Category Archives: perfumes in tv shows

Killing Eve S01E08 (God, I’m Tired)

killingeve_s01e08_bornunicorn (4)Perfumes have a very important function in this tv show. The protagonist, the assassin Villanelle (Jodie Comer) often uses a perfume named after her, La Villanelle, as a taunting trick with her victims. But the fictional scent is not the only one she uses. As a matter of fact, other interesting (and real) scents can be seen on a vanity in her bedroom.

The screencap above is from the scene in which Eve Polastri trashes Villanelle’s apartment. Two perfume bottles and one box stand out among the beauty products cluttering the table. Both are by Kilian, a line of expensive and exclusive fragrances founded by Kilian Hennessy. He descends from the family who founded one of the most famous cognac houses in the world, part of the luxury brand conglomerate LVMH (Louis Vuitton • Moët-Hennessy) since 1987. Not a surprising choice: Villanelle loves luxury.

bykilian_goldbottle_bornunicorn(1)Reading the metal labels on the bottles is impossible, so let’s make some guesses. Three perfumes by Kilian have the clear bottle with gold label and stopper – Forbidden Games, Good Girl Gone Bad and Playing with the Devil. The three names are very evocative and all apply well to the protagonist.

bykilian_blackandsilverbottle_bornunicornWhen it comes to the black bottle with silver label and stopper, the possibilities are four – Intoxicated, Light My Fire, Smoke for the Soul and Vodka on the Rocks. Is wishing she wore Vodka on the Rocks too cheesy or stereotypical? Oksana Astonkova (Villanelle’s real name) is Russian, after all.

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moschinocheapandchic_bornunicornThe two Kilian fragrances have an unexpected companion – Moschino Cheap & Chic, a floral perfume launched in 1995. Its playful black, red and white bottle is reminiscent of Olive Oyl, Popeye’s girlfriend.

I think there’s a continuity issue with this bottle: when Villanelle sits down, the bottle is standing (see the screencap above), but in the following shot it’s down (see the screencap below). Has it fallen down in the meantime? I have a feeling it hasn’t.

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bykilianbox_bornunicorn.jpgThe white box with black diamond shape is by Kilian.

Thanks to Amy Green for the id.

Mr Selfridge S04E01

mrselfridge_s04e01_bornunicorn (3)Kitty’s perfume counter is packed with Jean Patou fragrances. We can see several bottles of Joy and three smaller bottles.jeanpatou_joy_bornunicornOne of the most famous white floral perfumes, Joy was created by Henri Almeras and launched in 1930. jeanpatoucolony_bornunicornColony, launched in 1938, is another creation by Almeras. The bottle originally had a peculiar pineapple shape.

jeanpatoumomentsupreme_bornunicornThe miniature on the left is another Patou perfume, but it’s impossible to tell which. This bottle, with rounded shoulders and stopper, was used for several fragrances. The fourth season of the show is set in 1928, so we can make some assumptions: it could be Amour AmourQue sais je? or Adieu Sagesse (all launched in 1925) or even Chaldee (launched in 1927). The point is that these assumptions are not really correct: Joy is widely shown in this scene, which is historically inaccurate (the perfume was launched in 1930, two years after the events told in the season), so the miniature above could actually contain any Patou perfume, even one launched after 1928.

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Joy+Jean+Patou_vintagead_bornunicornLater in the episode, a poster for Joy can be seen. Le parfum roi had a simple bottle decorated with gold leaf and gold thread around the bottle.

American Crime Story S02E09 (Alone)

americancrimestory_s02e09_bornunicorn (1)When Marilyn Miglin (Judith Light) receives a visit from the FBI in Miami, she’s getting ready to go on air with her shopping program.

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marilynmiglin_destinybathshowergel_bornunicornOn the left there are some products (hydrating bath and shower gel and cooling body lotion) and boxes from the Destiny line.

marilynmiglin_112bathshowergel_bornunicornAt the centre and on the right there are some boxes and products from the 112 line; among them, a bottle of hydrating bath and shower gel.

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marilynmiglin_112edp_bornunicornmarilynmiglin_112bodylotion_bornunicornmarilynmiglin_112rollerball_bornunicornOther 112 products can be seen while she’s arranging items on a counter: there’s the eau de parfumthe body lotion and the rollerball eau de parfum.

American Crime Story S02E09 (Alone)

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After being among the protagonists of the third episode, Marilyn Miglin (Judith Light) is featured in the season finale, too. As a businesswoman incredibly devoted to her job, she never misses her obligations, even when she gets the news that Andrew Cunanan has killed Gianni Versace.

In the scene where she’s working on tv, lots of products of her brand can be seen. Most of them are from the Destiny line.

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From left to right we see the renewal body lotion, the hydrating bath and shower gel and the cooling body lotion (third bottle from the left in the picture above).

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There are some fragrances, too: the pink Pyjama Lily, the column-like bottle of Pheromone Musk, a bottle of Magic (more about it later) and Passionate.

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Almost all the products on the right part of the picture are, again, from the Destiny line: bath and body oil, eau de parfum, crystalline dusting powder, body butter and another bottle of eau de parfum.
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Finally, the faceted bottle at the top right part of the picture is Destiny Callalily.

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Magic is something special. Marilyn explains it’s the fragrance someone like her father (who died when she was young) would give to someone like her mother (who took care of her family by herself) as a love token. The scene is very touching and beautifully emphasizes how positive feelings can still be true, despite the senseless tragedy of this world.