All rights reserved 2006-2009. All content belongs to Sniffapalooza Magazine. All articles by individual writers and contributors, understand and agree that each article that is accepted by the Editor for publication; becomes the property of Sniffapalooza Magazine for the sole purpose of publication for Sniffapalooza Magazine. Articles may be archived for permanent use on the web site for Sniffapalooza Magazine and for future issues.
All articles remain the property of Sniffapalooza Magazine for display purposes only. Sniffapalooza Magazine is independently owned and operated by Raphaella Barkley.
Sniffapalooza Magazine is independently owned and operated by Raphaella Barkley.
Interview with Francis Kurkdjian
Owner and Perfumer;
Maison Francis Kurkdjian
By Cristiane Gonçalves
Francis Kurkdjian opened recently his new House, the Maison Kurkdjian in September, 7th, 2009, a memorable occasion when a beautiful dream came true - the dream of a very talent perfumer and composer in opening his house - an invitation to his world of fragrant Arts, his Maison as the genuine meaning of the word, as he naturally and splendidly says:
“I chose to add the word “Maison” (house) before my name. It is not stylistic concept but rather a way to express what I believe”. A house has soul and history, inhabitants and friends and sometimes children. All those emotions derived from “home” join together under this word and animate my dream: to create as my greatest happiness the ability to inspire even little pleasures for others” (1)
I am far from the Parisien Rue D’Alger, n. 5 – the new address of Maison Kurkdjian, however I would have the pleasure of feeling the doors opened to his artistic world in this interview, coming into there and, much more, be inspired one more time by a dedicated and visionary artist of the scents whose perfumes always captured my fragrant tastes. As always, Francis Kurkdjian is very spontaneous and captivating – fascinating virtues, mainly, to work with emotions, people and fragrances, besides, as a real gentleman and sensitive soul demonstrates he is an artist whose passionate enthusiasm and discipline in the métier is to bring beauty, harmony and joy to the world.
I warmly welcome Francis Kurkdjian and you, dear reader, with one more amazing interview
– Cristiane Gonçalves
CG: If you should define yourself fragrantly and in some words, which is the scent behind Francis Kurkdjian that evokes who you really are?
FK: There have been no scents to date that are me or represent perfectly who I am and what I feel. I guess since I have been a perfumer, I am running after the perfect scent and fragrance knowing it does not really exist. This is why I keep creating, working and searching even though Le Male by Jean Paul Gaultier, the very first fragrance I have created is a huge success. After a few years within the industry, I noticed that perfumers were claiming that perfume is an art form but beside commercial works...more
Francis Kurkdjian Interview By Cristiane Gonçalves as he talks to us first about his new line Maison Francis Kurkdjian.
Join us for an eye-opening and honest in-depth interview
December 10, 2009
In this issue we feature and welcome a new contributor and professional writer; Beth Schreibman Gehring, who brings to us her "Halston Classic Fragrance Review", new contributor Lindsey Adams also joins us in her first interview with Katie Puckrik . For the Men, we feature "L"Humaniste, by Frapin A Divine Bottle" By Michael Davis, Alpenrose Fragrance Review by Bergduft Parfums by Victoria Austin and John King continues his Scent Trek in Perfumes of the Land and Sea: Part Four. The Paris-based CREED royal fragrance house announces the debut of CREED's official online store offering the world's largest selection of guaranteed, authentic CREED fragrances, grooming goods, accessories and home products including a sneak peek video of boutique in NYC, Ormonde Jayne announces a new fragrance ~ Tiare, Bond No. 9 offers Luxury Christmas Presents, diptyque opens Madison Avenue Boutique, we highlight diptyque's Winter Candle 2010 Collection and NEIL MORRIS FRAGRANCES
announces "Four from the Vault" Gift certificates.
Robert Piguet Futur
Interview with Perfumer
Aurélien Guichard
Futur, Robert Piguet’s romantic green floral woody fragrance originally launched in the 1960s has been reintroduced. Futur fuses fresh citrus, romantic flowers and rich woods.
Robert Piguet Parfums is pleased to announce the launch of FUTUR de Robert Piguet. Futur joins Fracas as a grand addition to the Robert Piguet collection.
Futur will premiere at Bergdorf Goodman during the Fall Ball. I had a chance to sample this last April and it was not at all what I thought it would be. I had heard friends call this a "green leather"; which it really wasn't. I, of course fell in love with it immediately at first sniff. I am definitely interested in the Parfum version as well; it is said that Futur EDP "is more voluptuous and floral than that of the Futur parfum, which is less woody."
Once again Robert Piguet Parfums turned to perfumer Aurélien Guichard of Givaudan to undertake the delicate process of adapting Futur’s original formula to respond to today’s sensibilities. We asked Aurélien Guichard a couple of questions...he was very gracious to comply as we know he has a very busy schedule.
RB: Aurélien, not many people remember how the original Futur smelled like. How different from the original re-creation is this one? Is it just a more modern approach or have it keep it close to the original?
Aurélien: The original Futur, smelled almost the same as this one. Only a very few ingredients have been replaced by more contemporary ones.
RB: I have heard people say that this a “Green Leather”. Is it?... more
Perfumer Aurélien Guichard
Interview with Gérald Ghislain Histoires de Parfums
RB: Gérald, your fragrances Histoires de Parfums, recently received rave reviews and a 5 star rating in The Perfume Guide’s Spring Issue. Of Histoires de Parfums 1740 Luca Turin said "I felt something give way when I smelled 1740: the shimmering classical accord of leather, immortelle, spice, rich pipe tobacco and a sort of lived-in buttery warmth is simply irresistible. And why resist?" and of Histoires de Parfums 1969 he said it "contains one of the most magnificent top notes of all time, a golden late summer landscape of every joyful childhood, with a sky painted in huge vanilla and rose slashes in the manner of Tocade above shadowed woods of fruit and cedar as in Féminité du Bois." ...more inside
Gérald Ghislain
Histoires de Parfums
Interview with Gérald Ghislain
Breaking News! Gérald Ghislain announces new launchs!
Histoires de Parfums founder Gérald Ghislain took a few moments out of his busy schedule to answer some questions and to tell us about the new upcoming launch of four new fragrances coming out soon. By the end of the autumn Histoires de Parfums will launch a trilogy of three new tuberose fragrances that are inspired by the different facets of this extraordinary flower...
The names of those three new perfumes are : CAPRICIEUSE : a tuberose enhanced by iris, cocoa and saffron, VIRGINALE : a very pure and creamy tuberose, ANIMALE: a tuberose for men and women, the wild side of the flower. The Moulin Rouge also asked Histoires de Parfums to create a fragrance to celebrate the 120 years of this mythical place in Paris. The fragrance: 1889 MOULIN ROUGE
This was very exciting news as I especially love Tuberose fragrances and there is no doubt, that his new scents will be works of art. All of the Histoires de Parfums are available at Takashimaya NY during the Sniffapalooza Fall Ball next week and don't forget that Takashimaya is offering $25.00 off every $100.00 spent. There is also a link below where you can order samples. What better way to discover works of perfume art? -Raphaella
Marian, first, let me congratulate you on winning the 2009 Canadian Fragrance Awards; Best Media Editorial Awards for your article on Kilian Hennessey titled "II Fragrance Delecto"-The Scented Mask of Kilian Hennessy that was published on Basenotes. What an honor, how did this feel?
MB: Thank you Raphaella. Well, winning my first media Award was a shock as I really see myself more as a fragrance correspondent or interpreter of scents. When I won my second, it was another unexpected thrill and now winning my third Awards with Kilian and Basenotes, I feel a lot more confident but I still have a lot to learn. Kilian was most generous with his time and answers and we share this Award with him.....please everyone’s tastes so they must create scents that hopefully hit their targets in each Country. In terms of body chemistry, I cannot reveal how my formulation is created publicly, and I could never train someone to do my work. It is part research based on hundreds of thousands of consultations with the fragrance public, part intuitive and mostly experience fine-tuning my nose to pick up specific notes or accords with different body chemistries...
"The pursuit of fragrance is merely humanity coveting
and cloaking ourselves in the very best of nature". - Marian Bendeth
Interview with Marian Bendeth
Global Fragrance Expert and owner of Sixth Scents
Marian Bendeth is President of Sixth Scents and is a Global Fragrance Expert and consultant to many top perfume houses.
She is truly a pioneer in the fragrance consulting industry. She is the first person anywhere in the world to provide the public
and perfume houses with personalized fragrance wardrobing consultations based on body chemistry, psychology, fashion sense,
environment and lifestyle as well as psychological profiling on over 2,000 plus fragrances. Since entering into the fragrance
industry in 1983, and opening Sixth Scents in 1989, Bendeth can still claim this exclusive role. She is the only one in the
world to provide direct consulting to everyone involved in the fragrance industry from Perfumers, Fragrance and Flavour Houses,
Retailers, Vendors, Distributors, Buyers, Marketers, Trainers, the Media and the General Public. Marian Bendeth truly has a
rare business and a rare gift.
In this interview, you will be able to read and explore thoughts that no one has ever discussed on the internet or anywhere. It is truly groundbreaking.
It is an honor to interview and introduce a dear friend as well; someone that I consider “the real deal” in the fragrance industry. Not only is she highly respected in the fragrance industry, she is extremely knowledgeable about fragrance and has a formidable amount of friends and influence in the industry. On a deeply personal note, Marian is the most humble woman I have ever met and she has changed the way that I view fragrance. I also love what she states about the blogging industry. You can find more information on Marian Bendeth here, as well as links to her various award-winning articles. - RB
“Fragrance should never be worn like a thick scented choker, where the scent emanates from the neck in strong blasts like a foghorn! Rather, it should sparkle like twinkling stars, where small bursts disperse here and there; they elude us, pique our curiosity and make us want more.”
–Marian Bendeth
Alpenrose Fragrance Review
Bergduft Parfums
by Victoria Austin
From the wonderful Swiss niche perfumer, Brigitte
Witschi, who gave us the lovely edelweiss fragrance,
comes another embodiment of pristine, verdant Switzerland --alpenrose, or in English; alpine rose. Ms. Witschi began her perfumery with the ideal of creating timeless and elegant fragrances that portray the magical light and natural freshness of her homeland.
Lindsey Adams is a 2008 alumna of the University of Vermont. She now lives in Manhattan where she has begun her career in the fragrance industry. Along with perfume, Lindsey loves crafting, the ballet and exploring New York. She keeps a blog of her adventures at www.charmly.org.
KATIE PUCKRIK INTERVIEW
Sniffapalooza Magazine
By Lindsey Adams
Katie Puckrik is a broadcaster, writer and performer – and with the success of her popular YouTube channel, KatiePuckrikSmells, a respected fragrance critic. Katie is well-known in the UK, where she hosted and wrote for hit variety series The Word, as well as The Sunday Show, Pyjama Party and many other TV and radio programs. In the US, she created and hosted two series for Oxygen, Who Needs Hollywood? and Pajama Party. Katie began her career as a singer and dancer, including a tour across the globe with the Pet Shop Boys. Additionally, she is a journalist who has written for a range of publications including Elle, Marie Claire and The Guardian. Reviewers have called her memoir, Shooting From the Lip “Gonzette journalism…an ammunition-packed bad girl’s guide to life.”
Katie Puckrik turns scent into “scentertainment” on her Katie Puckrik Smells YouTube channel:
I had the pleasure of discovering Ms. Puckrik’s most memorable fragrances throughout her life thus far. So many significant events happen in one’s life, and there is certainly a scent to correspond with each one. Enjoy reading the fragrant journey of Katie’s life!
The fragrance your mother wore:
I’ve always associated Chanel No. 5 with my mother, who wore it with evening gowns and upswept hair to years of James Bond-style galas filled with diplomats and spies. Growing up in Berlin and Moscow, where my Air Force dad was stationed, meant lots of hanging around on the periphery of glamour as my mom organized splashy parties for international dignitaries. Chanel No. 5 was always the final touch in her transformation from “Mommy” to Dottie, belle of the ball. Since those days, No. 5 signifies elegance and womanliness - and power.
Another one of my mother’s beloved perfumes, and the one I think she liked the best, was Estée Lauder Youth Dew. I got the idea that she felt that was her “va-va-voom” perfume, though she’s too much of a lady to ever break it down like that. She does always say that she thinks the name “Youth Dew” is dumb, and she feels foolish saying it.
Halston Classic
Fragrance Review
By Beth Schreibman Gehring
I’ll never forget the first time that I met Diane Von Furstenberg and Halston. It was 1977 and I was a senior in high school as scared as any one else and longing to really meet myself. We were all boy crazy at that time and trying to be very very cool, yet deep inside all of us were shyer and less secure then our bravado would ever let us admit. Dreams of high school can still wake me up at night, bathed in sweat and deep adolescent longings. It was a very hard place to grow up, especially if you had a mother like mine who was determined that you stay preppy, sweet and polite.
I think that what saved me from utter despair was my part time job in my parents jewelry and gift business. I was the youngest child in my family and from kindergarten on I got to go away on buying trips to New York and Chicago several times a year with my parents.I loved these times with them so much and they had the benefit of exposing me to a far bigger life than I’d ever come to know in my little hometown of Pepper Pike.
About Beth Schreibman Gehring:
Sniffapalooza Magazine welcomes professional writer Beth Gehring as a new featured contributor! Passionate about life, colourful and inspiring, Beth Schreibman Gehring has been helping others create lives that they love for over 20 years. Years of experience as a visual stylist blended with an extensive background in public relations and an emphasis on personal and corporate branding allowed her to work in and eventually become the President of one of the most prestigious Jewelry, Gift and Tableware businesses in Northeast Ohio.
CREED OPENS ONLINE STORE
World's Largest Selection of Authorized CREED Goods
NEW YORK, 2009 -- The Paris-based CREED royal fragrance house announces the debut of www.creedboutique.com, CREED's official online store offering the world's largest selection of guaranteed, authentic CREED fragrances, grooming goods, accessories and home products. The site -- which offers free shipping and samples with purchase, a free newsletter and fragrance selection advice -- processed its first order at midnight.
A selection of CREED products will continue to be offered at the websites of CREED's official retailers, Neiman Marcus (www.neimanmarcus.com) and Bergdorf Goodman (www.bergdorfgoodman.com), as has been the case for several years. CREED is also offered in the following brick-and-mortar stores: Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, select Saks Fifth Avenue, some Nordstrom's and some Bloomingdale's locations.
As previously announced, CREED will open its only North American boutique at 794 Madison Avenue at 67th Street in New York City in mid-December, a sumptuous jewel box of a store in which a hand-cut marble interior is now being installed.
CREED is pleased to offer its clients these new ways to experience CREED. For several years, the firm has received comments from clients in areas where there is no authorized CREED retailer nearby or who want niche goods from CREED's broad selection that are difficult to find. CREED's online boutique at www.creedboutique.com and its new store in New York will help CREED serve its valued clients more fully.
CREED's official online store, www.creedboutique.com, serves clients in the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico.
CREED is the world's only privately held luxury fragrance dynasty. Founded in 1760 and passed from father to son in an unbroken line since then, CREED has served more than 10 royal houses, legendary statesmen, renowned artists, championship athletes and titans in business for 249 years. The firm is headed by sixth-generation master perfumer Olivier CREED. Working alongside is his son, Erwin, 28, seventh generation of the House and its future head.
L"Humaniste, by Frapin
A Divine Bottle
By Michael Davis
"The scent of wine, oh how much more agreeable, laughing, praying,
celestial and delicious it is than that of oil!" --François Rabelais
Frapin L'Humaniste is a bright spot on the landscape of modern perfumery. It is an understated subtle scent that is one of the best scents I have worn in years and easily one of the best scents of 2009. This latest addition to the Frapin line is inspired by humanist and Renaissance writer François Rabelais who is also a Frapin family ancestor born to Antoine de Rabelais and Anne Catherine Frapin. Rabelais often sang the praises of wine and drink. Fitting with this theme of Rableais' work, Frapin's intent with L'Humaniste was to have the scent resemble a gin and tonic. Sidonie Lancesseur of Robertet created L"Humaniste for Frapin. Her body of work includes fragrances for By Kilian (Straight to Heaven and Cruel Intentions) and Parfums Grès (Cabotine Sensuelle and Cabotine Aquarelle.) Lancesseur's creation succeeds in Frapin's original intent of imparting a sense of gin and tonic with its effervescent citrus top notes and juniper in the heart. Fortunately, it does not make those around the wearer think that he or she indulged in a three-martini lunch. L'Humaniste follows the gin and tonic introduction by fading into woods and amber twilight with hints of mellowed gin reminiscent of a barrel that once held a dry white wine.
Wearing L'Humaniste in cooler climates is like wearing your favorite lightweight cashmere sweater. When warmer temperatures prevail, L'Humaniste becomes the crystal clear calm of a lazy afternoon on a lake with a surface as smooth as glass. The boozy gin-and-tonic-meets-white-wine-spritzer elements would make it a perfect scent for Rabelais' characters found in Gargantua and Pantagruel, such as Brother John, the hard drinking former monk and friend of Pantagruel.
L'Humaniste is the epitome of a scent that knows no boundaries. Although marketed as a masculine, it's sparkling citrus accords and whispering woods make it an excellent choice for both men and women.
"In their rules there was only one clause: Do what you will."--François Rabelais
Notes:
Top: citrus, bergamot, cardamom, pink peppercorn, black pepper.
Heart: juniper, nutmeg, thyme, peony.
Base: gin, oakmoss, tonka bean.
Frapin L’Humaniste is $130 for 100 ml Eau de Parfum. Available at Luckyscent in the US, Les Senteurs in the UK or First in Fragrance in Germany. www.parfumsfrapin.com
Special thank you to the distributor LOIC LE GUEN of Différentes Latitudes - Intl Luxury Trader
Four from the Vault
GIVE THE GIFT OF CHOICE
NEIL MORRIS FRAGRANCES
ANNOUNCES THE FOUR FROM THE VAULT GIFT CERTIFICATE
Four From The Vault is the perfect thing for a fragrance lover to ask for themselves to make giving them a fragrance gift easier as well as them giving it to their friends-takes all the guesswork out of picking the right fragrance
Don’t you wish you could pick out a new fragrance for a friend knowing it’s the perfect scent for them? Well now you can! Just in time for holiday gift giving Neil Morris Fragrances announces “Four from the Vault”. A “Four from the Vault” gift certificate lets you give a friend a new scent and allows them to actually choose it themselves. The recipient goes to the Neil Morris Fragrances website and peruses the description of the more than 50 unique and beautiful ready to wear fragrances. They then order four different 2.5ml spray samples. Each sample is good for multiple wearings so they can really see how they like them. After trying the four they then choose their favorite and receive a one ounce spray bottle of Parfum. Neil Morris Fragrances Parfum Vault scents have roughly three times the amount of oil as most mass merchandised fragrances.
The Four from the Vault gift certificate is $95.00 and includes all shipping and handling. In addition to being a unique holiday gift, this is also great as a thank you, birthday gift, and for bridal parties or - even better - for youself.
Neil Morris Fragrances announces the creation of the Four From The Vault gift certificate. The gift certificate entitles the recipient to choose four samples from the more than 50 unique fragrances that comprise the Vault. Each of the four 2.5ml sample sprays is enough for multiple wearings, which allows the wearer to truly experience the scents for themselves. After sampling the four, the recipient then chooses their favorite and receives a full 1 oz spray bottle of that scent in Parfum strength. “I launched the Vault fragrances to fulfill a demand by fragrance lovers from around the world who were looking for scents that were not run-of-the-mill, that allowed them to express themselves in a unique and beautiful way. Four From The Vault is a way for you to give a friend their perfect scent by allowing them to choose it themselves at their leisure.”
In addition to the notes that comprise each of the fragrances, Neil has included the inspiration for each of his scents, which include a walk through the winter woods in Finland, a three hour walk along Laguna Beach on New Year’s Eve, memories of the 1960's including the Summer of Love , and a series of fragrances based on a trip to India, including a visit to the Taj Mahal at dawn.
Four From The Vault gift certificates may be purchased for $95.00 at www.neilmorrisfragrances.com. The gift certificate includes the four 2.5ml sample sprays, a one-ounce bottle of perfume, and all shipping and handling. The Neil Morris Fragrances Vault Collection is available exclusively on the Neil Morris Fragrances website.
About Neil Morris: Founded in 2005 Neil Morris Fragrances is a full service fragrance house. In addition to more than 50 ready to wear fragrances, we create custom fragrances for individuals, parties, and private label for designers, boutiques, and events. Neil Morris has been creating fragrances for more than 30 years. He includes the inspiration for each of his scents along with the description of the notes as his way of welcoming people into his world of fragrances.
Neil Morris for Takashimaya New York, which was created exclusively for the Japanese retailer, was nominated for Perfume Extraordinaire for the 2009 Fragrance Foundation Fifi awards.
Bond No. 9
Christmas Presents
Swarovski Purple Velvet Cylindrical Refillable Pocket Spray
What’s the most elusive item of all lately? Peace. This is one luxury that we absolutely need—more than any other. So we called on our blackcurrent-lily-of-the-valley-cedarwood-musk perfume-ode to peace, The Scent of Peace, for our most stunning limited-edition Swarovski treatment ever: Purple Velvet. Every square millimeter on the surface of each container is emblazoned with glittering Swarovski stones giving off a deep, rich, non-stop seductive shimmer.
The cylindrical refillable pocket spray—a vial displaying a mere 700 Swarovski stones. 7ml — $225.00
New fragrance from Ormonde Jayne ~ TIARE
TIARE (the emblem of Tahiti and pronounced tee –a- ray)
Like precious jewels resting on dark green foliage, the unsurpassed beauty of the Tiare flower is hand picked whilst still unopened and laid in oil for 15 days to extract the fragrance.
Like the woman who wears Tiare, this is a perfume that totally ignores seasons and the time of day, a perfume so artfully blended and infinitely refined... but with a dash of scintillating appeal.
Notes: Top: Mandarin, Orange Flower and Sicilian Lime, Heart: Tiare, Freesia, Water Lilies, Jasmine, Orris and Ylang, Base: Cedar, Vetiver, Sandalwood, Patchouli, Moss and Musk
:
“From the moment I first encountered Tiare, the search was on to find the purest oil extraction. Tiare is a flower that doesn’t give up its secrets easily and it took many different incarnations, finding a subtle progression from citrus to flower, before I felt that we had an exceptional perfume”. - Linda Pilkington, creator and owner
Price: £ 68 Eau de Parfum 50 ml spray £ 180 Parfum 50 ml stopper
Available from The Royal Arcade, 28 Old Bond Street, London W1S 4SL and Ormonde Jayne at Boutique 1 Jumeirah Beach, Dubai Available to buy online at www.ormondejayne.com with worldwide shipping
Please do visit the new website www.ormondejayne.com to watch Linda Pilkington’s video review of Tiare.
Michael W. Davis is a writer and management consultant in Atlanta, Georgia. Michael has been collecting and testing fragrances for fifteen years, and is an active contributing member of Basenotes. Michael holds a B.S. in psychology, an M.S. in organizational behavior and focuses on behavior modification in corporate environments. Michael also studies the effects of fragrance from a social psychology perspective.
Victoria Austin is a freelance writer, singer and fragrance collector and enthusiast living happily with her family in Texas.
In our down time, Mom and I would walk up and down 5th Avenue enjoying the store windows and stopping every now and then to try on a wonderful coat or enjoy a spritz of fabulous perfume. During one of those trips I realized that I’d finally found my muse. I tore through Vogue every month, Cosmopolitan and Harpers Bazaar obsessively and in the same way that some women read romance novels. I bought Orlane skin care and makeup and I grew my hair long and blew dry it stick straight everyday. I wore turtlenecks, straight legged jeans and frye boots and I fell in love with the Diane Von Furstenberg wrap dress. I saved all of my money to buy a trendy blue and green one, which I wore to my graduation dinner with strappy sandals and sans bra, much to my mothers dismay. I lined my eyes with Kohl just like Lisa Taylor and Patti Hansen and I took on the persona of the worldly wise one, counseling my friends about game of seduction while perfecting my own trademark wink and hair flip. Of course I couldn’t keep wearing the same perfume as I had been. Suddenly, my beloved “Loves Fresh Lemon” and Loves Baby Soft seemed unbearably common to me, the Sweet Earth solid fragrance pack of clover, gingergrass and hay that I’d previously loved, too babyish.I began an endless quest for a fragrance that would suit my emerging bohemian spirit. I tried Chanel Number 5 and I tried Joy but neither suited me. (remember I had a job and no rent!) I wanted something that would mix well with my fancy English cigarettes and Quiana shirts.
Enter Roy Halston.
For a young girl like me who was hell-bent on creating a life of edgy sophistication, Halstons very glamorous era of Studio 54 and late night parties with Bianca Jagger and Andy Warhol seemed like a dream come true. His clothes, combining sexy minimalism with a huge dash of elegance became everything I aspired to wear. I copied his look which I couldn’t afford, but I was able to buy his perfume, Halston Classic in that sensual Elsa Peretti bottle and I loved it!
I still adore it. Halston Classic is a huge floral chypre with an instantly refreshing greenness that dries down into something that’s just a little bit naughty. Somewhere in there are mint and marigold, peaches and sandalwood and many other wonderful notes that perhaps shouldn’t work together but absolutely do. Halston Classic is feminine elegance with a bit of a twitch. You just can’t quite pin it down, sort of like the incredible designer whose name it bears. Halston was an enigma, a man of brilliant proportions and talent whose star crashed way too early. I hadn’t thought of this fragrance for many years but last week as I was sitting on a plane en route to Manhattan I opened up a flight magazine. With complete and unabashed joy I saw a picture of the man himself artfully positioned next to a picture of those gorgeous Elsa Peretti bottles, only this time, the bottles were platinum! A thrill ran down my spine as I read that a newly revamped version of my former favorite called “Pure Metallic” was to be released this spring alongside the 2010 collection from Mario’s Schwab, who has taken on the challenge of creative direction for the House of Halston. Upon touchdown in Cleveland I immediately found a bottle of the original classic and have been reveling in the delight of being reunited with this long lost lover of mine. I can only imagine what this new fragrance will bring. I’m no longer 18 but turning 50 this year has brought me the same sense of passionate bursting forth from a very similar cocoon. I know that I’m going to be glad to have a new Halston to accompany me. Stay tuned!
Along the way she discovered that many were drawn to her for her ability to live everyday with beauty, creating each moment
as a magical new gift , a never-ending circle of celebrations, feasts and fun. It is her belief that in designing powerful and
beautiful rituals for our lives and beautiful environments to live in, we create magical experiences for ourselves and our families.
A life filled with personal revelry and celebration supplies all of the magic necessary to create anything that we can dream of! An experienced personal shopper, lifestylist and bridal registry consultant, she has the taste and expertise to help you choose gifts for yourself and others that that you will love giving and delight in receiving!
Beth has been privileged to have many of her articles published locally and nationally, and has enjoyed giving many interviews over the years, most notably to Martha Stewart Living, Gifts and Decorative Accessories, Town and Country and Tableware Today. A gifted cook and creative hostess , Beth has also had the distinct honor and pleasure of designing the table settings for several TV series, including "Julia Child cooks at home with Friends" , "Julia Child cooks with Jacque Pepin" and the " Todd English and Olives restaurant" cooking show. She has also created the table setting designs for the books of the same name.
Your first teenage scent:
My first fragrance (one that actually came in a bottle and wasn’t the residual effects of “Gee Your Hair Smells Terrific!” shampoo) was Revlon Intimate. I think my mother had some lying around and I light-fingered it. Googling it now, I see it’s a “chypre floral animalic”. Wow – that sounds good!
All I knew at age 14 was that I felt nympho-hot when I wore it – and I guess my 18-year-old boyfriend agreed. Good thing my dad had that military background: he was ultra-vigilant and scared the bejeepers out of my beau. No funny business had a chance of happening! But that wasn’t Intimate’s fault.
Your first serious fragrance purchase:
The first actual perfume that I bought myself (with allowance money) was Coty Muguet des Bois, when I was about 15. Boy, did I love how it was simultaneously youthful but also a little dirty-minded.
When I was around 16 or 17, I discovered Chanel Cristalle, and baby, that was it! It was grassy and fresh, and the flowers were zesty and bright, not cloying and turgid. And the longer it was on, the more insinuating and mossy it got. Cristalle really held its own in the mosh pits, too – it was a wonderful companion in all the sweaty clubs I practically lived in at the time. Cristalle was my signature scent for many years.
The scent that reminds you of your first love:
My first love was a musician I met at one of the aforementioned sweaty clubs. He smelled my Cristalle, and said, “I love that smell! I know that smell! It’s Diorella!” I wasn’t familiar with Christian Dior Diorella, but hustled to check it out, and wouldn’t you know, it really was similar to Cristalle. But Diorella had a more pronounced animal mossiness, and had more of an earthy vigor. Of course I started wearing it, since the musician I loved said he loved it. He wore it, too.
The scent that reminds you of your first job:
Ultima II Sheer Scent was the perfume I wore during one of the most exciting times in my life. I was a dancer on a Pet Shop Boys’ world tour, and I’d bought a bottle of Sheer Scent on the day of a show in Miami. I didn’t have the inclination to analyze the fragrance – I just thought it was warm and soft and not floral at all, just really sexy. I remember asking one of the guy dancers on the tour bus what he thought of it, and he took a loooooonnnng sniff and finally murmured, “Very involving.” Isn’t that great? “Very involving.” That’s exactly what you want your perfume to do: involve people. Nicely, of course. Right after the Pet Shop Boys’ tour ended, I auditioned for and got my first TV job: hosting the UK’s biggest pop culture show, The Word. I still have a treasured half-bottle of Sheer Scent (dumb ol’ Revlon discontinued it), and when I smell it, I re-experience the surge of excitement that charged through my life at that time. I can now report that Sheer Scent is a woodsy leather skin scent with violet leaves, and is reminiscent of the original Christian Dior Fahrenheit.
The first scent a lover bought for you:
No boy-thing has ever bought me a perfume. No, wait! My husband did buy me a jumbo bottle of Le Labo Labdanum 18 last year, but that was because I’d been banging on about it for six months. I don’t think I’d like to be surprised by a gift of perfume – I’m too persnickety and fussy about what I wear.
The fragrance that always elevates your mood:
Amouage Homage Attar. This is such a pure scent. No crud floating around in there, no tweaky bits to squinch your face through while you’re waiting for it to get to the nice part. Just incense and roses and jasmine and oud and a little citrus. It lands on me like floral leather. I find Homage Attar incredibly uplifting, not for any extenuating circumstances, but just because of the glorious scent itself.
Your present day favorite:
Frederic Malle Une Rose. In recent years, I’d pegged myself as an incense and amber gal, and didn’t really know my way around florals. Dan, my Perfume Pen Pal who contributes to my blog, had encountered Une Rose about 8 months ago and bossily told me it was the one for me. I thought that was a ridiculous idea, since nothing in my perfume collection remotely suggested that Une Rose was a match. But I tried some at Barney’s, giving myself a right going over with the parfum and the body cream. I sailed out of the store and into my new life as a rose lover. Luca Turin memorably calls Une Rose an “angry rose”. But I think of it as a “carnivorous rose”.
A lifetime fragrance – one that hasn’t changed and transcends time:
Chanel Coromandel. Hopefully, it’s a little too soon in my lifetime to proclaim a lifetime fragrance, and I did only discover Coromandel 2 1/2 years ago. But I never tire of it, and I do want to have it in my life forever. It’s bold and beautiful, but not perfectly “pretty”. The patchouli and benzoin vibrate between earthy and classy. And Coromandel has the single best dry down of any perfume I’ve ever smelled. It lasts for days: on your body, on your clothes, in your car, in your life.
Inspired by another of her beloved Switzerland’s wildflower, alpenrose begins with the radiance of a vivid, warm floral bursting forth from under the melting snow topped fields. Quickly alpenrose gives way to the radiance of bright citrus notes, although I’m not certain there is any citrus in this fragrance from the few notes I find listed on Ms. Witschi’s website. But when these notes marry, they give birth to a rosy spiciness that possesses a kick, yet is slightly subdued with a dash of vanilla.
After a few hours of wear, alpenrose is still dancing merrily across my skin and I love its inoffensive, soft, feminine rosiness, proving that soft and feminine does not necessarily equal a lack of dynamic sillage or lasting power. By day’s end, alpenrose settles down completely as if dreamily sleeping in a field of spent, summer wildflowers. The warmth of the sandalwood calms the rosiness into a satisfying, wistful slumber that lingers well past my bedtime. Ms. Witsche’s second creation is certainly no second-hand rose to its brilliant sister, edelweiss. Alpenrose can hold its own in any arena, and it holds it own especially on my skin.
Packaged in an elegant, rosy, beribboned 50ml bottle for 55 euros, alpenrose is only available in Switzerland and through the Bergduft website. Contact Brigitte Witchi for your own Swiss import.
Swarovski Purple Velvet Circular Token Compact
What’s the most elusive item of all lately? Peace. This is one luxury that we absolutely need—more than any other. So we called on our blackcurrent-lily-of-the-valley-cedarwood-musk perfume-ode to peace, The Scent of Peace, for our most stunning limited-edition Swarovski treatment ever: Purple Velvet. Every square millimeter on the surface of each container is emblazoned with glittering Swarovski stones giving off a deep, rich, non-stop seductive shimmer.
Bond No. 9 circular token compact has 750 Swarovski stones on its surface, and with The Scent of Peace solid perfume — $300.00
The Now-and-Forever Pocket Spray
Our go-everywhere, refillable gold-tone pocket spray, patterned with multiples of the Bond No. 9 token. In its own white leatherette pouch. Available in 10 eaux de parfums
Perfumes of the Land and Sea: Part Four
John King continues his Scent Trek
California dreamin’: Cielo
Good heavens, what a lovely fragrance this is. It’s full of feminine charm, to make up for the previous emphasis on masculine perfumes and bring a bit of gender balance to my scent trek.
It has a beautifully honeyed note, reminding me of some of the first scents to spark off my interest in smells. When I was a schoolboy, I had the good fortune to strike up a very useful correspondence with a couple of small perfumery supply companies. I suppose it was not every day that they encountered a youngster showing an interest in what was for them a mundane business, at any rate they wrote me long friendly letters and indulged me for years with all sorts of fascinating samples. One of these comes to mind as I smell Cielo, it was called Tobacco Flavour Clover Honey No. 2, by Charles Zimmermann (now part of Givaudan, like many other ancient names).
Cielo is the fragrance of the Californian vineyards, replete with grape leaves and summer sunshine. To be sure there are many perfumes which claim an association with wines from different parts of the world. But this one really stands out, in my humble opinion. In the words of the Beach Boys “I wish they all could be Californian girls.”
Apparently Christopher Brosius had a hand in the creation of Cielo, years before he came up with Demeter, which may go some way to explaining its appeal. So what does it smell like? ‘Like a warm, late summer afternoon in the country”, to quote one Luckyscent reviewer. It is floral, creamy and green. If some perfumes evoke the land, Cielo evokes a land flowing with milk and honey. I have never been to California, but as I sit here in the damp chill of an English winter, it seems like paradise....more
