Our own Dr. Jessica will be giving a talk next month for the Brooklyn Brainery — 10 Iconic Perfume Bottles: Culture and Design.
Perfume bottles can be much more than eye-catching containers. The best ones are small works of art, and their designs evoke their cultural eras as well as the fragrances inside.
This illustrated presentation is an introduction to ten iconic perfume bottles from the twentieth century. Whether elaborate or minimalist, elegant or playful, these bottles demonstrate how modern perfumery joined forces with modern design to produce objects of lasting value. We’ll consider the history of each one, including its visual style, its creators, and its fragrance. And, in reading these “messages in bottles,” we’ll look beyond perfume to the ways that these seemingly frivolous items captured something about their wider social contexts.
The talk will be held on Wednesday, October 7, from 6:30 to 8:00 pm. The cost is $10, and you can sign up here!
(via brooklynbrainery)
I’m sorry I can’t make this as it sounds fascinating. And how fun to be able to meet Jessica as well!
🙂
Mrs Mountain and I will be there. Looking forward to it!
Oh, great! Thank you!
Can’t make it as I live in another state. Can I try to guess the ten? Chanel No. 5, Guerlain Vol de Nuit (cheat – it was used in the link), Jean Paul Gaultier Le Male, Lanvin Arpege, Guerlain Shalimar, CK One, YSL Opium, Shirapelli Shocking, Thierry Mugler Angel, Christian Dior Poison. Those would be my pick for most iconic bottles that represent their time.
Everyone can try to guess! So many possibilities, right?
The most iconic flacon of them all: the Gucci Rush one 😛
Wow, that’s a great one, true. I’ll need to give a Part Two of this presentation!
Oooh, I may be able to make this one and may bring a colleague!
P, I’d love to see you there!
Maybe one of them might be the L’Air du Temps bottle with the doves on top?
Maybe! 😉
Chanel No 5. I don’t own it. Don’t really like it. But do I recognize it? Undoubtedly! Other than that a couple of my picks. Nu. Yes the hockey puck. My Sin and Alien.
Those are all great picks — really distinctive!
Since I’m not in NYC, I hope this is captured online somehow. It must have been fun and challenging to pick just ten.
In addition to the others above, I’d guess Kenzo Amour, the black-blue-silver metal Rive Gauche spray, Lolita Lempicka, the original Magie Noire presentation, the Diorissimo amphora with the gilded flowers (or the classic black and white houndstooth check), one of the Donna Karans, the Boucheron jeweled ring, and the original Lalique Lagerfeld Chloe bottle.
It *was* fun and challenging! I finally stopped vacillating…but I could easily do 20-25, if time permitted!
Seconding a request for an online presentation! Oh! That Pierre Cardin bottle from the 70s. Won’t even say what it looks like…
I know the one you mean!! Ha hah. 😉
Yes! Sounds really interesting. I hope Dr. Jessica will submit an online post covering her 10 icons so those of us outside of NY can read it. Pretty please?
I’ll see what I can do!
Good luck – this sounds so cool. You’ll have to do a youtube version so we can all watch!
Oh, I’m shy enough about being photographed…the possibility of being filmed gives me nightmares! 😉