The economy, needless to say, still does not look very promising but that doesn’t mean holidays should be postponed. People may have to tighten their belts a bit this year (and the years to come, hopefully not) especially on the non-essentials but some do entitle themselves to some form of indulgence no matter how prohibitive the cost maybe. Some people find comfort in designer brands; it’s one of those things that they’d spend money on in a heartbeat.
In fact according to the Financial Times, perfumes, the luxury-exclusive-niche types are raking in profits and high-end brands are expanding their stores across America despite the recession. Further, NPD Group, the marketing research company, said that perfumes priced at one hundred dollars and more increased by 7 percent. Linda Rahme, Bond No 9’s president, added that the global wholesale business has increased 25 percent in the prior year whereas Paris-based Creed was able to double its sales in the past decade. Does this mean the the perfume industry defies recession?
There have been a significant growth in luxury fragrances over the past year. They range from bejeweled perfumes such as Love Ralph Lauren with an amethyst cap ($2,200), Bond No 9’s All-Star Swarovski embellished with 5,000 Swarovski stone in each bottle ($650), Limited edition Guerlain Mitsouko decorated with real jade and pearls ($7,000) and more fragrances that are priced over a hundred dollars a piece, bejeweled or not.
That being said, is it worth it to indulge this holiday season?
The answer really depends on the person’s budget. But let’s say, money is not an issue, what perfumes would make it purchase-worthy? The classic types and niche fragrance houses are a good place to start.
Chanel
Perfumer Jacques Polge recreated the original Chanel and transformed it into a lighter and more luminous version. Chanel Cristalle Eau Verte Eau de Toilette is touted as the modern expression of the classic beauty of floral bouquet.
Van Cleef & Arpels Collection Extraordinaire
Paris-based jewelry house pays tribute to the beauty of nature with this Collection Extraordinaire featuring six fragrances: Gardenia Petale, Muguet Blanc, Orchidee Vanille, Bois d’Iris, Cologne Noire and Lys Carmin.
La Prairie Threads
Luxury skin-care brand La Prairie pays tribute to the story of a woman’s life from her youthful days to the culminating years of her life. These special moments are captured in three scents: Silver, Gold and Platinum.
Creed
Creed has been around since 1760. Over the years, the fragrance house has mastered the art of handcrafted fragrances using traditional methods. Green Irish Tweed, Millesime Imperial and Acqua Florentina are some of the popular Creed perfumes.
Guerlain
Mitsouko, Shalimar, Jicky, L’Heure Bleue – the classics. A perfumista knows by heart that these classic perfumes from Guerlain are simply immaculate. These perfumes evolved with time and despite the influx of mass-market fragrances, Guerlain never lost its following.
These perfumes are pegged above a hundred dollars each. I think everybody deserves a little treat this holiday season, right?
Learn more about the classics and designer perfumes at discount perfume online retailer, scentiments.com.