There’s a bottle of Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche perfume on the dressing table of the pornstar Marilyn Chambers. This picture was taken at the Raymond Revuebar (Soho district in London) in 1979.
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Shopgirl (2005)
Lisa Cramer (Bridgette Wilson-Sampras) is a bored sales assistant at the perfume counter at Saks Fifth Avenue in Los Angeles. Let’s see what’s on her counter.
Bulgari BLV is presented in two versions: the blue and silver bottle is BLV Pour Homme (created by Alberto Morillas in 2001), while the blue bottle is BLV Absolute, launched in 2002.
There are many products by Boucheron. First, the body lotion and the perfumed dusting powder from the Boucheron Pour Femme line.
There’s Boucheron Jaipur Saphir, created by Nathalie Lorson in 1999.
Then there’s a bottle of Cartier Eau de Cartier Concentrée, created by Christine Nagel in 2002.
Another perfume seen on Lisa’s counter is Lanvin L’Homme, another creation by Alberto Morillas, launched in 1997.
Half-hidden behind the Lanvin there’s a bottle of Cartier Pasha de Cartier, a 1992 creation by Jacques Cavallier.
On the right side of the counter there are several skincare products by Lancôme – two make-up removers (Bi-Facil and Effacil, in the dark blue bottle) and two toners (Tonique Douceur and Tonique Controle).
La pazza gioia (2016)
Beatrice Morandini Valdirana is a patological liar who lives in a psychiatric facility in Tuscany. She wears Vivienne Westwood Boudoir, a perfume she says is not available in Italy – one of her many lies.
Der Untergang (2004)
There’s a bottle of Lohse Uralt Lavendel cologne by the sink in Traudl Junge’s room. It’s not clear what bottle version was used here, since the camera pans to the actress and doesn’t linger on the sink. Historically speaking, it should be the one on the right (see the Gothic font), but there’s no way to know.
Thanks to AW for the id.
Charlotte Gainsbourg’s Lying with You (2017)
The latest music video by Charlotte Gainsbourg – Lying with You, from the album Rest – turns out to be an unexpected perfume lover mecca. Directed by Gainsbourg herself, it’s set in the apartment at 5 bis Rue de Verneuil (Paris) where her father, Serge Gainsbourg, lived. Soon to become a museum, it’s filled with objects that the French artist used and loved; among them, a massive amount of perfumes and toiletries.
In the screencap above, from left to right, there are two refillable atomisers by Guerlain – Chant d’Arômes in the white canister with leaf details and Shalimar with the blue arabesque pattern.
Next, there’s a bottle of Estee Lauder Aramis, created in 1966 by Bernard Chant.
The drop-shaped bottle is the flacon goutte by Guerlain. It was used for different perfumes, so it’s impossible to tell which one it contains.
There’s also a bottle of Lancôme Magie Noire, created by Gerard Goupy in 1978.
There are two body perfumes, too – the box and the shaker versions of Yves Saint Laurent Opium perfumed dusting powder.
The last bottle on the far right is the flacon abeilles by Guerlain.
There’s another Guerlain refillable atomiser, the one made of golden metal, launched in 1982. On the far right there’s a tall bottle of Murray & Lanman Florida Water cologne, first launched in 1808.
In the screencap above, there’s a bottle of Hermès Doblis, created by Guy Robert and launched in 1955. Next to it, a box of Santa Maria Novella soap: I do believe this is the vintage version of the almond soap.
Serge Gainsbourg’s signature perfume – Van Cleef & Arpels Pour Homme – is featured too. It was created in 1978 by Louis Monnet.
Another shot of the same perfume tray reveals the presence of more Guerlain products.
There’s the refillable atomiser of Eau Impériale.
Plus, four flacons quadrilobes and flacons bouchon coeur.
Lastly, there’s a vintage bottle of Garnier Birkin shampoo (or hair lotion). I wonder if Gainsbourg actually used it or just kept a bottle as a homage to his partner (and Charlotte’s mother) Jane Birkin.
Thanks to Vincent Legrudge for the Guerlain ids.
Half Nelson (2006)
The lipstick Drey (
Eaux Profondes (1981)
There are two versions of Guerlain Chant d’Arômes on the glass shelf in Melanie’s bathroom. The white floral perfume, created by Jean-Paul Guerlain in 1962, is here presented in the amphora-like bottle designed by Pochet et du Courval exclusively for it, but there’s the refillable spray canister, too.
On the Set of “Call Me by Your Name”
I haven’t watched Call Me by Your Name by Luca Guadagnino yet, but I’ve kept the best picture from the set for last. The author is – again – Giulio Ghirardi, who gave us the perfect shot of a dressing table, covered with some fabric from the Middle East.
Among the several perfume bottles, I’ve spotted Christian Dior Eau Sauvage, a 1966 creation by Edmond Roudnitska.
Next to it, there’s Acqua di Parma Colonia, the first fragrance of the Italian brand, created in 1916.
The blue tin unmistakably contains Nivea Creme, a product created in Germany but incredibly popular in Italy.
Another quintessentially Italian product is Roberts Acqua distillata alle rose, a toner first created in 1867.
Last but not least, there’s a bottle of Vanderbilt by Gloria Vanderbilt, a huge commercial success created by Sophia Grojsman in 1982. It’s impossible not to have a memory of it, if you were born in the 1970s/1980s: this white floral fragrance was everywhere!
Death on the Nile (1978)
Linnet Ridgeway’s bedroom/boudoir is lavishly furnished in white and decorated with colorful glass, mirrors and marble. Several French perfumes are sitting on her vanity, a natural extension of her flawless style.
The first bottle that has caught my attention is the Lanvin boule on the left. It’s unclear what perfume it contained, because the French maison used the same bottle for two different perfumes, Arpege (created by Andre Fraysse in 1927) and My Sin (called Mon Péché in French, created by the mysterious Madame Zed in 1924). The film is set in the 1930s, so it’s plausible for both to sit on that vanity.
The same thing can be said for the black bottle on the right, containing Lanvin talcum powder. It could be Arpege or My Sin.
The Guerlain chauve souris bottle unmistakably contained Shalimar, created by Jacques Guerlain in 1925.
Guerlain Liu black flacon tabatiere with gold accents is in tune with the Art Deco vibe in Linnet’s bedroom. The perfume was created by Jacques Guerlain in 1929.
Thanks to Karen Hatch for the id.
The Blues Brothers (1980)
Elwood (Dan Aykroyd) keeps a bottle of Old Spice on a shelf by the fridge.
Thanks to AW for the id.
World Wide Aura 