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Does the Presentation Get To You Before the Fragrance?

post #1 of 17
9/28/09 at 7:20pm
Thread Starter 
Guilty here. Even though I collect only vintage and discontinued, I can be a sucker for a classy bottle, even if its a blind buy with absolutely no reviews. Take, for example, "That Man" by Revlon. After I bought it, I discovered its a nice, classic chypre. But that ever-so-subtle octagonal bottle with the black cap banded by gold at the bottom really got to me. Its classy old school, very urbane GQ in design. Another example is "Henri Bendel Toilet Water for Men": I did not even know that Henri Bendel used to carry men's fragrances. Again, another chypre---rather strong this time. But the old school design caught my eye: this one must be at least 40 to 60 years old.
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post #2 of 17
9/28/09 at 7:33pm
Yes. I'd like to try LouLou... But that bottle is made of anti-me. I think I'd explode if I picked up the bottle.
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post #3 of 17
9/28/09 at 8:30pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Galamb_Borong View Post

Yes. I'd like to try LouLou... But that bottle is made of anti-me. I think I'd explode if I picked up the bottle.

I agree with you. Or Tocade, by Rochas. On the other hand, I did not like Kenzo Power, but the bottle is beautiful.
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post #4 of 17
9/28/09 at 8:47pm
From my experience, 9 times out of 10 the bottle is more interesting than the fragrance itself. Personally, I wish so much focus wasn't placed on the bottle and more effort was directed toward the actual scent itself. I think Andy Tauer's very simple and straight forward bottles are ideal.
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post #5 of 17
9/28/09 at 8:48pm
A beautiful bottle will definitely entice me to give the contents a try. 2 out of 3 times I find the juice somewhat lacking. The scents I find attractive always seem to come in simply designed bottles. That's why my perfume bottle collection hobby never get off the ground.
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post #6 of 17
9/28/09 at 8:54pm
I have to say that the packaging can greatly influence my initial perception of the scent by setting up certain expectations via shape, color, and even the name of the scent.

I particularly adore Amouage's presentation as the packaging is superb and extremely utilitarian on a functional level (a quarter inch thick hard cardboard box with a beautiful design on the outside, that pulls apart vertically leaving an inch or so left with a plush velvet lining and small cutout for the bottle to rest in securely preventing it from being knocked over. This way it's easy to keep the fragrance in the packaging and protected from light - the packaging itself is beautiful on display - and it's extremely quick and easy to get at the bottle itself). Add to all of that the accompanying storylines that have been created alongside their more recent scents and yes, I'm smitten!

I think the packaging, bottle and overall presentation always affect us whether we want it to or not. It has been proven that scent is the sense most susceptible to being altered by suggestion or even expectation. How can packaging and presentation not set up any suggestion or expectations?

I'd really love to see the results of a massive blind sniff with a large group of BNers. I think they'd surprise us all.
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post #7 of 17
9/29/09 at 1:11am
I love the bottle of Guerlain Imperiale. I have several bottles of it, however i think the smell, on me, is so-so.
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post #8 of 17
9/29/09 at 1:32am
I had a similar experience with Banana Repulblic's "Slate". Amazing presentation, and the scent was surprisingly pleasant, however, the longevity was a joke. So, it DID get to me, but not enough to purchase it.
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post #9 of 17
9/29/09 at 3:58am
Case in point, By Kilian. You'd be praying really hard the juice inside is just as 'godly'.
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post #10 of 17
9/29/09 at 4:19am
No. I never buy anything based on the bottle it is in. If the fragrance I like happens to come in a cool bottle, then that is an added bonus.
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post #11 of 17
9/29/09 at 4:24am
Quote:
Originally Posted by petruccijc View Post

No. I never buy anything based on the bottle it is in. If the fragrance I like happens to come in a cool bottle, then that is an added bonus.

I don't think this necessarily means that the presentation doesn't still get to you before the fragrance. The only way to avoid this, imo, is to blind sniff something you've not even heard of. Even something as simple as a notes list sets up expectations which will influence, however subtly, what we smell.
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post #12 of 17
9/29/09 at 4:30am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Diamondflame View Post

Case in point, By Kilian. You'd be praying really hard the juice inside is just as 'godly'.

And fortunately Love by Kilian is "godly."
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post #13 of 17
9/29/09 at 4:31am
Quote:
Originally Posted by SculptureOfSoul View Post

I don't think this necessarily means that the presentation doesn't still get to you before the fragrance. The only way to avoid this, imo, is to blind sniff something you've not even heard of. Even something as simple as a notes list sets up expectations which will influence, however subtly, what we smell.

Couldn't have said this better myself! I never even thought about the affects of pyramids but they do obviously impact what we may smell.
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post #14 of 17
9/29/09 at 10:47am
I like it when the presentation gives a visual cue or clue to the nature of the fragrance. I've fallen hard a couple of times for a stunning exterior - fortunately for me, the juice lived up to it on those occasions. There are bottles for individual fragrances that are standouts in their house - for instance, the extrait bottle designed for Infini by Caron - that are perfect partners in expressing the perfume on a visual plane. Then there are lines which use a standard bottle for all their offerings, but it suits the feeling of that perfume house in general - like the older MPG bottles, with their ridiculous but endearing faux-gem tops.
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post #15 of 17
9/29/09 at 10:51am
Depends, but sometimes the package, the niche appeal, the established historical reputation of scent instantly draw me into testing it or into craving to sample it at all costs, which may lead or not lead to frantic purchases.
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post #16 of 17
9/29/09 at 11:00am
Quote:
Originally Posted by flouris View Post

From my experience, 9 times out of 10 the bottle is more interesting than the fragrance itself. Personally, I wish so much focus wasn't placed on the bottle and more effort was directed toward the actual scent itself. I think Andy Tauer's very simple and straight forward bottles are ideal.

The history of Parfums D'Orsay--with its marketing "faux legend" making its namesake out to be a parfumeur in 1908--is well-known for its beautiful bottles over the juice inside. The flacons fetch high prices at auctions. Browse any online auction and you can see many samples.
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post #17 of 17
9/29/09 at 11:41am
Great presentation is certainly a bonus, and I'd be lying if I didn't admit I take a certain pride in displaying some of my more unique bottles. However I have plenty of decant/split bottles and it's the juice inside that means the most to me.
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