Thursday, April 8, 2010

Paco Rabanne Lady Million: new fragrance

Puig, the Spanish company behind the Paco Rabanne fragrances portfolio, is launching a new fragrance, rumoured to be the feminine equivalent of the commercially successful masculine One Million, mistakenly reported as Swinging Paris (the mistake according to official info from Puig headquarters was due to a press release that mentioned the words, but in another context). The name will be presented in the press on May 25th, when the official launch will happen. Edit to add: The name is officially confirmed as Lady Million.
Fronted by Dree Hemingway, Mariel's daughter (who is in turn Ernest's grand-daughter), it will be aimed at the hip generation embracing modern aesthetics and fashion consciousness. You see, Dree is model du jour in the runway world (having participated in such prestigious shows as Valentino, Jean Paul Gaultier and Gianfranco Ferré) and hasn't been "burned" by overexposure just yet.

Paco Rabanne intends to present their latest feminine fragrance Lady Million, as the female alter ego to their recent masculine release, One Million. The scent was supposed to be available in July 2010 according to one source ~while Puig swears the launch will be in May (see above)~ and they continue: “Humour, gluttony and seduction,” will be characterised in the campaign, which will highlight the allure of the blonde ‘rocker.’ For the label Paco Rabanne, “the audacious Dree Hemingway personifies the glamour of today’s ‘femme fetale.’” No words on "notes" yet, but we will supplement as soon as available (something tells me we're faced with a fruitchouli?) Edit to add: It's a fresh woody floral with notes of citron, raspberry, neroli, orange flower, jasmine, gardenia, patchouli and honey and is composed by Anne Flipo, Dominique Ropion and Beatrice Piquet.
On a related note: Is the girl a little too thin for comfort or is it just cranky ol' me talking? Anyway...

Paco Rabanne is nowadays more fondly remembered for their classics (the lovely, easy-going Calandre and the cool Métal from the 70s as well as the animalistic La Nuit from 1985) rather than their modern offerings (Ultraviolet, XS, XS Black etc). So a major feminine release is in many ways a bet for the brand. Let's see what happens!

pics via models.com & fashionindie.com

15 comments:

  1. Well, if thinking Dree looks too skinny in that picture makes you cranky, move over on the cranky bench and make room for one more.

    Of course, the Hemingways were a lanky bunch of gals...and the graphics folk are ruthless with Photoshop (a la the Ralph Lauren fracas)...but all we have to look at is someone who not only looks thin enough to qualify as malnourished, but seems to have trouble standing upright as a result.

    Let's hope that whatever note "humor" is in that humor/gluttony/seduction trio is enough to perk her up.

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  2. Anonymous14:37

    You're not wrong, she's nearly skeletal in that B&W ad but appears to be less so on the mag cover. The famous cheekbones are in evidence, however.

    (Sadly, my vintage mini of Calandre turned out to be in poor shape. What it smells like is nothing more than really cheap industrial soap, and I know that's not how it was meant to smell. I'll have to continue investigating.)

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  3. Anonymous15:47

    Looking forward to hearing more about the notes. I hope it's not a fruitichouli like you said....I am a little hopeful as PR did afterall create Metal.

    Dagney

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  4. S,

    you're welcome to the cranky bench, then!

    I think the "pose" is a bit of that "controversial" heroin-chic that photographers so endorse (probably because those are the only people who can actually strike that unflattering pose and not look like a sack of potatoes like the rest of us would...OK, not to jump into conclusions, me at the very least!) But she does look quite frail.

    Don't know about humour, surely hope there will be some in it, though! (And it would fit with the PR brand)

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  5. M,

    so sad about the Calandre!!! *cries a bit* What a shame. It did use to smell so fresh and good, I wonder if it's a major reformulation or just a bad bottle?

    The Vogue cover actually looks pretty good in that "austere", I'll-just-have-you-for-breakfast manner which is considered the norm for anyone posing as man-trap. Which I guess is the "femme fatale" part I mentioned in the description. Of course we can take that with a huge lump of salt. Don't you agree?

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  6. Dagney,

    I hope too, although Metal seems like another time, another ethos. Did you like it a lot? I have in mind to review it sometime.

    But if they're reviving Balenciaga with violets of all things, then I don't see why they couldn't revive Rabanne with something equally non-girly-hip! *crossing fingers*

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  7. Poor girl, she does look quite thin. I do appreciate foreign fashion magazines using actual models on the cover. I'm tired of constantly seeing actresses on the covers of US mags.

    Even so, I'm curious to know what notes will be in the new Paco Rabanne frag. I'm always up for a little humour, gluttony and seduction.

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  9. I will not buy this even if I love it for I am Very tired of the "Skinny woman" being pushed at us all!
    Enough is enough!
    Women unite and stop this! Hit their hip pocket and do not buy it !!!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Tango,

    it's what I call the celebrity cult that is making all the actresses overshadowing the models.

    Yeah, let's hope for some humour, it's much needed these days.
    Thanks for stopping by!

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  11. Eric,

    no more spamming for Banana Republic allowed here. Sorry!

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  12. M,

    you do certainly raise a valid point! I think it would have to be a wider boycott though, encompassing mags, shops, fashion brands etc. It's never nice to be dictated unhealthy ideals, although it has always been so in one way or another.

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  13. Anonymous15:18

    I love Metal. I find it to be quite unique and wearable at the same time. That would be awesome if you could provide a review. Can't wait.

    Dagney

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  14. D,

    a ha! :D *jotting down to do a review of Metal*

    ReplyDelete
  15. Barbara05:02

    Hooray!! (from another Metal fan)

    ReplyDelete

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