Parfums Givenchy sent a press communiqué three days ago as they wanted to clarify some mistaken assumptions about the arrival of Uma Thurman as their latest fragrance spokesperson. Apparently and as far as I was able to check on some boards and celebs site, some of those turned the event into some kind of mud-wrestling contest between Thurman and Liv Tyler.
At TSS, I assumed Givenchy was rather happy to have one more celebrity face and was not going to curtail their efforts in this thriving field. It's like adding one more diamond to your crown these days if you consider the examples of Coty and Parlux. But new details have surfaced at the same time, so for the fans of Uma Thurman, here is what you can expect...
• Breaking news: Actress Uma Thurman is going to be Givenchy's next celebrity face for an upcoming feminine fragrance to be launched in September 2009. Givenchy is part of the Louis-Vuitton-Moët-Hennessy group (LVMH) and has already worked with celebs Marie Steiss - the eldest daughter of former French prime minister Dominique de Villepin - for Ange ou Démon, Justin Timberlake for Play, Liv Tyler for Very Irresistible and much earlier on in the past, Audrey Hepburn for L'Interdit. (WWD 4/10/09)...
It's kind of silly, but it happened. Halle Berry went on the Ellen de Generes' TV show to promote her new perfume Halle. What happens next is not your usual style of perfume advertising although Letterman came up with the idea before: De Generes uncorks the bottle of Halle and pours it into glasses then takes a swig. Halle Berry follows and not wanting to come across as, ahem, not-fully-standing-behind-her-product even drinks her Halle-on-the-Rocks bottoms up.
Don't try this at home kids, you might get hurt.
The perfume segment starts at 5 mn or so and lasts about 2 mn (more perfume bites towards the end).
Ex-Big Brother reality show star Jade Goody passed away last week on March 22, 2009. After being announced in August 2008 on the Indian version of the reality show, Big Boss, that she had terminal cervical cancer and only a few months to live, she had been preparing for her passing away and in particular accepting media coverage as far into her illness as she could bear in order reportedly to raise funds for her two sons Bobby, five, and Freddie, four.
Jade Goody released two perfumes as a celebrity. The first one Shh...in 2006 and the second one Controversial in 2008.
Accused at one point of making racist comments against actress Shilpa Shetty, The Perfume Shop had withdrawn her debut fragrance from their shelves in the wake of the media storm she triggered...
In a passing weird twist, lingerie brand Victoria's Secret has decided to turn to victoria's angel Miranda Kerr to be the spokesperson for their new fragrance Dream AngelsHeavenly Bloom. We say this because as it turns out, Kerr is actor Orlando Bloom's girlfriend since late 2007. Heavenly Bloom/Orlando Bloom...coincidence, coincidence, I think not. Is this supposed to be subliminal celebrity marketing? At any rate when you know how marketing people are self-conscious about semantic plays, it would be difficult to pretend not to be aware of the contiguity of the two names...
All American by Stetson
is the latest Stetson cologne to see the bright light of day. In
advertising images, the effort is spearheaded by the persona of
Patriots' quarterback Tom Brady. Nothing unusual so far. Brady,
like actor Brad Pitt, seems to be the very mainstream, and for the most
part, convincing incarnation of the classic All-American folk hero, the
one who seems to have spent his childhood on a Midwestern farm running
on a background of cornfields before reaching for the stars and getting
national attention as the best possible outcome to the popular
successful-story master narrative, with roots.
All American Barn by Marty Martinez
But
what I find truly fascinating about this new mass-marketed cologne is
the way in which the successful contributions to America's perfume
culture that were made in the last few years by celebrities from
minority groups were purposefully taken into account and weaved into
the scent by perfumer Harry Fremont of Firmenich. Just
by reading the PR-released interview with him, I would have never
guessed. In fact I was wondering how to make use of one interview so
controlled was it in its tone, its total lack of spontaneity, a little
bit as if he were answering sitting in a confinement room in the
pressure atmosphere created by two former KGB operatives giving him the
steely eye each time he might be tempted to depart from the official
party line.
All
American is no old-fashioned Stetson cologne, or at least, the idea was
adapted. The idealized cowboy imagery is still up on the new billboards
(the folksy hat is gone but the rancher's gloves remain) but the
perfume itself has already started to smell like a mix of real-life
influences and cues taken from Jennifer Lopez in her most Hispanic phase, Sean John (see review), and Usher. They have all been very successful at impacting America's fragrance culture through the celebrity-perfume niche.
I
am now starting to understand better in what ways celebrity perfume may
not be such a trivial topic as it is helping define America's identity
smell-wise. If you look at celebrity perfume developing as one of the
major entrepreneurial niches for minority celebrities; if you realize
that those celebrities brought different sensitivities to the notion of
a smell-good perfume; if you acknowledge the fact that American
olfactory culture has already been hit by the change...then one better
understands how mass-market gorilla Coty is making a politico-cultural
statement with Stetson All American. I would have never suspected that
so much could arise from the inclusion of a guava natureprint® note
(and other notes) spotted from early on. One could have just imagined a
slightly trendy and forward-thinking fruity men's scent along the lines
of Calvin Klein Man (2007) and The One for Men by Dolce & Gabbana (2008), say...
Kate Moss was reportedly seen shooting a perfume commercial for an upcoming new women's fragrance for Yves Saint Laurent. The paparazzi were there. Moss is holding a rose, Eiffel Tower in the back. According to WWD,
"Early last week, the supermodel did a shoot in Place de la Concorde for
a future women's fragrance for Yves Saint Laurent, wearing looks from
Stefano Pilati's pre-fall collection for YSL."
Kylie Minogue has been putting out a number of perfumes under her name since her debut one Darling in 2006. I have somewhat lost track of all of them because they resemble each others too much in names, colors, concept. When perfumes aim for indifferenciation, or more nicely put, brand cohesion, my brain tends to respond adequately.
Still, I covered two sequels, Sweet Darling (2007) and Showtime (2008). There is also a Sexy Darling and a recent 2009 Couture. Now on to something a little different, I guess...
We have a special blog giveaway to announce today. Fans of Tom Brady and the Patriots, football fans or simply plain patriots (arguably) can enter a giveaway to win a collectible autographed bottle of the latest Stetson fragrance, All American, signed by Tom Brady. The football quarterback has been the spokesperson for Stetson since 2007.
You just need to leave a comment below and you will be entered in the draw. (Only US-based readers please.) Results will be announced next week.
Some information about the perfume:
"All
American Stetson is a fresh, modern, new addition to the Stetson
fragrance family. Best described as an aromatic woody fragrance, All
American Stetson features notes of black suede (spokesman Tom Brady's
self-professed favorite), cedar leaf, ginger, musk, and fresh water
ferns. Developed by master perfumer Harry Fremont of Firmenich, All
American Stetson is for the fun-loving, athletic, adventurous and
rugged "All American" guy. The fragrance is available now at mass
retailers and retails for $14.50 - $26.00."...
Yesterday we posted about the upcoming scent Black Star by Avril Lavigne and only the name was known. Things move quickly in the internet age, don't they? This morning a reader sent us a link to the story board for the upcoming perfume commercial which was uncovered by his daughter on an Avril Lavigne fan site!!
Thanks very much to both for this very interesting glimpse into an unusual behind-the-scenes!
I get - don't you too?- a pronounced Thierry-Mugler-Angel vibe from that story board with all the stars twinkling in the sky, the shape of the bottle and the idealized gesture of Avril reaching out to a star. It looks quite a bit in fact like the latest commercial for Angel with Naomi Watts. I initially imagined that the "star" in the name was a reference to stardom status rather than an asteroid. I wonder how Mugler is going to take that? (please click on the images to see them full sizes)...
This perfume commercial features the latest spokesperson for Angel by Thierry Mugler, actress Naomi Watts. I was reminded to post about it upon seeing the commercial story board for Black Star by Avril Lavigne (please see next post).
Paris Hilton at her birthday bash on March 8, 2009at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada
Paris Hilton, the celebrity that everyone loves to hate, has been picked as the Celebrity of the Year by The Fragrance Foundation. She will receive a FiFi in person at the The Downtown Armory on May 27, 2009.
This prize is a reinstated Celebrity FiFi Award that was given to J Lo in 2003 and then discontinued...
As previously announced last year, Canadian singer, actress ans stylist Avril Lavigne will release her debut signature fragrance this summer hopping onto the major new wave of celebrity fragrances which was encouraged by Jennifer Lopez from October 2003 with Glow by J.Lo...
"Marking the first time a professional female golfer has launched a signature fragrance, ANNIKA by Annika Sorenstam will particularly appeal to golf enthusiasts, career-minded professionals and active, fashion-forward women. Like Annika, the fragrance will be casually elegant and unpretentious."...
Amanda Lepore also known as the "#1 transsexual in the world", after becoming a muse for photographer David LaChapelle has turned into a fragrant muse for perfumers as well.
First comes the perfume called Amanda by Artware Editions created by perfumer Christopher Laudamiel formerly of International Fragrances and Flavors in collaboration with partner Christopher Hornetz who designed the perfume bottle incrusted with 1000 pieces of Swarowski crystals.
"Mr. Laudamiel started with a base of steamed rice, added mandarins,
bergamot, orange flowers, strawberry and cucumber. Fittingly, the
Champagne note is artificial."...
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