Red by Giorgio Beverly Hills c1989

Red by Giorgio Beverly Hills: launched in 1989 under its Avon partnership. Created by Bob Aliano. 

Fred Hayman purchased the shop on Rodeo Drive in 1962 from then-partner George Grant, who used the name Giorgio to sell Italian knit clothes. Named Giorgio Beverly Hills, the ritzy boutique was a fashion staple for years, recognizable by its iconic yellow and white striped awnings. Launched in 1981, the first perfume from the brand was its eponymous Giorgio Beverly Hills fragrance which became an instant hit nationwide. By 1985, $100 million worth of Giorgio was selling in more than 300 stores. In 1988, it still pulled in the hundred million in sales, remaining the nation's top selling prestige-brand fragrance.

In 1987, boutique owners Fred Hayman and his wife and co-owner Gayle, divorced and sold to the business. Fred bought back the boutique, but Avon Products, Inc purchased Giorgio Beverly Hills, the fragrance, the name and its associated rights for $165 million. The posh boutique, along with its original name, Giorgio Beverly Hills, was initially retained by Fred when he and Gale sold the product to Avon. Under an agreement with Avon, however, Fred relinquished the name in 1989. He then renamed the existing boutique Fred Hayman Beverly Hills. To mark the occasion, Fred Hayman removed the legendary yellow and white striped awnings and unfurled gold and red awnings outside his famous shop. He then launched his first fragrance under his own name, 273 by Fred Hayman, named after the Rodeo Drive retail address.

Avon owned a boutique called Giorgio Beverly Hills in New York City, and planned to open a Beverly Hills store under the Giorgio name later in 1989.

Giorgio, as we know, was a smash hit, but in truth it was a powerhouse fragrance that was quite polarizing. Due to the intense profusion of ingredients, many women found that they simply could not wear it, they felt it was too strong and many claimed they got migraines when wearing the scent. The Giorgio scent was everywhere! People complained bitterly when encountering someone wearing it in the elevator, riding subways and buses, sitting in a theatre or dining in restaurants. Michael Gould, chief executive officer and president of Giorgio Beverly Hills said they were "overpowered to death." He went on to say that "after Giorgio came out, all the fragrances since have been strong - Obsession, Fendi, Poison. Today's customer is looking for something more sophisticated and wants something different." This challenge spurned the creation of a "softer, more delicate" fragrance, but "with [all] the [swanky] panache of Beverly Hills." 

Riding high on the success of the Giorgio perfume, a new fragrance was in the works toward the end of 1988 and was launched in 1989. Named Red by Giorgio Beverly Hills, it was the first fragrance introduced since the Avon takeover. Though involved with the development of the original Giorgio fragrance, neither Fred Hayman nor his ex-wife Gale were involved in the creation of the Red fragrance, it was solely developed and manufactured by the folks at Avon's subsidiary division, Giorgio Beverly Hills. The Giorgio business, based in Santa Monica, employed about 200 people. 

Michael Gould said, "All our research shows that women are finding it a much softer, distinctively different fragrance. Current Giorgio users say they see it as a more formal, special occasion scent, a complement to the Giorgio they're already wearing. We're trying to build on this whole wardrobing thing in fragrance, to create a whole new market." 

Michael Gould explained that the development of Red spanned two years and involved the world's foremost perfumers. "Given the phenomenal success of original Giorgio Beverly Hills, our challenge was to create a new fragrance that captures yet another dimension of today's woman and fulfills her needs for tomorrow," he said. While the bolder Giorgio might be worn undauntingly during the daytime hours by an audacious woman, Tim Carr, of Giorgio Beverly Hills explained that "Red is for nighttime and for the quieter, subtler woman." Advertising copies stated that Red was "Nothing so soft was ever so exciting. The subtle new sensation from Giorgio Beverly Hills, an unexpected fragrance, as distinctive as our famed original, yet slightly softer and dramatically different in style and expression."

Saks Fifth Avenue was the first department store to carry the fragrance and gave it the red carpet treatment. Guests sipped champagne passed around by butlers clad in red, while models strutted around in red gowns offering customers a sniff of a sample. The room was inundated by an abundance of fresh flowers as a pianist tickled the ivories on a red baby grand piano accompanied by a saxophonist blaring out notes with a red saxophone. 

The fragrance retailed for $28 for dusting powder to $175 per ounce of parfum. It had limited distribution and was exclusive to Saks for the initial launch, but later was stocked on the shelves in other stores. It was launched in the Bay Area at I. Magnin on Feb 5, 1989 and Macy's on Feb 12, 1989. 

Robin Leach, infamous star of the popular tv show "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous", was chosen to represent the fragrance during promotional tours. After purchased a bottle, a customer could engage with Leach who would then either sign his autograph on glossy photos of himself or onto boxed bottles of Red. He was enthusiastic about the fragrance and said, "The original fragrance (Giorgio) was an exciting, powerful fragrance that made a statement. Perhaps it was a little like me. When people think of me, they think of that lifestyle that is represented by Rodeo Drive and Beverly Hills. Giorgio of Beverly Hills bottled it. You knew when someone was wearing Giorgio."

Leach said that when the company decided to launch the new fragrance, they asked several notable women to test it, among them, Ivana Trump, Kathie Lee Gifford and Liza Minelli. "Everyone of the ladies said, 'This is something special. It's soft, yet still makes that statement. It really does weave magic. It makes a soft, subtle statement."

Robin Leach wasn't the only one representing the fragrance. Hildegard Coghlan, national spokesperson for Giorgio Beverly Hills, made a personal appearance to introduce Red at Robinson's in Los Angeles. Other shops which carried the scent were Famous-Barr, Nordstrom, Bloomingdale's, Hecht's, Foley's, Dillards, Belk, Filene's and other fine department stores.

Giorgio Beverly Hills and Avon predicted that Red would produce $100 million in new sales. And they weren't wrong. Six weeks after its February launch, Giorgio Beverly Hills reported Red had the biggest debut in fragrance history, bypassing Giorgio, the former record holder. By May 1989, Michael Gould, Giorgio's President and CEO said that national retail sales had been averaging more than $1 million per week. Just think, $1 Million per week! Not a bad payday. By the end of spring 1989, Red should have been in more than 450 stores. However, Gould stated that six of the planned launch events had to be delayed until fall so the company could handle the reorders that were coming in at such a fast pace. By June 1989, it was sold in only 485 stores.

Fragrance Composition:

So what does it smell like? It is classified as an aldehydic floral oriental fragrance for women. It is a complex scent composed of 692 costly ingredients. Sophisticated. Vibrant. Warm, surprisingly soft, yet intensely personal. Red was at the time, dramatically unlike any existing fragrance on the market. Red's floral chypre accord is so subtle, that it was hailed as a modern classic. 

Comprised of a complex blend of floral, Oriental, fruity and chypre notes, it captured the scents of living flowers at their fragrance peak and delivered it to you. A fruit bowl of bergamot, orange, peach, black currant and cherry start off the olfactory journey. This is met with an aromatic blend of herbs and spices - nutmeg and sage with a touch of living osmanthus to help temper the sweetness. Followed by an opulent floral heart of living carnation, rose de mai,living jasmine, gardenia, narcotic tuberose and mimosa. It finished with the warmth of amber, vanilla, vetiver, creamy sandalwood, patchouli and earthy oakmoss.

• Top notes: bergamot, living osmanthus, ylang ylang, orange blossom, peach, black currant, hyacinth, aldehydes, cherry, nutmeg, cassie, orange, sage
• Middle notes: living carnation, rose de mai, marigold, living jasmine, rosemary, gardenia, tuberose, iris, lily-of-the-valley, litchi, mimosa, Bulgarian rose
• Base notes: spices, labdanum, patchouli, musk, oakmoss, amber, cedar, sandalwood, vetiver, tonka bean, vanilla, myrrh, olibanum

Red was one of the first major perfumes to make use of the scientifically advanced achievement known as "living flower technology" which captures the scent of live flowers. This technology was used in the manufacture of some of Red's major ingredients: living osmanthus, living carnation, and living jasmine. Mary Carley, director of special events for Giorgio Beverly Hills said that Red is called a "living fragrance" because the oils and essences combined to make the formula are extracted from living flowers rather than cut or dried ones. The formula was reportedly composed of 692 precious and costly ingredients and was classified as the first of a new fragrance category called "Fleuriffe Chypre." As far as I can tell, this is the only fragrance listed under that category to date.

Bottles:

The packaging is bright red and purple. Gould said "We wanted a softer fragrance, but we didn't want to lose the vitality and fun that people said Giorgio was all about."

The bottles for Giorgio Beverly Hills and Red were made in France by Verreries Brosse.

The Parfum is contained inside of a lovely crystal flacon. It is a tall, slender column fitted with a crystal stopper. Parfum, also called extrait, parfum classic, extrait de parfum or extract, is the highest concentration of perfume. A parfum may contain 20-30 percent oils and high grade alcohol, and a slight amount of water. Vintage Parfums can often contain at least 22-40 percent essential oils. Due to the high concentration of essential oils. Parfum can last 7 to 24 hours on the skin. Parfum is the most expensive type of perfume. Any mixture lower in oils is known as an eau.

The Extraordinary Eau de Toilette was blended from the same rare ingredients used in the parfum. Eau de Toilette, also called toilet water, is a much thinner dilution of the same materials, containing approximately only 4-10 percent of essential oils, in an even weaker alcohol and water mixture. Vintage Eau de Toilettes often can contain up to 5-15 percent essential oils and were much more concentrated than modern formulas. Eau de Toilettes usually last about 3 hours. Meant to be splashed or sprayed throughout the day to freshen up. Perfect for wearing during daytime, or during the warmer months or warmer climates. Eau de Toilette can be used in the same was as an eau fraiche or eau de cologne, but more properly, it should be used as a mid-way booster for its matching perfume.

The Extraordinary Cologne Spray was blended from the same rare ingredients used in the parfum. It was first to accompany the Parfum when released. It was still being sold as late as 2001. Cologne is further diluted than Eau de Toilette, and contains about 3-5 percent of essential oils, in an even still weaker alcohol and water mix. Usually lasts about 2 hours. Meant to be liberally splashed or sprayed throughout the day to freshen up. Perfect for wearing during daytime, or during the warmer months or warmer climates. Used for toning and refreshing the skin after bathing. Concentrated Cologne Spray is quite strong enough to be worn on its own; in fact, several other fragrance launches have featured the concentrated cologne spray as the strong variant in the range. As it is a spray, it can be sprayed on all over thus imparting a feeling of freshness and it can be worn as its own booster through the day too. The Red Extraordinary Cologne was later replaced by the Eau de Toilette.

The Red fragrance line included:

• 1/8 oz Extraordinary Parfum miniature
• 0.25 oz Extraordinary Refillable Parfum Purse Spray (retailed for $60)
• 0.25 oz Extraordinary Parfum (retailed for $60)
• 1 oz Extraordinary Parfum (retailed for $175)
• 1.7 oz Extraordinary Spray Cologne (retailed for $47)
• 2 oz Extraordinary Spray Cologne (1991)
• 3 oz Extraordinary Spray Cologne (retailed for $45)
• 3.3 oz Cologne (retailed for $60)
• 0.33 oz Eau de Toilette Purse Spray 
• 1.7 oz Eau de Toilette Spray
• 3 oz Eau de Toilette Spray
• 1 oz Extraordinary Perfumed Body Moisturizer with Collagen 
• 2 oz Extraordinary Perfumed Body Moisturizer with Collagen (1991)
• 6.7 oz Extraordinary Body Moisturizer with Collagen (1998)
• 8 oz Extraordinary Perfumed Body Moisturizer with Collagen (retailed for $30)
• 8 oz Extraordinary Gel for Bath & Shower (retailed for $28.00)
• 5 oz Extraordinary Body Treatment Cream (retailed for $45.00)
• 4 oz Extraordinary Body Talc (retailed for $22.50)
• 8 oz Extraordinary Perfumed Relaxing Bath (retailed for $28.50)
• 3 oz Extraordinary Perfumed Body Silkening Dry Oil Mist (retailed for $32.50)
• 1 oz Extraordinary Perfumed Dusting Powder 
• 2 oz Extraordinary Perfumed Dusting Powder 
• 5 oz Extraordinary Perfumed Dusting Powder (retailed for $28)
• Extraordinary Self-Tanning Lotion
• Extraordinary Soap Set, 3 bars with case (retailed for $25.00)
• Red Extraordinary Miniature Candle

Fate of the Fragrance:

In 1994 the Giorgio Beverly Hills brand was acquired by Procter and Gamble for $150 million who combined it with other luxury fragrance brands such as Hugo Boss, Laura Biagiotti and Otto Kern into what is now the P&G Prestige Beauté division. As of 2023, I believe Red is still being produced, although faithful users may notice a slight difference since it has been reformulated a few times, most notably around 2010 due to IFRA restrictions on ingredients. Since 2003, Elizabeth Arden is the license-holder for Giorgio Beverly Hills line of fragrances. 

CLICK HERE TO FIND RED BY GIORGIO BEVERLY HILLS

RED 2:

In 1996, Giorgio Beverly Hills introduced Red 2, as a softer version of its successful and slightly more brazen sister, Red, mixing notes of juicy peach, fresh watermelon and tart strawberry warmed by the richness of balsamic vanilla, praline and precious woods. Described as "Bright, fruity and flirtatious, Red 2 blends sun-kissed flowers and intoxicating fruits to create a delicious scent that is comfortable yet surprisingly sensual." It is classified as a fruity floral gourmand fragrance for women.

• Top notes: watermelon, big strawberry, raspberry, and rum
• Middle notes: jasmine, carnation, hyacinth, freesia, peach, rose, peony, and pear
• Base notes: vanilla, praline, and woodsy notes

The Red 2 fragrance can be distinguished from its original fragrance by the fact that it was contained inside of a frosted glass bottle topped with a silver-toned cap instead of a clear glass flacon with a gold-toned cap. It was available in the following:

• 1/8 oz Extraordinary Parfum Miniature
• 0.25 oz Extraordinary Parfum (retailed for $85)
• 0.33 oz Extraordinary Eau de Toilette Purse Spray
• 1.7 oz Extraordinary Eau de Toilette Spray (retailed for $42.50)
• 3 oz Extraordinary Eau de Toilette Spray (retailed for $55)
• 6.7 oz Extraordinary Body Moisturizer (retailed for $30)
• 6.7 oz Extraordinary Shower Gel (retailed for $28)

In Oct 1996, Linda LoRe, president and CEO of Giorgio of Beverly Hills, hosted 70 of the firm's sales representatives over lunch at Cafe de France and for dinner at Trattoria Marcella. LoRe explained during lunch that Giorgio would launch its fragrance Red 2 for Valentine's Day, after just having distributed the first of its Ocean Dream fragrance. LoRe was asked why the brand doesn't use "celeb-speak" to promote their fragrances, LoRe replied, "Southern California is the celebrity and it's all about lifestyle. We don't do what others do, such as 'Use thus and you'll feel like you're somebody else,' because with our products you'll just feel great." LoRe was a veteran of the May Department Stores, having been associated with Robinson's in California.

As with the original Red fragrance, Tatjana Patitz served as model for the fragrance in advertisements.

In Feb 1997, the Red 2 bath & body products were introduced. Eurocos was a distributor. Red 2 has been discontinued since 1998 I believe as I cannot find any other advertisements for after this date.

CLICK HERE TO FIND RED 2 BY GIORGIO BEVERLY HILLS