BEAUTY

Scents of Design

Five iconic labels have created fragrances to complement their bags, baubles, and shoes. Jane Larkworthy sniffs around.


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One would be hard-pressed to dismiss anything by Bottega Veneta as trendy. From luxurious lace frocks to their signature woven totes and stone necklaces, the company’s pieces convey a certain timelessness. Creative director Tomas Maier took the same tack with the brand’s eponymous new fragrance—an understated combination of bergamot, patchouli, and oak moss. “More than anything, I want this to be a classic,” Maier says. “It’s built to last.”

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Along with transforming the brand’s iconic trench into new incarnations of brightly colored wool and fur—and presenting caselike bags for the fall season—Burberry chief creative officer Christopher Bailey (left) is launching Burberry Body, the line’s boldest fragrance yet. With a blend of rose, iris, and woodsy notes, Body is at once bright and nuzzle- worthy—not to mention very British.

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“It’s romantic, but with a sharp side,” says Givenchy’s creative director, Riccardo Tisci, of his first fragrance, Dahlia Noir, which—with a recipe of rose, iris, and patchouli that’s both mysterious and elegant—is in keeping with his floral-accented clutch.

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Say the word “lady” and the first designer who probably comes to mind is Oscar de la Renta. Whether it’s a wedding dress, a ballgown, or a jewel-encrusted open-toe pump, de la Renta’s signature elegance is front and center. His new scent, Live In Love, is no exception. The green floral mix of bergamot, hyacinth, and lily of the valley adds up to something more than mere fragrance. “It’s something you identify with,” de la Renta says. “It’s like an invisible dress.”

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“Women forgot about the magic of perfume,” bemoans Diane von Furstenberg. “It’s something that’s been used since antiquity to seduce.” Like most of her creations—from her lively wrap dresses to her rings, created in partnership with H. Stern—Diane, her new fragrance (frangipani and violet warmed with myrrh, musk, and patchouli), sparkles.