Van Cleef & Arpels plans to launch Collection Extraordinaire in September. It will be the brand’s first foray into high-end niche perfume, and will debut at around the same time as Cartier’s upcoming collection, Les Heures du Parfum.
The Collection Extraordinaire fragrances, meant to pay homage to nature, are Gardénia Pétale, Orchidée Vanille, Lys Carmin, Muguet Blanc, Bois d’Iris and Cologne Noire…
It is silly to want a fragrance just for the bottle, right? And it is even sillier if, like me, you don’t keep your perfume bottles on display anyway. Mine are stored away in a dark cabinet, safe from the ravages of heat and light. You might think I open the cabinet frequently just to admire my collection, but you’d be wrong. I open it as rarely as possible, for as soon as I peek in, they all begin taunting me — HA, you’ll never use me up before I spoil anyway.
So I know how ludicrous it is to be in love with Pucci’s Vivara just for its debonair exterior, but there it is. I*want*that*bottle. Not only that, I keep thinking how lovely it would be to have a whole series from Pucci: same bottle design, a different Pucci print on each cap, and each with its own jewel-colored juice. Wouldn’t a whole row of them be just stunning?
Needless to say, I tried hard to fall in love with Pucci Vivara the perfume and not just Pucci Vivara the bottle, but alas, it was not to be…
Yves Rocher is preparing to launch the third fragrance in its luxury Secrets d'Essences line (see Voile d'Ambre and Rose Absolue). Iris Noir is described as a “floriental scent over an iris-chypre base”, and was developed by perfumers Olivier Pescheux (who also developed Voile d'Ambre) and Nathalie Gracia Cetto.
The notes for Iris Noir include bergamot, coriander, ambrette seed, iris, patchouli and tonka bean…
The Emilio Pucci brand, currently owned by Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy, is celebrating its 60th anniversary (see articles in the International Herald Tribune and The Telegraph) and as part of the festivities, is reviving a 1966 Pucci perfume called Vivara. The chypre fragrance has been updated by perfumer Francois Demachy:
But the new Vivara is a more modern chypre, said Demachy…
British designer Paul Smith launched Story last year. The fragrance was created by perfumer Nathalie Gracia Cetto, and features Haitian vetiver along with grapefruit, bergamot, green ivy, jasmine, green rose, musks, mineral amber and cedarwood. Story was said to be inspired by Smith’s passion for books:
“I love the distinctive smell of antique books–of ageing paper and leather, the essence of time gone by, the imprint of wisdom and experience,” he commented. “The pristine scent of fresh print, so cleanly intoxicating when you know you’re the first person ever to open that book.” (via cosmeticsint, 9/8/2006)
When I first smelled Story on a test card, I was less than impressed…