For the (wealthy) Andy Warhol fanatic, Bond no. 9's “Andy Warhol Lexington Avenue Shoe Extravaganza….A larger-than-life-size limited-edition shoe, containing three bottles of Andy Warhol Lexington Avenue – the latest in Bond No. 9’s series of Warhol perfumes”. Artist Joseph Pastor has created a 3D replica of a drawing from Warhol's A La Recherche du Shoe Perdu, and Bond added the bottles. $1300 at Bond no. 9 or Saks Fifth Avenue…
Fragrance is not a gift for a stranger. It is not a gift for a boss, the postman, your baby-sitter, the person who feeds your cat on weekends away. Partly, this is because a fragrance gift from a person not intimately known raises suspicions that the giver is either flirting or insinuating the giftee needs some freshening up. Another powerful reason is that to buy someone fragrance, you need to know two complicated things well: the someone and the fragrance.
— Luca Turin and Tania Sanchez recommend 10 fragrance gifts for women, and 10 7 for men, in Smells good at the UK Times Online.
I’m talking about perfume. With people struggling to make ends meet, that just seems to be one of the most unnecessary items. Don’t get me wrong. I love the smell of some and don’t want to see them out of business, but personally, I would never ever consider spending $20 or more on an item that does the same thing as soap or lotion.
— Columnist Abby Brunks of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution says thanks, but no thanks, in The gift I never want.
The big Tom Ford gift for 2008: the Tom Ford Private Blend coffret, with 2 ml rollerballs in each of the 12 original Tom Ford Private Blend fragrances. Says Tom, “Private Blend is my own scent laboratory; it's where I have the ability to create very special, original fragrances that are unconstrained by the conventions of mainstream scent-making. Private Blend is designed with the true fragrance connoisseur in mind.” Ok? $225 at Nordstrom or Neiman Marcus…
I've been thinking about gifts as I work on the holiday shopping articles for this year (first installment will hopefully post tomorrow). Here's the three-part poll:
What is the fragrance-related gift you'd most like to receive this year?
Let's say you were going to ask for just one unsniffed fragrance this year, what would it be?
Are you giving any fragrance items for gifts this year, and if so, what?
My answers…
A selection from this year's holiday gift line-up from Bond no. 9:
At top left, The Perfume Token, “…Bond No. 9’s nostalgia-laden circular “token” as a solid-perfume compact, containing your choice of six of our most sought-after eaux de parfum. Stashed in its own perfect little white leather zipper case, it’s so street-smart it’ll glide through any turnstile.” The refillable compact is available in Andy Warhol Union Square, Chelsea Flowers, Chinatown, Nuits de Noho, The Scent of Peace or Wall Street; $85…