Next week, Jan Moran and Michael Edwards will officially launch Fabulous Fragrances of the World, their new online system designed to provide comprehensive fragrance information to retailers and journalists.
The heart of the system is a database of over 4600 fragrances, which will be updated weekly as new perfumes are released. The database combines key elements adapted and updated from Jan Moran's Fabulous Fragrances books and Michael Edwards' Fragrances of the World, and provides a wealth of information on each individual scent, including:
the fragrance name, house, and pronounciation;
the year of release and country of origin;
a picture of the bottle;
the fragrance style;
the fragrance family classification;
the key notes and a complete list of notes;
the perfumer; and
a description of the fragrance -- the "Fabulous Fragrances story".
There are also suggestions for the appropriate astrological sign, developed in collaboration with astrologer Susan Miller. In addition, where applicable there are listings for awards the fragrances may have won, celebrities who wear the fragrance, and quotes from the fragrance designer. For the retailer, there are also entries for the appropriate season for wear and possible promotional themes, ranging from Romantic to Bastille Day to Gourmand Ingredients.
A promotional wizard allows the user to search the database using a wide variety of variables: by perfumer, by notes, by fragrance classification, etc. Retailers can also use the wizard to develop seasonal promotions or employee training programs. Want to find award-winning fragrances with a French accent appropriate for bridal wear? Just point and click.
This fragrance fan positively drooled over the sheer amount of information available. Olivia Giacobetti created even more of my favorite fragrances than I knew. A one year subscription to the service is $1150.
Tomorrow: an interview with Jan Moran.
Oh, this sounds great!
I wonder if access is by subscription only, or is the genral public allowed to peruse all the wonderful information?
How exciting…As for astrology, I shudder thinking what they are going to recommend Leos to wear…something over the top no doubt.
Duh…sorry V, I left out (and have now added) that key piece of information. A subscription is $1150 per year.
You know, I didn't pay much attention to the astrological recommendations…I was too busy drooling over all the information about the noses!
Thank you, my dear!
Hhmmm…I was hoping the price wouldn't be too over the top for the average person, but, oh well!
Imagine all the fragrance I could buy with $1150…
V, it really isn't meant for “average persons” like you & me, it is largely geared towards retailers. Of course, I would kill to have access to it, LOL !
Oh, I figured as much, but still, it would be great to access it. Probably just as well…I could see myself glued to the computer for days!
I'm just wondering how the “retailers and journalists” are supposed to use it. Say Neiman's gets a sub. Does that mean all of their perfume SAs will have access? If the website is at the counter computer terminal, I suppose we can hang out there
There are few journalists that could use such information — there are some, of course, but I would suppose this is such a niche site that they will have to be very aggressive in their marketing to make sure the journalists know about it.
Great source of information, as you detailed, but just wondering about how it will be purchased and shared (among company employees.)
Anya, I have no idea how their multi-site licensing will work, but I gather from the subscription page that there is some such arrangement, at least in terms of payment. NM would do well to have it at their counters, I have not always had great luck in obtaining accurate information from their fragrance SAs.
The whole astrological angle just makes me snicker, no matter what or who the source is.
But the breadth of such a database has me *drooling*, and it's too bad it's so cost prohibitive to eager perfume fans. Ah well, I do enjoy Moran's books quite a bit, and those are much more affordable, so they'll have to do for me. Look forward to the interview R – this should really be a great one.
K, The astrology & fragrance connection is lost on me, and for that matter astrology in general is lost on me. But hey, if you walked into a store and the SA could actually recommend a fragrance based on your sign if you asked, that would be impressive.
Eh, I'd be way more impressed if more SAs could actually be aware of what is in their own lines they sell – I asked a Lancome one the other day about Magie Noire and she responded by blinking at me blankly. Sigh.
Wow – sounds amazing. I want access! Hmm. Do I know any hackers?!!
Agree about astrology – it almost never seems to get things right as far as I'm concerned. They say Tauruses are ruled by Venus and love beauty and sensual things (true in my case), and that they are incredibly practical and grounded and good money managers and businesspeople (not true at all in my case! Is it just me or do those two traits pretty much oppose each other violently?!) I also once read that Tauruses love spicy, woody scents — wrong again!
And not to sound too crabby today, but ALL sales associates REALLY ANNOY ME – no matter what store. They can't seem to understand that some people who walk into the store and browse might actually be familiar already with what we are looking at! Every time it's the same. At Barneys the other day, they asked me what I was currently wearing. I said L'Artisan Tubereuse. They said, 'Then you'd love La Haie.' I said have that. 'Oh then you have to get La Chasse.' No, I already have that too. They said 'There's a new line called FM – you have to get Lys Mediteranee.' It's not at all new, and I own it. 'Okay, then try En Passant.' I already have that too. Now please just get away from me and let me enjoy myself! And stop wearing so much makeup while you're at it! Grrrrr.
Sephora has that great no-talking-to-customers policy, but unfortunately I'm not as interested in the scents they carry as Barneys, Bergdorfs, etc.
Maybe I should just stick to Aedes because it's the only place I know of where they know what they're talking about and I can actually learn something.
There was a funny story on MUA or POL recently about someone trying to buy YSL Paris, and the SA had never heard of it & kept trying to sell her Paris Hilton, LOL !
Hee hee hee hee! That would drive me batty, but how funny
Aedes never tries to sell, which is a big plus, but I often have the opposite problem at Barneys: there isn't anyone there who seems to know the lines at all, other than the Frederic Malle people.
That's genius.
On the astrological note I can recommend John Oakes' books – The Book of Perfumes and New Book of Perfumes as well as his Perfume Zodiac. All of these are pocket size books with a couple of pages review per scent, with recommendations for your star sign as well as suggestions as to what to wear with your perfume and the age range the perfume suits. They are fun – without being in your face new-ageish, and he seems to really love perfumes, the only downside is that none of the newer perfumes – post 2000, are in this book. Enjoy.
Thanks for commenting, I knew there was another book on this subject. Long ago someone posted whole chapters of it on the fragrance board at MakeupAlley. I think he might have another fragrance book that isn't on astrology, and I'll have to look for it.
That person was me.
I thought so J, but wasn't sure.
Bvlgari Extreme Vert.