Tag Archives: nina ricci l’air du temps

The Shards S01E02 (Don’t You Want Me)

The opening of this scene deserves a moment of silence. This is the intricately ornate vanity of Debbie Schaffer (Hayes Warner), who’s getting ready for a night out. The “frieze” decorating the bottom of the mirror perfectly echoes the maximalist style of the early part of the decade. Honestly it’s left me speechless, because there’s a lot about the 1980s (visually speaking) that I have tried to forget over the years, but let’s move on from here.

A can of Aquanet super-hold hairspray can be seen on the table. It’s the first product she uses.

There’s a lot happening on her table, but I have managed to identify two bottles. The one with the milky white stopper is Dior Miss Dior eau de cologne; the other, with the milky white dove stopper, is Nina Ricci L’air du temps, previously seen in the pilot, although housed in a different bottle. Both choices are historically accurate: the original Miss Dior (a creation by created by Paul Vacher and Jean Carles) was launched in 1947, and the Nina Ricci fragrance (a Francis Fabron creation) was launched in 1948.

Among the nail polish bottles, there are a couple with a distinctive hexagonal cap: they are Super Nails nail polishes by Natural Wonder.

It makes sense for Debbie to own Remington 600 Super hand-held hair dryer, which came with attachments for different stylings.

When the girl opens a drawer of her table (she’s looking for something), more products can be seen.

There are several Lip Smacker lip balms, among which Blue Raspberry, Piña Colada and Kiwi. These are not vintage products, but these lip balms were first introduced in 1973 by Bonne Bell. They’re definitely a realistic choice.

Last, a Chanel compact. It’s impossible to know what it contained (pressed face powder or eye-shadows), but it’s another realistic choice. The advert above is from 1980: it promoted the make-up collection Les Provocatifs, which I haven’t been able to find more information about. In any case, in the early 1980s both pressed face powder and eye-shadow palettes were part of Chanel cosmetics collections.

The Shards S01E01 (Pilot)

Katherine (Molly Payton) is home alone. She hears strange noises and sounds outside of her house, but inside it’s not safe either. Seeing the content of her bathroom cabinet rearranged (all the products are upside down or lying sideways) gives us a taste of what’s coming for her and for Los Angeles.

Let’s see what the Trawler (this is the name of the serial killer envisioned by Bret Easton Ellis, author of the 2023 novel the TV show has been adapted from) has taken the time to mess with.

On the top shelf there’s a jar of Noxzema skin cream, which we will see in Bret’s bathroom later in the episode.

On the second shelf there’s a cardboard box containing Secret cream deodorant.

On the same shelf there’s a can of Barbasol shaving cream. The picture above comes from a 1980s commercial and shows exactly the can seen in the TV show.

On the third shelf the fragrance game finally starts.

The first bottle on the left is Ralph Lauren Safari For Men, a woody aromatic fragrance launched in 1992. Yes, let’s that sink in: 1992. The TV show is set in 1981, so this prop choice is historically inaccurate. Has it ever been a problem in the glossy fictional worlds created by Ryan Murphy? Absolutely not, so let’s just move on.

The green and white striped box hides a gem from the 1940s — Carven Ma Griffe, a chypre floral fragrance created by Jean Carles and launched in 1946. This is an unusual choice, but I’ll take it, because at least it’s historically accurate.

In the 1980s owning an Avon novelty bottle was an unwritten rule: it simply happened, whether one liked it or not. In this case, the white ceramic container is armoire-shaped and contains a perfumed bath oil.

The bottom shelf gives us other two perfumed products.

The tin bottle is a talcum powder shaker: it contains Avon Topaze.

There’s also a beautiful bottle of Nina Ricci L’air du temps eau de toilette. This floral fragrance, launched in 1948, was created by Francis Fabron.

The very last product is a spray can of Rayette Aquanet unscented hairspray.

All-American Girl S01E07 (Mommie Nearest)

In this episode Katherine (Jodi Long) gets temporarily hired as a sales assistant at the cosmetics counter at Drummonds, which happens to be the same shop where her daughter Margaret (Margaret Cho) works. Katherine and her husband Benny run a bookshop together, but the cosmetics counter is a whole new experience for her.

The episode aired on October 26th, 1994, and it feels like a time capsule: the bottles sitting on the counter truly give a precise idea of the fragrance trends in that part of the decade.

We can’t really tie Nina Ricci L’air du temps to a specific time, because it’s a timeless fragrance, but it’s still nice to see the beautiful dove-topped bottle here. This floral spicy fragrance, created by Francis Fabron, was launched in 1948.

Another Ricci fragrance – Nina – makes its appearance here. This powdery aromatic creation by Christian Vacchiano was launched in 1987.

A sign of the times was definitely the heart-shaped bottles of Escada Margaretha Ley, a white floral fragrance created by Michel Almairac and launched in 1990.

Another sign of the times are the several Bijan bottles seen on and below the counter. Different fragrances and formulations, one brand: founded in 1976 by the Persian designer Bijan Pakzad and by his business partner Dar Mahboubi, Bijan is a men’s fashion house that first established a boutique in Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills, and later in New York. International politicians and celebrities wore Bijan clothes, but the brand successfully branched out by producing fragrances, too.

The trademark ring-shaped bottle we can see on the counter is Bijan Women eau de parfum, a white floral fragrance by Peter Bohm launched in 1986.

Below the counter we can see two versions of Bijan Men eau de toilette, an aromatic fragrance by Claudette Belnavis launched in 1987. Both of them have a spiral fluted stopper, but one is made of There’s the clear glass version and the one made of frosted glass.

The small bottle sitting among the bottles of Bijan Men is the pure perfume/extrait of Bijan Women.

The Apprentice (2024)

Taking a look at the Trumps’ bathroom circa mid 1980s (as imagined in the film) is a bizarre experience because fragrances from very different decades make their appearance. Some of them even come from the future!

The first item that caught my attention is the glossy black bottle sitting on the third shelf from the bottom. It contains Lanvin Arpège perfumed talc. This is historically accurate because the white floral fragrance by Paul Vacher and Andre Fraysse was launched in 1927.

The first dissonant note comes with the bottle sitting just below Arpège talc. It’s L.A.M.B. by Gwen Stefani, a floral fruity fragrance launched in 2007! As one of my Instagram followers noticed [1], the bottle looks “very 80s” and that’s the only reason why it must have been selected by the film’s prop masters.

When Ivana (Maria Bakalova) sprays some perfume, we’re back on track, although I think this specific fragrance is not what she used to wear back then. It’s a lovely atomiser of Nina Ricci L’air du temps, decorated with yellow flowers and flying doves. At least it makes sense from a temporal point of view – it was created by Francis Fabron and launched in 1948.

The camera moves and another fragrance from the future can be seen on a glass shelf behind Donald (Sebastian Stan). It’s Omnia by Bvlgari, a warm spicy fragrance by Alberto Morillas launched in 2003.

The last fragrance from the future is Burberry Brit, sitting on the top shelf behind Donald. This is another floral fruity creation by Natalie Gracia-Cetto launched in 2003. The bottle design is not even reminiscent of the 1980s, so I really wonder what happened in the art/production design department to opt for such a baffling choice.

[1] This ID happened with the help of many people on Instagram who answered a story I posted after watching the film. Thanks to Jessica, Jack, Cédric, Harry, reveur_etc, and Vick for helping out.

The Return of the Pink Panther (1975)

Lady Claudine Litton (Catherine Schell) keeps several beauty products and perfume bottles on a mirrored vanity in her bathroom.

The bottle that immediately catches the attention is the Guerlain flacon montre. It has a teal disk on the front label, which means the eau de cologne in it is Mitsouko.

There’s also a bottle of Rochas Madame Rochas eau de toilette.

Last, a refillable atomiser by Nina Ricci. From the details of the metal section and from the size of the bottle, it could be the atomiser of L’air du Temps. The bottle seen in the film is not decorated with gold doves, though.

Thanks to Jane Daly for submitting this post.

Goodfellas (1990)

There’s the iconic dove-topped bottle of Nina Ricci L’air du temps on Karen’s dresser. This classic floral/spicy fragrance, created by Francis Fabron, was launched in 1948.

Next to it there’s another iconic bottle – the flacon chauve souris of Guerlain Shalimar, one of the most famous creations by Jacques Guerlain, launched in 1925.

On the right side of the dresser there’s a white bottle: the stopper has a gold band, which indicates it’s a Chanel body lotion, possibly No. 5 or No. 19.

Thanks to Ladiesofthepast for submitting this post and to reveur_etc for the Guerlain and Chanel ids.

Kesha’s Raising Hell (2019)

The latest Kesha video is a fun one. The American singer plays a televangelist à la Dolly Parton, who’s unfortunately trapped into an abusive marriage with a horrible husband who doesn’t care about her and beats her up all the time. But she’ll soon know how to take her revenge on him. In the video, directed by Luke Gilford, there are two interesting scenes featuring beauty products.

In the screencap above, Kesha is in her dressing room; on her vanity there’s a can of L’Oreal Elnett Satin extra-strong hold hairspray.

But the most interesting moment is set in her house, where we can get a good look at her vanity.

The white fluted refillable atomiser is the super-romantic L’air du temps by Nina Ricci.There’s also the eau de toilette version of Pasha de Cartier, a fresh spicy men’s fragrance created by Jacques Cavallier and launched in 1992. I like to think the televangelist – not her husband – wears it.

Such an eclectic perfume selection wouldn’t be such without a blast of white flowers! So here is Vanderbilt by Gloria Vanderbilt, the 1980s best seller created by Sophia Grojsman.

Another nod to the past is the aqua green tube of Clinique lipstick, a packaging now sadly discontinued.

Thanks to Marco Ortolano for telling me about this video and for the Vanderbilt id.

 

The Death and Life of John F. Donovan (2018)

Xavier Dolan must have a thing for perfumes mothers wear. In his films, there’s often a moment in which the protagonist’s mother explains what perfume she’s wearing [1], so I guess this must have something to do with a personal obsession of the director. In this case, Grace (Susan Sarandon) is wearing Nina Ricci L’air du temps, the classic floral/spicy creation by Francis Fabron launched after WWII, in 1948.

[1] In Mommy, Diane says she’s wearing Christian Dior Eau Sauvage.

Sharp Objects S01E02 (Dirt)

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In Camille’s bathroom there are a lily of the valley soap gift set by Saponificio Varesino and a small, almost empty bottle of Nina Ricci L’air du temps. Judging from the dark colour of the perfume left, it must have been something she used to wear as a teenager, when she still lived in Wind Gap, or it could be Adora’s.

Belles Filles (1977)

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Belles Filles is a photoshoot by Guy Bourdin released in 1977. Some distinctive elements of the French photographer’s style are present in the picture above – the dreamy atmosphere, satin clothes, high heels – along with a beautiful set of famous perfumes.

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The first of the perfumes on the washbasin is Chanel No. 5, originally created by Ernest Beaux in 1921.

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Next is Revillon Detchema, released in 1953.

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Givenchy III, created by Jean François Latty and Raymond Chaillan, was released in 1970.

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The last one is Caron Infini, in the beautiful bottle by Serge Mansau. This perfume was created in 1912 by Ernest Daltroff, but this one is the 1970 reformulation by Gerard Lefortis.

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There are three bottles on the floor, too. The first is Nina Ricci L’Air du Temps, created by Francis Fabron in 1948.

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The tall bottle with gold stopper is Rochas Madame Rochas, created by Guy Robert in 1960.

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Last but not least, the leaf-shaped bottle of Guerlain Chamade, a 1969 creation by Jean-Paul Guerlain.