Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Song For Drella.


About 7-8 years ago I was dating a woman that worked at Barney's. She gave me a sample of Comme des Garcons' Odeur 53. I had never given fragrances a second thought before that, but when that bottle ran out and I was utterly and completely willing to drop 90 bucks to get a real bottle of the stuff I knew that I was in the best kind of trouble. Twenty bottles of CdG later, I'm still thinking about it. Comme des Garcons rarely approaches fragrance from a traditional angle, allowing the inspiration for different series to come everything from leaves to sherbet to the seriously synthetic (Dry Clean, anyone?). I'd always thought that what they were doing in the land of scent skirted very closely to art. By extension, it made me think of how a fragrance--any fragrance--was a little bit like an installation we could carry around with us. So, it was a kick and an affirmation when I read the Warhol Diaries to find that Warhol had felt similarly about the subject.

A couple weeks ago, I quite happily received an email from Bond No. 9 announcing--hold for it--Silver Factory, a fragrance inspired by Warhol with a bottle inspired by his soup cans. Fuckin' ay! I held my breath until the sample arrived today. This could have been really disappointing. Not to worry though. It's pretty great. What's most amazing is that they've created the exact fragrance I imagined Warhol enjoying. I'm not a big fan of more citrusy fragrances, but they've given this one a soft landing. Yet there's a cold distance that the violet brings to the table. The duality works. This is a song for Drella. Hum along.

3 comments:

David said...

I hadn't wanted to smell like anything since high school, when I jealously guarded the tiny sample bottle of Polo I got for some department store purchase. But for the last year or so I'm spending a good part of my disposable income on Weleda men's products. Earthy, herby, niiiice. And the colored glass bottles are to die for. It's like you got them at the apothecary. Do try the shave lotion (it's watery, not lotiony).
And as for Comme des Garcons... best wallet ever. Ever. I felt like such an ass paying $75 for it until about 10 minutes later when I realized it was the best. Ever.
God, I'm writing such a Lucky mag post on your art blog. Call me.

Heart As Arena said...

Dude. I am soooooo going to solicit LUCKY magazine to see if they'll publish my post. While I'm at it I'll see if they're interested in your response. Great idea. Apparently, to balance out the universe my brain seems to be processing the Fish song, "Lucky" right now. . . . Coulda been you. Coulda been me. Anyway. I obviously understand the obsession. And don't get me started on the wallets. I have one too, and I think I even spent more than you and I still thought the same EXACT thing: This is the best wallet ever. HaHa. This was the nicest left turn HAA has ever taken. We'll blame it on Andy. That's pretty much the reason for everything else around here.

Mark Barry said...

gettin' hot round here.. and smells nice too.