These Fragrances Pay Homage To A Brand’s Sartorial Legacy

There is something about a designer fragrance that tickles our imagination and transports us straight to the runways and red-carpet glitz. It invites the wearer into the exclusive universe of the brand it embodies. We take a closer look at five perfumes from iconic fashion houses to discover how each carries within its bottle a link between the olfactory and the sartorial.

Gucci Bamboo

To survive the rationing during the second world war, Gucci came up with an innovative handbag that could be made with limited resources. The handle was made from bent bamboo imported from Japan. The bag soon became a must-have with celebrities, who sported them through the ’50s and ’60s. Even today it retains a high-profile status. The design of Gucci’s latest perfume flacon is inspired by its cult bamboo bag with the ridged metallic cap being a direct reference to the handle. Slender and elegant, bamboo holds the power to withstand a hurricane’s force and flourish even in extreme conditions. The bottle becomes a visual statement and a link to align the Bamboo brand with the characteristics exuded by the Gucci woman — strength and flexibility.

Pacorabanne Ladymillion

‘Design is not about seduction; it’s about shock,’ said the legendary designer. From couture to prêt-à-porter, accessories and perfumes: provocation, excess, fantasy and humour are the stars in the Paco Rabanne universe. Challenging the forbidden and defying established codes, this multitalented rebel was driven by his own audacity. From Rhodoid to metal, mesh fabric to gold, these materials became means to accomplish the designer’s vision of a desirable woman. Believing that a perfume should be as imbued with meaning as it should be easy to wear, the brand seeks inspiration from its light-refl ecting metallic dresses fi rst shown in the ’60s for its impactful Lady Million fragrance. With a simple, architectural feel, it bears a gilded metal cap, which seems as if it’s cut out from one of its iconic minis.

Salvatore Ferragamo Signorina Misteriosa

With the grosgrain bow and gold logo plate, Salvatore Ferragamo’s iconic Vara pumps became a leitmotif of the brand’s style and elegance. In the 35 years since its inception, the Vara bow has adorned bags, belts and jewellery. While the caps from the Signorina collection took inspiration from it, the latest interpretation of the fragrance, Signorina Misteriosa, sees a black-and-gold rendition. Four little studs raise and embellish the golden base, recalling the pattern of Ferragamo’s leather bags.

Valentino Donna

The heritage label’s entry into the olfactory world ushered in some preciously clad bottles that referenced its opulent, rounded couture gowns. Taking a modern twist is the latest Valentino scent, Donna, which syncs with the couture brand’s Italian heritage by using fine local ingredients — bergamot and iris pallida. The perfume’s sassy personality is brought out in its studded glass bottle. One look and we are reminded of Valentino’s rockstuds that are on the wish list of every accessory aficionado.

Issey Miyake Pleats Please

Following his philosophy of structured minimalism, Japanese designer Issey Miyake’s first fragrance L’Eau d’Issey was housed in a conical flacon in an era of elaborate sculptural forms. Each of the label’s perfumes, many of which have become classics, show a direct correlation to a specific collection or aesthetic. The brand’s inventive process developed to pleat fabrics drove the design of an entire family of fragrances: the Pleats Please series. The cap symbolises both a floral calyx and the signature folds.