Madeleine by Amy Radcliffe, a student at Central Saint Martins, is at its core a camera that captures scents in place of images. Considering how powerful that particular sense is when it comes to memories, it is only natural that some people would be attracted to the notion of being able to save it for nostalgia's sake. Yet while recording visual memories has never been easier, odour-based ones have been left in the dust.
According to PSFK, Madeleine by Amy Radcliffe "draws on "headspace capture" techniques pioneered in the 1970s by Swiss fragrance chemist Roman Kaiser, for obtaining the composition of rare botanical scents for the perfume industry." The retro design of the 'camera' references this 70s heritage in a striking way.
Scent-Capturing Devices
Madeleine by Amy Radcliffe is a More Instinctual Memory Tease
Trend Themes
1. Scent-capturing Devices - The trend of capturing personal scents could disrupt the fragrance industry, as it provides a new way for consumers to create bespoke scents.
2. Digital Memory Preservation - The trend of digitally capturing scent memories alongside visual ones could disrupt the way people preserve and re-live memories.
3. Retro Technology Revival - The trend of repurposing older technology for modern use could disrupt traditional design practices and appeal to nostalgia-driven consumers.
Industry Implications
1. Fragrance - Scent-capturing devices could disrupt the fragrance industry by allowing consumers a more personalized way to create perfumes and colognes bespoke to their own scent memories.
2. Memory Preservation - Digital memory preservation could be disrupted through the integration and capturing of scent memories, leading to new opportunities to create emotional and sensory digital experiences.
3. Design - The retro design of the scent-capturing device could disrupt traditional design practices, leading to new opportunities in creating nostalgic products for consumers seeking a unique look and feel.