Diana Vreeland and the Scents of Elegance

I am a huge fan of Diana Vreeland because, as I wrote for the post on "Awareness: The Eye Has to Travel", she was one of the outspoken pioneers in expanding one's vision beyond their everyday, limited scope through travel, experiences and befriending people who are different than you.

So I was excited to hear about her estate being involved in issuing new fragrances available exclusively at Neiman Marcus!

The collection of five fragrances available exclusively at Neiman Marcus is the work of Diana Vreeland’s grandson, Alexandar Vreeland, who recently published the book Diana Vreeland Memos. 

The collection includes fragrances available in colorful flacons, while the compositions are signed by prominent perfumers of the IFF company. The fragrances of the collection by Diana Vreeland (1903 - 1989), famous columnist and editor of Vogue and Harper's Bazaar were named Extravagance Russe, Perfectly Marvelous, Absolutely Vital, Simply Divine and Outrageously Vibrant.

Diana Vreeland Extravagance Russe was created as an homage to Diana Vreeland’s love of Orientalism. The fragrance incorporates warm and deep shades of amber in a modern interpretation combined with resins and balms providing opulence of thick and hot shades, softened with bourbon vanilla and sensual musk.

Diana Vreeland Perfectly Marvelous: What inspired perfumer Celine Barel was Diana Vreeland’s statement on the occasion of creating the fragrance Perfectly Marvelous: "If that's not passion, if there is no smoke, if there is no fire, you have not lived at all." The composition resulted in a memorable blend of lacquered red sandalwood spiced with pimento, framed in a bouquet of white jasmine.

Diana Vreeland Absolutely Vital is a fragrance signed by perfumer Yves Cassar who created it of top quality ingredients from LMR (an IFF property in Grasse), in honor of Diana Vreeland’s love of India and sandalwood. This precious blend is composed Indian sandalwood wrapped in silky aromas of Turkish rose and Egyptian jasmine absolute, softened with myrrh and opoponax. The fragrance closes with vanilla shades providing a sensual experience on the skin, leaving a warm and soft trail.

Diana Vreeland Clement Gavarry composes a unique blend dedicated to floral notes of tuberose as the central notes of the composition, which includes fresh crushed leaves and nutmeg accords. The fragrance highlights its floral heart with Tunisian orange blossom absolute and Egyptian jasmine absolute. The floral shades are deepened with Indian sandalwood and softened with Italian orris root, cashmere wood, tonka and sensual musk.

Diana Vreeland Outrageously Vibrant signed by Carlos Benaim presents a culmination of 2 years’ work on the fragrance with a chypre-floral composition, bright, red and partly gourmet. The fragrance is based on classic chypre accords originating from patchouli with an unusual twist in the form of cassis cream. The richness and sophistication of the composition are accentuated with a rose bouquet with modern contrasts, seductive and exciting currant buds.

You can get the lovely scents here!