What is it about women and shoes? And perfume, too? Everyone knows that many women obsess with both, so what could be more logical than fragrance designers being inspired by shoes?

Famous luxury shoe brand Jimmy Choo launched his signature perfume, a fruity neo-chypre, in 2011. ‘Perfume has always been part of my vision for accessorizing the Jimmy Choo woman from head to toe,’ explains Tamara Mellon, the former artistic director of the label, which was bought in late 2011 by the Swiss group http://labeluxgroup.com/ Labelux.

But Jimmy Choo isn’t the only shoe company that’s betting on perfume. American shoe-and-accessory brand Nine West has jumped on the bandwagon, with a touch of humor. Their fragrance is called ‘Love Fury,’ like a nod to women’s passion for shoes. The bottle’s design is both clever and appropriate: a high-heel-shaped cap sinks right into the bottle. As for Repetto, the emblematic ballet shoe and clothing company, they have paired up with the Interparfums group in order to launch a first line of fragrances in 2013. Will they have a ballerina bottle? Time will tell...

For Anna Dello Russo, the creative director of Vogue Japan, her first fragrance – an oriental composition with notes of vanilla and almond – comes in the shape of a golden stiletto-heeled shoe. Is that this extravagant fashionista’s way of proclaiming her over-the-top love of both perfume and shoes? As for Vivienne Westwood, she dreamt up ‘Lady Dragon’ pumps, with scented plastic heels, for Brazilian brand Melissa. Even if the idea strikes you as more amusing than practical, you have to admit it’s original.

Women’s perfume designers aren’t the only ones inspired by shoes. Miller Harris, for example, has come up with an exclusive rosebud-scented candle called… Manolo Blahnik. It’s a surprising collaboration between fashionistas’ (including Carrie Bradshaw, Sarah Jessica Parker’s character in Sex and The City) favorite shoe designer and the English niche fragrance brand. Christian Louboutin, another big name in luxury shoes, paired up with Parisian macaron specialist Ladurée for a limited edition. The result was a fig-date macaron, black on top and red underneath, like the shoe designer’s signature stilettos. And Christian Louboutin has also collaborated with champagne house Piper-Heidsieck on a Cinderella-like crystal slipper… for sipping champagne of course!

The perfume/shoe connection is essentially feminine for the moment, but with the ever-increasing number of blogs about men’s shoes, this trend may well spread to men’s scents too.

Nicolas Olczyk

What do you think about the meeting of the worlds of perfumery and shoes?