parfum

Have you ever thought about perfume? I guess this hasn't really been a huge thought in my life lately, but I recently thought about perfume and all of the design that it involves. I'm not even a huge fan of perfume (I don't wear it daily), but it is definitely interesting.

The most iconic and groundbreaking perfume is unarguably Chanel No. 5. The bottle's design is a classic (being iconized by Andy Warhol in his screenprints). It's shape is modeled after the Palace Vendome (home of the Ritz Hotel) in Paris, France.

Read more about the Chanel No. 5 bottle and it's design in this lovely article, via NOTCOT.

(Additionally, Chanel No. 5 was the first perfume to combine different scents to create a unique perfume, not to replicate a specific smell).

I love perfume commercials. Some of them are incredibly cheesy and easy to make fun of. (For some reason, I always thought that Elizabeth Taylor's White Diamonds commercial was ridiculously funny...) But many of them are incredibly artistic and cinematic. A great vintage commercial (which recently popped into my mind and was the inspiration for this post) is for Chanel's Egoiste perfume.



A more modern commercial (again by Chanel, the queen of perfumes) is again, for No. 5. Amazingly cinematic, with the gorgeously enchanting Nicole Kidman, and of course directed by Baz Luhrman.



The fact that a woman's scent can inspire such art and creativity is kind of empowering. As for what I wear?

Heaven, from Gap. YES. It's true.

But I truly do love this scent, full of soft white blossoms. And my closest friends love how it smells on me. So, it's my signature scent. (Thanks Hannah James for sending me the matching Heaven lotion!)