More limited edition collector fragrance bottles, with the usual disclaimers: in most of these cases, the juice is unchanged, just the bottle is “special” (or not, as the case may be), and some of these may not be available in the US.
From Nina Ricci, L’Air du Temps in the Cristal d’Or edition by Lalique (above left). 900 bottles made; 15 ml for 400€…
Yes, we’re all sick of the endless parade of flankers, but sometimes a flanker is a welcome thing. Annick Goutal launched the original Mandragore Eau de Toilette in 2005, and I was among many who complained about its lasting power. Despite that, I eventually bought a bottle and I do wear it quite happily in summer. Later, Annick Goutal released an Eau de Parfum version. As expected, it had better longevity, but it also retained the woody-herbal crispness — perfect for hot weather — of the original.
The new Mandragore Pourpre is a very different fragrance — different enough that you should probably try it whether you liked the original Mandragore or not, although the focus (the mandrake plant) and the perfumer (Isabelle Doyen) are the same. But Mandragore Pourpre is probably closer to what I had imagined the original would be, given that Camille Goutal reportedly found the inspiration for Mandragore in fairy tales, folklore and Harry Potter…
Annick Goutal will launch Mandragore Pourpre in August. The new unisex fragrance is a flanker to 2005’s Mandragore, and like Mandragore, was inspired by the mandrake plant and developed by perfumer Isabelle Doyen.
As previously reported, the new variation is stronger and darker than the original and is intended for winter wear…
A bargain: Caron Pour Un Homme, in a gift set with 125 ml each Eau de Toilette and After Shave. $47.90 at Beauty Encounter.
The luxury alternative: Caron Pour Un Homme in a “limited numbered edition of 300 sumptuous Baccarat solid crystal bottles…”
Bling from Bond No. 9: Scent of Peace, Chelsea Flowers and Nuits de Noho in ‘Swarovski Stars’ limited editions. The 50 ml bottles run $550 — oops, make that $500! — each and can be purchased from the Bond No. 9 website…