Persistent Recollections | Fragrance Posse

Alityke requested an attention-grabbing query on final Monday’s thread which I wasn’t positive was associated to Tom or my remark. However given I used to be planning on writing on the subject anyway I begin off along with her question.

“… are those (ie, perfumes) you will have a robust reminiscence of shopping for ones that stayed the course?”

Quick reply: no. However actually the reply isn’t essentially.

Actually, considering again to the actually sturdy, stable buy recollections, solely one of many fragrances continues to be inside my assortment (granted, my assortment ain’t that massive at this level).

So, 4 ‘tales’ of shopping for and what occurred after.

My first stable grownup reminiscence of shopping for one thing was Goutal Eau d’Hadrien. However in that case I recall the acquisition solely – not the place I purchased it and never the expertise itself – simply that for a time I owned a bottle of Hadrien. First actual reminiscence goes to l’Artisan Mure et Musc. It might have been mid- to late Nineteen Eighties, strolling from work in midtown Manhattan up Madison Avenue to the tiny l’Artisan store someplace within the 70s (ie, streets, in all probability someplace between 73^rd and 76^th as a result of I do know it was above 72^nd). Jewel field of a store, gold and black. I went considering I wished Mure et Musc however the SA was savvy sufficient to have me pattern different issues as effectively. Nobody else got here in whereas I used to be there and I did find yourself with MetM. Fantastically wrapped and packaged in a l’Artisan little black stamped bag. Out I went into the gloaming, gently swinging my new buy. I anticipate I received on the subway and went residence. That I don’t recall. I wore Mure et Musc solely for 2 or three years, repurchasing from that very same store a number of time. Obtained quite a lot of compliments when carrying that perfume. One morning I sprayed it on as ordinary and realised I used to be carried out: it didn’t do it for me any extra.

Subsequent ‘massive’ reminiscence might be early Nineteen Nineties and Bergdorf’s fragrance/make-up corridor, which at the moment was on the bottom ground (why did they exile it to the basement???). Bergdorf’s frontage is 57^th Avenue at 5^th Avenue. I all the time went within the 5^th Ave door. Guerlain. My first expertise of Guerlain and I went again a number of instances earlier than I purchased what I used to be planning. Once more, the SA was good and affected person and received her sale in the long run. Not Mitsouko or Shalimar, however a half ounce of Vol de Nuit fragrance. And I recall the entire shebang as soon as the choice was made: the great thing about the bottle (it was the weird bottle, not the common VdeN — I couldn’t discover a pic of it I felt assured stealing), the bank card popping out and the entire signing factor (you don’t do this a lot right here any extra), the wrapping and bagging in a small Bergdorf bag. This time, for causes I can’t recall, I took my buy and went for a stroll within the darkening night – on to five^th however then left in the direction of Madison and down Madison for some time. Possibly savouring having been in a position to fork out what was then a good bit of cash for my first ‘actual’ fragrance. I do know I wore it – it was lovely – however I’ve no clue if I completed the bottle.

Ultimate NYC reminiscence is Santa Maria Novella Melograno from the concession in Takashimaya on 5^th. This might have been late Nineteen Nineties, proper earlier than I moved away from NYC and after I was working on the ill-fated Deutsche Morgan Grenfell. Takashimaya was such a particular store – a division retailer however very specialised and far more of an expertise than Bergdorf or the rest close by. Upmarket however distinctive. The man in entrance of me on the until was shopping for Patchouli (which I switched to as soon as residing in London) and made some massive faff about the way it was one of the best factor of their line. I suppose that stayed with me. Anyway, I wore Melograno for a 12 months or so. It was very fairly and the SMN bottles are nice. However sooner or later on the bus to work I smelled somebody carrying patchouli and was reminded concerning the Santa Maria Novella model. The following time I went to the Walton Avenue store I attempted that as a substitute of shopping for Melograno and that was that. Hooked for the subsequent few years (truly swam within the stuff – I’m now shocked that nobody I labored with advised me to tone it down). As soon as I received pregnant patchouli stopped working. Which made me relatively unhappy (it nonetheless doesn’t sit effectively on my pores and skin).

Lastly, there’s the current important birthday buy of an oz of Guerlain Shalimar fragrance. This tied in with a visit to London. I had different issues to do and wouldn’t be capable of slot in a go to to the store in Covent Backyard (or some other that stocked Guerlain), so I referred to as, received a bizarre not-clued-in SA who nonetheless managed to take my order. Factor was I requested that the acquisition be delivered to my resort. Throughout central London you see individuals (principally younger males) delivering (ie, couriers) a number of baggage of stuff from luxurious outlets. I figured it couldn’t value me that a lot on prime for the Guerlain girl to bag my buy and get somebody to ship it to the resort. Foolish me. Seems she delivered it herself. Who does that in luxurious retail in London??? In any case, the bag lastly received to the resort on Friday night time (I’d ordered it on the Monday of the week I used to be going to London) — I used to be testing Saturday morning. Ready there at reception within the night. I thought of telling her there have been different, simpler methods to do that however in the long run didn’t. The bag, one other pretty fancy stamped one, included the superbly wrapped Shalimar field (I nonetheless have the ribbon someplace) plus a load, and I do imply a load, of samples. Took me a number of weeks as soon as residence to undergo all of them. The Shalimar is the one one on the listing I nonetheless personal and put on.

I actually have a factor about these luxurious baggage. Doesn’t matter what I’ve purchased – fragrance, macarons, fancy goodies, one thing from a spot like Liberty – I all the time get a thrill from wandering round with these pretty small superbly designed baggage which maintain one thing I’m actually enthusiastic about.

So, how about you. Have there been fragrance purchasing experiences which have stayed with you for years? Do you continue to personal any of the fragrances?

Pic: Pexels

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