
ALSO READ:
I Tried the Viral Korean Hair Spa at Lakmē Salon — Here’s What Really Happened
3 Perfume Bottles That Are More Fascinating Than Their Scents, According To A Fashion Curator
