The birth of American niche perfumery

Like most Americans who have an adventurous nose, my first whiff of niche perfume was about 20 years ago with French brands like Annick Goutal and L'Artisan Parfumeur. The scents seemed so much more refined, with unusual notes (for that time in the U.S.) like blackberry, hesperides, amber, incense, violet leaf, and fig. And the French packaging was much more elegant and chic than the glaringly bright colors of the U.S. late 1980's, often in muted tones delicately detailed in gold with old-world typeface and flourishes. When you wore these fragrances you instinctively knew they were different than what was readily being offered in the mainstream marketplace, and you felt special - like a member of a secret and rarefied club. But happily, with the advent of the 21st century, came a flurry of creativity in U.S. production and American niche perfumery was born. And I'm happy to say that American niche has secured a prime location in the artistic olfactory landscape and becomes stronger and more respected with each passing year. I'm always curious about what's new in niche, and I'm an avid collector. And so, I share with you some of my finds as I traverse fragrance emporiums on my constant, hungry quest...

I am a New Yorker, and I love living in this vibrant rich tapestry of a town filled with interesting aromas. And how fitting that an entire brand has been created to celebrate the sensory skyline that is New York! Bond No. 9 is the brilliant brainchild of Laurice Rahme, who has spent her life in the beauty and fragrance business and has developed a keen sense of what people need to feel energized, alive and desirable.
I think the concept of Bond No. 9 is pure genius - a fragrance line that is inspired by the neighborhoods, streets and landmarks of New York City. The line now comprises 36 scents, composed by a variety of stellar perfumers like Maurice Roucel, Claude Dir, and Michel Almairac. New entries are added each year in the distinctive star-shaped bottles adorned with NYC subway token labels. There is a trio of sultry beach fragrances - Hamptons, Coney Island, and Fire Island - and a collection of green and floral-infused park scents - Bryant Park, Central Park, and Gramercy Park. Neighborhood tributes include Chinatown, Eau de Noho, Chelsea Flowers, Wall Street, and three of my fragrance-wardrobe staples - New Haarlem (coffee, vanilla, cedar), Little Italy (clementine, grapefruit, mandarin), and West Side (rose, peony, sandalwood, amber).

A recent collaboration with the Andy Warhol Foundation yielded a contract to produce 12 fragrances based on Andy Warhol's stomping grounds - places he lived, worked, and partied - so there is a lot of material to work with! The masterpiece of these is the stunning Silver Factory, created by talented young perfumer Aurelien Guichard. Notes are incense, wood resin, amber and flowers, and this is a true shared scent, to be worn by everyone freely and lavishly (and Andy would have loved that!). Jewelry designed by Robert Lee Morris was added to go with some of the scents - Union Square and Lexington Avenue. These sterling silver baubles were influenced by Warhol's flower paintings and shoe illustrations to accessorize the fragrances for a complete and total Warholian look!
Also new at Bond No. 9 is a body line for some of their signature scents, which includes sumptuous creams, soaps, and adorable solid perfume compacts embellished to look like subway tokens. And, coming this March, is Bond No. 9's latest addition to the collection - Brooklyn, the fragrance. Which all goes to show, that much like New York City itself, Laurice Rahme never sleeps!

Next time, we’ll talk about CB I Hate Perfume...