Beautiful Black Perfume Bottles & Smelling Black {Scented Thoughts & Perfume List}
I have finally come up with a list of Beautiful Black Perfume Bottles. Writing down these names and comparing the bottles amongst themselves made me realize certain common points that they share and some of the ideas regarding the treatment in black of perfume bottles. I will pick a few to see if the contents match the aesthetics of the flacon.
I have already come up with the thought that some perfumes should be dressed in black to convey the full impact of their personalities, like Dzing!, Femme, Youth-Dew, Royal Secret, Réglisse, Sables, Patchouli Antique, or Lonestar Memories (yes, Andy). Which brings me to think that Coffee scents, as I see it, would be enhanced by black flacons for containers although if that became a dictum it would soon become boring. When I try imagining a coffee scent held captive in a pink bottle, it somehows makes me feel ill in the stomach...
I suppose that intense scents, suggested by a black coffee note, belong in black bottles. The interesting question for me is to see whether a not-so-intense scent gets to be perceived as more of something because it is coded in black, like Nocturnes Parfum by Caron.
Some scents are dark yet remain of a very dark brown rather than veer to a credible black in my perception of them, like Ambre Russe, probably because in my mind amber and davana remain on the edge of black. However notes like tar, coffee, licorice, patchouli or Immortelle easily build associations with the color black.... or do they all the time? We'll see. Some green notes have a lot of black in them like galbanum.
I am wondering what is the blackest perfume by Serge Lutens? Is there even one such by him? How would a perfume made up of only naturally-occurring black ingredients smell like? Very intensely and disturbingly black?
This reminds me of an experiment that was conducted at a dinner at the Palais de l'Elysée where only white food was served over the entire course of an official dinner. It turned out to be grossly unappetizing despite the high quality of the cooking. Doing it with black food would probably have the same effect.
Lately I have come to realize more forcefully how the sense of sight contributes to the sense of smell as now it happens often that when I see a picture of a flacon or a flower or fruit I start smelling what I am seeing. If I take the image away the smell fades away and when I set eyes again on the image source the smell reappears. It is not exactly the same as reacting to the color black but it shows, to me at least, that olfactory memory/perception can be effectively stimulated by a visual signal.
More on black in perfumery to come.
And the nominees, in no particular order, are (for perfume bottles that are still available, not antiquities):
Arpège Parfum by Lanvin
Arpège for Men by Lanvin
Bandit by Piguet
Gala Loewe by Loewe
Black Orchid by Tom Ford
Kisu by Tann Rokka
Joy Parfum by Patou
Asja by Fendi
Fendi Men by Fendi
Nocturnes Parfum by Caron
Black by Bulgari
Chaos by Donna Karan (my favorite of the black DK bottles)
Zen by Shiseido (non-export line)
Opium Collector Edition by YSL
Ferre by Ferre
Kölnisch Juchten
Habanita by Molinard
Wall Street by Bond no 9
Silences by Jacomo
Scent Intense by Costume National
Paloma Picasso by Paloma Picasso
Ombre Rose Parfum by Jean-Claude Brosseau
Narcison Rodriguez edt by Narciso Rodriguez
K. Cole Black Woman
K. Cole Black Man
Rive Gauche Homme
Encre Noire by Lalique
No 1 by Clive Christian
Nuit de Noël by Caron (thanks AnneE)
L'Arte di Gucci by Gucci (thanks to Anna)
Photo: Black Square by Kasimir Malevitch from russianpaintings.net
Previous Posts in Perfume Lists:
Perfume List: My Favorite Summer Scents, Part II
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Comments
Great list - I've forgotten about many of these.
For the beauty of the bottle alone, I would have to go with Arpege. And I would add Caron's Nuit de Noel for runner-up. Both gorgeous classics.
Posted by: AnnE | October 23, 2006
Oh yes, completely forgot about Nuit de Noël! Counting on you guys to complete the list.
Posted by: Mimi | October 23, 2006
Chicane de Jacomo, I believe, was black, along w/Septieme Sens by Rykiel [a great leather favorite of mine years ago].
These were simple, but the jus within were marvellous....and discontinued, alas.
Helene, I've been remiss, and I've missed you !
[Beats breast a la Catholique and repeats soullessly-"C'est ma faute, c'est ma faute, c'est ma plus grevieuse faute"]
Posted by: Anonymous | October 23, 2006
I blooped !
Mea culpa...
Posted by: chayaruchama | October 23, 2006
The Armani Prive bottles are black wood, and they are quite lovely in person.
Hmmm. Fragrances that would be black, if they conveyed a color:
Bvlgari Black
Black Cashmere
SMN Nostalgia
My Sin
Armani Prive Bois d'Encens
Are there others?
To me, the Serge fragrances are ... too vivid? Mostly red. Or green.
Deep blue is unusual in a fragrance, but light blue is common. (Not the actual color; the feel.) L'Heure Bleue is perhaps deep blue. Inky.
My apologies if I sound nuts. It was fun to ponder.
Posted by: March | October 23, 2006
Mimi!
What about L'Arte di Gucci? First - it's black. and second - it's very beautiful :)
Posted by: Anna | November 6, 2006
Anna,
You are so right. The bottle is wonderful and the scent too, except that now that I have experienced Soir de Lune by Sisley I have to say that the latter smells even more refined and expensive.
Thank you for the reminder.
Posted by: Marie-Hélène | November 6, 2006