Niche line Bond no. 9 recently launched Park Avenue South, the brand's latest fragrance inspired by a New York City neighborhood. Park Avenue South is "an eau de parfum celebrating the city’s newest, most scintillating and most happening street...[and] the neighborhood’s fresh, flirtatious, insouciant spirit" with notes of green apple, peach, jasmine, musk and dry amber.
The promotional materials for Park Avenue South describe this particular bit of Manhattan as "New York's latest happening turf, full of condos with pools, of-the-moment restaurants, chic hotels, and frenzied real estate panache." That sounds like a part of town I'd avoid at all costs. I suppose Bond is latching onto this strip's identity as an alternative to the old-money style of upper Park Avenue, which Bond commemorated back in 2003 with notes of delicate white florals.
In any case, if you're not a New Yorker or even a visitor from out of town, what kind of impression does this fragrance make? It's definitely youthful and upbeat. It's also a bit "front-loaded," designed to smell most appealing at first spritz on skin or a paper blotter. The green apple note is tart and crisp, but very brief. It's followed by lots of peach, and this peach smells like some kind of genetically engineered fruit that has no pit, no sticky excess juice, no bruised spots — just sweet flesh. The peachy heart very gradually gives way to some clean (almost dry-cleaned) jasmine and a very sheer amber in the base. There's just a whiff of sourness late in the game, but Park Avenue South lasts longer on the skin than you might expect for a fragrance centered on a fruit note. Its timing as a spring release is perfect, and it will appeal to many shoppers at Bond counters.
Bond no. 9 Park Avenue South is, basically, a good-smelling peach fragrance at a luxury price point. If that sounds worthwhile to you, by all means give it a try. If you're in the mood for a niche peach scent with a little more of a floral aspect, you might sample By Kilian Flower of Immortality or Keiko Mecheri Peau de Pêche; if you're on a budget, you can always scope out the peach-themed offerings at The Body Shop or L'Occitane.
In a strange way, Park Avenue South really is suited to the aspect of its namesake street that Bond wants to highlight: it's trendy, bright, unburdened by history. This made me feel slightly sad. In the Manhattan of 2015, picturesque Victorian brownstones and grand pre-war apartment buildings are being dwarfed by sleek new glass towers of luxury condominiums. Bond no. 9 used to release fragrances like Chinatown and Broadway Nite; now we get Park Avenue South. That's progress for you.
Bond no. 9 Park Avenue South sells as 50 ($200) 100 ml ($295) Eau de Parfum. A matching candle and body cream are also available. For purchasing information, see the listing for Bond no. 9 under Perfume Houses.
It feels like they are really reaching on this one. Park Avenue South? I didn’t know that was a thing. Maybe they should revisit Chinatown next and do a gentrified flanker. They could call it Chinatown con d’eau.
I didn’t know it was exactly a thing, either… but a quick search showed me that some real estate advertising does indeed use that term! I’m so old-school. I have no idea what’s going on anymore. 😉
Everything about this depresses me.
Your avatar says it all!
Bahahaha!!!
I’d be depressed if I thought a fragrance was being top loaded not because the company can’t be bothered paying for a fully developed fragrance, but because it KNOWS its customers don’t care anyway. Those customers are happy to pay hundreds for fragrances that are interesting for only five minutes, but which look cool on the bedside table.
Oh well, don’t mind me. Woke up with a sore head today.
Well, maybe that’s just my perception…but it does seem like a common thing these days, for a scent to smell most interesting at first whiff.
I believe its actually the fact and not just you!
A good immediate perfume impression paired with some “SA-sweet talk” will guarantee way more sales.
So sad 🙁
They are so Manhattan-centric in their view of New York. Come on, there are four other boroughs. Bond No. 9 Staten Island…”taste the bracing aroma of harried commuters crowded onto ferries for the morning ride to Manhattan,” How about the Bronx? Bond No. 9 The Bronx…”Stand tall with the Bronx Bombers and catch that millionaire fragrance over Yankee Stadium.” Don’t laugh – the NYBG (New York Botanical Garden) is in the Bronx.
hah! I’m very pro-Bronx — I have family history and personal history there. But I’m actually surprised that Bond hasn’t done more Brooklyn fragrances — the Brooklyn “brand” is so hot these days.
A Whiff of Williamsburg? Park Slope Sniff? Hint of Brooklyn Heights? Carroll Gardens? And what about Coney Island? Surely that is scent-worthy.
I believe there is a Yankees scent already
Why not just have a Botanical garden scent. (This would be a cool item for the Botanical Garden to sell.)
They’ll be offering NYBG candles soon — look here! http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/bronx/botanical-garden-themed-candles-bloom-article-1.2098327
I believe that they recently came out with a “Queens” fragrance….but the borough of Queens (which was once considered part of Long Island) would offer up many more names for the Bond no 9 brand as each neighborhood has its own name and the addresses reflect this (Bayside, Woodside, Sunnyside, Forest Hills, Jamaica, Long Island City, Jackson Heights, Kew Gardens, New Hyde Park, Astoria, etc)
I agree — some of those neighborhoods have become cool all over again (LIC, Astoria) and others have wonderful histories (e.g. Forest Hills). But maybe they wouldn’t appeal as much to international customers? Just a guess.
My fav peachy scent is Histoires de Parfums 1969 (Revolte). Warm, uninhibited, sexy and beautiful – a brilliant match for the era!
Oh, that sounds like a good one. I used to really like a peach-and-floral blend from i Profumi di Firenze, and something from Des Filles a la Vanille with peach and caramel that was good fun — Toi Mon Ange, I think it was called.
Those sound good. I’m not sure I’ve tried anything from either brand yet, will look for an opportunity.
Oh, just remembered that I have decants of a discontinued CSP called Peach Blossom, I think. Simple but wonderful.
And I just looked up i Profumi di Firenza – the peach one is Florentia. The description includes touches of lilac and iris – sounds great!
I was thinking at least there is a beautiful part to this fragrance that may grant some compliments.
Then I realised the cruel reality of “front-loaded okay perfumes” – by the time you’ve locked your door and gotten out the house, you are merely suggesting to the world you smell clean or you’ve just showered…
The happy peach part does make me smile, but the price is so high for something that gives me one cheerful fruit note. Not every fragrance has to be serious and complex, but still…
I wonder if this fragrance is similar to Jo Malone’s Peach Blossom & Honey (which would not be as expensive 🙂 !!)
I do like Nectarine Blossom & Honey — but it lasts about 5 minutes on me! This fragrance has better longevity, that’s for sure. 😉