There is no shortage of celebrity perfumes these days, and no mater how famous (or not) you are, having a perfume with your name on it seems de rigeur. Celebrity perfumes are the Pefumista’s favorite topic to heap snark and rancour on, what would we do without Britney or Paris or Justin providing us with an outlet for all our pent up aggression when it comes to mainstream fragrances.
But is there a celebrity you’d love to see immortalized in a perfume?
Who should lend his name and image to a fragrance you’d love to wear?
Which existing celebrity perfumes do you like?
My Answer:
I do like Etat Libre D’Orange Like This, I think Madonna’s Truth or Dare is not so bad, likewise Dita von Teese’s creation.
I think I could live just fine without any celebrity scent though, I would not miss the genre. But for the sake of the question, I would have liked to see a perfume by the late Carolyn Bessette Kennedy.
For some reason she is a person I would love to know more about and smelling a perfume inspired by her style and elegance is as good a start as any.
Olfactoria's Travels 
Hi B, Carolyn Besette Kennedy, that would be interesting and John too.. I’m thinking Lauren Bacall or Charlotte Gainsbourg.. While I’m at it one of my all time fav’s Katherine Hepburn.
Katherine Hepburn would front an amazing masculine-leaning scent, I see he in Vetiver (Vero’s Onda is perfect actually).
There is one which regin supreme in this fragrance vein: Alan Cumming and Cumming the Fragrance. Smoke, leather, lavender. Like This is also a perfect example. Even Sarah Jessica Parkers first, Lovely, is something I hold dear to my heart (on my sweetheart really).
But who hasn’t got a fragrance, that I would find exciting to smell. One of my favourite music acts at the moment is one I would love release a fragrance conjuring up the hazy, dust filled, perfect in the twilight, beat ridden soundscapes he produces: Clams Casino. Here is the song Waterfalls: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KIQLbZPdIw
I’ve heard that Cumming should be great. Lovely is lovely indeed.
Thank you for that video, I’ve never heard of Clams Casino, sounds quite intriguing.
Does the answer “nobody” work? 😉
Nope, doesn’t work! 😉
Ok, ok… If you insist, how about Charlie Sheen? Too bad Scandal is already taken. Maybe he can still get 24th Chance? 😉
Haha, you are funny! Great idea! 😀
heheheee!
I would like to see what Kate Winslet would do if given a decent perfumer and budget, also Drew Barrymore might do something interesting, saleable and quirky. What about Hugh Jackman or, goodness help us, Tom Cruise? He He
Portia x
Oh, Kate Winslet is a good idea, she has class and she’s an amazing actress.
God help us, if Tom Cruise ever decides to further ruin his reputation with a fragrance. 😉
I second Kate Winslet! I would think she’d come out with something tasteful, approachable, but also with just enough quirk to be interesting – also grown up. Drew Barrymore I ADORE, however until she made that appearance in Chanel for her recent wedding – I would have said, “Oh – sweet Drew would just give us an exuberant fruity floral. But it would probably be a GOOD fruity floral. With a bit of an edge underneath.” But!!! That dress she wore made me question my snap judgments – she’s proving that she can transcend girly and so something sophisticated too.
I also agree that a Tom Cruise fragrance is just downright scary.
What about one for Katie Holmes called “Liberation,” lol? (Ok, now I’m just being catty.)
Do you know the rumours about C. Bessette-Kennedy?
Perhaps her perfume would smell like C?
I don’t know what you are referring too (so, no I guess, I don’t know about the rumours. 😉 )
Please read on www, about cocaine addiction.
Oh, I see…
The only “celeb scent” I’ve ever liked was Like this (I adore T.S !) – but to be honest, I’ve rather made a big detour around Celeb Scents sofar, since I was mostly put off by the names already (superficial as I am). So let’s see…I’d take Björk (and hope she wouldn’t give her name without influencing/controlling the result herself). And yes, I’d also trust good old Richard Gere (imagine him assisting to PG !!! I’d expect to get a nice “spiritual” sent..)
Now that is an idea! Richard Gere and PG working on something meditative… sounds very nice. 🙂
And Björk’s perfume would surely be weird, she’d fit right in with EldO.
Dear Björk might be weird (sometimes) – but since I mentioned her in my above comment I can’t stop “playing” one of my favorites from her in my brain : the Bachelorette. Magnifique!
That is a great song (and amazing video), and decidedly weird, but that is a good thing… 🙂
Madonna allegedly has a keen interest in perfumes and worked with a highly respected perfumer and yet the perfume she came up with was only OK (in my humble opinion) My point is that someone like Madonna who presumably had a reasonable budget and who is always striving to be cutting edge (I don’t know if nipple gate could be classed as cutting edge or just sad) still produces mediocre perfumes.
As for Lady Gaga’s new perfume, I think that may be on the extreme side of cutting edge for most people.
I would love to see a celebrity scent that is classy and elegant that harks back to something vintage in style instead of a run of the mill fruity floral, the only celebrities that I can think of that would fit that bill are all no longer with us, I am thinking Grace kelly, even Princess Diana, a perfume by Kate Middleton would surely be a success (every high street purchase she has ever made is an instant sell out) I just can’t see the Royal family letting that happen any time soon.
Ultimately, no matter which celebrity endorses a perfume, you will always see them reduced and on sale (with Tilda Swinton being the exception)
I agree, Madonna did her best (or so they say) and the juice is still average.
A Kate Middleton perfume would be a huge seller, no doubt about that. Although I would not like that very much, since my review of her wedding scents still gets hundreds of hits every week. 😉
I am trying very hard not to be a perfume snob (and SJP’s Lovely really is nice), but most celebuscents just smell of the lowest common denominator and cold hard cash…
Having said that I was pleased to see Lady Gaga trying to do something a bit different, so if I were to choose a celebrity to bring out a scent it would be Maggie Gyllenhaal, because she should wear something beautiful but with a darker twist. Hummm, having said that I really hope she doesn’t because the fruity/floral/white musk concoction would be such a disappointment.
Psst, I am a total perfume snob too, no matter how great, I wouldn’t buy a, let’s say, Paris Hilton perfume or wear it even if I got it as a gift. Shallow as I am, I couldn’t get over the image attached.
I always wanted to try Renee Flemming’s La Voce, it was supposed to be very exclusive, although it sounds more like a normal fruity floral, so that’s probably why I never got around to finding a sample somewhere:-) But I could imagine her being one to parttake in the creation, and wanting something lush and extravagant.
I don’t think I’ve tried any of the typical celebuscents, apart from lovely, which was ok, but nothing more.
La Voce sounds interesting, and a class above the “usual”. It would be perfect for you (the idea of it, I mean, of course I haven’t smelled it either).
Glenn Close, Meryl Streep,Gabriel García Márquez, Phillipa Gregory, Frida Kahlo, Georgia O’Keeffe ,Rembrandt
Wow, great list!
B imagine my HORROR,when on the morning of my 40th birthday,my mother {who knew how much of the ‘classics’ I wore and loved} when i unwrapped a gift of…….PARIS HILTON…I faked the best smile I could muster and requested her help to clasp my new ruby necklace!!! I’m with Undina…..NO one
Oh my, I’m sorry! That must have been a very unwelcome surprise, Sally! 😦
Not surprised you’re interested in Carolyn Bessette Kennedy — you seem to share that cool. blonde elegance she had. Apparently (or at least according to the celebrity fragrance guide website) she favoured Egyptian musk.
I’ve only tried a few celebrity fragrances: Sarah Jessica Parker’s Lovely which unfortunately uses a musk that I very quickly become anosmic to; Kate Walsh’s Boyfriend which I like enough to consider a small rollerball version (although I am put off by the ad campaign for her second release, Billionaire Boyfriend); and recently, through a sample from Portia, Jessica Simpson’s Fancy Nights which is patchouli goodness, but very, very big.
The celebrity scent I’d like to see, but can’t imagine happening, is by Helen Mirren. It would be elegant, sexy, sophisticated just as she appears on the red carpet. As a woman of a certain age, I will always appreciate her remark that if she were to design dresses they would all have sleeves. I think maybe I would rather she did come out with a fashion line instead of a perfume!
Helen Mirren is a wonderful actress and inspiring woman, she’d make an ideal perfume inspiration (probably only in my ideal world). 😉
Oh I forgot to say that I actually do like Rossy de Palma’s EdLO perfume – hurrah thought of one!
Yay! 🙂
I’d love to see a celebrity who has a genuine love for perfume collaborate with a quality perfumer—for example, Meryl Streep with Annick Goutal. However, we are driven by the mighty dollar and no matter the celebrity’s vision, the bottom-line is it must make money. Therefore, nearly all end up being very synthetic, mediocre to horrifying creations designed to sell to the masses. If I were Madonna,who already has millions, I’d prefer to collaborate with a niche house and produce something really beautiful. Have you seen the figures on what some of these mass-marketed fragrances like Justin Bieber’s Someday rake in though? I’m sure it is very tempting for celebs, even those few who genuinely are interested in the juice to “sell out” where millions of dollars are concerned!
It must be tempting indeed. There goes quality in favor of money… (although I can easily be high and mighty, as long as nobody is offering me millions to front a crappy perfume).
Sting, David Bowie, or Peter Gabriel for a masculine. And I’d be curious to see what Bono’s wife, Ali Hewson would come up with. Something with traditional Irish roots, fair trade, eco-something, with proceeds benefiting some needy or oppressed group. She interests me. I also agree that Bjork, Helen Mirren, and Kate Winslet have potential to contribute to great perfume projects. Maybe Julia Roberts?
Not so polite from me to chime in before Birgit managed to comment, but I simply have to cheer and rejoice over two heroes of mine, whose parfums I’d buy blindly : Peter G. and David B. !
Great names on your list, Nina!
Well I’d like to see Anderson Cooper release one called Confirmed Bachelor , along with Cathy Griffith whose perfume would be called Chatty Cathy.
Hahaha. 😀
Maybe Seinfeld could launch the “Perfume about Nothing”. 😉
😀
Elaine Bennis!
I actually like a fair number of celeb perfumes. I like the early Sarah Jessica Parkers (Lovely and especially the weirdo Covet), Queen Latifah Queen (boozy gourmand goodness, perfect for winter), some of the Jessica Simpson line (particularly the original vanilla-musk Fancy and the over the top oriental Fancy Nights). Oh, and Dita von Teese’s is pretty good too!
I would really like to see perfumes created based off the characters/actresses from my favorite TV shows, The Vampire Diaries or Revenge!
You’re a fan of gourmands, I bet.
Wow, you do resemble Carolyn Bessette Kennedy in that pic. I’m afraid I’d never heard of her before .
I can’t say I own any celebrity scents. Though I’m not against them in principle, they’re just often so tacky.
I’d like to see Helena Bonham Carter release a perfume. Hopefully it would be as unique as her dress sense 🙂
No, maybe the hair… 😉
Helena Bonham Carter, wow that would be a great perfume!
Wow! Yes, something by Helena Bonham Carter, circa her “Room with a View” era. Could be totally nostalgic, but also breathless and dark. If nothing else – would be INTERESTING.
Oooh,Helena Bonham Carter could be really interesting! Good call!
Ha! Thanks Nina!
My sentiment is the same as Undina’s and Sally-Anne’s. I would be very interested to know what fragrance certain actresses wear (Audrey Tautou and Marion Cotillard are two who pop into mind), if indeed they wear perfume at all. But if they launched a celebrity scent under their names, for me they would lose their cachet to a certain degree … it almost seems like a selling-out point to me.
This coming from a woman who owns Deneuve. 😀 Anything I say should be taken with a grain of salt, obviously. 🙂
I wanted to mention Deneuve when I read your first paragraph, but you did it yourself. 😉
But generally I agree with you, the genre has been treated so badly, I think it is lost beyond redemption.
Norman Reedus. Not only was he model (for Prada, etc) but he was married to Helena Christiansen at some point, (I don’t know if he has an affinity for perfume, but it might be likely) And hot damn! Have you seen him in Boondock Saints and The Walking Dead.?
Now that is an interesting mention!
I had to google him, but once I saw the pictures, I knew him. Cool guy.
you know, you can actually smell something akin to what carolyn bessette kennedy’s fragrance would have been like, since i read a long time ago that – due to carolyn’s love for egyptian musk oil – narcisco created his “for her” EDT for her! so i guess that apart from resembling her, you also projected her sillage at some point, since you were a NR for her user some time ago (i still am, many come and go, but this one’s a classic for me :)) i also adore “like this”! i would have died t smell a louise brooks perfume! i know she was partial to certain patou fragrances from the 20’s, but she would have co-authored or commissioned a rebellious, singular scent, i’m sure! björk is indeed someone whose fragrant creation would intrigue, i have no doubt…on the more mainstream pop culture front, i’d be curious to try a lana del rey perfume…it would be noveau noir and very mysterious or even cryptic, in a david lynch way, with dark undertones, but with maybe a sweet or sunnier aspect at a certain point, to reflect her original identity as lizzy grant.
have great monday and i have to add that i always love your monday questions, and i am amazed that you never run out of them! but well, brilliance is ever-present 🙂
How interesting! I wore NR For Her for years. Glad to hear I’ve been in such good company.
And thank you!!! I’m glad you like the Monday Questions! 🙂
Love NR for her! I went through a bottle of that. Uh-oh…now I want to get it again…
I must revisit it again soon as well, it’s been a while…
ipad-induced typo: narciso! rodriguez 🙂
Ha, my husband once went into a perfume store asking for Francisco Hernandez and came out with the right perfume anyway. 😉
🙂
What a fun question on this Monday! Every time that I think about Paris Hilton, I wonder whey anyone would want to smell like her . . . apparently a lot of people!
I can’t really think of a celebrity I would like to have launch a signature scent. I don’t mind perfumers being inspired by celebrities, but I don’t know if being famous always translates into having good taste. Like when celebrities open restaurants.
I can say that there is a celebrity who I wish would NOT launch a fragrance, but in all likelihood, she probably will if she hasn’t already: Snooki!
Not an endoresement 😉
Oh. Turns out she has. That was fast!
Lol, Snooki is way ahead of you! 😉
She is 😉
Sofia Loren!
That would be a good one!
Nancy Grace. People would either love it or totally hate it! lol
That would surely ve a controversial scent – and a loud one! 😉
I’d like to smell a perfume created for Eva Green (I know she’s used to wear Melograno) and I’d see a strong but not heavy perfume with insence and woods with orange blossom, made by Francis Kurdidjian or Pierre Guillaume. I think she’s beautiful and classy and nobody looks like her. Emily Blunt too, a light scent with musk and rosewood. And Mélanie Laurent (for those who don’t know her, she’s a french actress who played in Beginners and Inglorious Bastards; Eva Green is french too but more famous because has been a James Bond Girl in Casino Royale and played too in Cracks, pure sense, and “La Boussole d’or” where she used to play the kind witch). I admire them a lot and their perfumes would be very interesting because of their “image” and their character even if Mélanie Laurent is the face of Hypnotic Poison, Eva Green of Midnight Poison.
Birgit, I’ve not been surprised, I was very impressed too by Carolyne Bessette Kennedy, and physically, you’re so close by your faces and looks!
Those are interesting women, Florence. Incense, wood and orange blossom – that sounds like Eva Green could wear Sweet Redemption by Kilian.
Tilda Swinford. That would be interesting!
I meant Tilda Swinton.
Well, there is a perfume by Tilda Swinton already – Like This by Etat Libre d’Orange. The review is linked to in the post above. It is a beauty.
B., Excellent question and my response came so easily yet so contridictary. As a young man, all
of my friends (American) had Farrah Fawcets poster on their walls while I stayed true to Catherine Deneuve and the wonderful No. 5 campaign – I always like the older woman. So the contridiction lies in how she of all people could put her name on that horrible juice? (I mean after being the face of No. 5 did she not learn anything?) Could we or would we allow this incredible beauty to try again?
(P.S. Even if we do not hear from you as much lately – the quailty is still there!)
Many people (me included) think Deneuve, the perfume was not a bad fragrance at all. It is not to my personal taste, but still a very well-made chypre of good quality unlike many other celebrity scents. But it is no N°5 of course. 🙂
(Thank you for your kind words, Charles.)
B., I need to learn the difference between a well crafted fragrance that I simply do not
like, and a poorly crafted fragrance. I tend to let my personal opinion guide me and
forgo any further interest. But when Catherine represented the “Holy Grail” of fragrances (No. 5) how does one go about topping that – a MASSIVE CHALLANGE!
Hmmm, good question! I think it’s got to be off-the-wall people like Bjork, Paloma Faith and Patrick Wolf (all three are singer/songwriters) or perhaps someone completely outlandish like Dame Edna would be good. 😀
Dame Edna would be great! She just begs for a huge white floral, I’d say… 😉
Yes! Just imagine what the bottle would be like!
A sight for sore eyes… 🙂
I think Robert Downey Jr would produce an interesting scent. Just look at his life – from rising star to addiction and jail, and now back up to star again. And he’s talented, musically as well as in acting. And quirky-intelligent. Oh, and sexy! 🙂
So I would love to smell a scent he’d had a hand in producing.
Oh, I love Robert Downey jr ever since he stole Aly McBeal’s heart. 🙂
If dead ones are okay then Queen Hernrietta Maria Stuart ( 1625-1649 then she was the Queen Mother). I have found her fascinating since I was eight . This is odd for a Quaker and Republican .She herself was always making lotions and potions ,She loved English lavenderand scenting and preserving in vodka. She is hated by Protestants, well was I hope. I think she is a suitable subject for Penhaligons .
Penhaligon’s would be the perfect house for her.
My votes for celebs who have not been mentioned yet:
Feminines: Cate Blanchett, Marlene Dietrich, Ingrid Bergman
Masculines: Colin Firth, Clive Owen (I suppose I like my leading men dark, brooding and British, lol!)
That is a great kind of man… 😉
Lovely list!
I would be very intrigued to see a Coppola family line of fragrances. Since patriarch Francis Ford Coppola owns his own vineyard, he could confer with Ginestet, Kelly & Jones, or Frapin on how to segue into the olfactory arts. Then all the hip, quirky younger family members– Sofia, Roman, and Christopher Coppola, Jason Schwartzman and his brother Robert, and cousin Nicholas Cage could each develop their own signature scents. Plus, the direction/cinematography on the commercials would naturally be FANTASTIC.
oh yes – esp since I heart Jason! 🙂
Good idea!
I’m a big fan of Nicolas Cage circa Leaving Las Vegas…
I love this idea! All the signature scents would be so interesting…How do you all think they would smell? Sofia’s, I think, would be a bit…detached…cerebral…there would have to be modern transparency in structure – but the actual materials used would be rich and sumptuous – smoldering. Wait….hmm…I think she’d wear a floral instead of an oriental. But it would be a modern take on a classic Operatic floral. Even though she’s Marc Jacob’s muse, I could never see her wearing Daisy… As for Roman – hmmm – what does aging playboy smell like? 😉 And Jason S – ah! He’s so adorable and so oddball. Love, love him – I have NO IDEA what he’d smell like either, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he put out a practical joke of a fragrance a la ELDO.
What does everyone else think???
Has anyone mentioned Juliette Binoche already? I have always admired her elfin beauty…and I like the previous suggestions of Helen Mirren and Helena B-C too!
Juliette Binoche is a very good idea. She is someone I admire as well.
Och, very late to the party, but I just thought of this: Julie Christie! I loved her in Dr. Zhivago and loads more films of the 60s and 70s.
Good thought! She’d do a chypre, no doubt! 😉