A pinch myself moment, in beautiful Paris surrounded by beautiful perfume…
Well, what a wonderful trip this has truly been. Firstly, thankyou so much to Viktor and Rolf, a brand I adore and admire, for inviting me along to the Flowerbomb party and sponsoring this blog post, so I could bring you the inside scoop. They whisked me off to Paris to experience a night of glamour, glitz and mountains of purple perfume bottles, all in the name of Viktor and Rolf Flowerbomb’s 10th birthday. If you’re a long time reader of Inthefrow, you will know that Flowerbomb, or more precisely, Flowerbomb Extreme, is my favourite fragrance, ever. It isn’t up for negotiation. I have worn it since its release, which although I can’t believe that time has flown this quickly, was ten years ago.
It is a recognisable scent, of which there really are only a handful. Fragrances come and go, but a number of fragrances have truly stood the test of time, and are just as loved, if not more so, than they ever were. And undoubtedly, Flowerbomb is a strong contender for number one in that category. The key fragrance, the beautifully baby pink bottle of Flowerbomb, broke onto the scene with a seemingly statement shape and package. A grenade, with a silver lid, that bravely proposed its power, strength and potency and ability to blow your socks off with an explosion of fragrance. I still remember testing the bottle, ten years ago in an airport, and realising how much the scent reflected my personality and favourite perfume notes. And I was immediately hooked. Albeit, back then I only wore it for special occasions, in order to preserve it for as long as possible, but it has never left my cabinet. A new bottle has always replaced the last. The bright, candy, floral scent of Flowerbomb is an absolute delight.
I could tell you that the top notes are mandarin and orange, the middle notes are sambac and jasmine, freesia and orchid and the base note is patchouli, yet I’m sure you probably could never imagine what they smell like as a bouquet. Instead, imagine bright and vibrant rosy florals, with a subtle undertone of mandarin yet a deep woody pinch that almost grabs your senses and reduces the floral intensity. For me, I have always described it as a sweet, candy shop floral bouquet. The type of fragrance that is sexy and seductive yet playful and vibrant.
Yet, whilst I wore the more vibrant candy noted Flowerbomb for a year or so, it was when I stumbled upon its Extreme counterpart, in a deep purple grenade (typically me), that I knew I had found my scent. The Flowerbomb Extreme is warmer, more intense with vanilla notes whilst maintaining the jasmine top notes, creating a recognisable fragrance with just that little bit extra. If I thought Flowerbomb was sexy, Flowerbomb Extreme takes it to a new level.
Whilst the Extreme is my number one, I felt it was apt to go back to the original, and cover myself in the beauty of the original fragrance, to celebrate the 10th year of Viktor and Rolf Flowerbomb. I bathed in the shower gel, moisturised in the body lotion and spritzed and polished with the Eau de Parfum. All in the privacy of my luxury hotel suite at the Peninsula Hotel, Paris.
I dressed in my favourite Gianvito Rossi courts with a classic LBD and made my way to the roof top restaurant, L’Oiseau Blanc, overlooking the captivating sights of Paris. A delicious and luxurious, yet tiny menu, eaten alongside the beautiful Ella from La Petite Anglaise. The view of the Eiffel Tower behind where we ate, perfectly added to the magic and the romance of the trip.
After dining and relaxing, we jumped into a taxi to the event. Stopping outside of a building lit with pink and purple lighting and a huge queue of Flowerbomb enthusiasts from press to models, we headed inside to an explosion of flowers, glass and perfume. Canons were filled with petals for their grand explosion later in the evening and the walls were alive with bloom. The highlight of the evening took part in a side theatre, where Tori Amos took to the stage and played a set list of Viktor and Rolf’s favourite tracks. She sung with such emotion and talent, working between an electronic and acoustic piano and offering her heart and soul to each song. I was completely mesmerised.
It was a fantastic way to celebrate a relatively short yet incredible legacy that will only continue for decades to come, alongside friends and fans of the brand and the luxurious perfume. Happy Birthday Flowerbomb!
If I thought I had stayed in Luxury Hotels previously, the Peninsula Hotel made every effort to pip them to the number one spot. Astounding aesthetics and interiors, helpful, smiling and attentive staff that literally would go out of their way to make every answer a yes. And my suite, fitted with a full walk in wardrobe and dressing room, a super king sized bed with the comfiest, plumped pillows and all functions, handled via a tablet computer for the ease of shutting the curtains, turning down the lighting and raising the air conditioning. It was perfect.
After a wonderful evening, celebrating in the heart of Paris, it was time to rise and shine to the Parisienne sunshine and head down for breakfast and a reminisce of the night before. All before a quick wander into the streets surrounding the Arc de Triomphe to search for French sale bargains in Celine and Maje. The perfect end.
Thank you to Viktor and Rolf for inviting me to their Flowerbomb 10th Birthday Party and allowing me to celebrate every year that I too, have loved and enjoyed their captivating fragrance.
What a dream.
#Flowerbomb10
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