news

Red-Carpet Ready

2010-10-04T15:05:51-07:00

Matthew McConaughey for Dolce & Gabbana

Red-Carpet Ready! In an elegant tux, Matthew McConaughey fronts the campaign for Dolce & Gabbana’s newest scent, The One Gentleman. “A gentleman has respect for himself, that is the basis of his respect and consideration for others,” he explains of the inspiration behind the new scent. The new juice, which contains notes of pepper, grapefruit, fennel, patchouli and vanilla, will be available late October.

Youth Quake

2010-10-14T10:39:46-07:00

Catch a whiff of Gucci by gucci, an unmistakably modern, youthfully alluring, and downright pretty scent where you are transported into a nightclub with music blasting out of the speakers and cocktails being served, the tiare flower evoking lithe bodies swaying to the rhythm of the song.

Borrowed Elegance

2010-10-13T13:20:41-07:00

Borrowed from an old name, Rumeur by Lanvin, is utterly a modern vibe of elegance with a woody musky composition of magnolia and rose (with their crystalline slightly lemony overtones) marry to classics like jasmine and orange blossom and segue into an abstract base composed of patchouli and musk. A must have staple for styled elegance in every woman’s wardrobe.

Unforgettable Scents

2010-07-13T16:47:53-07:00

Celeb scents come and go, and some truly stand out and make a statement. Beyonce’s first fragrance, Heat, sets itself apart from the crowd with a bold, undeniably sexy, sweet scent that evokes almond macaroons and honeysuckle nectar! A fragrance as hot as the glamourous entertainer that she is. In-stock Now!

Sex and the City 2

2010-05-23T09:50:34-07:00

What Character Are You? Tell Us and Win!

Sex and the City 2, opening Thursday, May 27th, has women cheering everywhere with a ‘Cosmo’ in hand while shining up their favorite pair of Manolo’s.

In great anticipation, Perfume.com is featuring scents to suit Charlotte, Miranda, Samantha and Carrie. Pick your favorite character and discover a selection of fragrances that are guaranteed to inspire a new you!

And just for fun, comment on your favorite character and win their fashionable fragrance wardrobe, a set of 4 fragrances!

Contest ends Monday, May 31st at Midnight, EST. No purchase necessary.

Bang! Marc Jacobs Bares All!

2010-05-23T06:48:26-07:00

Marc Jacobs lastest men’s fragrance, Bang, the designer has striped down and greased up to launch the new fragrance due for release later this July.

“I couldn’t see what I would wear to express this. We tried it with clothes, but it didn’t work. Then Juergen [Teller, who shot the campaign] had the idea for the silver Mylar, and it all came together. The silver Mylar also gives it that flash, that bang … As a word, it has so many connotations, including a sexual connotation.”

“This fragrance ad isn’t about some chiseled face on a beach — that approach wouldn’t be in line with what we’re doing,” said Jacobs. “This fragrance is for a contemporary guy, who, even if he isn’t young, has a younger spirit.” However, he’s realistic about how widely the almost-full monty ad will be shown. “I think more people are going to see [the Midwestern] version of the ad,” he said with a laugh. -Marc Jacobs

The scent has top notes of black, pink and white peppercorns, a heart of primal masculine woods and a drydown of hypnotic elemi resinoid, aromatic benzoin, vetiver, white moss and patchouli.

His last successful cologne, Marc Jacobs for Him, was back in 2002. We’ve been waiting!

Mariah Carey's Lastest Frag!

2010-05-11T07:52:59-07:00

Celebrity Scent Watch

Mariah Carey has added another fragrance to her collection, Lollipop Bling! An interesting addition and reflection of her personality. Perhaps she is feeling a little sweet these days, as the name suggests, we can assume it will be sugar and spice, and everything nice!

Jordan Reid's Favorite Fragrances!

2010-05-10T11:08:56-07:00

Welcome to the world of Ramshackleglam by Jordan Reid, a Haphazard Guide to Happiness! Below are Jordan’s top favorite fragrances to delight and inspire a fresh new scent for Spring!

Calvin Klein Secret Obsession
When I was twelve years old, my very first boyfriend gave me Calvin Klein’s original Obsession for my birthday. It might have been an odd choice for a preteen, being deeply sensual, musky, and…well, mature – but I loved it anyway. When I dabbed it onto my wrists I instantly felt adult beyond my years: irresistible despite my de rigueur school-commissioned grey kilt, saddle shoes, and white blouse buttoned right up to the chin.

I still love the dark intimacy of Obsession, but these days my tastes run more towards Calvin’s updated version of the scent: Secret Obsession. Like its predecessor, Secret Obsession is a sensual floriental, but it’s so much lighter and more modern: a little spicy, a little musky, and absolutely perfect for a late-night summer stroll with someone who just might lean in a little closer.

Creed Fleurissimo
I first bought Creed Fleurissimo when I was in college, for the sole reason that the salesman told me that Prince Rainier had the scent commissioned for Grace Kelly to wear on their wedding day. Anything that evokes Grace Kelly is A-OK by me, but this perfume is spectacular all on its own: elegant, floral, and oh-so-pretty. The slight air of formality about the fragrance makes it ideal for the daytime, but be careful: it’s so delicious it just might spark a forbidden romance behind the copy machine.

Bond #9 Nuits de Noho
This is my #1 favorite perfume of all time: quite simply, it smells exactly how I want a perfume to smell. It’s sexy without being over-the-top, perfect from sunup to sundown, and so tasty that you may be tempted to lick your wrists moments after spritzing. I’ve been wearing this on an almost daily basis for about five years now, and it’s rare that a week goes by when someone doesn’t stop me on the street, wanting to know what it is. With notes of vanilla, patchouli and jasmine, Nuits de Noho is unconventional, head-turning…and absolutely guaranteed to stop traffic.

Eva Longoria, A Scent Success?

2010-05-03T08:42:31-07:00

Add Eva Longoria to the line up of Celebrity Scents with her recent launch of her new signature fragrance, Eva, at her LA restaurant Beso! The woman has no fear of adding a new venture to her empire! Described as a clean, just out-of-the-shower fragrance, notes of grapefruit with hints of a floral undertone, she was inspired to launch her own fragrance as she claims she is allergic to other fragrances as they caused the actress headaches and sneeze fits.

“It’s clean, it’s light and it’s fresh. It kind of fades really nicely and it’s not overpowering. That’s what I really wanted – something that smells like you just got out of the shower,” said Eva.

Stay tuned for our experts advice on when and where the scent is a bust or a must! The fragrance will be available later this Spring!

Jennifer Aniston's LolaVie

2010-04-17T12:43:41-07:00

Star Alert! Jennifer Anniston releases her first ad for her signature fragrance, Lolavie with a personal interview with WWD.

On the name Lolavie: “It’s a long story and honestly it’s too personal to tell. But it has special significance.”

On controlling her public image: “I don’t think you can control that at the end of the day. You can’t stunt what you do to please or not please the public. And the media will create stories whether they are true or false. So why stop doing what makes you happy? Be true to yourself and everything else will follow.”

On getting dramatic in her upcoming film Buttercup: “Obviously, I’m drawn to comedy, good or bad. But I love doing parts that are different and I sprinkle those throughout to get creatively unstuck.”

On the possibility of directing: “I have a project in development I’m going to direct. After you get enough movies under your belt, you sit back and go, ‘What’s next?’ It’s getting to be the time where creatively I want to turn in a different direction.”

On the process behind the scent: “It’s been a year-and-a-half journey. I’d been asked to do things before, and it never felt organic. But when Leon [Falic, president of the Falic Fashion Group] approached me to be involved with the process from inception to fruition, I thought, ‘This could be a creative expression.’ And it’s turned out to be an extension of myself as opposed to slapping my name on something.”

On her goals for the scent: “I want people to go, ‘What is that? You smell great!’ But most of all I wanted it to smell natural."On deciding this was the right project: “I felt like a little chemist . . . The way I was approached, given such involvement, I never felt like, ‘Oh, gosh, I shouldn’t do this.’ And if something is good, it doesn’t matter if the marketplace is crowded. I thought it was an opportunity to go behind the scenes, and if it feels good, why not go for it? It’s like being a producer and knowing the writers and stirring up ideas as opposed to being an actor for hire.”

The Sweet Smell of Bruce Willis?

2010-04-15T14:31:05-07:00

Another Star with Scents!

Will his fragrance boast some major star power?
No news on the fragrance notes or his inspiration for his newest scent due for release this July in Germany, but we are left to wonder whether or not the fragrance will be a Die Hard cult collector? The bottle has the makings, but will the fragrance be a Must or a Bust in your fragrance wardrobe? Watch the video below to view the ‘making-of video’. Stay tuned for more updates!

Mom, you smell so good!

2010-04-13T10:33:37-07:00

Is there a bond more ingrained in our genetic make-up than the one between mother and child? And isn’t there a sense more closely tied to this bond that smell is? Like we choose a mate that their natural odor pleases us, so our offspring bear in their genetic makeup the scented fingerprint which ties them to us, making us able to differentiate our own among many. Mothers often linger over their sleeping child inhaling deeply the yummy smell with eyes closed…And I can imagine that an adoptive mother grows to learn _{and eventually love} their children’s smell, just like they learn to recognize their tastes and their idiosyncrasies. Because that personal scent is a constant reminder and a symbol for nurture and love. But babies very quickly show off how they are able to smell their mother out as well! It’s enough to breastfeed once to see how the baby turns its small nose and mouth to the sweet scent of milk like a hungry little puppy; that nectar of nature meant to help it grow, to help it become the man or the woman who will be in later life is naturally scented with a vanillic aroma which is perpetuated through baby food later on for a reason. Reminiscences of those tender moments are never far off, read like a language of smiles and smells.

Presenting our dear mothers with a fragrant gift is therefore a subtle re-affirmation of this special bond. But putting some thought into it is what clinches the deal really. Of course the simplest way would be to refuel her with her tried-and-true favorite. But even though this is a gesture guaranteed to meet with success in what regards tastes, it somehow lacks romanticism, demoting fragrance gifting into a recharging the fridge with milk. No, in order for one’s gift to be more special a little intrigue has to be there. One easy way that reconciles both worlds would be to opt for the bath and body collection products that accompany her favorite fragrance: This is an indulgence that surprisingly not many women opt for themselves and moms deserve the pampering for sure. Lots of classic perfume lines have exquisite ancillary products such as body lotions or creams, scented deodorants and soaps, body powders or shower gels: Shalimar from Guerlain, Beautiful from Estee Lauder, Oscar by Oscar de la Renta, Opium by Yves Saint Laurent, Tresor by Lancome and the beat goes on…Lots of the more recent launches also have products to die for: The body lotion of Yves Saint Laurent’s Cinema is shot with the subtlest mother-of-pearl for a sheen effect that happens to smell and feel delicious. The shower gel of Light Blue by Dolce & Gabanna is a shot of fresh vitamin-juice for the morning run!

Another idea is to take a peek into her favorite rotation and choose something in a similar vein. That usually means you have to click into Perfume.com, find her favorite perfume and see in which family it belongs to. Choices among the same family (automatically generated) have higher chances to succeed! For instance, if she likes Burberry’s Brit (a floral oriental), try the majestic Boucheron pour femme, Versace’s ambery gardenia Crystal Noir or the plush comfort of powdery Contradiction by Calvin Klein. Is she a fan of diaphanous woody fragrances like Soir de Lune by Sisley? Try the modern Rumeur by Lanvin, Pure Turquoise by Ralph Lauren, Kelly Caleche by Hermes or Enjoy by Jean Patou. The delicate floral lover of L’Air du Temps by Nina Ricci could be seduced by the siren song of the eponymous Marc Jacobs fragrance, the subtly spicy Pleasures by Lauder or honeysuckle-rich Burberry London in the cute plaid-covered bottle. And lovers of fresh, zingy or even aquatic fragrances such as Cool Water Woman by Davidoff would definitely give a whirl to the citrusy unisex goodness of Eau d’Hadrien by Annick Goutal, the soapy-fresh Thierry Mugler Cologne and the elegant Eau de Sisley 2.
But tucking in a scented card with heartfelt wishes is probably the best accessory of them all: She will be sure to have a loving memory of the gift for a long time to come…

Invitation to a Dream

2010-04-09T12:32:03-07:00

For me, fragrance is an invitation to a dream. It’s an intimate form of self-expression that amps creativity, encourages tomfoolery, and makes the heart a little happier.

Being alert to smells – everyday odors as well as the perfumed variety – is just another way to be alert to the beauty and stimulation in the world around us. And choosing to wear something inspiring gives us a portable bubble of joy wherever we go.

I invite you to experience five of my favorite, err…“joy bubbles”, and through the generosity of my fragrance enablers, Perfume.com, receive 20% off their purchase. Quote promo code PUCK20 for your 20% discount. Offer ends June 30, 2010.

My selections reflect a range of fume moods:

Bulgari Black – Chic Mystique

Bulgari Black is an intriguingly confounding oriental. It’s simultaneously warm and cool, butch and femme. It’s classy, but not uptight. Its puff of vanilla pleather reads like a skin scent, but whose skin has rubber in it? Only the sexiest android ever, that’s who!

My first time with BB was an in-store spritz at the mall, and when I collected my husband (listlessly waiting for me on a sofa in the “man nook”), he instantly de-glazed and snapped to attention. Black was officially the first fragrance that made him utter the magic words: “Mmmm…you smell good! What’s that perfume?” And before too long, Black was officially the first fragrance that he stole from me.

Fine by me. Makes a nice change from his usual: mosquito repellent, worn while hiking. Black smells a lot better, but I’m not sure how it works on mosquitoes.

Agent Provocateur – Queen of Sheba

At the beginning of this, our second millennium, I experienced Agent Provocateur for the first time. I loved the cool feel of the pink porcelain bottle, shaped like an egg, or a tear, or a breast. I loved the peep show box it came in. I was less sure about the actual perfume, which had the bombast of rose, sharpened by coriander, muted by vetiver, dusted by saffron.

It wasn’t the ingredients themselves that gave me pause, it was their effect. On each other, and on me. After Agent Provocateur’s grand entrance, the rose becomes more languid, raunchier. I’m not sure exactly how this happens, but I’m looking hard at you, jasmine and ylang-ylang.

Ten years ago, I wasn’t woman enough to carry off Agent Provocateur. It’s a sexually aware perfume. Its sultriness is frank. The haze it leaves on the skin smells of intimacy. But now, I feel confident enough to live up to AP’s glamour, and bedazzled enough to follow it down its to sordid depths.

Christian Dior Escale à Pondichéry – Indian Summer

For a perfume to captivate me, it needs to have a point of view. I’m a sucker for drama and flair, too, so a lot of the fumes in my collection are busy and dense with exotic ingredients. But a life continually cranked to eleven eventually starts to wear the enamel off of your teeth, and that’s when soothing music, cashmere wraps, and quiet scents are in order.

Escale à Pondichéry is a quiet scent with a point of view. The view is India, reflected in the eau de toilette’s cardamom, jasmine sambac, black tea and sandalwood. The treatment is sheer, and enough citrus drifts through the composition to keep it clean and refreshing. Over an hour in, Escale à Pondichéry gets warmer, but never heavier. Just like that cashmere wrap. EaP is the perfect fragrance for a late summer twilight, for either flavor of gender.

Miller Harris Fleur Oriental – Perfume Blankie

I love love love this perfume! Perfumer Lyn Harris has created a “night at the opera” fragrance which transitions admirably to one’s private “naughty ballerina” moments. Sweet orange blossom, almondy heliotrope and spicy carnation are the beauties dancing with beastly amber and incense accords, and the whole production stays bewitchingly lilting – never heavy.

Because these classic oriental components are handled with such a light touch, I think of Fleur Oriental as “vintage” with quotation marks. A transparent cloud of soft vanilla powder wisps across the drydown, turning it into an unexpected snugglepuss of a scent. When I want to feel cozy or soothed,
I reach for Fleur Oriental. Wearing it triggers deep, appreciative breaths, calming the squirrels in my head.

Hermès Bel Ami – Leather Lover

It’s only in recent years that I’ve come to appreciate and crave girly flowers in my perfume. Before, my tendency was to cruise the guy’s side of the fragrance aisle, drawn to those irresistible spices, aromatics, incenses, leathers.

These days, boy fumes are increasingly fruity and sweet, and seem to have lost some of their swagger – and all of their class. Thank goodness for Bel Ami, born in 1986 with plenty of swagger and class. This eau de toilette combines citrus and earthy spices with a refined leather.

“Refined” meaning there’s no barnyard in this hide – I mean, c’mon: it’s Hermès leather we’re talkin’ here! There is, however, a smudge of fresh dirt ground into the composition, courtesy of the appealingly rooty vetiver and patchouli. The vetiver shimmers between grass and smoke, and as the long, looooonnng, drydown stretches on, a suggestion of vanilla and musk appears. Bel Ami is ready to become your comfortable, quietly confident, and always-beautiful friend.

DKNY Set to Play Ball

2010-04-06T07:08:29-07:00

Linking up with professional sports teams seems to be more in fashion than ever for brands. Recently, several nonathletic apparel brands have struck deals with teams or individual players, such as Emporio Armani and Canali enlisting celebrity athletes for their advertising campaigns.

DKNY becomes the first fashion brand to secure a permanent presence in the Yankee Stadium, with an outfield bullpen billboard of the logo, positioned prominently in right-centerfield. The brand will also be the title sponsor of the Dugout Lounge and will feature food while on-site screens show the ongoing game in high-definition, with DKNY footage on rotation.

“Donna Karan created DKNY to capture the spirit of New York and the people who live here, including the most successful baseball team in history: the Yankees,” Mark Weber, chairman and chief executive officer of Donna Karan.

Our Editor’s top fashionable fragrance that goes hand in hand with any Men’s ball game is DKNY Men, a must-have for the modern, cool athletic type.

Healthy Perfumes

2010-04-05T11:41:18-07:00

Steps to Feeling Good

Never mind going Green, Orange is where it’s at. With the presence of beta-carotene, orange foods reduce the risk of chronic disease such as coronary heart disease and cancer. Fragrances containing notes of orange, are mood alternating scents as well. Try our Editor’s Top Orange Scents for an instant pick-me-up such as Concentre D’Orange Verte by Hermes, Boss Orange by Hugo Boss and Orange Tonic by Azzaro.

Jennifer Aniston's Lola Vie

2010-04-05T08:17:03-07:00

Celebrity Scent Watch

Add another celebrity to the growing list of A-listers creating fragrances of their own. Jennifer Anistion is launching her first signature scent, Lola Vie, which translates loosely as “laughing at life”. But really, she will be laughing all the way to the bank. Aniston’s payday on any fragrance deal could be as large as it was for one of her latest movies — she was reportedly paid $8 million for 2008’s “Marley and Me.” According to sources, top Hollywood celebrities can command anywhere between $3 million and $10 million for lending their high-profile names and sculpted cheekbones to fragrances and other beauty deals.

Considering she is a lover of Clean Clean Sweet Layer, and Clean Provence, Fragrances by Dlish, we wonder how squeaky her scent will be! Stay tuned for more updates!

Celebrity Alert!

2010-04-02T08:53:55-07:00

Andy Cohen, Bravo TV executive and on-air host reveals his NYC style secrets this month in Gotham Magazine. His secret ‘sin-sation’ is Creed Millesime Imperial,. Described as warm and romantic, this musky scentsation possesses a blend of musk, lemon and iris that meets with a refreshing marine note.

Coming Soon!

2010-03-29T16:10:50-07:00

Giorgio Armani's Aqua di Gioia

Adding to the success of Aqua Di Gio, Giorgio Armani has turned to the seductive power of the sea in positioning his latest women’s fragrance, Acqua di Gioia.

He describes the new scent as conjuring up “the image of a strong, serene and free-spirited woman who exists in perfect harmony with nature."

“I was inspired by my visits to islands such as Pantelleria and Antigua, where I have for years had holiday homes,” Armani continued. “Both places represent an ideal — a place to escape to and recharge in a natural setting.” Noting that the scent is rooted in nature and in water, Armani stated he developed the bottle’s shape from a drop of water. “For me the bottle is as much a tribute to the shape of woman, as it is to the beautiful form water makes.”

Stay tuned, it will be released this summer and we will be the first to let you know!

The Awakening of Spring

2010-03-15T10:33:33-07:00

With daylight savings time comes the definitive sign of what Paul Gauguin in a famous painting referred to as The Loss of Virginity: the Awakening of Spring, that is. With the days getting longer and the snow melting, optimism returns and just like we want to put away the heavy woolies and galoshes in favor of capris and plimsols, so we need to revise our fragrance wardrobe. But where to start and what does signify spring in regards to perfumes?

The most formulaic answer would be flowers; lots and lots of floral fragrances. Like floral prints is a recurring theme for fashion collections at the roll of every spring catwalk watch, co-coordinating your fragrance with seasonal flowers seems like a romantic idea; just don’t wear them with flowers top to bottom! The first rush of yellow pom-poms of mimosa finds its accompaniment in L’Artisan Parfumeur Mimosa pour Moi, Kenzo Summer or Guerlain’s Champs Elysées. Hyacinths find a perfect foil in Chamade by Guerlain, inspired by a novel by the same name by Françoise Sagan. The writer took the name from the drum-roll that signified retreat during the Napoleonic Wars. There you have it, a romantic scented surrender if there ever was one! Lilies with their Easter connotations bring their spicy piquancy to such fragrances as Eternity or Un Lys by Serge Lutens. Lily of the valley (a greener-smelling blossom than lily) is the May darling, traditionally offered on the 1st of May in France to bring luck: The classic Diorissimo has been the reference, but do try out Envy by Gucci as well for a neon-hued interpretation of the note. Peonies and their fresh ambience are amply highlighted in Ange ou Démon Tendre by Givenchy . Orange blossom and neroli (the latter deriving from the same tree via a different process method) with their uplifting, serene, just plain out happy smell are the leitmotif in fragrances for both men and women, such as Infusion de Fleurs d’Oranger by Prada , Neroli Sauvage by Creed and Lanvin’s Arpège for Men .

But flowers aren’t the whole deal. Clearly not everyone wants to smell of the florist’s or like a garden border (we can count Coco Chanel among them, saying “Women should not smell of roses”). So another direction, which has been enjoying a growing popularity recently, is towards light “green” fragrances evoking snapped leaves, fresh dewy grass and the exhilarating ambience of a sunny, yet still crisp, spring morning. These fragrances usually involve citrusy notes on top of complimentary magnolia, grassy vetiver and fruity greens, the sharp bitter bite of exotic grass galbanum or the use of violet leaf, mostly utilized in men’s colognes. Nevertheless in general green fragrances lend themselves well to both sexes, no matter to whom they’re marketed. Vent Vert by Balmain from 1947 has always been the emblematic “green”, conceived at a time when such categories were frowned upon by the bourgeoisie who expected perfumes to smell rich, decadent and perfume-y. Vent Vert was nature red in tooth and claw years before we began to strive for ‘eco-friendliness’. The update to this idea comes in A Scent by Issey Miyake or the tomato-vine leaves-rich Eau de Campagne by Sisley. Chance Eau Fraîche is Chanel’s reply to the need for fresher, more acidulous fragrances, but you can’t go wrong with their older standby Cristalle either: crisp, young, efficient, tingling your nostrils with gusto! Guys are well catered for in Paradox Green by Jacomo and Eau de Cartier , a clean, subtly “greenish” effect that won’t have you searching from where the green patch sprouted. And of course Creed’s distinguished Green Irish Tweed says it all by its very name…

But perhaps the most intriguing direction of them all would be to pair elements from both groups which evolve into fragrances which read as kaleidoscopic vistas: The synergy of rose and patchouli in Voleur de Roses by boutique-sold L’Artisan Parfumeur evokes a mysterious creature out of a Twilight story, both earthy and rosy-fresh. Narciso for Her and Narciso for Him are so abstract while still “fresh” (yet in a discreetly musky way) that you can’t quite pinpoint their appeal, their woody undercurrent hinting at a sensuality that is budding. Power by Kenzo for men is soft, woody, yet also floral, an anomaly in the canon of men’s fragrances and therefore a prime choice for new awakenings. Pure White Linen by Estee Lauder is touted as “the scent to live in year long” and its core is a “dry” lily of the valley accord, but, really, it’s much more like freshly-pressed shirts with the steamy-iron feel of aldehydes, naturally inviting you to put it on first thing in the morning when the day is full of promise and summer hasn’t even arrived yet.

The ultimate practicality is that spring scents can well transition into summer wearing and they will still bring a smile of joyous cognizance even in the dead of winter: What’s not to love?

Coco At The Oscars

2010-02-27T13:10:13-08:00

The 82nd installment of the Oscars is heading our way on March 7, 2010, and among the big name flicks nominated for Academy Awards, (Avatar, The Blind Side, District 9, An Education, The Hurt Locker, Inglourious Basterds, Precious, A Serious Man, Up, Up in the Air, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, Nine, Sherlock Holmes, and The Young Victoria, to name a few) is Coco Avant Chanel, nominated for Best Achievement in Costume Design.

Catherine Leterrier scores the Oscar nomination for Coco Avant Chanel, which starred French actress Audrey Tautou playing the lead in the story of the famed designer who set a new pace for women’s fashion in the Roaring 1920’s, and into today. Leterrier, a French Cesar Award winner in 2000 and 2004, went to great lengths in preparation for the movie, attempting to trace Coco’s inspiration for a number of her iconic looks, including the famous leather quilted hand bag.

Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel came from very humble beginnings and made her clothes from remnants and men’s clothes because she had nothing else to work with. In the movie’s press kit, Leterrier explains: “The aim was not to make a movie about the history of fashion. [The] famous striped mariner’s sweater worn by Chanel in the legendary photos of the 1930s appears earlier in the movie, in the scene where Coco is walking along the beach with Boy and notices the sweaters of the fishermen as they pull in their nets. At another point, as Anne [Anne Fontaine-Film Director] wanted me to imagine how the world-famous Chanel bag originated, I drew a quilted sewing pouch in the shape of the bag, and had it made out of an old, black, flecked cotton canvas that peasants’ clothing used to be made of, as if the young Coco had made it out of a remnant given to her by her aunts.”

“In fashion, every designer has their own line, color and material codes,” she goes on to say. “Chanel’s is instantly recognizable. What Karl Lagerfeld did in adapting the Chanel style to the future, I did backwards towards the past. I went back in time, designing the first models that Chanel might have created and which could have fashioned her style. The Chanel style is distinctive in its cut, the supple hang of its fabric and the perfect simplicity of its finish. The costumes designed for the film had to be up to the exacting standards of haute couture.”

Check out Chanel fragrances and cross your fingers on Oscar night for Catherine Leterrier and Coco Avant Chanel.

Leading Ladies and Gents (& Their Power Scents!)

2010-02-21T17:18:40-08:00

Some leading actors and actresses have creative visions that go well beyond the silver screen and over into musical careers, fashion design aspirations—- and even fragrance creations!

Find out what sparked the inspiration for some of today’s largest celebrity scent lines.

Spring Scent Fever!

2010-02-21T16:56:25-08:00

Spring is all about lightening up—- with clothing, weather and fragrance!

Heavy ambery winter scents can seem overbearing and dramatic during the spring and summer. But lighter fragrances, like citrus and light floral mixtures, are youthful and feminine ways to get into the season—fashion foot first!

Take it from NY Times critic Chandler Burr, who said “Perfume may indeed convey a concept of warmth (Hypnotic Poison’s succulent vanilla) or of cool (Cartier’s Déclaration Bois Bleu, one of the most mesmerizing chilled breezes ever to come out of a bottle) or of autumn (I think Guerlain Homme is the modern equivalent of the impeccable grey wool suit slacks, the ones you put on after packing away the cotton khakis). And then there’s spring; crack open a bottle of Estée Lauder Pure White Linen Light Breeze, and in the dead freeze of early February you will still look around for your gardening equipment.”

So get spring fever even if the buds haven’t popped yet, with a fresh and flirty fragrance made especially for spring and summer!

Scorsese Avant Chanel?

2010-02-17T20:23:21-08:00

The subject of Martin Scorsese conjures up images of raw machismo, cigar smoke, and blazing guns. But the Academy Award-winning director is now trading gangsters for models in a television ad campaign for the sleek and sophisticated house of Chanel.

Scorsese, who directed iconic films like Taxi Driver, Gangs of New York and Goodfellas will be directing the commercial for Chanel’s new men’s scent, to be launched this September 2010. While Andrea D’Avack, President of Chanel Fragrance and Beaute, declined to reveal details about the new cologne (including its name), he did reveal the campaign’s star: French actor Gaspard Ulliel.

Giving a glimpse into the composition of the campaign, D’Avack also revealed to press that Scorsese shot the ads in the midst of a downtown NYC winter, “which is so inherently part of Martin Scorsese’s cinematographic vocabulary.”

It’s not the first time that Chanel has cozied up with celebrity, of course; past pairings include Nicole Kidman, Catherine Deneuve, Audrey Tautou and Marilyn Monroe. But the project with Scorsese holds extra weight with the company. “Chanel works with movie directors because they bring depth, emotion and what we call in French ‘a supplement of soul,’ or an added dimension,” D’Avack explained, citing Scorsese projects Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, and Goodfellas. “We knew we would definitely have a man’s world full of complexity that is also adrenaline-driven, and of course, amazing images.”

To tide you over until September shop
Chanel colognes now.

D&G Have It In The Bag (& In The Cards)

2009-10-29T17:26:54-07:00

D&G’s newest fragrance collection draws inspiration from the Tarot card deck, matching personality to perfume in a cosmic rendezvous dictated by the sun, moon and stars.

D&G1: LE BATELEUR
THE CARD: 1 THE MAGICIAN
The Magician card signifies a hopeless romantic with an unmistakable power to charm and seduce; their openness casts a spell that makes them irresistible to others.
THE SCENT: Le Bateleur is a sensual blend of bergamot, pink pepper, cardamom and juniper berry, warmed by birch leaf, wood and musk.
FOR CELEBS LIKE: Grace Kelly, Heather Graham, Kate Beckinsale

D&G3: LIMPERATRICE
THE CARD: 3 – THE EMPRESS
The Empress card represents a soul that is powerful and strong in character. The Empress is a true star with a magnetic, energetic quality that keeps her in the centre of everyone’s attention.
THE SCENT: L’Imperatrice is a sweet fruity-floral fragrance, mixing rhubarb, red currant, and kiwi with a rich floral heart and rounding with a soft base of sandalwood, musk and fresh grapefruit.
FOR CELEBS LIKE: Jennifer Lopez, Brooke Shields, Halle Berry

D&G6: LAMOUREUX
THE CARD: 6 – THE LOVERS
The Lovers Tarot card represents a confident charmer who’s resourceful and passionate nature gets her what she wants, every time.
THE SCENT: L’Amoureux is a spicy and sensual scent, with spicy cardamom and juniper berry atop the freshest aquatic accords; an earthy base of vetiver and white cedar wood grounds the blend.
FOR CELEBS LIKE: Kim Cattrall, Charlize Theron, Katharine Hepburn

D&G10: LA ROUE DE LA FORTUNE
THE CARD: 10 – THE WHEEL OF FORTUNE
The Wheel of Fortune card signifies luck and change, is drawn by adventurous types who enjoy surprises and games of chance.
THE SCENT: La Roue de la Fortune is a fragrance with unexpected turns and flavors, with citrusy pineapple and fresh green notes livening a lush heart of tuberose, gardenia and jasmine over a sweet patchouli, vanilla and orris base.
FOR CELEBS LIKE: Christina Aguilera,- Catherine Zeta-Jones, Hilary Swank

D&G18: LA LUNE
THE CARD: 18 – THE MOON
The Moon card represents the creative dreamer who has a free, charming and ethereal spirit. Like the moon, this card is for someone who is radiant, inspiring and mysterious.
THE SCENT: D&Gs La Lune is a soft and subtle blend of lily, tuberose, and rose mixed with warm and sensual musk, sandalwood and leather. The slightest tinge of bergamot and apple in the introductory notes is the vibrant dusk before nightfall.
FOR CELEBS LIKE: Catherine Deneuve, Gwenyth Paltrow, Natalie Portman

Got Me On My Knees: Lola

2009-10-27T16:02:52-07:00

Falls Most Buzzworthy Fragrance

Fall 2009’s most buzz worthy fragrance has just hit shelves, and the liquid gold concoction is making quite the splash for perfume lovers and trend makers around the globe.

The long-awaited new fragrance and follow-up to immensely popular Daisy perfume, Lola by Marc Jacobs, sets itself apart from the recent market return to fruity-floral fragrances, its musk-infused notes and surprise turns creating an unmatched modern interpretation of the fresh-scented family.

Lola follows the seasonal trend of girly pink cocktail mixes of red fruits and warm musks; however, Lola is also full of surprises and a warm retro glamour. Its base around a fresh, strong accord of rose is a very vintage flavor for women’s scents, and the strong tinge of oriental family notes in its base adds a unique sensual twist. Lola is thoroughly modern, but with a distinct vintage glamour. A true pace-setter for the wrap-up of 2009.

Perfumers Calice Becker and Yann Vasnier constructed Lola as a shiny, glossy, saturated, vibrant, warm brew that aims to embody a modern free spirit— with an irresistible attitude. Fresh introductory notes of pink peppercorn, pear and ruby red grapefruit are super fresh; a rich floral heart of strong rose, fuchsia peony and geranium sets the tone for the warm base with notes of vanilla, tonka bean and creamy musk.

Model of the moment Karlie Kloss is the face for Lola.

Back To Basics

2009-11-01T15:37:54-08:00

Issey Miyake Goes Simple With A Scent

Renowned Japanese designer and spiritually creative Issey Miyake has gone back to basics in a quest for minimalism and simplicity with his newest women’s scent, aptly named A Scent.

A Scent pays tribute to the poetry of minimalism, and was inspired by the fresh, clean smell of the mountains in Japan. It is a woody floral-green fragrance, with fresh hyacinth and galbanum providing the floral heart, while being enhanced by uplifting verbena and a hint of jasmine. It is housed in the most simple of bottles, created from an unadorned slab of pure, raw glass.

Issey was looking to create with A Scent a smell as simple and beautiful as the air we breathe. The result is a fragrance that expresses simple luxury with a harmonious and balanced blend of notes inspired by pure air.

Designer Issey Miyake fuses his spirit with an earthly harmony for life, and Issey Miyake Parfums mirrors the artists quest for exceptionality and balance. His minimalist view of blending ones spirit with the environment culminates in his creation of modern, alluring fragrances, and A Scent continues this trend of refined and engaged elegance.

Playing With Justin Timberlake

2009-11-01T14:49:51-08:00

Celebrity Scent Watch

There is a continual stream of celebrity fragrances into the market— but Justin Timberlake and Givenchys new Play cologne are changing the concept of how celebrity scents come to be.

We have seen fragrances by Britney Spears, Mariah Carey, Usher, Sean John, Jennifer Lopez, Beyonce and many more, created under rule of the celebs own desires and designs to capture their favorite feelings, thoughts and things, and share them with the public world through scent.

But a role reversal has been seen recently with perfume makers sniffing out celebrities first, and then creating scents based around their images and personas. The latest release of this nature is inspired by Justin Timberlake, the unstoppable star whom Givenchy sniffed out to capture in a mens fragrance. The result is Givenchys Play cologne, a fresh woody-citrus scent housed in a bottle resembling a glass iPod; the design represents the idea that music evokes emotion and that the aroma of Play will too.

A self-described fan of natural scents and pheromones, J.T. worked with Givenchy to create a light, clean-smelling cologne that wouldn’t be overbearing to shy scent wearers like himself. Play is youthful and fun with mandarin orange, grapefruit, black pepper and coffee flower, with a subtle tinge of masculine sensuality from a vetiver and patchouli base.

With a stamp of approval from both Justin and girlfriend Jessica Biel, Play is sure to be a scent chart topper.

Never say Neverland

2009-09-11T11:40:13-07:00

Christian Audigier Buys MJs Ranch

Well it looks like where royalty reigns, it rains royalty! Rumours are circulating that the King of Jeans, Christian Audigier, just bought out the former home of the King of Pop. Indeed, the designer has said he gets the keys in the next few weeks!

Purchased for $90 million to serve as headquarters for Ed Hardy operations, the infamous Neverland Ranch boasts 2,500+ acres, a National Forest to the east and a college prep boarding school to the south- big raised eyebrow on that little fact. The amusement park rides all began to be trucked away shortly after Jackson passed away in June, but it was only this week that plans for the land post-MJ were publicized. Apparently Audigier was originally looking to turn the property into a museum honouring the one-gloved wonder, but he couldn’t obtain the proper permits or authorization. The ranch will still be opened to the public for one day each year, on the anniversary of Jacksons death.

At the time of MJs death he and Audigier were in collaboration to create a commemorative line celebrating Jacksons musical fame. He describes the line as a mix between Liberace and Elvis, and items include a red jacket featuring Jacksons portrait, the token one glove laden in rhinestones, as well as pairs of rhinestone socks.

Currently though, Christians stuck in a legal lockdown with MJs estate. Knowing how the value of celebrity products jumps after the star passes, all items have to be cleared by the estate and go through a lot of red tape before they can be released to be public. There ARE a book and movie in the works by the estate already to capture (and capitalize) on MJs death (its reported that his estate has made over $100 million in the short months since his passing), but theres no word when these designs will see the light of day.

Audigier isn’t pushing for the lines release for the money (with over 5,000 celebrity fans, he doesn’t need any more endorsement), and told reporters I hope they understand I was friends with Michael and this is what I want to do for Michael. I do hope so too.

In the meantime, buy Christian Audigier and Ed Hardy products on Perfume.com!

Scent Opera

2009-09-09T11:48:39-07:00

Where Sound & Scent Align

A fragrances composition of top, middle and base notes is comparable to the composition of a song. Each scent note can be attributed to a single chord within a harmony of sound, like patchouli as a base note bringing depth to a top note of rich jasmine.

A group of sound and scent aficionados took this concept one step further this past summer with the creation of Green Aria: A Scent Opera, where not only are single fragrance notes like chords of a song, but full scents become audio characters. There is no script to Green Aria, spoken or sung. Instead the show tells the tale of the struggle of nature versus technology and sings the gospel of modernism through scents that sound, touch and pour.

Seats in NYCs Guggenheim Museum theatre were equipped with scent microphones, set up to release 23 scents from magma and steel, to fire and earth- at various intervals during the 30 minute show. Unscented bursts of air were released between fragrances, in order to clear audience noses for the next incoming whiff. I had the opportunity to witness this limited time phenomenon.

As the lights of the theatre dimmed, people grabbed fervently at their scent tubes; teenagers attempted to stick them into inappropriate places on each other. The aria began with an introduction of its five elements and eighteen supporting characters for whom each name was projected on a video screen while their music and fragrance blared from speaker and tube. We met the likes of Absolute Zero, Runaway Crunchy Green and Shiny Steel; Fire + Smoke was introduced alongside crinkling electronic sounds and the piercing scent of burnt ash. In a comedic twist, it was announced that character Fresh Air had become indisposed and since there is no replacement of such to be found in smoggy NYC, the character Clean Air would have to come stand in his place. Clean Air came equipped with soft, wistful melodies and a bracing, clinically pure scent like a freshly scrubbed doctors office.

Throughout the next 30 minutes, the audience in the nearly purely dark theatre were treated to an abstract, dramatic show of sound and light and scent, eclectic music flowing seamlessly from one scene and concept to the next, fragrances timed to escort your mind through the audio storyboard. At the end of the show, the characters took the usual curtain call, their names flashing on the video screens and scents pumping through the microphones one last time. The loudest ovation went to the faintly sulphurous, aptly named Funky Green Impostor.

The Scent Opera is the result of a two-year collaboration between writer and director Stewart Matthew, composers Nico Muhly and Valgeir Sigurdsson, and French perfumer Christophe Laudamiel (who has created fragrances for Ralph Lauren and Este Lauder). Matthew and Laudamiel work together as Aeosphere LLC, an enterprise exploring scent technology that they call a perfume media company.

Perfumery should be the same kind of discipline as music or visual art, Laudamiel told The Wall Street Journal. You need that kind of nurturing of crazy ideas.

Unlike the grand failing of 1960s Smell-o-Vision technology and the more recent attempt at a USB device called the iSmell (named one of the 25 Worst Tech Products of All Time by PC World), Green Aria: A Scent Opera successfully takes perfumery across artistic barriers to create something new, fresh and multi-platformed.