A PODCAST FROM IMMORTAL PERFUMES
The Scent
Archive
Curious histories, bottled
EP 01 - MARCH 21, 2026
PIKAKE AND THE PRINCESS
The fragrant world of Princess Ka’iulani
Princess Kaʻiulani loved pikake — the jasmine-like flower whose very name is tangled up in her story. We follow a scent from the gardens of Ainahau to the perfume counters of Paris, and ask what it means to grieve a kingdom through flowers.
YOUR HOST
JT Siems
PERFUME HISTORIAN · EDUCATOR · WRITER
JT Siems is the founder of Immortal Perfumes, a Seattle-based literary micro-perfumery. Obsessed with history, she is a perfume historian, educator, writer, and international award-winning perfumer.
STORICAL FOOTNOTES: MADAME TUSSAUD'S CHAMBER OF HORRORS
After you visited the museum, if you were brave enough and could afford the extra six pence admission, Madame Tussaud would allow you entry to her infamous Chamber of Horrors. An early version of The Chamber was created in the late 1700s and was the most popular exhibit until its demise in 2016. Today we’re looking at the gory appeal of Madame Tussaud’s Chamber of Horrors.
MADAME TUSSAUD: THE FRENCH REVOLUTION IN WAX
You’ve seen the creepy wax figures of celebrities, but did you know that Madame Tussaud was an actual person who hung out with Marie Antoinette? Today we’re looking at the artist who survived The Terror to rule an entertainment empire that is still going strong 200 years later.
STORICAL FOOTNOTES: MARIE ANTOINETTE’S HOLY TRINITY OF FASHION
Marie Antoinette’s fashion is iconic to this day. But how did she go from frumpy Austrian Archduchess to the reigning Queen of Couture? Three people were behind Marie Antoinette’s fashion transformation. Meet Rose Bertin, Léonard Autié, and Jean-Louis Fargeon. Rose was the Minister of Fashion, Léonard the hairdresser, and Jean-Louis the perfumer and cosmetics purveyor. Tune in!
STORICAL FOOTNOTES: MARIE ANTOINETTE'S TRAGIC LOVE AFFAIR
Marie Antoinette was accused of having affairs with numerous men and women. But there was only one who held her heart. There’s no denying her fondness for Axel von Fersen, but were the two actually lovers? Tune in to learn more about Marie Antoinette’s sultry Swedish sidepiece and his tragic end.
STORICAL FOOTNOTES: LET THEM EAT CAKE
Did Marie Antoinette really say, “Let them eat cake?” NO! Then where did the phrase come from and how did it get attributed to her? Today, we’re talking cake, brioche, and Enlightenment philosophers!
MARIE ANTOINETTE: THE LAST QUEEN OF FRANCE
Powder your wig and add an extra hoop to your skirt, today we’re talking all things Marie Antoinette. Who were her lovers? Did she cause the French Revolution? Did she actually say, “Let them eat cake”? We’ll discuss all that and more on today’s episode.