April 2009 Archives

The Non-Blonde recently answered the question that's been on everyone's mind (okay, it was only on mine, but my determined plunge into overweening narcissism requires that it be all about me) with her April 28th post, The Mysterious Case of Mona di Orio:

"There were some speculations that the house is going out of business, as the bottles were pulled off the shelves and no longer available . . . out of the three US retailers listed on the Mona di Orio website, two (Bergdorf and Aedes) have officially stopped carrying it . . . That, at least, got them (the di Orio reps) to admit that, indeed, Mona di Orio no longer has a US outlet. According to Jeroen Oude Sogtoen who corresponded with me, they are now searching for a good distributor."

I had gone searching the net last week for a bottle of Lux and was unable to find one in any of the usual haunts, and now I know why. The Mona di Orio brand (perfumer Mona di Orio is a once-protege of master perfumer Edmond Roudnitska) is a tough sell in even the best of times, with complex, multi-layered scents that reveal very little of their true nature at first sniff. Lux is a prime example of this, starting off as a bright sugary lemon before morphing into an alluring incense musk thirty minutes in -- something you'd never know if you were a consumer casually sniffing at bottles from a retail shelf

It probably also didn't help that Luca Turin used his Perfume: The Guide to savage practically every single Mona di Orio fragrance that managed to land within two hundred yards of his easily startled ego. There's a telling couple of pages well into Chandler Burr's "The Emperor of Scent" in which Burr switches into full confession mode and details how frustrating it was to follow and interview the intellectually brilliant (yet also insecure, paranoid and emotionally unstable -- Burr's description, not mine) Turin.

Once I read that, I gained a better understanding of why Turin will launch a seemingly unprovoked attack at an entire brand, clawing at every single one of its fragrances like a spurned food critic giving a one-star review to a restaurant whose chef he feels may have publicly snubbed him at the last social gala.

Well, whatever Mona di Orio did or didn't do/say to Turin, he served up his revenge with reviews like the one he spat out for Lux: "One Star: dire citrus -- the world's most expensive cheap lemon sorbet flavor." Not a peep about the smoke, the vetiver, the musk or the surprising and even artful way in which the scent evolves from lemon-sugar to incense-musk, as if he only smelled the thing off a strip of paper and ten minutes later threw the scent strip across the room in a fit of pique.

I have a feeling that the fragrance industry is high on drama and back stabbing.

Once I saw on the Non-Blonde's site that the Mona di Orio brand could very well be in danger of folding (though they could always start selling their fragrances on their own website -- hello!), I high-tailed it to the Aedes website and ordered their last bottle of Nuit Noire, an opulent hairpin bend of a scent that I took for a test drive last September:

"The list of notes reads like an old-world piece of French perfume art ... but Nuit Noire has been tweaked for the 21st century (i.e. it's more direct and efficient) and the longer it sits on your skin, the more intriguing and attractive it becomes. Or you become. Or you both become. Or maybe it's just the world whizzing and rearranging its pieces and parts around you while you sit, contemplating your own now marvelously fragrant, fuzzy navel."

BTW: Luca Turin describes Nuit Noire as "a hilariously bad fragrance . . . vividly cheap and unpleasant" -- which is the kind of condescending smackdown you'd only deliver to a protege of Edmond Roudnitska's if you had a personal axe to grind.

The bottle arrived yesterday. It's as beautiful, solid and carefully considered as the craftsmanship behind the fragrance itself. Photos below:

OFF TOPIC (yet totally relevant):

Speaking of luxury brands not doing so hot, I made my morning drive-by at the Perfume of Life forum and discovered that Chanel is now offering its formerly Boutique & Chanel Counter Only Les Exclusifs fragrance series online at Chanel.com.

No public announcement, no PR release, no promotional whiz-bang event to let anybody know about the change in policy, the fragrances just . . . appeared. Not all of them quite yet -- there are only three from the series that show on the site: Cuir de Russe (which I like a lot), Gardenia and No. 22 -- but it's incredible how such a small change can reveal a much broader shift in the Chanel attitude toward online sales.

Karl Lagerfeld has been quite vocal about his distaste for the Internet as a Chanel sales venue, insisting that an online retail presence cheapens the experience of true luxury and exclusivity, yet as more and more consumers are opting for the online experience (sans the increasing reality of sales staff who know less about the product than you do), and with Chanel transmogrifying into an expensive novelty line as much as anything resembling true luxury (case in point: the pistol-heel pump from Chanel's 2009 Resort collection), Lagerfeld's firm stance against an online sales venue can only be hurting the company more than it's helping.

I mean, really, who's more likely to purchase a pair of pistol pumps -- the ladies who lunch, or impulsive tech-friendly, pop-culture savvy Internet shoppers? Besides, I still remain set in my belief that Chanel's refusal to sell their handbags online created a quilted leather vacuum in which Marc Jacobs now happily thrives:

Chanel to the left, Jacobs to the right, and another Chanel sales-op missed.

UPDATE:

And what's the point of choosing a very young, kinda-trashy pop star as your new PR model if you're not selling your product online? Yes Karl, online, where every just-as-young-as-your-PR-model woman is comfortable shopping . . .

Two weeks ago, I wrote about my encounter with Untitled #3, one of a series of specialized fragrances that the owners of Los Angeles scent retailer Scent Bar/Lucky Scent commissioned from a group of independent perfumers.

Bois de Jasmin noted back in March of 2006 that the limited edition series (with each fragrance seeing a production run of only 125 bottles) was to include some of the more adamantly niche names in the then-thriving boutique fragrance industry: Yosh Han (of Yosh), Tristan Brando (of Monyette Paris), Sarah Horowitz (of Creative Scent), Maria McElroy (of Aroma M), Sarah Barton King (of The Pink Room), Susanne Lang (of Susanne Lang Parfumerie) and Jalaine Sommers (of Jalaine Fragrances).

With this kind of cult-fave roster, you'd think the fragrances would have flown off the shelves, yet it's three years later and five of the limited editions are still available at the Lucky Scent site, which can mean only one of two things: #1) the fragrances aren't any good, or #2) Untitled was a concept ahead of its time. Needless to say, my positive experience with #3 by Sarah Horowitz has me leaning toward the latter explanation.

I'm wearing Untitled #1 by Yosh Han as I type this, and it's a soft and utterly attractive vanilla/myrrh combo with a spice and cedarwood base, and Untitled #5 by Maria McElroy is a heady piece of work with a nutty clove opening and a complex evolution. The Horowitz and McElroy pieces are admittedly more challenging and abstract than the Yosh Han number, but now that even mainstream publications like Forbes are catching on to the idea of artisanal craftsmanship in a bottle, maybe a wider audience will give the neglected Untitled series a second look.

Photos below of the Untitled #3 by Sarah Horowitz:

SAFI EAU DE PARFUM: In my quest to be seasonally relevant, I stumbled across Safi and thought it sounded like a good way to look forward . . . to summer!

Yes, I know, the tiny little flower buds are just barely shrugging off the topsoil for their annual Preening For Shutterbugs competition and here I am, already slathered in sunscreen and floating languidly in a hotel pool, signaling the bartender for my fifth gin and tonic. It's a curse. I bear it.

Which is all just a preamble for saying that Safi is a velvety mid-summer evening type of fragrance more than something Spring fresh and breezy. It starts off like a specialty drink at a beachside bar -- fruity, sweet and creamy, but after several hours it tones down the fruity-tunes and turns up the volume on the bamboo wood and dark green leaves in its base.

That's when the sun goes down, the tiki torches fire up and the party really gets started. Dancing under a hot moon is encouraged.

Listed fragrance notes: lychee, pineapple, black currant, stargazer lily, freesia, neroli, muhuhu wood (sometimes called African sandalwood because of how similar it is in scent to sandalwood), bamboo, papyrus and vetiver. Five hours after application and it's all dry, smooth sandalwood with a layer of spilled Daiquiri.

I'm picturing a deck party, suntans, brightly printed halter dresses and a cloud of Safi. Does that sound so wrong?

SIX SCENTS #4: Created with artistic direction from new LVMH wunderkind Garth Pugh, Six Scents #4 is the epitome of the skin scent. It's not sweaty or clean -- in fact, it seems to have no discernible odor beyond an impression of salted body heat.

The PR copy goes into some overwrought blah blah blah about ambiguity, duality and "a struggle between lightness and darkness." Whatever. It smells like warm skin; the kind you cuddle up to at the end of the day -- unless you're too cool for sissy cuddling, and then I guess you're left with the whole ambiguity and duality thing.

Viva la lutte!

Listed fragrance notes are: dill, black pepper, nutmeg, palissander, black tea, amyris, white amber and musk. Six Scents #4 smells like all of these things until it's more than these things, expertly shaken and lovingly stirred. It's going on six hours later and the scent is still very much present, so the longevity is good. You can see my previous review for Six Scents #5 here.

There's been a flurry of attention around Mandy Aftel lately -- what with Forbes naming her as one of the seven top bespoke perfumers in the world, and her currently ongoing Living Perfume exhibit at Henri Bendel in New York City.

Avery Gilbert, author of What the Nose Knows: The Science of Scent in Everyday Life (a book that anyone interested in perfumery should read), mentioned on his blog that "Mandy is famous for her passionate advocacy of artisan natural perfumery. In her books Essence and Alchemy, Aroma and Scents & Sensibilities, she eloquently promotes the aesthetics of natural materials--those "expensive, seasonal, and non-repeatable" essences whose tonalities are softer, more complex and changeable than those of synthetic materials."

I've previously, and positively, reviewed a few of Mandy Aftel's fragrances (Parfum Prive, Cognac and Cacao), so it was with some anticipation that I approached the three Aftelier samples I had on hand for today: Lumiere, Maroc and Blond Tabac.

LUMIERE: Lumiere is a new release from Aftelier. Composed of green tea absolute, boronia, blue lotus and frankincense, the fragrance opens with that icy, pure note that only real frankincense can hit, paired with a deliberate injection of leafy green tea that keeps it grounded just enough to prevent total lift off.

Boronia is an evergreen shrub known for its perfumed flowers, the essence of which is said to bring "clarity of thought and serenity of mind. Mandy Aftel herself writes that "Boronia absolute is as close to heaven as we on earth are likely to get . . . with a lasting odor of cassis, violet, apricot and ... yellow freesia" -- so it's not surprising that the heart of Lumiere is like a cold flame rimmed with fructose. Toss in the narcotic scent of blue lotus, whose smooth, ethereal notes serve to enhance the rich clarity of the frankincense resin, and you have a recipe for a meditative sillage that will ring like a solitary crystal bell in your wake.

About four to five hours after application, Lumiere wraps things up on a green watery note, like a fresh lotus flower in still water.

***Note: Aftelier fragrances are 100% natural, with no chemicals, artificial colorings or synthetic approximations of natural essences.

MAROC: My first reaction to Aftelier Maroc was:

Patty at Perfume Posse agrees: "This is Tangier Souk as envisioned by Diana Vreeland at the height of her tenure at Vogue, the perfume version of a spread featuring camels, ruby-encrusted robes, red lips, kohl eyes, and tanned skin, a snake charmer and some jewel-toned afternoon light."

Okay, Patty employs more adjectives and imagery, but the gist is the same. With listed fragrance notes of Bulgarian rose, galangal ("a citrus, earthy aroma, with hints of pine and soap"), nutmeg absolute, black pepper and bitter orange, Maroc hits all the right exotic notes, lending an air of the spice market without crashing the camel full-on into the ginger cart.

***Confession: nutmeg is a fragrance note I thoroughly appreciate, so I feel I have an editorial duty to admit a predisposition to Maroc's charms.

There's a pleasing dusty quality that underscores the citrus and pine notes, as if the nutmeg and black pepper were just freshly and finely ground, and I could swear a touch of clove comes through, even though clove isn't mentioned as a note -- that might be the nutmeg and orange combo leading my nose to believe I'm smelling the equivalent of a clove studded orange -- and while the orange is noticeably present, it's never overpowering due to Maroc's precision counter-balance of dusty rose, ground spices and the edgy galangal.

Galangal is said to act as a stimulant, so Maroc could very well be an olfactory pick me up, making it totally the kind of scent you'd dab on before heading out to the open-air Farmer's Market on a sunny Saturday -- followed by an all-afternoon power-cruise through the thrift stores, of course.

BLOND TABAC: With a name like Blond Tabac, it's not too much a stretch to assume that comparisons to Caron's classic Tabac Blond are not only inevitable but welcome, yet while Mandy Aftel's fragrances exhibit a rich, retro-character, her Blond Tabac is its own beast.

Allegedly a mix of tobacco, cedarwood and lime, I get a honeyed vanilla layered over tobacco leaf and dry cedar, instead -- and not a whole lot in the way of lime. It's not any more complicated than that, either: simple, warm, woodsy-sweet and eminently enjoyable.

However, all-natural perfumer Dominique Dubrana's Tabac is still my favorite straight-up tobacco scent. Perfumer Dubrana himself describes it on a Basenotes thread in this way: "Tabac is unique among the Scents of the Soul by its complexity. From its eighteen ingredients, five of them (a quarter of the fragrance in weight) are complex bases of 10 to 25 ingredients each. This means that there are about 60 different essences and absolutes in Tabac, many of which are in very small amounts . . . This is a technique that perfumers use when they want to compose a perfume that can practically never be reproduced as good by others."

No wonder I like it so much.

The Fragrance Foundation held their 2009 FiFi Award Finalists' Breakfast on Friday at the Mandarin Oriental hotel on Columbus Circle in New York City, where they announced the finalists for the final awards ceremony that will be held May 27th in Manhattan.

This year, they created an Editorial Excellence in Fragrance Coverage award for blogs. They've always had a category for other media (i.e. fashion magazines) but this is the first year they included an award for blog coverage of the industry, which is kind of a big deal since the Fragrance Industry has had a difficult time coming to grips with the rise of fragrance related blogs and the loss of centralized message-control that blogs represent.

A video clip below from the FiFi Awards in 2007:

So here we are, it's 2009, and fragrance blogs have now been officially embraced -- and what do you know, but an article that I wrote for Sniffapalooza Magazine back in November of 2008 helped get Sniffapalooza selected as one of the top five blog finalists for Editorial Excellence in Fragrance Coverage.

You can find the article at the following link, though you'll have to scroll down since mine is the second article posted (Sniffapalooza received two nominations, which they're just thrilled as can be about) -- How Men Can Learn to Stop Worrying and Love the Unisex Fragrance: "Is it for him? Is it for her? Does it even matter anymore? A woman already helps the man in her life to update his wardrobe, buy new furniture, choose a new car, scout for a house, change his hairstyle, shop for groceries and pad his employment résumé, so maybe it's a good thing that male fragrances are now formulated with the discerning female nose in mind. If she's got your back, then it's all good, right?"

Sniffapalooza gets the official nod, but I get bragging rights . . . oh, and that cool little FiFi Finalists square that's now in the upper right corner of my blog. I was kind of hoping for a free pizza, but bragging rights and a piece of html code will have to do.

The winning blog post was by Victoria Frolova of Bois de Jasmin, and it's well worth reading -- Scents of Cities: Kiev: "In the northern climate of Kiev, furs and leathers were traditionally favored over lighter materials. The animalic, creamy, warm scent of a full length fur coat is an aroma I cannot separate from my memories of Kiev. Since boot leather was treated with birch tar, its dark, resinous scent reminds me of Kiev as well. "

Michelle Krell Kydd of Glass Petal Smoke, one of my favorites among fragrance blogs, was notably awarded two (two!) finalist positions for Perfume Memories: Seeing with Scent and Perfumer Yann Vasnier Captures the Scent of Baudelaire.

Again, worth checking out in full.

So congrats to Victoria Frolova and Michelle Krell Kydd for the recognition their work received, and congrats + thanks to hard-working editor Raphaella Barkley at Sniffapalooza Magazine.

1.) More Designers Fish for Revenue Down the Retail Chain:
Rachel Roy launches at Macy's: "Jones Apparel Group, which has a 50% stake in designer Rachel Roy, said it's launching a contemporary line called Rachel Rachel Roy to be sold exclusively at Macy's . . . Jones also plans to lower the designer's luxury label price by 15% to 20% as upscale shoppers pared back and retailers including Saks Inc. have said they will introduce lower-priced entry-level designer products."

Plus, J.C. Penney to market Joseph Abboud line: "JA Apparel, which owns the Joseph Abboud brand, will be moving its midpriced JOE Joseph Abboud line from Macy's to J.C. Penney."

So now we can add Rachel by Rachel Roy to Marc by Marc Jacobs, Michael by Michael Kors, Kors by Michael Kors, See by Chloe, Jacobs by Marc by Marc Jacobs (I wish I were kidding), Coming Soon by Yohji Yamamoto, T by Alexander Wang, McQ by Alexander McQueen . . . it would take me all day to write out the full list. No wonder retailers are glutted with merchandise, every designer has a second (and sometimes third) line and they're all pushing the merchandise as fast as they can.

Speaking of which -- what's with the rash of "20% off Friends and Family Sales" I'm seeing lately? Saks, Macy's, Net-a-Porter, Bloomingdales . . . it's as if the big retailers are chomping at the bit to move the glut of merchandise that's stalled on their shelves, but they're terrified of infuriating the designers again (designers were reportedly angry with Saks for jumping the gun last year and slashing prices to crazy-low levels before the holiday shopping season had even begun). Newsflash for the retailers: 20% off isn't worth the bother -- you may as well admit the ugly truth and start the slashing now.

And just when I thought it was only the retailers that had it bad: Eating Out Is a Top Luxury Americans Are Willing To Give Up": "an overwhelming 82% said that dining out would be easy to abandon. While the National Restaurant Association in Washington, D.C., forecasts that Americans will spend $566 billion eating out in 2009, a 2.5% increase over 2008, discounted menus at mid- to high-end restaurants suggest otherwise." That's got to throw pitchers of ice-water all over a lot of hopes and dreams.

Which leads us to Ten Things Consumers are Sacrificing in the Recession: dining out, concerts and shows, shopping for new wardrobes, vacations, hobbies and more.

2.) Clorox Blue:
"The setting is a mysterious bathroom, featuring a mystery character, suffering, pain, provocation... It´s a visual experience full of glamour created by one of the top names in fashion photography."

There's more mention of art and David Lynch, but really, they lost me at "the setting is a mysterious bathroom" . . .

3.) New Coco Chanel Poster Banned in Paris:
"'Absurdly zealous', 'ridiculous' and 'revisionist' -- these were some of the words used to describe the decision to ban posters in Paris of the Hollywood star Audrey Tautou ... as Coco Chanel because she's smoking a cigarette . . . Coco Chanel smoked 50 cigarettes a day. It is almost impossible to find a photo of her without one in her hand or mouth ... But Metrobus, which runs advertising on Paris' trains and buses, chose to ban it and forced the producers to provide an insipid alternative of her standing next to the male lead."

A Reuters photo below showing the offending poster:

Fine, we get it -- smoking is baaaaaad, but is a movie poster going to suddenly undo common sense? I mean, what's next? A Where the Wild Things Are movie poster without any wild things?

Also, charges that the Coco Chanel film whitewashes Ms. Chanel's anti-semitism and Nazi collaboration: "It was often said that she was prepared to sleep with the right people to get ahead and, after the Germans occupied France in 1940, Chanel conducted an affair with the Nazi officer Hans Gunther von Dincklage at Paris's Ritz hotel, thus becoming one of France's notorious 'horizontal collaborators'."

4.) LVMH Rumored to Sell the MH:
"Diageo is reported to be planning a €12bn bid for LMVH's 66% stake in its wine and spirits division Moet Hennessy, which includes champagne labels Moet & Chandon, Krug and Dom Perignon . . . The high profile deal would see Diageo, which owns brands including Guinness, Smirnoff and Baileys, adding the wine and spirits empire of LVMH chairman Bernard Arnault to its stable."

LVMH denies that negotiations are taking place, but the above article states that talks have not yet begun, only that the idea is being floated by Diegeo for consideration. Once LVMH begins releasing further (and likely dismal, if the continuing plunge in retail sales is any indication) earnings reports for 2009, shareholders will recall that Diego made noises about purchasing Moët Hennessy and will put the screws on the LVMH board to accept the offer.

But there's more -- luxury giant PPR is fighting off rumors of its own: "The Group PPR announces that it has requested the AMF to open an investigation into the unfounded rumors and diffusion of false information relating to, firstly, the possible sale of the Gucci Group and, secondly, a tender offer for the remaining outstanding PUMA shares. PPR categorically denies both of these rumors."

With the luxury and fashion industries struggling, watch for more financial/investment vultures to start their lazy circles in the sky.

Speaking of struggling: Coach has reported a third-quarter profit decline of 29.3%; LVMH is reporting mixed results, with overall fashion sales up 11%, but jewelry and watch sales are down 41%, perfume and cosmetics sales are down 11% and their wine and spirits holdings saw a 22% drop -- yet while the Louis Vuitton brand saw an increase in revenue across the board, their sales fell 15% in the U.S. and 18% in Japan; PPR (owner of Gucci Group) reported a near 5% drop in revenue (accounting for exchange rates), even though the Gucci brand itself saw a strong 10% sales increase; Burberry reports mixed results, with sales up in Britain (due to recent British currency devaluation), but plummeting 29% in Spain.

Video clip below of Burberry's Spring/Summer 2009 collection, which they're politely hoping all of you will please buy:

Low-cost retailer Primark is doing bang-up business, however, with a 10% operating profit for the quarter, while fast-fashion retailer H&M announced that it's still going ahead with its plans to open an additional 225 stores this year.

5.) Italy Suffers a Boom in Fake Italian Branding:
"A booming market in counterfeit goods racked up sales of 7.1 billion euros in Italy last year, undermining high-end fashion brands and prized food products that Italy's economy thrives on . . . 'The situation is disastrous, nine out of 10 agricultural products that claim to be Italian are foreign,' said Agriculture Minister Luca Zaia, promising the government would show 'zero tolerance' of counterfeiting . . . Clothing and accessories saw the most vibrant trade in fakes with 2.6 billion euros in sales."

Italian merchants and producers have a lot to worry about -- if counterfeit and fake-branded goods destroy the Italian reputation for quality, their economy will take a massive hit.

In related news, U.S. Customs seized a shipment of over 2,000 fake luxury brand goods estimated at $1.3 million: "U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers seized counterfeit designer merchandise at Chicago O'Hare International Airport . . . The merchandise was being shipped from Hong Kong to Toronto and was found in a warehouse sweep of arriving international freight shipments."

6.) Sign of the Times -- Rent a Watch:
First, it was renting high-end handbags to the type of woman who couldn't afford to buy an Hermes but just had to have one swinging on her arm anyway -- now they're renting high-end watches for men who can't count on that fat year-end bonus any longer.

Hmmm, I wonder if they have that Corum Vanitas I've been coveting for years:

And the answer is no, they don't.

Wow -- now they're even renting high-end clothing: Wear Today Gone Tomorrow. We're turning into the Rent-a-Status-Symbol Nation, which kind of defeats the whole purpose of a status symbol in the long run.

7.) Karl Lagerfeld Makes a Woman out of Emma Watson:
Lagerfeld has given his fashion blessing to Harry Potter star Emma Watson by photographing her for a French style magazine called Crash. Could this signal a seismic switch in the type of celebrity the fashion industry chooses to promote?

"I'm famous, pretty and I'm not a heroin-addicted drunk. Thanks Karl!"

I'm just happy we don't have to hear anything more about Lagerfeld's former muse Amy Winehouse. I'll take clean and in-control over the industry's previous obsession with downward-spiraling, self-destructive types any day. It's a refreshing change. I wonder if Lagerfeld is thinking the same thing?

8.) Nina Ricci Names Peter Copping as New Head Designer:
"The designer - who previously worked under the creative direction of Marc Jacobs at Louis Vuitton - replaces Olivier Theyskens, who left the Paris fashion house prematurely in March following rumours that his contract would not be renewed in October."

You can find a video interview with Peter Copping at Haute Luxe.

Rumor has it that Theyskens may be starting up his own label once again, while other gossip had him briefly considered as artistic director at Halston.

9.) Hermes Birkin 2-Year Waiting List is "Just a Marketing Ploy":
"Michael Tonello, a beautician turned fashion buyer, says he devised a system to bypass the much-talked about list and spent five years traveling between different Hermes stores to snap up Birkin bags to meet -- and profit from -- this pent-up demand . . . 'I would go into a store with a list in my Hermes Ulysse notebook and pile up scarves, shawls, bracelets, worth about $2,000. This made me seem a regular Hermes client,' Tonello told Reuters in a telephone interview. 'Once I had that pile ready to buy at the last moment I'd ask for a Birkin and they would usually produce one out of the back room. In 2005, I bought 130 Birkins in a three-month period -- and you tell me there is a waiting list?'"

Michael Tonello is the author of the book, Bringing Home the Birkin. A spokeswoman for Hermes said "the company was making no official comment on Tonello's book."

A video clip of author Michael Tonello talking about the Birkin:

Plus, a PR clip below of how an Hermes bag is manufactured:

Confession: I really only purchased Ambra di Venezia for the hand-blown flacon.

I thought it would be great to take photos of a hand-blown glass piece, and it could add some interest to what might otherwise be just another review of what I figured was just another citrus-floral, but here's where the twist kicks in -- the Ambra di Venezia fragrance itself is surprisingly well-crafted and wearable, and I like it even better than the fancy glass flacon that was supposed to be my main focus for today.

I shouldn't say "surprising" really, because it was only surprising to me in that I wasn't expecting it to smell quite so nice, quite so . . . easy to enjoy.

Montgomery Taylor is a New York glass artist & architectural consultant who commissioned the fragrance from perfumer Rayda Vega. His website states that Ambra di Venezia was created to evoke the fiery sunsets of Venice with "a blend of French narcissus, jasmine, mandarin orange, lime, sandalwood and mango," and while the opening is a tad sharp and bitter in the way that only real daffodils smell (daffodils grow everywhere in the small Michigan town where I was born), I like how the fragrance proceeds to mellow out, evolving into a very soft, polished mix of jasmine, orange zest and sandalwood that actually does throw off a kind of warm and reflective glow once it settles into its groove.

Ambra di Venezia is a work of beautiful simplicity rather than an American Idol type belter of a fragrance, and it doesn't go out of its way to seem cutting-edge or trendy. For those reasons alone, I think it could easily find a fan base among consumers who appreciate a scent that favors quality and substance over flashy pyrotechnics.

Other opinions:

Chandler Burr: "Ambra di Venezia is a perfume whose warm, jewel-like clarity manages the trick of being completely unclassifiable . . . I have never offered it to anyone who did not inhale and instantly relax, reassured as if by a caress."

Perfumista Dot Org: "This smell makes me so happy I can't even speak in full sentences about it . . . it is what those pictures of caribbean paradises actually smell like."

Sniffapalooza Magazine: "Ambra di Venezia is a freshness reflecting that Venetian experience: a soothing breeze, the mango color of the sunset, and the majesty of Venetian palaces silhouetted in this dramatic evening light."

Reading the fragrance notes list, I'd initially assumed that Venezia was going to be a females-only kind of production, yet I've been happily wearing the stuff for the last two days without once feeling like I'm trailing some clanking, girlish train behind me -- so I would definitely pin this one square into the unisex camp. Translation: If you want to smell good, this will so do the job.

The longevity is excellent, too. Eight hours later and still kicking -- kicking me softly, but kicking nonetheless.

If you're not a bottle collector, I'd recommend springing for the non-handblown bottle version of the perfume formulation -- the fragrance you'll be getting is the exact same quality, just without the additional numbered and signed $225.00 piece of art glass tossed in.

And speaking of art glass, photos of the flacon and fragrance are below:

The last two photos contain the regular bottle for the Ambra di Venezia. It comes with the art bottle to prevent the perfume from leaking during shipment, since the art bottle doesn't have a leak-proof seal.

***Note: I only tested the perfume formulation. There's an EDP version available, but the perfume strength is terrific and I think you'd do yourself a disservice by opting for the EDP.

I reviewed Tom Ford's Italian Cypress back in November (2008), and at the time, it was still only available for purchase from the Ford boutique in Milan, Italy. Here's a snippet from what I wrote about it:

"I often get an over-the-top sense from Ford's fragrances -- they're generally uber-potent, high-flying, "Look ma, no hands!" type of fragrances, yet Italian Cypress deliberately bucks this trend, delivering a subtle, woodsy scent that smells like the real deal, dry to the point of being austere, and tinged with smoke and a pleasantly salty musk."

Italian Cypress is not the only Ford Private Blend fragrance I've liked, but it is the only Ford fragrance I've ever purchased, if that tells you anything -- I even had to go through the extra effort of scaring up a bottle on eBay, too, since I wanted it when it was still unavailable in the U.S.

Now that it's been released worldwide and is available to the general consumer, I thought it might be good to post some photos of the bottle and packaging. Ford's bottles aren't particularly wowzy as far as photographs go (the dark glass eats up all the light), but they have clean lines, some shiny gold on the cap and label, and the accompanying box with its metallic gold stripe is kind of fun.

The photos below are of the smaller 1.7 oz. size -- the larger 8.4 oz. size that Ford offers for his Private Blend series is indeed a striking bottle, but I can't even imagine wanting so much of just one single fragrance. I look askance at anything over 2 ounces these days.

My Parfums MDCI sampler box arrived:

Sticker shock for a full bottle of MDCI is not an uncommon occurrence -- just over $600.00 for a two ounce crystal bottle with a bisque (unglazed ceramic) cap fashioned to look like a neo-classical bust (as in Bust of Napoleon) is high even for the world of niche -- and finding samples of the fragrances in any decent size can be an act of futility, so it was my good fortune to discover that Parfums MDCI themselves offer a sample program for consumers dithering on whether they really like one of the fragrances enough to suffer the outrageous slings and arrows of Post-Purchase Guilt.

For 55 euros (about $70.00 at this point in time), you can get 50mls of MDCI perfume -- five 10ml sample bottles. I'm wearing Invasion Barbare and Promesse de l'Aube as I'm typing this, and both of them are excellent. Invasion Barbare is dusty herbs and spices over one of the driest cedarwoods I've ever smelled, while Promesse de l'Aube is an attractive vanilla floral with a sandalwood base so smooth I could play slip-n-slide across its surface all day long.

And I have enough to test drive them for days on end, sparing myself the "But I remember it smelled different than that!" remorse that sometimes accompanies a hasty purchase after the usual measly 1ml sample sniff.

For a sample size comparison between a 1ml sample and the 10ml MDCI sample, click here.

So if you've been yearning for your own little corner of the MDCI world but aren't sure you want to spring for a full bottle just yet, go check out their Sample Set program (scroll to the bottom of the webpage after following the link). Founder Claude Marchal answers the emails personally, and is a pleasure to deal with.

***Note: if you're purchasing a Sample Set for shipment to the United States, the 19.6% VAT tax is subtracted from the 55 euro price, essentially nullifying the 12 euro shipping and handling charge. Nifty, eh?

UPDATE (05/02/09):

MDCI has now added a second sample set -- seven (7) sample bottles for a total of 77 euros. Nice. I would have ordered the seven bottle set if it had been available at the time.

There's also been some discussion over at POL that the sample bottles are larger than what I initially stated. Size errors in the above post are now corrected.

NASOMATTO HINDU GRASS: Remember how I said that Jalaine was a fragrance brand that was easy to love? Well, Nasomatto is the opposite of that -- adamantly independent and cultishly niche, each fragrance is a triumph of head perfumer Allesandro Gualtieri's personal vision over the demands of the mainstream market, which isn't necessarily a bad thing when you stop to think about it.

The Nasomatto website states that perfumer Gualtieri likes his fragrances loud and heavy, and it shows . . . most of the time. Narcotic Venus is a foghorn of a tuberose, while Duro is a kerosene soaked chypre; yet China White ("a bit of flaming match & scorched coffee-table ... overlaying a warm salty-sweet resinous core") and Silver Musk ("cool chinchilla") turn the volume down considerably, though the resistance to consumer trends is still there.

Hindu Grass initially falls more in the camp of the loud former than the subtle latter. A blast of potent patchouli opens the show, and at first it can be a bit overwhelming. The BF walked through the room as I was typing this and remarked, "Hey, patchouli boy!" as he passed, which is a good indication that I'm not wearing a fragrance with any aspirations towards wallflowerhood, but after about thirty minutes, the medicinal potency of the patchouli settles down, allowing softer, smoother layers to shine through.

Tobacco and coffee are allegedly part of the mix, adding to the earthy character of a scent that plays closer to the skin the longer it lingers, and I could swear I smell vetiver, birch, a bit of vanilla (tonka? benzoin?) and perhaps some incense, as well.

Ignore the spiritual mumbo-jumbo PR copy that Nasomatto pulled out of its a** to accompany Hindu Grass -- all you really need to know is that Hindu Grass is a patchouli-based scent with a leafy, grassy heart, a camphorous underbelly and a charred-amberish drydown hazy with smoke.

But make no mistake, patchouli is the first and foremost priority.

I like Hindu Grass more as a concept than a reality, and it would take a bigger patch fan than I to hold it dear to his/her heart. Besides, I prefer what I wear to evoke a more substantive reaction than, "Hey, patchouli boy!"

DORISSIMA GOLDMUND: About fifteen minutes into the wearing of Goldmund, the words, "Wow, what is this?!" literally spilled from my lips. While the independent streak of a brand like Nasomatto is certainly admirable, there's also nothing to be ashamed of for giving the public what it wants, and Dorissima has its public-pleasing bases fully covered with Goldmund.

Listed fragrance notes are: tonka bean, vanilla, iris root, rose, carnation, benzoin, sandalwood, soft musk, balsam notes, Peru balsam and allspice, so you can only imagine how plush and smooth this particular ride is going to be. Every edge is rounded, every curve upholstered, every powdered, velvety floral drowned in vanilla-sweetened balsamic goodness.

There's nothing groundbreaking about Goldmund -- it doesn't take any chances (at all!) the way a Nasomatto fragrance does -- but sometimes it can be a great relief to just kick off the combat boots, ditch the megaphone and settle back into creamy, unapologetic loveliness.

Both Dorissima Goldmund and Nasomatto Hindu Grass exhibit excellent longevity on the skin, with Hindu Grass running about twenty extra laps around the track just because it can.

SLIGHTLY OFF TOPIC (yet still related):

Here's a link to a Bucharest blog post that talks about the release of the new Nasomatto scent, Black Afgano: BLACK AFGANO, NASOMATTO.

The blog post includes photos, several of perfumer Allesandro Gualtieri and one of them including a tray of the Nasomatto bottles with their super-size caps.

The blogger makes it sound like the soon to be released Black Afgano is crafted utilizing marijuana/hashish essense: "It was supposed to be finalized 6 months ago, but the smuggling of the raw material (which should remain unnamed, but easy to guess for those in the know) delayed things quite a bit. The fragrance is finally here and for Duro and Nasomatto lovers in general, will sure be a hit: smoky, syrupy, raw, masculine, at times medicinal, with a tremendous lasting power and a color to match its strength."

I'm no fan of Duro, and if Black Afgano is anything like Duro, I'll likely be sitting out its release, but I still have their China White and Silver Musk to keep me company, so it's not like I'll be crying myself to sleep over missed Nasomatto opportunities.

I posted only one CdG Luxe Patchouli photo when I first purchased a bottle back in May, 2008. That's an oversight I'd now like to remedy.

The packaging for Luxe Patchouli is minimalist and extreme, with its all-black bottle, over-saturated red box and clean lines, while the fragrance itself is full and rich. Here's what I wrote about it:

"Whereas Le Labo's terrific Patchouli 24 has a charred-wood quality that steers it in a darker, more unexpected direction, CdG Luxe Patchouli is nothing if not a smooth operator all the way through, definitely in the spotlight yet respectfully sharing the stage with a lush procession of incense, bourbon, dry wood, a touch of leather and a dash of salt."

The Perfume Posse folks mentioned "a beautiful, truly dreamy immortelle" in there somewhere, though I've personally never found immortelle to be either beautiful or truly dreamy -- but Annick Goutal Sables has been selling briskly for years, so who am I to judge?

Official fragrance notes for CdG Luxe Patchouli are: white pepper, fenugreek, lovage, oak extract, opoponax, patchouli, cedar, vanilla, sandalwood and vetiver.

Photos of the striking packaging below (follow the jump to see more):

JALAINE AMBER: There's really not much to dislike about a Jalaine fragrance besides its price point -- the formulae are simple, the ingredients are high-quality, the longevity is excellent and they wear like dreamy, plush wraps.

Their Patchouli is a sweet, creamy party-mix of musk, amber and patchouli, and their Vetiver scent is like burying your nose in a bowl of fresh cut grass soaked in vanilla, so it's no surprise that Jalaine Amber is just as cuddly and easy to love.

Sweet, fresh and powdery throughout its first half, J. Amber still manages to express the vegetal nature of the amber at its core. The greenery is subtle as all get out, but it's there, cradled (smothered?) in fluffy clouds of feminine white musk. It's like the perfume equivalent of a Milky Way bar -- light and airy, with just the hint of substance.

I think the green note in J. Vetiver holds up better as part of a proper perfume, but for a frivolous snack cake of a fragrance, J. Amber does just fine. One thing to note, however, is that Jalaine Amber gets progressively less sweet and powdery as the hours roll by. At about hour seven (and yes, it's still more than kicking over eight hours later), it's mostly soft musks over what smells like a very smooth, woodsy patchouli.

Exceptionally warm and inviting.

UNTITLED #3 BY SARAH HOROWITZ: Untitled is a line-up of fragrances exclusive to Lucky Scent and commissioned from some of the most indie of the independent perfume scene: Tristan Brando, Yosh Han, Maria McElroy, Sarah Barton King and Sarah Horowitz.

Untitled #3 is California perfumer Sarah Horowitz's contribution to the project, and it's a nose-catching mix of yuzu (a Japanese citrus), african violet, gardenia, coriander, Tunisian red amber, East Indian sandalwood and a light musk.

Longevity is terrific (like Jalaine Amber, it's still beautifully present over eight hours later), and the sandalwood + musk base is given an exotic shake-up with the inclusion of the salted nut-like coriander spice.

I'm not hugely keen on the yuzu opening (though it's not a deal breaker, by any means), the florals in the mid-range are beautifully balanced (so now I like gardenia? who knew!), and the depth, warmth and range of the drydown for Untitled #3 is impressive (it just goes on and on). This is my first encounter with a Sarah Horowitz fragrance, and my interest is now thoroughly piqued.

Each fragrance in the Untitled series is a limited edition of 125 (or is that five fragrances that are all limited to 25 bottles? The copy is vague), and once they're sold out, they're gone. I'm snagging an Untitled #3 post-haste. I can't bear to let something so unique and ephemeral just slip through my fingers.

***Note: I just read on a 2006 Bois de Jasmin posting that the number of limited edition bottles is for each fragrance, not for the series as a whole. BdJ wrote that there will be 150 of each fragrance available, but the Lucky Scent site itself states 125.

Photo below of Untitled #3:

UPDATE:

Just an FYI -- not everyone is as enchanted with Untitled #3 as I am. Makeup Alley presently shows only three reviews for Untitled #3, yet all three of them give it one star out of five, describing it as artificial, shrill and vile.

That was certainly not my experience.

However, Amy George at Splendicity writes that Untitled #3 is "quite arresting . . . just unfamiliar."

UPDATE 2 (04/18/09):

I'm testing Untitled #3 again to see if I can figure out what drove the MUA reviewers into such convulsions. I certainly enjoy the yuzu-citrus opening more the second time around, and I notice a lot more greenery to the gardenia -- it has a more fresh feel than the thick, jasmine-enhanced gardenia of Isabey, much like what I assume Bois de Jasmine meant when she wrote that she considered a good gardenia scent to be fresh and heady.

But twenty to thirty minutes in is when I spot what I think might have caused the uproar with the MUA reviewers -- the musk, while not civet-dark, is most definitely animalic. It adds a sweaty layer that sticks with the development of the fragrance as a whole (with a note that kind of resembles warm, dirty-wet hay), and this might prove upsetting if you read the fragrance notes and believe that "light musk" might mean "white musk".

Yes, there's citrus, african violets and gardenias, but there are also fleshy musks and coriander (which contributes to the salty, sweaty vibe), both of which push Untitled #3 into an unfamiliar, and maybe unexpected, direction.

ISABEY GARDENIA: Originally a 1920s fragrance, now reissued by Paris-based fragrance house Panouge, Isabey Gardenia is a heavy-lidded, heavy-breathing, heavy limbed type of fragrance, so intent on coming across as glamorously indolent that it's almost a parody of glamor itself.

But hey, if long silk dresses, mink stoles and high-alcohol content drinks served up in martini glasses are your thing, Isabey Gardenia might just be the missing piece in your weekend escapades. Me? I find it difficult to imagine anyone in the 21st century wearing Isabey Gardenia without making certain she first holds a firm grip on irony's leash.

Other opinions:

Now Smell This: "It has a classic, old-fashioned feel."

Bois de Jasmin: "I did not care for Isabey Gardenia, to be honest. Somehow, I found it very sticky for a gardenia, which has a very fresh, and yet heady scent."

Perfume Posse: "It's not oppressive at all, it's got the best of the gardenia all wrapped up so it comes through beautifully without that heady overripeness that the real flower has."

A Mental Note: "Lush creamy gardenia, tropical and luminous, sultry and sweet and animalic."

Pink Manhattan: "To me, there is a semi-fruity, woody-mossy creaminess with the floridity -- I find it similar to Fracas or Lumiere. Some people pick up jasmine in it, but I don't; to my nose, the ylang-ylang is more prominent, as is the rose."

Okay, enough of that -- it's not like I want to encourage anyone to actually purchase Isabey Gardenia, but if you feel you absolutely must have something heady and sultry and bordering on wicked, I'd much rather you fling yourself headlong into a bottle of Vero Profumo Rubj. Va-voom in all the right ways.

***Note: Laurie Erickson of Sonoma Scent Studio has been blogging about her work on a gardenia musk scent -- allegedly, it's nearing completion, but no date for release has been set. With the rave reviews she's been receiving for her Tabac Aurea, I'm looking forward to seeing how she confronts the challenge of gardenia.

SHISEIDO MURASAKI: I know I sprayed something on my arm, so where is it? Wait! Excuse me for just a second, I think I'm picking something up -- scanning, scanning, oh, there it is! Thin. Wan. Utterly unmemorable.

Yep, that's Shiseido Murasaki, all right.

Fragrance notes (if that's what you want to call them): bergamot, galbanum, hyacinth, gardenia, peach, rose, orris, muguet, jasmin, lily, vetiver, leather, oakmoss, musk, amber and sandalwood. I mean, Murasaki is "okay" as far as mainstream cosmetic company fragrances are concerned, but the notes list is close to causing me a fit of the giggles because there's just. no. way.

L'ARTISAN JOUR DE FETE: Is this the smell of maltol? In Chandler Burr's review of M by Mariah Carey, he describes maltol as "the molecule that you taste and smell in cotton candy" -- and there's a definite cotton-candy, sticky-sweetness to Jour de Fete that might potentially be considered pleasant to wear, but only if you have a fondness for the scent of freshly powdered babies dipped in corn syrup.

Listed fragrance notes: almond, pink laurel, wheat, orris, bourbon vanilla and cedarwood. Without the presence of cedarwood in this concoction, it would probably send the average wearer into diabetic shock. Jour de Fete was created by Olivia Giacobetti, whom I previously assumed had too much dignity for such an obvious bit of pandering. That assumption is now undergoing revision.

***Note: the longevity is excellent (8 hours+), and the drydown is warmer and less cavity-inducing in its sweetness level, but the candy-coated shalaque of Jour de Fete is very much a proceed with caution scent if you're past eighteen (physically and/or emotionally).

DIOR DIORELLA: Ah, finally, a proper perfume! Originally released in 1972, though it has undoubtedly gone through numerous reformulations since then (I'm testing a 1980s-ish version sent by the enchanting Juno), Diorella is a warm dollop of fruit-sweetened moss and vetiver over a layer of smooth patchouli.

A good example of the classic chypre genre -- the citrus, vanilla and oakmoss triumvirate. Allegedly, there's a florist shop worth of flowers in the mix (honeysuckle, jasmine, violet, rose bud, carnation and cyclamen), but it's mostly about the citrus, moss, grass, vanilla and patchouli to my nose. The flowers appear to function mainly as softeners and fillers, adding curves to what might otherwise have been angular and/or sharp.

The bottle and packaging are feminine, but the fragrance itself strikes me as adamantly unisex, so either #1) women's fragrances have become uber-girly since 1972, leaving Diorella edging toward masculine by comparison, or #2) the rash of foul-smelling, solvent-like aquatic brews that fragrance companies have been bomb-tossing at men for the last twenty years have driven me into the arms of Diorella . . . but since they're very nice arms, that's a-okay by me.

***Note: The formulation is an EDT, so the lasting power is limited. After about 4 hours, it really started to thin out. I kind of expected that out of an EDT, but still, it would have been nice . . .

UPDATES (though off topic):

The latest Sniffapalooza Magazine edition is up and running. It's chock full of interviews, photos and reviews, plus a number of excellent independent perfumers are profiled, so go check it out: Sniffapalooza Magazine

Also, Dawn Spencer Hurwitz just Twittered that she won Best Independent Business in the Best of Boulder awards:

Congrats on that!

1.) The Devil May Wear Prada, But Don't You Dare:
Writer/Sociologist Sarah Thornton just came out with a book detailing the five years she spent studying the movers and shakers inside the international art scene -- one of the unwritten rules of the game? If you're a collector, don't wear Prada to an auction: "I think you can distill (the scene) into one detail - when the woman I call Mrs. Gold told me that you can't wear Prada to the auction because you might be mistaken for a Christie's member of staff. It's funny, because like her art-buying habits, it's so much about her efforts to distinguish herself and the hierarchies of the world she lives in.

Prada's always been about a certain utilitarianism (remember their nylon bag craze?), but it's interesting to see how the line has been co-opted as a kind of uniform for those in positions of service to the wealthy -- "Even our servants dress better than you."

Speaking of movers and shakers: Fashion Industry Comes Together to Help Quake Victims in Italy -- "The destructive disaster has brought together a number of fashion industry people to help in the relief effort. Gucci and Blumarine designer Anna Molinari will be donating funds toward the recovery of the city while Versace plans on helping the victims in an 'organic way.'" . . . in other words, the Versace brass really had no plans to help at all, but then realized that an "organic" PR opportunity was passing them by.

2.) Is It Chanel No. 5 or Is It Art?:
"Kuwait retailer Sheikh Majed Al-Sabah enlisted 25 artists and industrial designers to interpret the iconic Chanel No.5 bottle for an exhibition at his new gallery ... almost 90 percent of the works sold in the first few hours . . . While one depicts a sailing ship inside the iconic bottle, most contain the actual perfume and therefore are functional, too."

In other fragrance news, Uma Thurman was announced as the new face for Parfums Givenchy: "Representatives for Givenchy confirmed: 'Uma will be the face of a new women's fragrance that is slated to launch in Europe this fall, with a possible launch in the US in 2010' . . . The 38-year-old star has previously fronted campaigns for other LVMH-owned labels including Tag Heuer and Louis Vuitton."

I'm trying to figure out what market segment they're shooting for with the use of Uma Thurman. Her latest film successes have been the uber-bloody 'Kill Bill' movies, and then there was that superhero girlfriend role where she played a psychotic super-powered stalker who'd rather kill her man than let him go . . . Russian mafia mistresses, maybe?

Really, I'm lost here. It's like those urp-inducing Madonna/Louis Vuitton ads. Sure, the face is famous, but shouldn't there be some kind of intrinsic connection between brand and spokesperson beyond, "Yoo-hoo -- remember me? I look at least sort of familiar, right? Now buy what I'm hawking!!!"

Meanwhile, Japanese artist Takashi Murakami is tapped for yet another Louis Vuitton collaboration, underscoring the adage that everything old is . . . getting really old:

3.) Your Perfume Might Help Get You That Promotion:
"No matter how confident the handshake, the message of a businesswoman's fragrance can be stronger than her grip . . . Sensory psychologist Avery Gilbert, author of What the Nose Knows, agrees that ... 'fragrance is a key part of your presentation of self. Your fragrance should match what you'd want your ultimate self to be.'"

Scientific research is continuing to reveal that we are far more aware of olfactory sensory clues than has been generally assumed (for example, we really can smell when someone's afraid: Humans Can Sense 'Smell Of Fear' In Sweat, Psychologist Says) -- the contemporary multi-billion dollar fragrance industry has been pandering to our noses for decades, using often frivolous, romantic imagery to sell their products while very aware of the subconscious role that fragrance manipulation can play in both our personal and public lives.

C. Russell Brumfield, author of Whiff! The Revolution of Scent Communication in the Information Age, believes we're on the cusp of an explosion in scent related marketing and technologies as global corporations harness the emotional power of fragrance to bypass our conscious filters.

In related news, Hermes in-house perfumer Jean Claude Ellena, will publish his first English language book this summer: Perfume: The Alchemy of Scent: "Perfume is an extremely competitive, highly secretive multibillion-dollar industry, and Ellena provides an insider's tour, guiding us from the initial inspiration, the mixing of essences and synthetic elements, to the deluxe packaging and merchandising in elegant boutiques worldwide."

4.) Retail Sales Continue to Plummet:

(click to enlarge graph)

Plus: The vanishing shopping mall -- "More than 400 of the 2,000 largest malls in the U.S. have closed in the past two years. . . . With some 150,000 retail stores projected to fail in the U.S. this year, more mall closings are imminent. Mall mainstays such as Mervyn's department stores, Linens 'n Things, and KB Toys have already disappeared into bankruptcy, and mall vacancy rates topped 7 percent last year, the highest level since 2001."

There's even a website that tracks mall bankruptcies and closings called Dead Malls.

And there's more: Retail Sales and the Future -- "Wells Fargo Economics unhelpfully notes that some 40% of U.S. employers plan to freeze wages this year, meaning that people who are still working will feel less inclined to belly up to the retail bar."

And retail stalwart Levis reports falling revenues as bankruptcies wipe out its distributor base: "Levi Strauss & Co said on Tuesday that its quarterly net profit fell by half due to recent bankruptcies by some of the jeans maker's U.S. customers, and weak performance of its Dockers brand . . . sales fell 12% in the quarter. In the Americas region, which includes the United States, sales fell 13%. They fell 19% in Europe, but rose 3% in the Asia Pacific region."

It's not so much that the economy won't recover as much as it's a question of what will be left standing by the time it does. Something like 65%-70% of our economic growth has been based on consumer spending -- what will be the engine for U.S. GDP growth once our consumption of finished materials and raw goods has drastically (and remains drastically) reduced?

5.) Barneys Gets a Cash Jumpstart -- For Now:
"The Dubai investment vehicle that owns Barneys New York Inc threw the high-end retailer a lifeline on Tuesday that will allow it to pay for its shipments for the rest of the year . . . The capital injection came a day after ratings agency Standard & Poor's cut Barneys to a deeply distressed level and warned that vendors may tighten terms or limit shipments."

Spring shipments can now resume and the entire Barneys chain can breathe easier for at least a little while longer. Involved parties insist that everything is peachy between Barneys and its Dubai Investment Fund owners, but if everything's so hunky-dory, why did the fund managers wait until the very last minute to plug in the life support system? Methinks the retail chain is still for sale, but no one's buying. It's being reported that Barneys has cut way back on its orders as a result of a severe decrease in consumer demand for luxury goods.

Weirdly enough, Barneys is going ahead with the opening of a massive expansion in Chicago. The timing couldn't be worse.

Other luxury relief measures on the horizon: "The Wall Street Journal reports that Florida-based Falic Group, which has owned the Lacroix fashion house since 2005, is looking to sell a stake in the firm to private investors . . . Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus have dropped Lacroix after carrying it last year and Saks did not order any clothes from the fall 2009 collection."

Oh, ouch!

6.) Drop in Luxury Handbag Sales Hurts Alligator Farms:
"Alligator farming is a $60 million business in Louisiana ... Vermilion Gator Farms, located south of Abbeville (Louisiana), is one of the largest alligator farms in America. The farm has not sold an alligator skin in a year and probably will not be able to sell a skin for another year . . . After 25 years of being in the business, Wayne (Sagrera) said this is the worst he has seen the alligator industry. 'The luxury market has crashed,' Wayne said. 'The market is non-existent and there are no sales. Everyone has inventory on-hand because there are no sales.'"

Zoinks! They haven't sold a single alligator skin in a year -- and they don't expect to sell any for another entire year. Mr. Sagrera noted that Russia was the biggest market for wild alligator skins, and ever since oil prices hit the skids, demand for skins has evaporated.

A video clip below of a visit to an alligator farm in Florida:

But it's not just alligator farmers that are crying uncle. New York's once stylish Madison Avenue is also starting to show the strain: Fashionable Madison Avenue Hit by Hard Times -- "Gone are about 28 stores, according to a recent informal survey by Vault.com, a career website. Vacancy is about 12 percent and expected to grow . . . Closed are Petrou, an evening wear merchant; Allegra Hicks, a British designer; Italian clothiers Alessandro dell'Acqua and Luca Luca; and Oilily, a children's clothing shop based in The Netherlands."

The Luca Luca boutique here in the Dallas Highland Park Village location closed recently, as well.

But Hello Kitty is turning 35! -- "Hello Kitty is turning 35 this year . . . Sanrio have launched the kitty35.com website, which features a retrospective on the legendary character. They plan to begin the merchandising campaign in September, with numerous products featuring the 35th birthday theme."

Yeah, good luck with that. Booming economy and all, you know.

Speaking of which, Fashion Magazines are getting as skinny as the models they feature as retailers and design houses cut back on advertising: "The April issue of Italian Vogue, for instance - normally one of the weightiest tomes on the newsstands - weighs in at just 176 pages. In the domestic market, the April issue of i-D has 186 pages - more than 20% less than its April 2008 issue, while British Vogue's 308 pages is 80 pages fewer than the equivalent issue in 2007 . . . according to Will Yarker, a director with Deloitte's media practice, a number of titles could go out of fashion permanently this year. 'There is going to be a real shake-up in terms of the titles out there,' he says. 'Of course, the market leaders will continue to prosper because premium advertisers have to stick with them. But if you're a secondary, rather than a must-have, buy, you could be in real trouble.'"

Even the Devil's going to stop wearing Prada if Prada doesn't punch up its advertising budget, like, right now!

UPDATE:

7.) American Apparel slams Woody Allen's sex life:
"The 73-year-old Allen started the fight against American Apparel Inc. when he sued the company last year for using his image on the company's billboards in Hollywood and New York and on a Web site. Allen, who does not endorse products in the United States, said he had not authorized the displays . . . Now the company plans to make Allen's relationships to actress Mia Farrow and her adopted daughter Soon-Yi Previn the focus of a trial scheduled to begin in federal court in Manhattan on May 18 . . . arguing that it can't have damaged his reputation by using his image because the film director has already ruined it himself."

This strikes me as completely bizarre. American Apparel obviously knows that you can't just take a famous person's image and incorporate it into your advertising without his/her consent, otherwise companies would be doing it left and right (and they don't).

And to use a famous person's image and then claim that their image is near worthless once a lawsuit is initiated is deeply ingenuous. If the person's image is worthless, then why did AA choose to use it? Obviously, Woody Allen's perceived endorsement had worth and merit to American Apparel, otherwise they wouldn't have gone to the trouble of putting it up on billboards.

It smells like a sleazy, nasty attempt by American Apparel to game the legal system for free publicity in the New York papers, especially should the lawsuit go to court and they can air Woody Allen's sexual laundry in public. Guaranteed headlines. Yet one more reason to never buy anything (ever) from American Apparel . . .

PROFUMUM VANITAS: Vanitas is an odd duck -- part sweet vanilla, part sour myrrh, and with a sprinkling of mellow orange blossoms across the surface, resulting in a fragrance that's packed with more symbolism than your average Shakespeare Cliff Notes.

The term "vanitas" refers to a style of still-life painting that emphasizes the brevity of life and the emptiness of human achievement; hence, the often side by side placement in the Dutch paintings of cascading, blooming flowers and a human skull.

"I'll get you, my pretties!"

In the case of Profumum's Vanitas, the idea of death entwining ambition is expressed utilizing vanilla and orange blossom (stand-ins for life and purity) over a layer of myrrh (the precious oily resin in which dead kings were embalmed). Other reviewers have stated that all they get out of Vanitas is candy and flowers, and while the lush sweetness is indeed prominent, the earthy, chilly undertones of myrrh are ever-present, like a whiff of Grim Reaper as you take your first bite of birthday cake.

And some people think you were swinging that stick at the piñata . . .

Listed fragrance notes: vanilla, myrrh, orange flower and sandalwood. I found the vanilla enjoyable due to the dark, resinous undercurrent curbing its more excessive qualities (and vice versa). The sandalwood is present in the base for smoothing, filling and enhanced longevity, and the longevity of Vanitas is indeed exceptional (which is kind of ironic, when you consider it).

***Side note: my favorite watch (ever!) is the Corum Vanitas.

MICHELE BERGMAN BLACK AMBER: Black Amber is a dark, thick perfume oil with a sweet but decidedly woodsy and vegetal nature. There's nothing powdery or overly sugared about it, and it gets drier and woodsier as time goes on.

Listed fragrance notes: dark and light Tunisian amber, vanilla and patchouli. The patchouli is likely responsible for the scent's somewhat leafy, tree bark quality that's wrapped around the amber and vanilla at its core.

Sakecat experienced Black Amber as more sweet and powdery than I found it to be, but she wrote that it's "oddly comforting in its simplicity."

The longevity of Black Amber is good -- it's an oil so it keeps close to the skin, but it stays and glows for hours. Sakecat disagrees with me about the longevity, too ("This scent seems to fade quickly for an oil").

Go figure.

***Note: I have a fairly sensitive nose when it comes to patchouli, especially the genuine stuff, which is likely why I experience Black Amber as wrapped in leafy, woodsy essences when it's meant to have only a "hint" of patchouli. Others with noses not so hyper-tuned to the patchouli wave-length will probably experience Black Amber in the sweet, powdery way that Sakecat wrote of it.

I can't help but view the launch of Oud 27 as a flop-sweat move on the part of Le Labo. Ever since they opened shop in 2006 with a roster of just ten fragrances, they've been focusing their attention on producing a list of City Exclusives -- fine fragrances that are offered for sale only in specific locations (for example, you can only purchase Le Labo Aldehyde 44 at the Barneys Le Labo counter in Dallas, Texas; and it's not for sale on the Le Labo website or the Barneys website).

When the global economy was chugging along and the money wheels were full of grease, this probably seemed like a good idea, manufacturing a sense of exclusivity out of thin air as Le Labo announced launch after launch that the majority of perfume fans couldn't get their hands on without a serious amount of globe trotting, telephone dialing, emailing and/or faxing (and sometimes all at once): Tuberose 40 for New York City, Poivre 23 for London, Gaiac 10 for Tokyo, Aldehyde 44 for Dallas, Vanille 44 for Paris and Musc 25 for Los Angeles.

But once the chill hit the real estate/financial markets in mid 2008 and the entire luxury goods industry subsequently crashed head-first into economic reality, the idea of keeping almost 35% of the Le Labo fragrance catalog unavailable to the general public probably doesn't seem so chic or smart anymore.

I can only imagine their last quarterly meeting. It probably went down something like this:

Exec #1: Sales are down.
Exec #2: Morale is down.
Exec #3: My stock portfolio is waaaay down.
Exec #2: You said that last quarter.
Exec #3: And it's still true!
Exec #4: Do we have any good news?
Exec #3: Alanis Morissette responded to our spokesperson offer. Her people sent us a list of terms that need clarifying. (*passes sheets of paper around the table*)
Exec #2: (*reads from paper*) "No birds, trees, wild grasses, coral reefs, bumblebees, dolphins, whales, glittery crystals, pretty flowers, faeries, nymphs, dryads, ethnic drummers or third world indigenous peoples can be harmed in the making of any product that Ms. Morrissette endorses."
Exec #3: So much for Galadriel 36.
Exec #2: I don't know (*studies paper*) -- it doesn't say anything here about elf queens.
Exec #4: Knock it off, you two. Anything else?
Exec #1: Oh! The negotiations for our stand alone boutique in Dubai completely fell apart. The project is a no-go.
Exec #4: How is that good news?
Exec #1: Trust me, blowing a bunch of cash on a new boutique is so not in our best interests right now.
Exec #4: You have a point.
Exec #3: So where does that leave the Oud project we were working on? You know, the Dubai City Exclusive that was supposed to accompany the grand opening of the boutique?
Exec #4: Scratch it. Our City Exclusives cost us more money to develop and produce than they bring in. Whose lame-brain idea was this whole City Exclusive thing anyway?
Execs #1, #2, #3: Gerald's!
Exec #4: Fire him.
Exec #1: You fired him yesterday.
Exec #4: Well, fire him again! We have only sixteen fragrances, people, and a full six of them are completely unavailable for the majority of perfume consumers to purchase. Does that make sense to any of you?
Exec #3: Gerald convinced us all that producing City Exclusives would lend our brand a sense of unattainability, making us intensely and immediately desirable to the aspiring luxury consumer.
Exec #2: "You want what you cannot have" -- that kind of thing.
Exec #4: Our accountants don't view product unattainability as intensely or immediately desirable.
Exec #2: Touché.
Exec #1: Well, we could take the Oud project and launch it as a wide release instead of a City Exclusive . . . ?
(*general pause*)
Exec #3: I don't know. Oud is kind of a hard sell in even the best of times.
Exec #1: But we have close to zero customers in the Middle East where oud is very popular, so obviously we have a lot more wall space to throw bottles at.
Exec #2: But don't Montale and M. Micallef have the oud corner already papered over into oblivion?
Exec #1: I think you're all forgetting that we haven't had a new wide release since we first opened in 2006.
Exec #4: That's three years! Who's responsible for that?
Exec #1, #2, #3: Gerald!!!
Exec #4: (*bleepity bleep bleep bleep*)
Exec #2: Then we're about due for a new wide launch, I agree. I mean, we're not going to start pulling in more revenue unless we offer products that consumers can actually buy, right?
Exec #4: Right.
Exec #3: Okay, but will consumers spring for an oud in any significant amount? Most people don't even know what oud is.
Exec #4: Someone will buy it, and that's better than the bottom line hemorrhage we're experiencing now, so make it happen. Any last questions?
Exec #3: Yeah -- can I have Gerald's office?

Listed fragrance notes for Le Labo Oud 27 are: cedar, incense, patchouli, saffron and gaiac wood. Considering that the number "27" in the name stands for how many actual ingredients make up the fragrance's formula, there's a lot that's unaccounted for in the notes list.

The selection of oud is also an odd choice for a general release, especially considering the commercial viability of a number of the present City Exclusive fragrances -- Poivre 23 and Musc 25 are especially good, and I would purchase a bottle of each instantly . . . if I could get my hands on either. But this sour-ish Oud 27? It takes literally hours on the skin before it can be bothered to turn into something more pleasant than a mix of turpentine and pickle juice.

Admittedly, once the turn happens, Oud 27 transforms into a fairly decent class of dry wood scent (the cedar is excellent, though not really any better than Tauer Perfumes L'Air du Desert Marocain), yet there are already hundreds of other dry wood scents available on the market -- and they don't start off smelling so foul.

I like the Le Labo line for the most part, but Tom Ford couldn't even get oud off the ground when he had the backing of YSL and the buzz of his uber-sexy Gucci years behind him, so I don't see Oud 27 as one of their brightest ideas.

Le Labo would have done themselves (and their customers) a much bigger favor by simply ditching the City Exclusive concept and making their entire catalog available for wide release. That would have created more hype, sales and chatter than Oud 27 will ever muster.

I've barely recovered from Christmas and already the birthdays are rolling around. Can't a guy catch some breathing room?

Birthday Girl #1: She globe trots, has great taste, can buy herself what she wants, appreciates good craftsmanship and can spot a pretender a mile away, so what do you get a gal whose closet shelves are already lined with highfalutin' Italian labels?

Why, Marc Jacobs of course:

(click to enlarge)

I'm not usually a fan of whimsy, but in this instance, I'm making a huge exception. The cut-out leather hearts sewn all across the front and back are pure, flat-out, eye-catching quirk. She may not carry it a lot, but for those occasions when she'll be looking in her closet and thinking, "I need something fun!" -- it'll be perfect (or so I'm hoping).

Besides, it's purple. 'Nuff said.

Birthday Girl #2: Hard-working, fun-loving Texas girl with a rock-n-roll edge, and her job just relocated her to New York City. She's tall, Marilyn Monroe curvy and jump starts a room when she walks through the door, so she's pretty set on charm and appeal, but what she lacks is a decent-sized tote bag for carrying what she needs on the daily commute.

In Dallas, she could just toss any extraneous items in the back seat of her car, but that doesn't work so well on the subway. Hence, Miu Miu:

(click to enlarge)

I'm thinking this 16"x11"x9" beaute should help relieve any and all translocational anxieties, not to mention offer plenty of room for chick lit without making it look like she's lugging some gigantic diaper bag on her shoulder.

Plus, it boasts just enough tough-cookie 'tude, as in: "Go bother someone else before I bean you with my metal-studded designer bag!" A Southern girl with armor-plating is a force to be reckoned with.

I'll keep you posted on the reactions. Hopefully, there won't be any returns or exchanges involved, but it's not like I can hit the bulls-eye every time.

What about any of you? If someone gave you a bag for your birthday or Christmas, would you ask to return/exchange it if you didn't really love it? I don't get offended when someone wants to return something I gave them, but it is disappointing to me if I'm not able to make their celebration happier by causing a squeal of delight when they open the box.

UPDATE (04/13/09):

The Miu Miu was a big hit, but the overt whimsy of the Marc Jacobs fell flat. I was half expecting that to happen -- heart decorations can be very hit and miss. So I went back to the drawing board and came up with a solution that I'm told (and I have it on very good authority) will do the trick.

Ann Demeulemeester black leather tie clutch:

click to enlarge

But now the cat is out of the bag . . .

LES NEREIDES MUSC DE SAMARKAND: A springtime-friendly musk -- soft, sweet and girly as all get out. It's not quirky or experimental, just casually pretty from beginning to end, and with decent longevity.

The price point isn't bad, either: $65.00 for 100ml (3.3 ounces).

Listed scent notes: white flowers, vanilla, powdery notes, white musk, labdanum, moss and soft woods. The moss note is very subtle, so expectations for a chypre-type experience would be misplaced. Think more along the lines of vanillic and powdery.

BOIS 1920 COME LA LUNA: Come La Luna is a nice piece of work, but it suffers a little (in my mind) in comparison to its partner fragrance, Vento di Fiori.

They're both citrus, amber, woodsy scents with smoke wafting about the room, but where Vento di Fiori is full of life and mossy vigor, Come la Luna just kind of sits there on the chaise lounge, fanning itself while waiting for someone to bring iced tea.

That doesn't mean it's not attractive -- the incense in its base is really quite beautiful, and it steers the fragrance in a softer, smoother direction than Vento di Fiore, which isn't all bad news, I suppose. It's not like every athlete needs to be a pole-vaulter, right?

Listed fragrance notes: mandarin, sweet orange, rose wood, pink pepper, coriander, patchouli, cedar, amber and incense. It's probably important to note that I like Come la Luna better and better the longer it sits on my skin. The oakmoss, musk and birch in the base of Vento di Fiori is replaced here by cedar and incense, which makes for an altogether more plush and supple ride down the homestretch.

If you consider Vento di Fiori too masculine in nature, but you like it's general structure, Come la Luna might turn out to be just perfect for you. Or perhaps you can do as Kathryn noted with Parfums MDCI Vepres Siciliennes and utilize the livelier Vento di Fiori for day, but with a chaser of Come la Luna for evening wear.

DAWN SPENCER HURWITZ PARFUM DE GRASSE: Parfum de Grasse is just about everything you'd expect from a scent that overtly proclaims its fealty to the capital of French perfumery -- lush florals poured over a honied, earthen base.

Part of Ms. Hurwitz's Perfection Connoisseur Luxury Collection, Parfum de Grasse ditches the synthetics and guns for the real thing: French beeswax, orris concrete, centifolia rose absolute (the famous Grasse rose), Brazilian vetiver -- it's high-quality retro glamor without the accompanying paparazzi and autograph hounds.

Granted, if you're the type who's aching for a bottle full of "Yowza!", Parfum de Grasse will disappoint. The florals are full yet soft, the tinge of citrus at the intro is subtle, and after only a few hours of the refined mimosa, rose, carnation and jasmine bouquet set in beeswax, a polished base of sandalwood, moss and vetiver takes over.

In other words, it's a classic beauty, not the latest trendy siren.

Official listed fragrance notes: Bergamot, Mimosa, Neroli, Carnation Absolute, Centifolia Rose Absolute, French Beeswax, Jasmine, Orris Concrete, Brazilian Vetiver, Moss and Sandalwood. This is one of the few fragrances I've encountered where the orris concrete doesn't lend a powdery quality to the proceedings -- it's more like a bright glimmer from a mile away.

Parfum de Grasse is made with 100% natural essences, absolutes and concretes, and is available in both EDP and Parfum (aka extrait, extract) formulations. Sniffapalooza Magazine has an informative article about Ms. Hurwitz that also includes reviews of a number of her fragrances and essences.

COMME DES GARCONS x STEPHEN JONES: The scent that Comme des Garcons developed for hat-maker (all right -- "milliner") Stephen Jones doesn't stray far from the usual CdG routine -- a dash of weird, a dose of wonk and a trip to the Natural History Museum, just for fun.

Maybe it's because I find the idea of hats as wearable fashion to be a concept we happily liberated ourselves from decades ago (though we probably spend more money on haircuts, hair colors, hair treatments and hair products as a result), but I immediately want to peg CdG x Stephen Jones as adamantly unnecessary, like a jaunty bit of shaped fabric bobby-pinned to the head, with maybe ribbons and a veil . . . and feathers!

"They told me it was a hat, but I think it's alive . . . there! Did you see it move?"

But it defies my best efforts to dismiss it, with its chill violet heart and reflective mica-like surface -- plus the cumin in the base lends the scent a salt and spice drydown mixed with an amber that's a little more detached than warm and sweet, more dry than honied.

The longevity is good to excellent -- eight hours in and I can still smell it on my skin. Not nearly in the same strength level as the DSH Parfum de Grasse, but still, it's there and perfectly noticeable (the Parfum de Grasse, however, is a generous powerhouse of smooth balsamic woodsiness chugging right along for, like, ever!).

Listed fragrance notes: violet leaf, meteorite, cloves, carnation, rose, violet, jasmin, heliotrope, gaïac wood, magma, black cumin, vetiver and amber. The inclusion of "meteorite" and "magma" (magma!) as fragrance notes is over the top, though I'll concede that there seems to be a flinty quality that pops up now and again. The violet leaf + florals of the first half is interesting, but it's the particular mix of black cumin, vetiver and amber in the second act that hits the mark for me.

And the packaging is just so darn perky!

Other reviewers have stated that they consider CdG x Stephen Jones to be flat-out unisex, and I suppose that men could certainly wear it -- I find it a bit delicate, though, really (violets and all that), so I'll compromise and recommend it for formal occasions and tuxedo accoutrement. But women, you can wear it whenever you like, and come sit by me when you do!

***Note: I was determined to not like CdG x Stephen Jones when I first sprayed it on (maybe it was the hats?), but it snuck up on me and hijacked my sense of goodwill when I wasn't looking, so I kind of have to hand it some bonus points for figuring out a way to break in through the back entrance and neutralize my resistance.

Someone is under the mistaken impression that she's clever:

But I made her spit coffee through her nose AND caused her head to explode:

Hmph. Amateurs.

UPDATE:

The gift that keeps on giving:

Hey, AntiM -- do these parallel mirrors make your blog look fat?

So much hot air, so little space to squeeze it into.

1.) Your Guide to the New Fashion Lingo for a Crumbling Economy:
"Austerity chic: Also known as "recession chic", "credit crunch chic" and the "new frugality". Basically it's the description given to the general mood in fashion of less bling, more consideration . . . using a phrase like "austerity chic" can also be a particularly brilliant way of justifying the purchase of vast amounts of cashmere in dark colours."

Other fashion-centric phrases you were dying to have defined for you (if you only knew better, you poor poor things): Conspicuous Austerity, Recession-ista, Reverse Chic, Crisis Chic, Freak-out-onomics, The Lipstick Effect and more.

Don't say we're not about education and self-improvement on this blog. And you're welcome.

2.) As Prada Sales Suffer, Management May Have to Restructure Debt:
"Prada SpA's owners may ask banks to reorganize 1.2 billion euros ($1.6 billion) of debt, freeing cash to open new stores and promote the luxury label's brands in the recession . . . Sales at stores open at least a year fell in 2008, reducing Prada's cash on hand, while earnings declined as fixed costs rose . . . Prada attempted to raise funds through an initial public offering last year, which was postponed after markets slumped."

Miuccia Prada insisted in 2008 that the initial public offering was going to happen, come hell or high water. Well, both economic hell AND recessionary high water happened, and the IPO dreams went down the drain. Prada is now struggling for the cash necessary to keep its ambitious expansion plans afloat.

Prada also owns Miu Miu and Church's shoes, though in 2003 they were forced to sell a 45% stake in Church's to raise needed cash to pay off debt. Since 2001, Prada SpA has shed Helmut Lang, Jil Sander and its stake in Fendi to support the continued expansion of its more successful Prada and Miu Miu brands.

Video clip below for Miu Miu's 2009 Fall/Winter show:

Style.com wrote this about the Fall/Winter 2009 Miu Miu offering: "The nude bras, furry heels, and paillette-covered kneesocks gave the vaguely seventies-feeling clothes an erotic subtext, but sexually charged undercurrents aside, what this Miu Miu outing boiled down to was a collection of great-looking, salable coats."

3.) It's the End of Perfume As We Know It (and I Smell Fine?):
"In the opening article for the latest installment of Perfumes: The Guide, (Tania) Sanchez says: 'This year a number of traditional perfumery materials must be removed from or reduced in all formulas, new and old. Goodbye hydroxycitronellal means goodbye Diorissimo as you knew it' . . . But this is not the only piece of bad news."

New and tighter restrictions are in the future regarding the use of oakmoss, citrus oils, heliotropin, rose derivative damascones, Iso E Super and frankincense (due to the potential over-harvesting of the frankincense tree, leading to its possible classification as a threatened plant species).

In search of frankincense.

You can find a lively discussion of what these restrictions might mean for already existing perfumes over at the Perfume of Life forum (The Death of Perfumery), along with speculation that stricter controls on natural perfumery materials are merely a power-grab by the large flavor and fragrance companies that stand to benefit greatly when the only "safe" ingredients left are their own patented synthetics.

Michelyn Camen of Sniffapalooza Magazine twittered a quote from perfumer Bertrand Duchaufour yesterday (April 7th, 2009) in response to the announcement of new allergen regulations:

So the master bends like a reed in the current. Personally, I'm curious as to the kinds of fragrances that will develop for this multi-billion dollar market as more and more traditional ingredients are banned and new synthetics are created.

Meanwhile, Researchers Discover Male Flower Parts Are Responsible for Potent Grapevine Perfume: "University of British Columbia scientists have traced the fragrant scent of grapevine flowers to pollen grains stored in the anthers, contrary to common perception that petals alone produce perfume . . . 'This was a surprise in fundamental plant biology,' says Joerg Bohlmann, a Distinguished University Scholar and professor in the Michael Smith Laboratories who directed the study. 'This discovery gives us strong clues to the origin and evolution of fragrant flowers.'"

If only teenaged male humans smelled half as nice . . .

4.) Global Luxury Slump Dampens Vogue Sponsored Charity Ball:
"The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute gala is only four weeks away . . . (tables) are usually sold out well in advance of the event date, (but) ... sources say that a redistribution of wealth is underway, even at the charity table, as more profitable brands are asked to shoulder greater costs than their struggling competitors . . . Burberry, Roberto Cavalli, Versace, Gucci, YSL and Alberta Ferretti are just some of the brands who have declined to sponsor tables this season, unlike in previous years."

The article goes on to note that the idea of flying in celebrities, dressing them, putting them up in hotels, wining them, dining them and chauffeuring them (and their demanding entourages) about town is also giving the cash-strapped fashion houses a case of the heebie-jeebies.

In related news, Hawaii bankruptcy filings soar 70 percent: "Hawaii has been hit hard by the global economic crisis, which has caused a sharp drop-off in tourism -- the No. 1 industry in the islands."

Luxury brands have long used Hawaii as the U.S. gateway to the Asian consumer. For the last several decades, Japanese tourist dollars fueled the expansion of boutiques and luxury shopping malls throughout the Hawaiian islands, but with both Asian and American tourism drying up, the gleaming boutiques are now suffering an identity crisis: how do the luxury houses maintain an image of desirability when it's becoming quite obvious that they're one of the first things to get kicked to the curb in a slowing economy?

More bad news from Hawaii: "The tourism downturn is caused by the continuing global crisis . . . Visitor spending (in February) fell 15.9% (year to year) ... according to a report Tuesday by the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism."

But they're probably still selling plenty of booze:

Retail sales drop more than expected in the European Union, while the Hong Kong retail market is also reeling: Hong Kong's retail sales declined 12.6% in February -- but hey, Mercedes Benz sales are up 22% in Hong Kong and China! But don't ask about their sales numbers for the rest of the world (*cough* 25% down overall *cough*).

Unfortunately, the slowdown of retail sales around the world is having devastating effects on employment levels in emerging economies. The Bangladesh government is offering rice subsidies to its unemployed garment workers (the Bangladesh economy relies heavily on garment exports), and the drop in clothes sales ripples through Cambodian garment factories -- "Mon Moeun, one of thousands of Cambodians pulled out of poverty by a job in the garment trade since foreign investors arrived in the 1990s, may soon have to go back to rearing pigs, as Western demand for clothes has collapsed."

5.) Major American Designers Stunned at the Obama Cold Shoulder:
Says Oscar de la Renta -- "American fashion right now is struggling. I think I understand what [Obama and her advisers] are doing, but I don't think that is the right message at this particular point....I don't object to the fact that Mrs. Obama is wearing J. Crew to whatever because the diversity of America is what makes this country great. But there are a lot of great designers out there. I think it's wrong to go in one direction only."

Other established names that have been cut out of the White House fashion runway show (that fashion mags and fashion blogs appear to view as Michelle Obama's raison d'etre): Donna Karan, Vera Wang, Carolina Herrera, Calvin Klein and Ralph Lauren.

Michael Kors is the only big name American designer that's had the good fortune to see his designs fluttering from the national fashion flagpole: "'She's the first First Lady who's ever worn sportswear,' he says. 'If you think about it, she's worn everybody from Azzedine Alaïa to Michael Kors to Isabel Toledo or Jason Wu to J. Crew to Donna Ricco.'"

Video clip below from the Michael Kors Fall/Winter 2009 collection -- plan on seeing various items pop up in photos from state dinners and functions:

In related news, Michelle Obama causes consternation to American designers when she steps out in European designer labels like Azzedine Alaïa, Gunex, Etro and Moschino while traveling abroad.

From the Azzedine Alaia Wikipedia page: "Michelle Obama wore a formal black knit sleveless dress with a ruffled skirt designed by Alaïa to the NATO dinner with heads of state in Strasbourg, France on 3 April 2009. Her choice of fashion by this French couturier broke the tradition of American First Ladies wearing styles by American designers to such events."

6.) Saks Fifth Avenue Sees Widening of Luxury Price Points:
"Saks Inc. will pass on lower prices from top brands such as Prada and Christian Dior, which the upscale chain said on Friday will help spur sales during a deepening economic recession . . . 'What we are we finding is our customer is gravitating to the very best pieces, but they are also moving down a little bit because of good pricing,' (said Saks CEO Steve) Sadove . . . 'What you're seeing is a gravitation and a widening of the mix that a Prada, that a Chanel will offer. A widening of the price point within the brand.'"

In 2007, you wouldn't dream of finding a Prada or Dior handbag for less than $1,000.00, yet this year, Prada and Dior will both be offering selections in the $800 to $900 price range. Top Tier luxury houses, including Chanel, Versace, Gucci and more, are widening their price spreads in order to retain customer loyalty -- creating special items that cash-crunched consumers can still consider purchasing.

Because, you know, a brand new $900.00 handbag is just the thing for when you don't have a job and your life-savings has been wiped out by a Wall Street ponzi scheme.

UPDATE:

7.) Women's sense of smell evolved to sniff out bad mates:
"Preti and other pheromone researchers suspect that mammalian olfactory systems actually evolved to detect chemical traces of genetic incompatibility in the odors of potential mates . . . 'Men produce thousands of gametes every day, women just one every month,' Preti said. 'Their investment in a reproductive event is higher than men's, so they're more biologically attuned to who they're mating with.'"

But remember, ladies -- the sniffing is only interested in physical traits and characteristics for the purpose of reproduction, and not at all concerned with how much of a jerk the guy might turn out to be.

CHANEL NO. 18: Part of the recently launched Les Exclusifs line, Chanel No. 18 gets a lot of love from the usual perfume suspects: "The striking simplicity of this composition belies its inherent loveliness" (Bois de Jasmin); "feels as if one were suddenly gliding and skating on a frozen pond of icy and satiny orris sensations" (The Scented Salamander); "It truly is unlike any other fragrance I've experienced" (For the Love of Perfume); and "No. 18 speaks to me about the opalescent surface of pearls, about the cold, dazzling transparency of diamonds" (Perfume Smellin' Things).

Of course, there are others who think it smells like sour dill pickles . . .

The fragrance is indeed unique and satiny and opalescent (and yes, even a bit sour-dill pickle musk, which I think only enhances the surface sheen), but if it didn't have the Chanel name on the label, would there really be so much heavy breathing involved? After all, the stuff wears extremely close to the skin -- so close, in fact, that it borders on "Where's Waldo?" territory after only three hours.

Such "softness" is often cause for complaint from the very same writers who can presently be found writhing in bloggy pleasure over No. 18, but then again, a whisper-soft scent can be the perfect solution for numerous occasions when something more prominent would be out of place, if not unwelcome (e.g. the theater, business meetings, the office, a wine tasting, rock climbing, sport fishing, taxidermy, etc.).

Still, it seems less than desirable to shell out big bucks for a bottle of fume that you literally have to bury your nose into your own skin to smell after just three hours have passed, no matter how dazzling those faint little wisps may be (in all fairness, however, generous and frequent application can overcome this flaw, just be prepared to lug that honkin' big 200ml bottle along with you wherever you go).

No. 18 features ambrette seed (aka musk ambrette and musk seed) as its main player, and Chanel perfumer Jacques Polge himself described the fragrance as "musty, dusty and dry."

Video clip below of an interview with Mr. Polge:

ODORI ZAFFERANO: Zafferano shares a musty, dusty quality with Chanel No. 18, but the similarities end there (well, we won't count the single, slight rose tossed into the mix of both). Where No. 18 glosses over its musty core with a polished, shimmering surface, Zafferano embraces its dry, dusty mustiness and runs with it -- until it hits smack into a wall of juicy red berries, that is.

Listed fragrance notes are: American cedar, Italian saffron, raspberry flowers, wild rose petals, Moroccan jasmine, lily of the valley, oriental amber and rosewood. The cedar accentuates the dryness of the scent, and it's the saffron that injects the juice with that musty, hay-like character. The rose, jasmine, lily of the valley and raspberry flowers exist to soften the scent's sharper edges.

The drydown is a plank of sanded wood that's been shellacqued with raspberry blossom honey. It sounds odd, but it works . . . mostly.

Zafferano exhibits good longevity (better than Chanel No. 18) and the placement of the raspberry note in the base nudges it into unisex classification. It might make for a good warmer weather fragrance, but lately, everything seems like it's "good" for warmer weather. I'm so into the sunshine we're now seeing after months of clouds and rain and cold weather that if there's just a hint of green or berryish life to it, out comes my "Good for Spring/Summer!" stamp of approval.

Honestly, though? I'd of liked Zafferano better if it had remained just hay, saffron and woods. The raspberry at the end is a little jarring.

***Note: okay, it's probably not completely fair to say that No. 18 virtually disappears after three hours -- it keeps coming back up for air at random, surprising intervals before submerging once again. I swear, I'm going about my day having forgotten all about it when suddenly *pow!* I smell it and think, "A-ha! There you are!" . . . and then it's gone.

OFF TOPIC (but fascinating):

The brain is a curious thing:

"The illusion exploits our brain's strategy for making sense of the visual world: uniting what it actually sees -- known as bottom-up processing -- with what it expects to see based on prior experience -- known as top-down processing."

It makes you wonder what else we see, smell and hear that our brains reprocess according to established known patterns.

PARFUMS MDCI VEPRES SICILIENNES: Vepres Siciliennes is fruity and floral and woodsy, plus creamy and mossy and musky, with a continuously evolving scent roster that says "Fruity Floral Gourmand Chypre" while switching out the supporting players at every stage of the game.

The official list of fragrance notes is boggling: mandarin, grapefruit, peach, pepper, green leaves, cardamom, muguet (aka lily of the valley), magnolia, jasmine, ylang ylang, rose, tuberose, heliotrope, osmanthus, raspberry, cloves, plum, coconut, musk, amber, oakmoss and cedarwood. How it even manages to keep its head above water, much less allow the wearer to breathe, is a mystery beyond my capabilities of solving -- but it does both, and quite admirably.

The moss is a note I sense throughout the entire life of the fragrance, with a roster of fruits and florals parachuted in at various intervals for effect. The drydown is warm and ambered without going overly sweet -- again, the deep green moss is likely the reason for that.

I would think Vepres Siciliennes would be a mite mature and showy for casual wear, the equivalent of fastening an heirloom diamond-encrusted tiara onto your head for a trip to the mall, but I suppose I'd sooner be dazzled by a trail of Vepres Siciliennes while shopping for t-shirts than gassed by a cloud of the latest Ed Hardy, so don't let its seeming air of formality get in your way.

Price Point: $$$

SINFONIA DI NOTE JARDIN D'ORIENT: Starts off smelling like a case of toxic solvent in a machanic's garage (is that supposed to be the aldehydes?), yet within the space of about twenty minutes, Jardin D'Orient smooths out into a cracklin'-dry cedar/patchouli combo dusted with sharp spices.

I'm not certain where the "garden" aspect is supposed to come in play, since it smells mainly of woods and black pepper. There's some carnation allegedly tossed into the pot, but as carnation tends to come across more spicy than floral, the dry, exotic sensation is only intensified.

Scent notes are: aldehydes, carnation, patchouli, spices, cedar and amber. Jardin D'Orient skews unisex to masculine, especially with its near-harsh opening, yet it wouldn't be out of bounds for a female to give it a whirl -- and while it could easily be worn in cooler months, I also think it would make an excellent summer fragrance, not because it's light or fresh, but because of how sun blasted and splintery it smells.

***Note: a good thing to also keep in mind regarding the above fragrances is that the Parfums MDCI Vepres Siciliennes lasts for frickin' EVER (it's over 8 hours later and the drydown is noticeably striking -- a smooth, mossy amber) while the Sinfonia di Note Jardin D'Orient exhibits your average 4-5 hour lifespan. The excellent longevity of Vepres Siciliennes does partly justify its price tag.

If Part 1 was all about the agony, then Part 2 should offer somewhat of a counterbalancing dose of ecstasy. Thankfully, I can oblige.

The one good thing about suffering the travails of sensitive skin in bloggy public is the feedback -- I received a lot of excellent advice from far-flung sources, and while not every single piece of it was bound to work for me, I was able to collect all the separate parts together and come out with a clear picture of what I was doing wrong in my approach to hyper-sensitive skin, and how I could manage to do better in the future.

For example, there comes a time in the life of every sensitive-skinned person when he must confront the fact that the harder he fights, the worse things are likely to get:

Behold the stockpile of weapons, and welcome to mutually assured destruction!

So while "Less is more!" might just seem like another worn-out cliche, it was absolutely applicable in this instance. Every treatment, serum, masque, scrub, exfoliator, soother, calmer, cooler and redness eradicator was just one more step on the super-highway to facial crash and burn.

In fact, I think one of the best pieces of advice I received turned out to be the simplest and easiest: grapeseed oil as a shaving treatment:

Grapeseed oil -- it's not just for stir-fry anymore.

After a week of slathering grapeseed oil on my neck and face as a pre-shave treatment, I can easily say that my post-shave skin has never been happier. The bumps, irritations and redness have radically decreased, and I like the Zirh aloe-vera based shave cream, as well. I think both Dawn and Thomas suggested that particular brand, and it seems to work really well. Much better than the parade of Sensitive Skin shave creams that I was using previously.

But why take my word for it when I can show a before and after photo -- the difference between the damage that Ole Henriksen Clean Shave (for "sensitive skin") contributed to my skin and the protection that simple Grapeseed oil now offers my skin is fairly dramatic:

Before grapeseed oil vs. After grapeseed oil. Nifty, eh?

I also received a lot of terrific advice on moisturizing lotions and facial cleansers. In fact, more than one commenter suggested I give up on cleansers altogether and just use plain old soap and water -- which comes back to the less is more solution. This got me thinking a little harder about what was happening to my skin and how I might be exacerbating the issues rather than solving them.

You see, I'd always assumed that one of my biggest issues was adult acne, with its bumps and redness and irritations, so I was using adult acne treatments for sensitive skin, plus clearing masques, mud packs, spot serums, etc. A commenter with a good eye and an astute sense of "been there done that" perception (Okay, it was Juno, though Kathryn, Dawn, Tara and all the rest who left comments played major supporting roles), suggested that I was actually experiencing allergic reactions to all the acne treatments I was using -- plus the treatments were drying out my skin and causing further breakouts.

Juno then whispered two magic words that I shall never forget -- Dr. Hauschka:

This is the part where angels start to sing and a light bursts from the heavens.

After my mishaps with the DermaDoctor, Ole Henriksen, Kate Somerville, Fresh, Skyn, Kinerase, Cosmedicine, Neutrogena, Clinique and DDF brands (and that's a lot of weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth), I was skeptical of yet one more skin care product line making sensitive skin claims, but I was also desperate and knew I would kick myself if I didn't at least give it the old college try . . . and what do you know, but Hauschka works!

I know! I'm having a hard time believing it, myself.

There's one Dr. Hauschka product in particular, called the Rhythmic Night Conditioner Sensitive, that's kind of pricey, and when I first applied it to my skin, I thought, "Oh for god's sake, whatever, this is just over-priced filtered water that they think I can't tell -- *GASP!* LOOK AT MY BEAUTIFUL SKIN!!!"

Seriously, the stuff must be the triple diamond-distilled hopes and dreams of my personal guardian angel, because I wake up every morning with the tone and texture of my skin even more improved from the night before. I'm still experiencing minor problems with dryness, but the Dr. Hauschka daytime moisturizer is light and non-greasy and probably the only cream I've ever put on my face without an accompanying two to three hour flare-up of redness and skin irritation.

Just seven days post itchy-scratchy hell, and I'm one happy camper -- that's a "Part 2" I can live with.

Re: updates/reports on other products:

1.) The Kate Somerville line eventually turned out to be a bust for me, and I'll be passing my products on to my sister and/or her children. The moisturizer irritated my skin, though mildly (much like the Clinique Redness Solutions moisturizer, which I'll also be passing on to someone else), and the other Somerville products I had purchased were for acne-prone skin, so they turned out to be extremely drying and aggravating for my face.

2.) The Complex 15 lotion someone recommended is indeed very light and non-greasy, but it's not compatible with my face. I'm presently using it for my hands, arms and legs (the Cetaphil lotion I was using was much too heavy), though I'm not certain if it will be a permanent choice, since I think I might be experiencing the beginning of breakouts on my shoulders and legs as a result of its use. I love how airy the formula is, though.

3.) I had used several products from the Fresh line for a couple of years -- the Fresh Soy face cleanser and the Fresh Umbrian Clay mask, in particular. The skin irritations I first experienced were mild enough to be tolerated, but as time wore on, the reactions became worse and worse and I finally had to abandon the use of Fresh skin care products. Their rose face mask smells wonderful and left my face feeling amazingly hydrated, but I also turned beet red and broke out in a rash of pimples after the second use. The same with their Brown Sugar Body Polish -- terrifically hydrating but hard on the pores.

4.) Murad Redness Therapy Recovery Treatment Gel and Redness Therapy Correcting Moisturizer -- wow, my face grew downright angry with me when I used these two products. Abort! Abort!

So I want to express a very special thanks to everyone who left comments and emails with suggestions, sympathy and solutions. I'm beyond pleased (and grateful) that many of you took the time to offer advice that helped me finally fight my way through this thorny thicket of skin irritations and allergies.

And if what I learned here can help someone else even the tiniest bit . . .

What was I even thinking?!!

UPDATE (05/08/09):

Just a quick update to state that, really, the simplest solutions are sometimes the best.

Right now, I use the Dr. Hauschka Cleansing Cream for sensitive skin, and follow it up with grapeseed oil as a moisturizer (I gently pat it on in very small amounts -- it absorbs quickly into the skin so that there's no shiny, oily look). And for shaving, I use only a very generous slathering of grapeseed oil. Period.

I was thinking I needed to use a branded moisturizer or masque, but all of them proved irritating, and some of them exceptionally so (even the Hauschka and Daybreak Lavender Farm products). Grapeseed oil solves any dry-skin problems I have while acting as a soothing, calming agent, and because I have very dry skin, before washing my face, I smooth in a layer of grapeseed oil and let it sit for a minute or so. This protects the skin and prevents my facial cleanser from acting too harshly.

One more thing: Daybreak Lavender Farms has a shea butter treatment that I can't use on my face (it makes my face break out), but it's fantastic as a body moisturizer: Healing Shea Butter with Face Feed. All I can say is -- wow! It melts into the skin and provides the perfect amount of moisture.

I'm not the type that swoons over leather fragrances and/or leather notes in fragrance. My nose translates them as a bit sour, no matter how floral, vanillic or smokey the surrounding landscape, which makes Laurie Erickson's latest release a bit of a challenge.

On the one hand, working with leather notes in perfumery can be like working with civet -- civet doesn't smell good on its own and the balance has to be just right to get its nose-wrenching character to work for the good of the fragrance instead of just torpedoing it to the ocean floor. On the other hand, a spoonful of civet can make the flowers grow so wonderfully tall.

Listed fragrance notes are: cedar, sandalwood, tobacco, leather, vetiver, patchouli, clove, labdanum absolute, tonka bean, amber, vanilla and musk. The first two to three hours hover on the edge of too much leather for my nose (but if you'll see my reviews for Reve en Cuir and Cuir Mauresque, you'll notice that leather is a note my nose is very sensitive towards), but once the initial piss-and-vinegar calms itself down, Tabac Aurea blooms into a startlingly warm and complex interaction of wood, amber and musk notes, with a jammy berry that crops up in the homestretch.

I say "startling" because it's almost shocking that a fragrance so rich and enveloping didn't step off a steamer ship straight out of Italy or France. Sunny, new-world California gets bragging rights for this one.

While other reviewers have raved about a prominent tobacco experience, I don't get that at all out of Tabac Aurea (and yes, I know, it's even got tobacco in its title . . . go figure). My nose is too busy sniffing out the leather, patchouli, tonka, labdanum, cedar, amber, vetiver, vanilla and musk, and in my defense, that's a lot to keep one nose busy.

Strangely enough, for its long list of potent ingredients, it doesn't feel at all overstuffed or overdone. I've noted in previous reviews the admirable balance that Erickson achieves in her work. Tabac Aurea is no exception.

If you're a fan of warm, woodsy fragrances with a dash of vanilla and a lashing of leather, you're likely to get a huge kick out of Tabac Aurea; however, if you're sensitive to the placement of leather notes in perfumes (like I am), you might possibly consider sticking with some of Ms. Erickson's other works. For example, her Ambre Noir is brain-numbingly appealing -- like a powder-puff dipped in a vat of burnt sugar. In the middle of a magic forest.

Oh, never mind what I'm doing in the middle of a forest with a bunch of powder puffs, just roll with it!

Added bonus: Tabac Aurea has a very healthy lifespan on the skin, and the longer you wear it, the more deeply intriguing it gets. But what I really want to know is, however did she manage to tuck that ripe, dark berry into what's otherwise an ambered, woodsy drydown? Clever.

UPDATE:

Laurie Erickson herself has a blog entry up about the various ways in which people are experiencing her new Tabac Aurea. Give it a read: Tabac Aurea Reviews (and a note on scent individuality)

And for another opinion about the use of Leather in fragrances, check out this post from independent perfumer Liz Zorn: Leather Notes in Perfumery

PARFUMS DELRAE EMOTIONELLE: Apparently, Parfums DelRae's latest release, Emotionelle, has become as polarizing a topic on perfume blogs as last year's launch of Hermes' Un Jardin Apres La Mousson -- I guess you either like it or you hate it.

Reactions range from cranky distaste: "Melon is the new black. It is not the new black I was hoping for as I stuck pins in my sweet-fruity-floral voodoo doll, but there you are: be careful what you wish for" to wild admiration: "This is pure Salvador Dali! . . . The entire day I had the feeling that I was under the spell of Parfum de Thèrese where by a magic word the melon became a gigantic hybrid from another planet" -- and while my own admiration isn't wild, I do find Emotionelle to be conceptually daring, and all the more intriguing because of it.

Granted, if your taste runs along the lines of flirty and girly, Emotionelle will likely give you the heaves. This is not melon done up with a sweet, frothy bow -- instead, there's a lashing of dark clove-studded orange that crashes head-on into a ripe cantaloupe while a riot of florals (ylang-ylang, violet, jasmine, iris and rose) scramble to get out of the way.

Sounds like fun, doesn't it? Okay, it's also a bit messy and dramatic, but you can't make an omelette without setting the foxes on fire . . . or something like that.

The current of notes that swirl beneath the fruit and flowers is rich and resinous, almost like an undertow, really -- it can pull you under when you're least expecting it and deposit you, panting for breath, five miles down the shoreline. Prune, honey, cinnamon, labdanum, vanilla, vetiver, cedarwood . . . I mean, they're kidding, right? How's a girl supposed to even walk in heels so high?

Well, Emotionelle isn't for girls, and that's the main distinction. It's as if the people at Parfums DelRae decided that all this disdain for fruity florals was because no one was bothering to make any for the adults in the room -- so they did. Make one for the adults, I mean. And here it is, all bronzed and viscous and daring you to embrace its collision of unstoppable forces.

The usual fruity-floral suspects won't know what hit 'em. Fans of light, sheer minimalism will run screaming.

Emotionelle is most definitely gender specific (female), and would work best as a summer evening fragrance to pair with cocktails on the lawn. It ends with a whimper, too -- a soft, smooth sigh of vetiver and cedar.

***Note: I really (really!) wanted to say that this is a melon scent with balls. Get it? Melon? Balls? I'm a dork, I know."

Oh, hey! Speaking of melons and balls:

"Fresh cantaloupe!"

PROFUMI DI PANTELLERIA MAESTRALE: Maestrale is a less dramatic affair than Emotionelle -- it's lighter, breezier, with a living, green rhubarb shot through its heart. But it's also got rum!

It takes a stronger man than I to say no to rum.

Listed scent notes: bergamot, lavender, rhubarb, rum, jasmine, iris, cardomom, coriander, cedarwood, vetiver and ambrette seeds. The ambrette seeds (aka "musk seeds") lend the drydown a smooth texture layered across -- yet again -- a soft vetiver and cedar mix.

Maestrale is lighter and cooler than Emotionelle -- greener and more fresh on the vine, plus the lavender and iris add a sheer high note that's missing from the depths of Emotionelle (some people might consider it a "watery" note, though it's certainly not the kind of marine infusion that's recently fallen out of fragrance fashion . . . and none too soon).

While I admire Emotionelle for its complexity and creativity, I'd actually consider wearing Maestrale. It's more casual, easy and carefree (rhubarb + rum = pie at a pub). And it doesn't smell like melons!

1.) And you thought we had it bad:
"Moscow ... is taking a massive hit as recession bites. The Russian capital is (was) the world's fourth-largest luxury goods market, buying more than 80% of Russia's luxury branded goods . . . Donatella Versace and Tom Ford jetted in just last year to talk of their expansion plans in Russia to enthusiastic crowds and those plans are now history . . . A single sheet of paper taped on the whitewashed windows of Vivienne Westwood's sole Russian store says it is closed for 'repairs'."

Designers talk off the record about former high-flying Russian clients scaling back on new purchases, but both Chanel and Louis Vuitton are continuing with expansion plans in Russia, reporting steady sales for their accessories, especially their logo handbags.

In related news, Lanvin opens a new U.K. boutique, Chloe expands to Los Angeles and Gucci unveils its newly renovated London digs.

Speaking of Gucci, the $3.7 million dollars they supposedly co-raised with Madonna at a lavish February 2008 fundraiser for her pet Malawi charity is as yet unaccounted for. Neither party would comment. Madonna also courted recent controversy by touring an impoverished Malawi school in a $2800.00 Chanel tracksuit.

2.) Topshop Makes Its U.S. Debut April 2nd:
"Following (March 30th's) sneak peek at the new Kate Moss collection, the (Topshop) brand releases its latest collections by two British design houses; Jonathan Saunders and Preen . . . The collections are both released in selected Topshop stores and online at www.topshop.com on April 2."

I think H&M is about to get some seriously stiff competition here in the U.S., while Target can probably kiss its designer collaborations goodbye, especially since Topshop will be offering their goods online in the U.S., as well.

Below is a video clip of the kind of edgy but surprisingly affordable fashion goods (especially in comparison to straight-up high fashion brands) Topshop offers:

3.) Designers Grudgingly Lower Prices for U.S. Retailers:
"Retailers that have lost a lot of money in the downturn, including Saks, Neiman Marcus, and Nordstrom, are asking designers to lower prices . . . Many have slashed budgets by up to 30 percent, and with the exception of a handful, designers are obliging and lowering prices ... Oscar de la Renta CEO Alex Bolen said they didn't want to lower prices, but had no choice ... Chloé has already marked down prices -- its pre-fall collection was about 35 percent less than a year ago."

Some brands are not budging on prices, however: Chanel, Prada and Versace (though Prada has announced a 10% price discount for Japanese retailers).

Meanwhile, Versace sees 2008 profits fall 30%: "In a statement, Versace said the results 'coincide with the strategic goal of making the Asian market [Versace's] second largest after Europe in terms of sales, as forecast by our industrial project.' As reported, Versace has invested 45 million euros, or $57.5 million, in 11 new stores."

No wonder they don't want to cut prices.

In response to the economic upheaval, global luxury behemoth Richemont is moving and shaking: "Cie. Financiere Richemont SA, the second-biggest luxury company, said it will hire Martha Wikstrom (a former Nordstrom's Inc. and Harrods executive) to develop its leather, fashion and accessory brands as it seeks to eliminate losses . . . 'Dunhill and Chloe are well-known brands, but not as strong as others, such as Gucci or LVMH or Hermes,' said Thomas Deitz, an analyst at ABN Amro Bank NV. 'So they need a multi- year phase of significant investment. Managing that crucial phase will be Wikstrom's hardest task. This involves as well attracting top designer talent and re-positioning the brands in order to attract the desired clientele.'"

Below is a video clip from the Chloe Fall/Winter 2009/10 runway show. Chloe has been floundering ever since designer Phoebe Philo left the company in early 2006 (Philo has recently signed on with LVMH to revive their struggling Celine label). Fun factoid -- Karl Lagerfeld used to design for Chloe back in the 60's and 70's :

4.) Oscar de la Renta Gets His Moment On Stage:
Remember when our dear Oscar got his designer knickers in a fashionable twist over the decision of the New York Met to choose European designers over American designers for some of their big productions? Well: "Forget what you know about frilly tutus and pink tights and get ready to travel back to a time when cocktail was chic. The Alabama Ballet will trade traditional attire for gowns and tuxes by famed designer Oscar de la Renta in its upcoming performance of Twyla Tharp's Nine Sinatra Songs."

It figures it takes a performance group in Alabama to grasp the big picture first.

5.) Marc Jacobs Lemon to Launch April 1st:
"Created by perfumer Stephen Nilsen of Givaudan, this citrus fragrance invigorates with an energizing blend of bucchu leaf, crushed mint leaves, verbena and pettigrain citronnier orpur. At the heart of the fragrance is iced Italian lemon . . . Available from selected department stores from 1 April."

Accompanying the release of Lemon will be the rereleases of his Cucumber (originally released in 2007) and Rain (originally released in 2000). Fragrances are cheap to manufacture and the profit margins are high, so expect to see a lot of fragrance rereleases and new launches as the market for clothing and accessories continues to cool.

As if to underscore the point: Men's colognes lighten up for spring -- "this season, some of the biggest names in men's clothing are rolling out new entries -- so even if the recession has kept their clothes out of your closet this season, you can still maintain an air of luxury."

6.) But Will It Match My Shoes and Bag?:
" The Hyundai Genesis Prada model ... is reportedly modified to suit the tastes of Prada's CEO, Patrizio Bertelli . . . External changes include a matte midnight-blue paint ... accentuated by a brushed titanium finish . . . The Genesis' grille, emblem, and door handles (are) plated in a matte gold finish (with) titanium-finish 20-inch wheels and roof antenna . . . Most of the Genesis' interior, including the seats, center console, and dashboard, is bathed in Prada's signature Saffiano leather."

Only three examples of the Hyundai Genesis Prada were manufactured. One will remain at the Hyundai showroom (to tease customers with what they can't have?) while the other two will be auctioned off for charity. You can find exterior and interior shots of the car here.

7.) Ted Baker Profits Fall 19%:
"Fashion chain Ted Baker... revealed a 19.5% drop in annual pre-tax profit . . . Commenting on the current retail environment, founder and chief executive Ray Kelvin said, 'The economic climate remains uncertain and our expectations for the year ahead reflect this. However, we believe the group is well placed to weather this difficult environment. We have a strong balance sheet and will continue to invest in the development of the Ted Baker brand.'"

Well, yes, of course, they do have to present that stiff upper lip -- the good of the shareholders and all.

In related news, Laura Ashley Profits Plunge, Hugo Boss cuts expansion plans by 50% as net income drops 27%, Nike cuts 1400 jobs and Indian Exporters face serious challenges as major economies slow down: "Exports declined in February for the fifth straight month, and the fall was the sharpest in more than a decade . . . "The result is unwelcome, but not surprising. The current global economic environment is perhaps the worst in decades. Businesses and consumers around the world have cut back on spending, and international trade has therefore slumped in recent months."

Even street-smart, fast-fashion giant H&M is struggling: H&M Reports First Drop in Quarterly Profit Since 2003.

Meanwhile, Banana Republic has decided to fight falling profits and slow clothing sales by opening an accessories only store: "Called Edition, the new concept will sell limited-editions of handbags and jewelry as well as accessories sold at Banana Republic--much of it priced below $100.00."

I noted back in January of 2008 that Burberry was taking similar action.

A little glimmer of good news, Hogan and Tod's are reporting a rise in profits: "Luxury goods maker Tod's SpA (on) Tuesday said full-year 2008 net profit rose slightly but it is hard to give guidance on 2009 due to current retail sector turmoil . . . Hogan sales surged 19.6%, while Tod's, its signature brand, rose only 2.6%."

But that's so much nicer than a 27% drop, right? Tod's has been increasing its market share ever since designer Derek Lam was signed on to inject a fresh, sporty look into the brand. Video clip below of a Vogue.TV interview with Derek Lam and his thoughts on designing for Tod's:

UPDATE:

French fashion conglomerate PPR (owner of Gucci Group) is planning to lay off 1200 workers. Angry employees held PPR CEO François-Henri Pinault near hostage in a taxi as they protested the layoffs. But demand across the globe for luxury goods is shrinking, so what else is he supposed to do? Magically create sales where there are none?