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The Shards S01E07 (Homecoming Pt. 2)

The two Homecoming episodes have an uncharacteristic protagonist: a perfume. Giorgio Beverly Hills appears in another scene (set in Liz Schaffer’s bedroom) and is mentioned in two conversations. In this case, Robert (Homer Gere) gives it to Susan (Kaia Gerber) as a gift.

He gives her the extraordinary spray cologne version, which I cannot date with precision, but the packaging is historically accurate, at least judging by the front logo.

Susan is overjoyed: she probably sees this fragrance like everybody else did in the early/mid 1980s — a synonym for luxury and exclusivity. A box of it was spotted in her own house, but clearly she’s never had a bottle for herself.

When she sprays the perfume on her wrist, we can notice a minor mistake: the stopper is faceted, which means that this specific bottle is not the 1981 one.

This is the original bottle: you can see the stopper is smooth.

This is the bottle currently on the market: you can see that the stopper is faceted. The prop masters mixed things up here: they selected the original box and paired it to a contemporary bottle. Weird choice.

Robert has been flirting with Susan since he first met her, so it’s not surprising that he rubs her wrist on the side of his neck: he wants to smell like her. This is not just a tactic of seduction, though, because there might be something else at play.

A possible explanation is revealed during the Homecoming ceremony, when Susan wins the title of queen, but gives it to Rhonda (Ivy Wolk). The girl smells Giorgio Beverly Hills on Susan’s wrist and finally things become clear: she sensed the same fragrance during her captivity. That’s why she accuses Susan of being her kidnapper. The truth might be darker and point towards other characters.

The Shards S01E07 (Homecoming Pt. 2)

Liz is not the driving force behind Rhonda’s makeover, but when she decides to step in, things improve. Her speech to the future homecoming queen is an ode to confidence and self-awareness.

We have already seen several cosmetics and beauty tools on Liz’s vanity; among them, there’s also a spray can of Silkience hairspray.

The most important moment in this scene is the revelation of Liz’s new favourite fragrance: it’s Giorgio Beverly Hills, which we know her husband and his assistant wear.

Bold, loud and impossible to hide: this white floral bomb was created by Francis Camail and launched in 1981.

In the same drawer there’s a Maybelline Color Sensational lipstick, definitely not a 1980s cosmetic.

Debbie (Hayes Warner) doesn’t hide her dislike for Giorgio Beverly Hills, but thankfully Liz ignores her.

She’s happy because the fragrance is exciting, is new, and is a gift from her husband.

When Rhonda (Ivy Wolk) smells the perfume, she has a moment of realisation and recognises it as the “girlie smell” she must have sensed during her captivity.

The Shards S01E07 (Homecoming Pt. 2)

A very popular trope in teen movies is the makeover, the physical transformation of the ugly duckling into a beautiful swan. In this episode, Susan and Debbie take Rhonda under their wing, and convince her she can be the next homecoming queen. Their beauty intervention happens in the sancta sanctorum of the Schaffer’s mansion — Liz’s bedroom.

The first object the camera pans on is the infamous bottle of Versace Dylan Blue, historically inaccurate but looking good in a 1980s context.

We can also see a Revlon lipstick, although the name of the brand has been blurred.

Other two products sitting on Liz’s vanity are a spray can of Miss Breck hairspray and a bottle of Jean Naté after-bath splash.

This unusual round box contains a vintage Philips beauty set, which includes tools for shaving, manicure and pedicure.

The two tiny tubes are Maybelline lash adhesive. The tube shown above is from the 1970s, while the ones in the TV show have a more modern packaging.

The hot pink tube is Lip Smacker Piña Colada lip balm. Previously seen in Debbie’s vanity drawer, it’s the only lip colour Rhonda will accept wearing.

Fans of time travels, this is for you: there’s a Westman Atelier mirrored compact (containing Vital pressed skincare face powder) on Liz’s vanity. A product launched in 2022 makes its appearance in 1981 — a magic trick that is possible only in the fictional worlds created by Ryan Murphy.

The Shards S01E06 (Homecoming Pt.1)

Liz (Evan Rachel Wood) has a rare moment of closeness with her husband Terry (Wes Bentley), who appreciates how she handled the meeting with the headmaster of Debbie’s school. The woman drops a question that sounds awkward to our ears, but it made sense in the early 1980s: is Terry wearing a fragrance created for and marketed to women? The question digs deeper, though, because it inevitably refers to the man’s sexual orientation.

Giorgio Beverly Hills was launched exactly in 1981: it’s a fragrance that conjured an exclusive and luxurious imagery. It was not intentionally unisex (Terry tries to find a way out by saying it is), but he admits he’s wearing it. Strange that Liz doesn’t realise it without asking, considering that a box of the same fragrance was spotted on her own dressing table.

Created by Francis Camail, Giorgio Beverly Hills was (in its original formulation) a white floral fragrance with top notes of orange blossom, apricot, peach and bergamot; middle notes of tuberose, gardenia, ylang-ylang, jasmine, orchid and rose; base notes of chamomile, vanilla, oakmoss, musk, amber, sandalwood, cedar and patchouli. In case you were wondering, it was really super intense, and very unique.

Debbie (Hayes Warner) once again serves as the younger version of her mother, but she’s way less respectful and self-aware than Liz. There’s contempt and sarcasm in her question to Steven (Jordan Roth).

His answer is loud, clear, and unapologetic: he’s wearing Giorgio.

Debbie’s comment on the fragrance and on Steven is ignorant and derogatory, which is not surprising: strict categorisation of people and things makes her feel in control, while facts tell a different story. Despite her efforts and her father’s money, she’s a sad and lost girl, who thinks she deserves everything by birth right, but gets proven wrong again and again.

It’s interesting that her reply seems to refer to two very contemporary topics: the “old lady perfume” discussion, and the broader topic of fragrance and gender.

Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette E07 (Obsession)

While John (Paul Anthony Kelly) and Carolyn (Sarah Pidgeon) are driving to an event, we can see she’s holding an aqua green compact.

It’s a compact by Clinique, a brand which selected this specific shade for their cosmetic packaging in 1968.

Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette E07 (Obsession)

Lauren (Sydney Lemmon) is fixing Carolyn’s hair before attending a party. Carolyn (Sarah Pidgeon) is holding a MAC lipstick in an indistinct dark pink/brownish shade.

This lipstick was used as a prop, because the head make-up artist of the mini-series, Milagros Cerdeira, explained that another product — FACE Stockholm Cranberry Veil, described as “sheer cinnamon-red” — had been used on the actress throughout the series.