With so much information available today, many students buy niche fragrances. But fashion fragrances were once something everyone (?) went through during their student days. Who actually composed them? Those nostalgic scents turn out to have been created by hugely famous perfumers!
- Cool Water (Davidoff, 1988)
- Eternity (Calvin Klein, 1988)
- Platinum Égoïste (Chanel, 1993)
- CK One (Calvin Klein, 1994)
- 212 (Carolina Herrera, 1997)
- Rush (Gucci, 1999)
- Light Blue (Dolce & Gabbana, 2001)
- For Her (Narciso Rodriguez, 2003)
- The One (Dolce & Gabbana, 2006) & The One for Men (2008)
- Crystal Bloom (Jill Stuart, 2014)
Cool Water (Davidoff, 1988)
Cool Water is one of those wonderful scents with the distinction, or perhaps the dubious distinction, of being the most copied fragrance. Frequently named as a celebrity favorite, it sold extremely well. Its perfumer is Frédéric Malle (in Japanese) contributor Pierre Bourdon (in Japanese), who also composed Creed’s Aventus.
Eternity (Calvin Klein, 1988)
Eternity means “forever.” I imagine many people bought it simply on hearing that it evoked “eternal love.” The perfumer is Sophia Grojsman (in Japanese), who has devoted her life to women’s fragrances.
Platinum Égoïste (Chanel, 1993)
Alongside Givenchy’s Ultramarine and Calvin Klein’s CK One, Platinum Égoïste became popular as a fragrance worn by celebrities. It was composed by Jacques Polge, Chanel’s third in-house perfumer. Perhaps the Chanel brand and the name “Égoïste” struck a chord.
CK One (Calvin Klein, 1994)
When you think of Calvin Klein fragrances, you think of CK One and Eternity. CK One was created as an anti-perfume: an androgynous fragrance rejecting the gender divisions of “for him” and “for her” that existed then and still persist today. The idea came from Calvin Klein’s former wife borrowing his clothes. Incidentally, the advertising featured Kate Moss, whom he considered to have the most androgynous appearance at the time.
The perfumers were Alberto Morillas, who has probably created more perfumes than anyone else in history, and Harry Frémont, a fellow perfumer at Firmenich.
212 (Carolina Herrera, 1997)
Released in 1997 by Venezuelan-born designer Carolina Herrera, 212 remains popular thanks to a rumor that actress Satomi Ishihara wears it. And its perfumer, at last, is Alberto Morillas.
Rush (Gucci, 1999)
Rush takes its name from a sex drug popular in America in the 1980s. With a name as shocking as Opium, meaning opium itself, this fragrance was created by Michel Almairac (in Japanese), whose students include many well-known perfumers. It is no longer sold in Japan, but it is still sold in its home country.
Light Blue (Dolce & Gabbana, 2001)
Light Blue is the perfume that became hugely popular again after appearing in the lyrics of a song in 2019. The remarkable fact that it has remained on sale for 20 years or more lies in its overdose of lemon essential oil, at 10% or more, and in the fact that it is “technically noteworthy because top notes that would normally disappear quickly last an astonishingly long time” (Luca Turin). The perfumer who composed it is Olivier Cresp, who had previously created Thierry Mugler’s Angel, a gourmand fragrance, sweet like confectionery. It is worth noting that Cresp made a fragrance at the opposite end of the spectrum a hit as well, and possesses a technique that even Frédéric Malle envies.
For Her (Narciso Rodriguez, 2003)
The first perfume released by Cuban-born fashion designer Narciso Rodriguez was a joint creation by Christine Nagel, now Hermès’s in-house perfumer, and Francis Kurkdjian (in Japanese), now Dior’s in-house perfumer. With powdery musk × floral × fruity notes, it almost seems to say, “We packed in all the scents women love!” Yet it comes together so beautifully, surely a testament to the teamwork between Nagel and Kurkdjian.
The One (Dolce & Gabbana, 2006) & The One for Men (2008)
The One is one of Dolce&Gabbana’s signature fragrances, composed by Christine Nagel, now the in-house perfumer at Hermès. The men’s fragrance was composed by Olivier Polge, now Chanel’s in-house perfumer. Both were still young talents at the time, so the fact that each later attained an in-house position is both unsurprising, given their skill, and rather moving.
Crystal Bloom (Jill Stuart, 2014)
The sparkling decorations on Jill Stuart cosmetics are so cute!!! Above all, I imagine Crystal Bloom, meaning a crystal flower, has captivated many girls with its scent. Inspired by the beauty of diamonds, this perfume was composed by Christine Nagel, who was then doing outstanding work on Jo Malone fragrances and was selected for the prestigious role of in-house perfumer at Hermès.
Personally, I loved the hand cream and used it regularly. It is lovely to have body-care products in the same fragrance too. Although you find it at cosmetics counters, Jill Stuart is an American fashion designer, and the brand originally began in fashion, which is why I have included it here.
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