Elle is hosting a panel discussion at Barneys next week called “The Mystery of Perfume” —apparently it’s fragrance week here at Fashionista.

The theme of the event instantly made me think of the book Perfume, though I doubt a scent-driven murderer will be discussed at all. Though I highly recommend the novel. But fragrance and what inspires it, how it’s made, etc really is one of the most interesting topics in the beauty world.

Robbie will be there, along with beauty director Emily Dougherty and a few perfumers including perhaps the most interesting one we’ve ever met, Frederic Malle. The man has mad skills when it comes to creating scents, and if you can get him talking about Paris in the 70s, you’ll definitely hear a crazy Karl story or two.

All the details and how to reserve your spot after the jump.

We recently witnessed a friend buy a bottle of Axe body spray. We were a little surprised at his choice, since he’s not in high school or junior high.

He didn’t really get it when after spraying a bit of his Tsunami, we said, “This smells like a sixteen year-old boy!” Clearly, no one has ever told him that there is such a thing as smelling your age. (We now have “Terre d’Hermes” next to his name on our Christmas list.)

This reminded us of our own junior high days, when everybody wore Heaven from the Gap, and those who didn’t, doused themselves in Calgon body sprays from Bell’s Pharmacy downtown. But after high school, college and life, one typically leaves those scents behind and moves on to more subtle, sophisticated varieties. In short, you grow out of scents to fragrances.

To this day, the smell of anything fruity, vanilla-y or Herbal Essences-y makes us think of first period Geometry, and the smell of Chanel No. 5 immediately brings to mind our grandmother.

So what about you? Are you a college age girl wearing Frédéric Malle’s Carnal Flower (perhaps the most intoxicating, elegant aroma we have ever smelled)? Or an older woman, perhaps even mother, harboring Tommy Girl on your dresser?