News

Suddenly I want to smell like a coconut again



 Maya Njie Tropica fragrance

Well this is awkward. After a lifetime a year in relative isolation during which my longest journey away from home has been the decidedly unexotic Hastings pier, I find myself craving tropical coconut-laced smells.

That’s maybe not so surprising though. As with the power of touch and what’s known as ‘skin hunger’, the pandemic has not only literally stolen the sense of smell from some unlucky individuals, it has also heightened the link between scent and nostalgia.

“Fragrance can control your mood,” says perfumer and founder of her eponymous brand, Maya Njie. “If you’re feeling low and you need a boost, put fragrance on and it will elevate you.” (more…)



Not your mother’s Tiffany?



Tiffany ad campaign 2021

Love, love, love the clean and classic styling on this Tiffany silver campaign.

The copy is a bit confusing though. It implies classic Tiffany is old fashioned with its “Not your mother’s Tiffany” strapline (which has riled its Instagram followers), yet then suggesting ‘mother knows best’.

Anyway, it’s always interesting to see heritage companies go back to basics; they all seem to do it. It’s a sort of way to reinforce their power, to show new customers their worth (these Elsa Peretti cuffs are iconic after all). (more…)



Stroll on – could city revamps be the passport to retail rebound?



It’s re-entry time! While the world’s flagship shopping cities have seen their fair share of retail casualties, they’re starting to pick themselves back up again. From London to Paris to New York and even Zürich, it’s clear the battle for tourist dollars is stronger than ever.

“La Samaritaine is like a really pleasant stroll. And when you’re strolling, there are surprises, you discover things, you feel good,” says Eleonore de Boysson, region president of Europe and Middle East at LVMH’s DFS Group. In case you blinked and missed it, La Samaritaine is LVMH’s recently reopened Paris department store, after some 16 years of renovation. Located on Rue de Rivoli and restored to its Nouveau and Deco splendour, the multi-building emporium also encompasses a Cheval Blanc boutique hotel and twelve restaurants. (more…)



Cannes red carpet: garconnes do it better



What is it about the Cannes red carpet that’s so much more refined than other red carpets? Don’t answer that. I think I know the answer already.

American premieres and awards are super-planned and super-commercial, all about diamonds and deals. Somehow Cannes just seems a bit cooler. Here’s the evidence; Jane Birkin and Charlotte Gainsbourg in classic garconne style – Birkin in Celine and Gainsbourg in Saint Laurent. (more…)