Question:
Chandler Burr's new reviews in the NYTimes focus on the Guerlains - its a well written piece which detail how the house of Guerlain has fallen from its lofty regal heights:

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/25/st...=1&oref=slogin

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Funny, we just voted it best house. Of course, we didn't vote it best house of the year, just the all time best house for 2006.
- Rich

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Some of their newer stuff has been a bust, but what about things like Rose Barbare, Angélique Noire, Bois d'Arménie? These are specialty scents, and not as well known... nevertheless, they're pretty clear signs that old Guerlain can still do some things right.

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Thanks for posting ZZ.
What a bizarre article. Does he like L'Instant or not?
"Guerlain introduces L’Instant de Guerlain, created by Roucel, and the joy in the industry is palpable. It seemed as if Guerlain were losing its way."
Also, did guerlain release other perfumes many years ago which have been discontinued? If so, then of course the only ones to stay in production for 100 years would be the masterpieces.

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"Inside the industry they speak of Insolence grimly, as of a suicide."
Only the industry insiders that haven't had a clue, are too young, or don't really know anything about some of the past disasters that Guerlain has made. (Parfum de France; Skine, and a few others)
Guerlain is a great house, but as ALL HOUSES, it had its ups and downs.
Insolence might have been a different way of expressing things into a new market, but Mr. Burr clearly hasn't smelled Cherry Blossom or Purple Fantasy, and i bet you that he doesn't even know the difference between all the limited editions of Escada and/or Givenchy.
If someone can't see the real difference between Insolence and the new pinky fruity florals or the new wave of celebrity scents that have that "mall"-inspired smell -whatever he thinks that is-, he shouldn't be writing about fragrances in the first place.
And about Mitsouko: does he not see the difference between the new formulation vs. the old one? wich one was he reffering to? .
I won't get any meaner with him, but i could. I have liked some of his opinions before, but i obviously disagree here.
"When it arrives, no one knows what to say."
He hasn't been to Basenotes or to the Blogs or any other website then.
Ignorance is Bliss!.

Answer:
Originally Posted by castorpollux "Inside the industry they speak of Insolence grimly, as of a suicide."
Only the industry insiders that haven't had a clue, are too young, or don't really know anything about some of the past disasters that Guerlain has made. (Parfum de France; Skine, and a few others)
Guerlain is a great house, but as ALL HOUSES, it had its ups and downs.
Insolence might have been a different way of expressing things into a new market, but Mr. Burr clearly hasn't smelled Cherry Blossom or Purple Fantasy, and i bet you that he doesn't even know the difference between all the limited editions of Escada and/or Givenchy.
If someone can't see the real difference between Insolence and the new pinky fruity florals or the new wave of celebrity scents that have that "mall"-inspired smell -whatever he thinks that is-, he shouldn't be writing about fragrances in the first place.
And about Mitsouko: does he not see the difference between the new formulation vs. the old one? wich one was he reffering to? .
I won't get any meaner with him, but i could. I have liked some of his opinions before, but i obviously disagree here.
"When it arrives, no one knows what to say."
He hasn't been to Basenotes or to the Blogs or any other website then.
Ignorance is Bliss!. ITA with all you just said, particularly about Mitsouko - that struck me, too - and furthermore I think he's wrong about Champs Elysees. I never sniffed Cherry Blossom.

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Corporate takeovers/buyouts often end disastrously for the company being bought. Failure of the new owners to fully understand the business plan necessary for past success of the bought out company and failure to listen to or losing/letting go key personnel in the newly acquired business is definitely hubris on the part of the buyers. Or they could just be raiding a large and accessible cookie jar too and care little for the left-over empty shell.
Success in one business is hardly a guaranteed key to success in another, unrelated one. I think Peter Lynch in his book "One Up On Wall Street" said it perfectly. It's often 'Deworsification".

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Is the Guerlain family still with the company ?

Also, didnt Guerlain release exclusive "boutique only" fragrances recently ? How were they received ?

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Originally Posted by zztopp Is the Guerlain family still with the company ?

Also, didnt Guerlain release exclusive "boutique only" fragrances recently ? How were they received ? I just read on Osmoz that the latest Aqua Allegoria, a lilac fragrance, was created by Jean Paul Guerlain.

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Chandler Burr's NY Times appointment as "Fragrance Critic" is just a sign of the "Times". The Times needs shopping "news" content for its T Magazine and the endless Style sections they keep cranking out weekly.
Bernard Arnault, for reasons beyond my knowledge, seems to have a lot of enemies in the business world. The NY Times loves to disguise highly opinionated/gossipy stories as news to torture selected targets.