Wednesday, October 14, 2015

Perfumes Isabell

Robert Isabell, society party planner and floral designer extraordinaire was looking for something a bit more durable that would keep his business on the stable side and launched a series of fragrances in 1996.



His idea was to make a product that didn't smell artificial and after several years of experimentation, he found Swiss research chemist Roman Kaiser at Givaudan-Roure who had devised a way to replicate natural scents using headspace technology instead of mixing fragrances from essential oils. After several months of flying back and forth to Switzerland, he settled on five fragrances in which he insisted on releasing at once, a rather unconventional marketing decision.

These were Calla Isabell, (slightly spicy), Attar Isabell, (sensuous and smoldering), Savanna Isabell, (a springlike blend of white flowers), Ceylon Isabell, (exotic Southeast Asian blooms), and Mandarin Isabell, (clean and citrusy). 

The fragrances were created with a breakthrough technology called "head space." The majority of perfume manufacturers rely mostly on synthetic aroma chemicals to reproduce the scent of living flowers, but head space technology actually captures the genuine scent.  Each blend was a closely guarded secret, containing a high concentration of rare, delicate, exotic floral scents from around the world, with no other notes to dilute the dazzling effect and was done with the same good taste Isabell used in his actual flower arrangements. Their 20% concentration of fragrance was unusual; most eau de toilettes contain only 8%.

He decided to package his perfumes in sleek lab-style bottles of extruded optical glass that he himself has designed. The caps were lined with cork to provide a better fit. The perfumes were available in two sizes: 1.7 oz and 2.6 oz and ancillary products, a shower gel and body lotion were also added. Soon, candles, which used the essence of flowers in simple, clear glass pillars were added to the fragrance line.


Perfumes Isabell contracted award winning Matsumoto Incorporated to design packaging for the line. Matsumoto Incorporated  is a design consulting firm specializing in graphic, package, and product design. Matsumoto Incorporated states that "The packaging for this line of perfumes broke away from typical ornate perfume packaging. The cylindrical bottles are columns of pure color and the thin walls of the bottle are barely visible. The photograph on the shipping box was taken by Irving Penn. Like the perfumes, the scented candles were packaged in simple clear glass cylinders."

The spare brushed metal boxes and simple, slim bottles created by Takaai Matsumoto for Perfumes Isabell are something of an anomaly in the perfume industry. 

Also noteworthy was the fact that "it's the first fragrance line NOT to use sex as a selling point," said Isabell. Irving Penn shot photos of single flower blooms against a simple white background.



With $15 million dollar advertising with the Albrecht Group, direct mail and inventory, Perfumes Isabell Corp. was born and was placed in the upscale shops: Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdales and Saks Fifth Avenue. He then set up a toll free number for direct sales and two years later in the early days of the internet, he launched isabell.com.

Isabell recruited 36 year old Matthew Bronfman (Seagrams heir) to be his CEO, but the partnership had soured. Dallas Haden, an industry veteran was enlisted by Isabell as a fragrance-marketing consultant, was called in to tone down the over the top business plan, and she mentioned that "part of my job was to bring some reality to Robert's goals." "It's a little art, it's a little science, it's a little inspiration," said Merle Gordon, a partner in the company, in reference to names that include Calla, Savanna and Attar.

A huge launch party for the fragrance line was held December 9, 1996 at the Mondrian Hotel in West Hollywood, California, and included such guests as actress Molly Ringwald, Loni Anderson, actor Matt LeBlanc, Bond girl Famke Janssen, Kelly Klein, Kelly Rutherford, Sharon Lawrence, Ione Skye, and supermodel Bridget Hall. On the East Coast however, his fragrances premiered at the art-filled bayfront home of Lee Schrager. In keeping with the flowers featured in the fragrances, each room was decorated in a single floral theme with flickering candles and fizzy champagne was flowing to the delight of the partygoers.

Within a couple years,  Isabell drew back from the company and Haden acquired the brand for herself. A close friend of Isabell, the artist Jennifer Bartlett stated that Robert "really thought it would be a fantastic success, and it was disappointing...but he would never show his disappointment. Robert was not a complainer,"  and he moved onto real estate instead of pursuing his fragrance venture.

Robert Isabell passed away on July 5, 2009.



The Fragrances:



Attar: a spicy floral oriental fragrance for men and women. "Smoldering. Sensuous. The exotic richness of legendary flowers. A mysterious, sophisticated fragrance."
  • Top notes: lemon and ylang ylang
  • Middle notes: cloves, rose, carnation, jasmine
  • Base notes: patchouli, sandalwood, vetiver, frankincense, incense, amber, musk


Calla: a spicy floral oriental fragrance for women. "Spicy flowers in a sheer, creamy veil. A fragrance that is simply beautiful and regal."
  • Top notes; arum lily
  • Middle notes: flowers
  • Base notes:  amber, spices, vanilla



Ceylon: a lush floral fragrance for women. "Exotically beautiful flowers often found growing around the sacred temples of lush Southeast Asia. A sensuous and utterly modern fragrance."
  • Top notes: exotic fruits
  • Middle notes: white flowers, orange blossom, cannonball tree flowers
  • Base notes: tea, spices, incense, resins



Mandarin: a light, green citrus fruit floral fragrance for women. "The fresh, clean, magical and natural aura surrounding the mandarin", the scent is of the orange blossom, not the fruit.
  • Top notes: Amalfi lemon, lime, mandarin orange, tangerine and juniper
  • Middle notes: broom, jasmine, orange blossom, cinnamon leaf, birch leaf, and pomelo
  • Base notes: gurjun balsam, musk and sandalwood



Savanna: a sheer, clean, sweet fresh floral fragrance for women. "White flowers of Spring caught in glorious full bloom. A sheer, feminine, honest fragrance."
  • Top notes:
  • Middle notes: white flowers
  • Base notes:




Fate of the Fragrances:


I believe these were discontinued after 2002.

In 1997, a limited edition votive candle, Lemon Honeysuckle, was created for Bloomingdales in a line called Shimmering Lights. Other candles were added to the Perfumes Isabell line: Nightbloom, Flowering Lemon, White Gingerlily Frangipani, Green Elysium and Paperwhites. Packaged in lightweight glass holders, they come in a range of gorgeous scents.

Other candles were the Dinner Lights collection of votives emitting the fresh scents of garden herbs and meant to complement food beautifully.





In 1999, a new fragrance, Paperwhites was released with its candle and Shimmering Bath Lights. Described as "lush white flowers blooming along sun-swept hills of the Mediterranean." It is classified as a fresh floral fragrance created by Robert Isabell. A member of the narcissus family, the common name of the paperwhites flower is Chinese sacred lily. The fragrance is a combination of white floral notes and soft fruity apricot. Presented in a bottle designed by Takaai Matusmoto.
  • Top notes: lemon, pomelo, mandarin, lime, gardenia, apricot
  • Middle notes: rose, orange blossom, cinnamon leaf, birch leaf, juniper berry, jasmine
  • Base notes: gurjum balsam, sandalwood and musk 




By 2000, other candles in a new line called Fresh Cuttings were offered, these include:
  • Hedgeblooms, the clean energizing flavor of tender flowerlets, leaves and stems
  • Sunblooms, the scent of a perfectly cloudless, golden ripe midsummer afternoon
  • Sky Blooms, which creates a powder-soft sheer atmosphere
  • Passion Blossoms, exuding a sensuous, spice-laden darker-than-wine aroma
  • Party Blooms, the aroma of a midsummer garden
  • Blush Blooms, a uniquely sweet, feminine and delicate floral aroma
  • Night Blooms, a seductive, steady lingering fragrance that conjures up mysterious Night-blooming flowers, will gradually ignite the senses, expressly created for a couple's bedroom retreat.






8 comments:

  1. The White Gingerlily Frangipani candle was the best candle I have ever found. I wish it would be made again or I could find something similar.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, please bring it back!!!

      Delete
    2. Same! White Gingerlily Frangipani is my absolute favorite! I would love it if they decided to make them again or, as you said, find something similar.

      Delete
  2. Couldn't agree with you more. I still search online from time to time hoping something will pop up! But none so far ...

    ReplyDelete
  3. I NEED ROBERT ISABELL paperwhite fragrance

    ReplyDelete
  4. These were the most beautiful scented candles I have ever owned. I knew at the time I had found them that they were rare and savored the use of each one. I kept my last Nightbloom for 10 years and just lit it yesterday. It still burns slow, clean and the fragrance is top quality. Amazing creation. So sad these formulas have not continued on. Would not trust a perfumery to duplicate these delicate scents only the original chemist Roman Kaiser.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Please, please bring back NIGHTBLOOM....just found one of the candles in a closet after my mother had passed away....this candle is amazing..it must be from the late 1990's!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Nightbloom...nothing compares to this fragrance. I still have two candles left. After my husband passed away, I put them away. Now I use them sparingly to recall cherished memories. Please bring back NIGHTBLOOM.

    ReplyDelete

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