14 Thursday Dec 2017
Posted in Advertising and Scent
Are you doing any Christmas shopping this week? Have you trimmed the tree? We’re keeping things relatively simple this year, but I’m enjoying the preparations.
In the spirit of opened gifts and fulfilled wishes, here is a Christmas advertisement for Bourjois Evening in Paris, dated 1961. The “dreams come true” in this ad are assorted Evening in Paris gift sets. (I own a vintage bottle of Evening in Paris, mostly likely dating to the 1960s, and I love it…)
18 Monday Sep 2017
Posted in Advertising and Scent
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It’s been a sad few days for me, because I recently had to say farewell to Margaret, my constant companion of the past 17 years. She was the sweetest, snuggliest cat I’ve ever met. I’ll miss her terribly.
This is an 1880s trade card for Dr. Thompson’s Celebrated Eye Water, but I like to imagine that the girl is sharing one of her favorite perfumes with her cat. (The larger bottle on the shelf behind her may indeed contain some kind of Eau de Cologne or other toilet water.)
Hug your furry friends tight today.
02 Saturday Sep 2017
Posted in Advertising and Scent, Art and Scent
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I’m looking forward to trying English Oak & Recurrant and English Oak Hazelnut, two new fragrances from Jo Malone. In the meantime, I’m thinking about their visuals.
According to perfume Yann Vasnier, “the idea of the forrest [sic] and English oak” was a starting point that Jo Malone wanted to explore. The brand’s Vice President of Global Fragrance Devleopment Celine Roux explains, “The inspiration started with the English oak tree. A powerful and noble symbol, which lies deep in the heart of the English woodland. A place of mystery and enchantment, where legends take root and imagination takes flight. And nowhere better captures this magic and mystery quite like Sherwood Forest in Nottinghamshire, famous for its tales of wandering knights and outlaws – and Robin Hood, of course!”
I’m seeing an additional source of inspiration for the promotional imagery: the story of the Cottingley Fairies, which happens to be celebrating its centennial this year…
30 Wednesday Aug 2017
Posted in Advertising and Scent
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advertising, art of perfume ads, copycats, fragrance, jane fonda, jennifer aniston, selena gomez
I don’t usually say or think much about Jennifer Aniston, because she and her acting career and her romantic travails generally don’t interest me. However, when her début fragrance was released in 2010 and arrived in the United States a year later, she edged her way a bit further into my awareness…
06 Thursday Jul 2017
Posted in Art and Scent
This is such a perfectly summery perfume advertisement that I had to post it. I don’t know anything about Princesse Isabelle, or about this fragrance, other than that it seems to be a romantic floral eau de toilette.
What I do know is that Princesse Isabelle selected a painting by Claude Monet for this ad…
21 Wednesday Jun 2017
Posted in Classes and Lectures
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Next month, I’ll be giving a presentation on the longstanding relationship between art history and perfume advertising, hosted by Think Olio at J-Walk in Manhattan. If you’re free at 7 pm on Wednesday, July 19th, and this subject intrigues you, consider joining us! Mixed drinks will be served.
You can find details and a registration link on the Think Olio website.
16 Sunday Apr 2017
Posted in Advertising and Scent
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An advertisement for 4711 Eau de Cologne, dated 1928. That’s a lot of leg for a religious feast day, no? but I agree that 4711 is an excellent gift for any occasion.
12 Wednesday Apr 2017
Posted in Advertising and Scent
It seems like the right time of year to look at a vintage perfume advertisement like this one!
This is an ad for three perfumes by Lancôme: Flèches (“Arrows”), Tropiques, and Marrakech. It’s dated 1948 and its illustration was created by E-M. Pérot.
27 Monday Mar 2017
Posted in Advertising and Scent
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Art and perfume are two of my longtime passions, and I love exploring the points where they meet. Over the coming weeks and months, I’ll be posting a series of observations about perfume advertising’s coy and clever relationship with art history.
This image, a magazine ad for Coty’s fragrance Muse (1946), was created by illustrator Carl “Eric” Erickson. Who knows what this muse is whispering into that stylish woman’s ear in a room overlooking the Place Vendôme?
