The rise of the scented-candle industrial complex
To find the commercial and spiritual home of the luxury scented candle, go to the basement of Selfridges department store in central London. Among the glass shelves stacked with Fornasetti, Byredo and Cire Trudon, the air is sepulchral compared with the bustle elsewhere. It’s as though the mere presence of candles, even unlit, lends a sanctifying effect.