The New York Times has an article on the debut of the new Tom Ford Estée Lauder Collection (including Youth Dew Amber Nude) at Saks last Thursday. Tom Ford appeared in person, and according to Women's Wear Daily, "...was said to have broken the store's existing attendance records for a personal appearance..."
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I've heard some reviews of Ambre Nude from people on the fragrance board and they seem to be very positive. The new make up line seems to be liked as well. Still, just like someone in that article says, Estée Lauder has always been “an aspirational brand” for middle America [and everywhere else], not a brand for cutting-edge consumers, and trying to get new fashion-savvy clients with Tom Ford might “alienate or at least confuse the traditional Lauder consumer base.” Just sayin'.
M, An interesting point, although given that apparently much of the makeup line sold out at Saks, EL might not care! Ambre Nude strikes me as very well done, and fashion-savvy without necessarily pandering to a young audience if you know what I mean. I don't love it (wouldn't be likely to given the notes) but I am favorably impressed with it after my very brief first try.
If you don't love it but are impressed by it…this really sounds like something I will love
Must sample Ambre Nude.
LOL — the thing to do is always to see what your evil fragrance twin doesn't like, right? Will have to try AN again and decide if I am impressed because it is good, or just because it isn't as awful as I thought it might be. There were some real red flags in the notes (e.g. the bare skin accord, replacing the vanilla with chocolate, etc) and I thought they might be releasing something that makes an oldster like me shake her head at the follies of youth, but it isn't like that at all.
M, love your comment about EL being an aspirational brand for Middle America. I tend to agree with that. I wish I could be privy to EL's strategy meetings; there must have been quite a bit of discussion about bringing Tom Ford on, how they would position the line, etc, especially considering that Tom is the man who shaved a model's pubic hair into a G for a Gucci ad, and had Sophie Dahl completely naked in an Opium ad. We would never see Carolyn Murphy in such a position in an ad for Beautiful. My stars!
I wonder if the whole brand is trying to move toward a more modern image, and if this big Tom spectacular is just a way to get that going. Hmmmm….
I got to try the Ambre Nude this weekend. One of my shopping companions labelled it as the scent of a stripper. I would go a bit further and say the scent of a stripper after a busy evening of lap dancing. It was so heavy and dark and dirty-smelling. I only held a tissue sprayed with it, and even after throwing the tissue away into the nearest trash can, I could still smell it.
The SA at the Lauder counter said that during Ford's appearance at the flagship Saks, the store sold $85,000 on the beauty floor, with more than half of that in Ford products alone.
I guess he was a huge success. Most of the Ford cosmetic collection is now sold out in all Saks stores, again according to the SA who spoke to me.
K, you might be interested in the recent Forbes article about EL's efforts to stay competitive…there is a link under “perfume news” on September 22.
P, sounds like it struck you as much more edgy than it did me! I have only given it one brief try on skin though.