It's Andy Warhol's birthday today (he would have been 80 this year), and Bond no. 9 is marking the occasion with the launch of the third fragrance in their Andy Warhol series, Lexington Avenue (prior entries: Silver Factory and Union Square).
The Lexington Avenue bottle might be my favorite of this series so far. It's decorated with shoes because Warhol drew shoes, lots of them, early in his career; for a time in the 1950s he was on retainer as an illustrator for the I. Miller Shoe Company. The name of the fragrance comes from an apartment at 242 Lexington Avenue in Murray Hill that Warhol sublet from a friend in 1953.
How the Lexington Avenue juice resonates with the shoes (or with Warhol, although he reportedly loved perfume and was buried with a bottle of Estee Lauder Beautiful) is lost on me, but then, I'm pretty dense: you'd pretty much have to make it smell like leather to remind me of shoes. In place of leather, we've got a floral woody chypre with a rather unusual list of notes: blue cypress, fennel, cardamom, pink peony, iris, crème brûlée, pimento berry, patchouli and sandalwood.
An unusual list of notes doesn't always make for an unusual (or even interesting) fragrance, but this one, by perfumer Claude Dir, qualifies. The opening is citrus over spiced sheer fruits and wood with licorice. It's just slightly sweaty on my skin, but not in an unpleasant way — for a brief time, it reminded me of Annick Goutal's Eau du Sud, although they don't really have anything in common. On paper, the opening gradually softens into creamy vanilla notes, but on skin, the floral notes and crème brûlée seem to arrive all at once with no warning, and the shift is a little disorienting: suddenly you're in gourmand territory, and what started as a unisex-possibly-leaning-towards-masculine takes on a more conventional feminine character. That doesn't last either, though, and eventually, Lexington Avenue shifts into a Chinatown-like woody patchouli, very smooth and clean and middling dark, with light resinous accents.
It's rather fun to wear, and has plenty of personality. Other than the brief time when the crème brûlée is ascendant, I'd call it a unisex, but I believe Bond is marketing it to women (the press release, at any rate, mentions that it links "two of the most ultra-feminine commodities a woman can own: fragrance and footwear"). As with many modern chypres, I don't find it very chypre-ish — I'd have pegged it as a gourmand woods, although it is neither overly foody nor particularly sweet.
It's very much worth a try, but for myself, I still haven't decided if I actually like Lexington Avenue. I thought Chinatown was beautifully done, but it just isn't me, and Lexington Avenue, while not a Chinatown dupe, might be in the same category. I should note that Annie over at Blogdorf Goodman, who is a Chinatown fan, says that Lexington Avenue is even better. For my part, I'll give Lexington Avenue another try come fall, but for now, Silver Factory remains my favorite fragrance from Bond no. 9.
Bond no. 9 Andy Warhol Lexington Avenue is available in 50 ($135) and 100 ml ($195) Eau de Parfum. It does not launch officially until September, but you can find it now at Beautycafe. If you've got $575 to spare, you might want to wait for the limited edition with the 4 shoe charms on a sterling silver chain (removable and wearable; bottle shown top right) designed by Robert Lee Morris. If you can wait even longer, in time for Christmas there will be a set of three 50 ml bottles in different colors (the mock-up I saw had the shoe design on white, hot pink and lavender backgrounds) inside a large purple fiberglass shoe for around $1100.
An aside: if you love the shoes but not the perfume, the Warhol store has Andy Warhol shoe-print posters, stickers, jigsaw puzzles and mouse pads. Also, a really wonderful "ANDY FOR PRES" watch, in case you're not happy with any of the 2008 candidates (please note that this was NOT an invitation to discuss politics in the comments! you'll get deleted if you say so much as a word!).
Note: all images via Bond no. 9.
Ah…I am having a lovely moment imagining Andy at 80, mellowed but still insurprassably strange, still thin, and with the same hair, in white. Perhaps having tea with Quentin Crisp.
Doesn't that make a nice picture? Wonder what he'd think of his perfume line…
Wow, that sounds great! Reading that list of notes made me giggle, but your description makes me want to try it immediately. I've already forgotten what Union Square smelled like, but I liked Silver Factory very much, and Chinatown is my favorite Bond, so I will definitely give this a whirl.
Sounds absolutely great! I adore the bottle and all the shoe-charms! what a neat idea! I'm going to have to see what it smells like, my number one from Bond. 9 series has always been park avenue… floral (which is not my usual style) but so beautifully done!
A lovely review (as always). My to-sniff list is growing like a weed. I better brave the heat and get sniffing.
Gosh, I've forgotten Union Square too. It was floral, that I remember. This one is way more interesting, even if you turn out not to like it.
I'm hankering after the lavender bottle, which I'll never get. Figures!
This one is probably better timed for fall, when it will be “officially” released. Might do better in cool weather? You'll have to see, if you brave it 🙂
Though, I am not a big Bond no. 9 fan, I enjoy occasionally wearing my sample of Chinatown, can appreciate but not wear New Harlem, and really liked (it might be loved) Silver Factory..so I will definitely give this one a try. The notes seem interesting and unusual (though I am wary of the pink peony (and creme brulee) which I think was present in the IMHO uninteresting Union Square.
Thanks, for the review, R!
Hmmm, I can't imagine it bing better than Chinatown/Silver Factory, but I am definitely intrigued by your review. The bottle is pretty darn cute (although those silver shoe charms look as sharp as razor blades to me- take an eye out…)
LOL — true on the charms, but if you really want to poke your eye out, you need that new Feerie bottle from Van Cleef & Arpels 😉
I'd agree w/ your opinion of Union Square, although that was another lovely bottle. Do give this one a try — even if you hate it, it's unlikely to bore you!
True, and I'm afraid children might have nightmares about the feerie coming to life at night…
I'm rather fond of the Feerie bottle myself, it's not your average run-of-the-mill offering. Looking forward to a sniff. Thanks for the Lexington Ave review Robin, this sounds promising.. if not FB worthy, at least a potential decant.
I liked Feerie (the bottle) better in pictures than in person, but that's usually the way it works out. It does look like something I'd poke my eye out with taking off the cap though! And do try LA, it's worth a shot. It's had very mixed reviews so far, but that's better than the zillions of things that everybody is bored by.
The sweet fruity & creme brulee notes at the beginning were a little alarming, but the drydown was a fabulous light incensey smell which I loved. Will definitely be buying a bottle, even though I still like Silver Factory better.
I'd really, really like a bottle of Silver Factory, but with the way my perfume spending is going so far this year, it's just not in the cards. Just as well I'm not in love with this one, although who knows, maybe in the end it will catch me…
If it's selling well he'd probably be pleased as punch. From: “Making money is art, and working is art and good business is the best art.”
Apparently he tried to submit his shoe drawings to the Met and was turned down so I think he'd be quite pleased about that particular tribute as well…
No idea whether or not he'd like the actual scent…
Huh. I love Chinatown… I'm going to have to get a sample asap.
Turned down, really? Was that early on? I know most of the shoe drawings were early, from before he changed his name and became famous.
I don't find them quite as close as some other reviewers do, but certainly the base is similar.
Buried with a bottle of “Beautiful?” Interesting… The combination of creme brulee and cypress does intrigue. I've actually never smelled any of the Bonds so I don't know, but I love the idea of Silver Factory. They need to make one called Velvet Underground, and I'd have to buy it.
In between appointments yesterday, I passed by the Bond counter at Saks, and sprayed on a quick spritz…it was not for sale, but a tester was available. As I hurried to my next appointment and took a whif of my arm, I immediately thought CHINA TOWN! Later that afternoon, the drydown was different…seemed more unisex…and maybe BETTER than CT. I own a FB of CT, but wear it very infrequently. If I had LA in my collection, I think I would go to it alot more often. Great bottle though…appreciate it being in the shoe business. Great read…thanks again Robin!
Chinatown was one of my first perfumes. In fact, it was probably my second. Nobody else liked it and, as I've learned, that's the norm in my circle of friends. Actually, I was told I smelled “like a baby prostitute.” Go figure. I courted it properly, too, not like the usual rookies do; the Bond SA knew me on sight. I'd probably go back and get another bottle if I didn't have such a big craving for something about the same price. D= Thinking back, I probably sprayed more of it on my sheets than my person.
Anyway, I was given a whole slew of samples and, as the popular opinion is, I was right: Chinatown was the best one. Now that the Andy Warhol (of whom, frankly, I have a low but not fully-formed opinion) fragrances. I'll have to go back; I haven't been since they released Bleeker St., which was my sister's pick. Go figure.
The bottle is not doing it for me. It reminds me of Quentin Blake's illustrations (mostly known for his work with Roald Dahl), of which I was never a huge fan.
But the fragrance seems interesting. Thank you so much for the update! You've been really busy with the reviews this week, huh?
I've read it before & repeated it here so I hope it is true…makes a good story, anyway! And yeah, I'll take a Velvet Underground too. Can already “smell” it…iris & incense 🙂
Interesting, so even the top notes reminded you of Chinatown? Annie of Blogdorf Goodman said the same, but they're so different to me despite the similar spices. Must be me!
A baby prostitute!! That's pretty funny.
I thought Chinatown was their best before the Warhols. Now I think Silver Factory is their best. And as wonderful as their bottles were before, I think the AW bottles are even better. But agree w/ you on Quentin Blake — never took to his illustrations.
I'm going to try to find a sample of this, but I am lucky that we do have a bond no. 9 counter in one of the high-end stores here. They should probably have this in our store? I am in love with park avenue and I just ordered some of it.
You can also get samples directly from Bond — info on their website, IIRC. But would think they'd have it if they carry the line.
Initial blast is definitely Chinatown related, although in a more refined manner…but it changes rapidly after that. I like Chinatown but it can be too much sometimes. This one however, tones down quickly and settles into a very embracing and comforting fall fragrance. Had the store I sniffed at would have had it in the 50ml size, I would have purchased on the spot.
And I'd buy it if there were a 30 ml 🙂
I love this scent, it wears so well.
It really is nicely done. Can't beat the shoes, either.
And figures, I love shoes too!
Strangely enough, I'm currently writing copy about shoes for an online shoe purveyor: One might say this juice is a shoo-in for me :). And I DO enjoy Lexington Avenue (wintery, warm, sweet), despite the fact that it reminds me of walking into a Michael's craft store — sort of an “eau de simmering potpourri.”
Hey, then you need a bottle, and the one w/ the shoe charms, presumably! Or this:
https://nstperfume.com/blog/_archives/2008/11/23/3986974.html
Did a resniff at Bond today…and I take back my Chinatown similarity comment. That was back in the summer, today it was cold and in the low 30's…maybe it was the weather? I think this will wind up in my collection. I also got to preview 2 new scents not yet released…Brooklyn and Andy Warhol Astor Place. Brooklyn will also be an addition….the latter I found too flowery as I did Union Square. Ciao!
Have a sample of Brooklyn, but not Astor Place yet. Any particular flowers? I didn't care for Union Square either.
Ohhhh! Sprayed this and Chinatown on my wrist. I’ll be getting both of them :). Wish I were rich enough for the swarovski editions. One day 🙂
Yep, you better save your pennies!
Hahaha! I won a Lexington Avenue on Ebay! Brand new in Box! Awww, I remember posting what I posted up above and I really wanted the swarovski edition of Chinatown. Now, I’ll have it either tomorrow or Wednesday :). I’m so proud of myself
Oh, lucky you! Hope you got a good price.
It came on July 3, 2009! I got it for 97.01!
Excellent!
Personally, I like this one so much more than Chinatown. It was offered to me as a replacement for Angelique Noire, which proved to be completely inaccurate, but I enjoyed it for its own sake: strange and licoricey up front, but wearable and warm on the drydown.