Luxuries and obsessions
How the world's desires were fuelled
Making scents: The story of perfume
How fine fragrance became what it is today
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The unstoppable orange
The golden fruit that became a symbol of love and wealth
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Ice cream: A cool history
How snow and ice were transformed into one of the world’s most popular desserts
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A dirty history of diamonds
The complex and sometimes shocking story of the diamond industry throughout history
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Sushi: The Japanese dish with an ancient tradition
Sushi originally started in East Asia as a means of preserving fish
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Falconry: The history of hunting with birds of prey
From nomads to nobles, the working relationship between humans and raptors
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Unravelling the history of knitting
What are the origins of knitting and how did it spread to different parts of the world?
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Famous hats in history
The uses and meanings of headwear from prehistory to today
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The California Gold Rush
Who made a fortune and who was crushed in the rush for gold in California in 1849?
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A history of honey
Uncovering the rich cultural and medical history of the world's oldest sweet
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A history of the restaurant
From dining in Song-dynasty China to the modern open kitchen
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Indigo: the bluest blue
Blue Gold or Devil's Dye? The complex history of the precious blue dye
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The Cat: In from the wild
Domesticated cats have been worshipped, vilified and revered throughout history
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The history of opium
Opium’s journey from vital medicine to dangerously addictive drug
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Coco Chanel: French style icon
Exploring the rags to riches life story of the French fashion designer
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Pearls: Treasures of the sea
The social history of pearls as a fashion and status symbol over the centuries
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The spice trade: Selling the scents of luxury
The unique allure of spices that preyed on emotion and taste, and powered whole Empires
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The Heel and the Sneaker
A history of footwear
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Sugar: A Sweet Menace
How sugar travelled across the world and seduced all on its path
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Yves Saint Laurent: Fashion revolutionary
Bridget Kendall and guests on the glamorous world of fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent.
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Making Scents: The story of perfume
How fine fragrance became liquid luxury in a bottle
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Silk Routes: Two Thousand Years of Trading
Luxuries and everyday goods that travelled East and West
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The bittersweet tale of cocoa
The history of cacao in the Americas, from the Maya to the Aztecs
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The Belle Epoque: A Golden Age?
Paris in the 19th Century when permissiveness mixed with political and creative optimism
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