Should we continue using the word "Oriental" in perfumery

This has been an ongoing debate for a very long time. My bachelor's degrees are in International Studies with emphasis on the Far East and Mandarin Chinese as a foreign language. I spent 20 years working for Taiwanese and Japanese firms here in the United States overseeing shipments of materials from China, Indonesia, Taiwan, Vietnam, Japan, the Philippines, Singapore, and far eastern Russia.

When I was studying back in the early 90s, the topic of the word "Oriental" was already a big discussion, and we started shifting away from it. It was considered an anachronism. A holdover from a Eurocentric, colonialist, outdated mindset when Asia was considered an exotic and mysterious destination. Over the last 30 years, as the world has become a more global market, it just doesn't make sense anymore, so the term has largely been dropped in favor of more clear and descriptive terms.

On the other side of the discussion, especially when it comes to perfume, the term is considered a compliment and does not poke fun at or insult anyone. It was born from the creation of Guerlain's Shalimar (which has recently seen a big resurgence in the market) in the 1920s, when "Oriental" was used to describe the exotic and mysterious blend of spices and resins used in its formulation. Over time, it became a category unto itself - not unlike the creation of "Blue" fragrances with Bleu de Chanel. It's not meant to poke fun of or minimize the vast and beautiful cultures of the Asian continent, but rather as a descriptor for the origin of the ingredients that make up the category.

So if the category were to change, what should we use?

I have a lot more to say about this, but would love to hear from you guys. What say you? And let's remember to keep the discussion civil and cordial. We are all brothers here, and this is meant to be food for thought.

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