No big perfume news today (imagine that!) so for anyone desperate to waste time at work, here is the commercial for Alan Cumming's Cumming: The Fragrance ("a scent that is all about Sex, Scotch, Cigars and Scotland"). The fragrance itself is just great, and the commercial gets my vote for the funniest celebrity fragrance ad ever.
Becks & Posh
It's meant to evoke stolen paparazzi pictures but it's hideously art-directed and the poses are amazingly clunky. Then there are the bed shots. VB is in her nightie, but David isn't. Posh strikes some extraordinary poses. But the main one looks as if she's fighting off a strangler. You know what the ad's meant to say, but equally you know she's reciting, over and over, a very long shopping list.
— On the television ads for the Intimately Beckham fragrances. Read more in Peter York On Ads: It's all about the F word but the Beckhams aren't on the right scent from the The Independent.
Perfume in the news: Nicole Kidman & dogs
The article alleged that Kidman, who is the face and celebrity spokeswoman for Chanel No.5, had claimed that Jo Malone's White Jasmine and Mint was her favourite perfume.
It also alleged that the Moulin Rouge star had been "dabbing it on whenever she had a moment", when she was in London to promote her new film The Golden Compass.
— Nicole Kidman is suing the Daily Telegraph for saying she wears perfumes other than Chanel no. 5. Read more in The Guardian.
The dog fragrance is a manifestation of the luxe dog life in the last decade. “It’s the age of dog yoga, pet reiki, veterinary antidepressants, feline organ transplants, lumbar support pet beds, organic kibble, hand-stitched dog clothing boutiques and pet-toy manufacturing tycoons,” explained Michael Schaffer, a journalist who is writing a book about the nation’s obsession with dogs called “One Nation Under Dog,” to be published by Henry Holt.
— From Eau de Chien? Yes, Fragrances for Dogs in the New York Times, with thanks to Kevin for the link!
Paris Hilton Can Can ~ fragrance review, and a celebrity fragrance poll
Can Can Paris Hilton is the fourth entry for women from Paris Hilton, who reportedly made the Guinness World Records this year as the world’s most overrated celebrity. Despite that and all else (e.g., her recent jail stint and other controversies) her fragrances have apparently continued to sell like gangbusters, bringing in some $75 million a year.1
Can Can is supposed to be an “elegant but fun” fragrance, inspired by the Can-Can dancers of the Moulin Rouge cabaret. It was developed by perfumer Jean-Claude Delville. Like Paris’s earlier efforts, it has lots of fruits & flowers, but Can Can is meant to take cues from sexier oriental fragrances (the notes: clementine flower, cassis, nectarine, wild orchid, orange blossom, musk, amber and woods). You won’t notice from the opening, which is massively sweet fruits over vanilla cake, and invites comparison to Britney Spears Fantasy. Once it settles though, it is warmer and less fruity (and considerably less sweet), and while it never gets dark or sultry, I guess you could say that it flirts with the oriental category…
Christina Aguilera by Christina Aguilera ~ fragrance review
It’s been a long year for celebrity fragrances, and 2008 looks to be even worse. Or better, depending on your stance. My stance: ok, celebrity fragrances are often amusing. Sometimes, they’re wearable. Sometimes, they’re wearable and distinctive. But there are far too many of them (especially in the UK, where they’re doing a much more thorough job of scraping the bottom of the barrel than we are in the US), and a large percentage work in a very narrow fruity floral genre designed to appeal to the very young. After awhile, they all start to smell the same.
Christina Aguilera joins the fray this year. Her eponymous floriental fragrance, geared towards 15-25 year olds…