Penhaligon’s unveils a new spicy woody fragrance this autumn, as elegant as it is irreverent. With this unisex fragrance called The Dandy, the British House, owned by the Puig Group since 2015, hopes to strengthen its appeal among male customers, while capitalizing on the growing success of jazz music.
The bottle, dressed up with its bow tie, is unmistakably reminiscent of a whisky flask. The design of the label, with its art deco accents, recalls the golden opening credits of the film Gatsby The Magnificent, directed by Baz Luhrmann and starring Leonardo Di Caprio (2013). The sound of its name – The Dandy – is reminiscent of the amber-tinged beverage (brandy) that Anglo-Saxons love so much. Finally, its scent is reminiscent of the hushed, feverish atmosphere of jazz clubs.
There’s no doubt that The Dandy, Penhaligon’s latest creation, has more than one argument for playing the referee of elegance, with its deliciously enveloping retro charm.
While jazz clubs have inspired more than one perfumer, including Maison Margiela and its Replica (Jazz Club) fragrance collection, it’s relatively rare for a fragrance to evoke a place as much as an archetype. And what an archetype it is! The dandy has inspired so many writers, film-makers and other fashion enthusiasts, not to mention the fact that the movement he inspired developed, like the House, in 19th-century Victorian England.
Black tie and smoky clubs
The Dandy is a direct reference to the mythical figure of the arbiters of elegance, who from Beau Brummell to Hedi Slimane, via Lord Byron, Oscar Wilde, Count Robert de Montesquiou, Steve McQueen, David Bowie and Bryan Ferry (ex-leader of Roxy Music), have spanned the ages.
This character, as sophisticated as he is impertinent, like Lord Henry Wotton in The Portrait of Dorian Gray (1890), is contemporary with the creation of Penhaligon’s, founded in 1870 in Cornwall before being relocated to London. Since then, Penhaligon’s has been to perfume what Burberry is to outerwear: the embodiment of the British spirit.
With its latest fragrance, designed by the House’s nose, Fabrice Pellegrin, Penhaligon’s delivers a woody, spicy score that pays tribute to endless nights with a hint of mischief.
First, an intoxicating “on the rocks” whisky accord (well-stocked with ice cubes) resonates with the combined warmth of cedar and oak wood. Next comes a melody of clashing raspberry, citron and bergamot notes. Finally, the bass line reveals Patchouli blended with Clearwood.
All That Jazz
The packaging reflects the Dandy’s image: elegant and eye-catching at first glance , even in the dim light of a jazz bar.
This hushed universe, rich in live music and brassy tones, provided the backdrop for the perfume’s launch with a series of soirées in Asia (including Shanghai, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur). It then marked the occasion in London with a 1930s speakeasy-style bar in the name of the fragrance, in the presence of 18-year-old London sensation and genuine pop prodigy Flowerovlove. During these events, the Nio Cocktails brand created premixes of cocktails served in “letter-box” packaging akin to the design of a vinyl sleeve.
Inspired by art deco, the black and gold livery of the perfume packaging reflects Penhaligon’s cultural heritage. Unique and distinctive, the bottle is furiously inspired by whisky bottles. It is topped by a round glass stopper and one of the brand’s signature bow ties.
The packaging’s graphic design was also used by design agency Wildish & Co to concoct a digital platform doubling as a 2D animated micro-film broadcast on social networks. The look and feel of the film takes us back to the 1950s and 1960s. “Think Saul bass grooving with the Bauhaus, while Art Deco and Gatsby tip their hats in the background,” says the agency in a Linkedin publication.
A true invitation to an endless, multi-sensory evening, Penhaligon’s enhances the release of its fragrance with an exclusive EP.
The British perfumer has called on jazzman and resident of Ronnie Scott’s, Mark Kavuma. A trumpeter, bandleader, composer and teacher inspired by Louis Armstrong and John Coltrane, Mark Kavuma has composed four previously unreleased tracks, including “Sweet Dandy”. All these tracks are available for streaming, as well as in rare vinyl editions, to be found in stores in Covent Garden, Regent Street and Battersea.
All That Jazz isn’t just a standard found in Bob Fosse’s jazzy musical Chicago, it’s also an expression that translates as “Anything we want”, and just as well, jazz is a musical genre being rediscovered by Millennials and Generation Z. The Pinterest Predicts Report 2024 points to a true Jazz Revival. We already knew that the retro sound still had a bright future ahead of it, given the success of catalog music on streaming platforms. After discovering bossa nova in 2023, young people are now embracing a genre that evokes both a spirit of rebellion and a sense of improvisation.
Finally, to stretch out the night and win over nomadic night owls, the 100 ml (195 euros) format of the new The Dandy juice is available in a 30 ml (95 euros) travel version.
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Read also > [Luxus Magazine] 5 top trends for 2024 according to Pinterest Predicts
Featured Photo: © Penhaligon’s
