Red by Giorgio Beverly Hills c1989

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

Escada by Margaretha Ley c1990

Escada Margaretha Ley was introduced in 1990. Created by perfumers of Créations Aromatiques.

Van Cleef Pour Homme by Van Cleef & Arpels c1978

Van Cleef Pour Homme by Van Cleef & Arpels: launched in 1978.

Vintage Counterfeit Perfumes and Fantasy Fakes

During the 20th century, the perfume industry was rife with counterfeiting at every turn. There was some trickery going on in the 1930s-1950s regarding designer named perfumes. I can find famous names on bogus labels for perfumes in bottles that you would never see used by that brand. Various con men had boxes and labels printed up, then decanted or adulterated, refilling cheaper bottles with even cheaper perfume, then slapping the newly printed labels on them, and passing them off as genuine.

I have created a comprehensive guide for fake vintage perfumes going back to the 1920s and into the 1970s. Much of the crucial information I have gathered has been revealed nowhere else and it can answer a lot of questions regarding so called "rare" editions or bottles of designer perfumes. 

Discussed in this guide are rebottlers, fake pricing schemes, and outright counterfeits. A significant portion of the guide is devoted to what I call "fantasy fakes." Fantasy fakes are, in my own parlance and definition, is the usage of bottles and labels that a genuine perfumery brand would have never used. This also includes names of perfumes that were never part of their catalog such as "Ce Soir Ou Jamais" by Christian Dior. I have done extensive research on these in order to determine whether they are genuine or fake. You might be surprised, delighted or even disappointed at the information I uncovered.

Before you shell out hundreds for a rare "Poiret" perfume bottle, please see my guide first!

Io by La Perla c1995

 Io by La Perla: launched in 1995 in association with Morris.. Also referred to as ‘Io La Perla’; (‘I’ in Italian and 'Io' French  Je')

Created by Daniella Roche Andrier of Givaudan-Roure. 

Scent Cases from the Grand Tour

What we term perfume caskets today were known as "scent cases" during the 19th century. These were often purchased in Europe, most notably in Paris. Originally purchased from the shopping arcades at the famous Palais-Royal in Paris, these retail outlets sold luxury goods such as fine jewelry, furs, paintings and furniture to the wealthy elite. The peak of casket manufacture is the Napoleon III period from 1852 to 1870.

Halston Couture by Halston c1987

Halston Couture by Halston: launched in 1987 in association with Revlon. Created by IFF.

Feminite du Bois by Shiseido c1992

Feminite du Bois by Shiseido: launched in 1992. Created by Christopher Sheldrake in collaboration with Pierre Bourdon. This was Shiseido's first perfume to be sold in the United Kingdom.

273 by Fred Hayman c1989

273 Rodeo Drive for Women by Fred Hayman: launched in 1989. Created by Florasynth. The name is taken from Hayman's address on North Rodeo Drive and is the first to be released under his own name after he sold the Giorgio empire to Avon in 1987. 

Hahna by Rosine c1919

Hahna by Rosine: launched in 1919. Created by Henri Alméras. It was subtitled both "L'Étrange Fleur" (The Strange Flower) and "La Fleur Secrète (The Secret Flower)."

The name "Hahna" is a play on the Japanese word "hana" meaning "flower".