Ann Savage, the femme fatale in the 1945 film noir classic, Detour
Mystifying, seductive, perhaps a bit morally ambiguous, a Femme Fatale uses her sexuality, charm and beauty to get what she wants without giving away her hidden agenda. She is seductive and perhaps a bit villainous. She knows how to make a man fall under her spell because she has power over every man!
this crystal-studded whip is available in a rainbow of different colors
Agent Provocateur’s Molly Kimono $1,390
“FATALE” is also the name of the newest fragrance from the London-based company, Agent Provocateur. Check out their website on Google and the first thing you’ll see is the line: “ the sexiest website in the world.” Fitting, because Agent Provocateur also has some of the most luxurious, expensive and gorgeous lingerie, stockings, nightwear, swimwear, accessories and fragrance in the world as well. Among the silks, satins and lace lingerie items are things like this $450 crystal whip (available in a variety of colored crystals) or the silk Molly Kimono which is $1,390 (the rest of the lingerie set is extra, a simple thong is $190.00 just to give you an idea).
Recently, I attended a launch event at Saks Fifth Avenue’s flagship store in Manhattan which introduced not just the new Agent Provocateur lingerie and accessories boutique, but also the launch of Agent Provacateur “Fatale.” Almost nothing would inspire me to get up early in the morning, board two trains, and traipse up several avenues to enter Saks before the store even opened to the public. Like a femme fatale’s famous seducative power, the idea of a new fragrance from Agent Provocateur, drew me in. I had to be there.
Agent Provocateur Fatale, inspired by the classic(1940’s) femme fatales of Hollywood’s yesteryear (think: Marilyn Monroe) is fancifully described as follows: “She is mysterious and seductive whose charms entangle her lovers in bonds of irresistible desire. She is a night vixen revealing a secret side of herself that comes out once the sun sets. She is carefree but never loses her composure. She is sensual and elegant. Therefore she has a high appreciation for a luxurious lifestyle. She will tempt you to discover her wondrous world of dark glamour full of ectasy! She will allure you with her enticing, seductive and enigmatic scent just like a love potion. She is an exotic, dangerous treat, a lethal weapon of attraction..”
vampira
Marilyn Monroe
Let’s make sense of this. For starters, the description makes the fragrance sound like you’d be channeling Vampira more than Marilyn Monroe, but it is Monroe that is the muse (Monroe’s scent was famously, Chanel No. 5).
Created by Jean-Marc Chaillan of IFF in New York, Agent Provocateur Fatale is less floral than Chanel No 5. It is a floriental, but it’s not that intense. You could wear it in the daytime and not feel like you’d turn heads, or turn up noses. It’s user-friendly day or evening.
As to the audience for the scent, at the cost, it is easy on the budget. Women who couldn’t possibly consider purchasing the expensive lingerie or accessories (aspirational and swoon-owrthy at the price), but who still long to be a part of the world of Agent Provocateur, can do so with a bottle of Fatale. In fact, I am assuming that those who can afford to purchase an Agent Provocateur whip that costs hundreds of dollars or lingerie sets in the thousands, probably are not the main audience for Fatale. Those who wish they had someone who could buy these things for them, are the audience.
The Scent: That said, the scent stands on its own as a pretty and pleasing one that will be enjoyed by women (and I’m thinking, some daring men) of various generations. Spicy scents are seductive even when they’re not over the top. The notes sound like they should be very seductive, but they’re blended with the top notes of mango and blackcurrant to tone it down.
Top notes are Madagascar pink pepper, succulent mango nectar, and exotic blackcurrant. You will smell the fruit, but get a whiff of the pepper (the seduction).
The heart is velvet gardenia (a seductive white floral that is very romantic), plus royal orris absolute and Indonesian patchouli (both very exotic, seductive notes)
brown-eyed rockrose
In the base we have sultry skin musk, vanilla orchid aphrodisiac, chocolate gourmand addiction (who wouldn’t want that on her skin/) and Spanish labadanum (this particular resinous note is actually used in a lot of fragrance, but it is so exotic and exciting, I couldn’t help but sniff it over and over again…and it’s actually the resin from a rockrose bush– that’s just perfect, isn’t it)?
Packaging: Unlike the original Agent Provocateur fragrance in the voluptuous, pink bottle, that The Advice Sisters reviewed many years ago, this new Fatale fragrance has a very different packaging vibe. Fatale’s bottle is architectural, full of angles and facets that catch the light. it is sort of like modern deco. The design alludes to the notion that a seductive woman has many facets. She may be feminine and sexy, but she is strong and confident as well.
The new Fatale eau de parfum glass flacon also has a clear faceted crystal topper but inside the topper is a black and silver, dimaond/cross-hatched inner core, reminding you of the duality of the presentation, once again. This topper covers a black spray diffuser, with black metal collar. But what’s interesting about the presentation is that there is an outer sleeve featuring sexy dancer Monica Cruz (her sister is famous Spanish actress Penelope Cruz), holding onto a thick chain wearing black bondage lingerie and stockings, but the inner carton is an unadorned black and pink, with a raised diamond design that feels soft to the touch. It shows the duality of the fragrance, both feminine, and yet sensual.
The Cost: Fatale costs about the same as most celebrity and department store fragrances and is being offered right now in three three sizes — 30ml $52.00; 50ml $72.00; and 100ml $95.00 The fragrance is a US exclusive in Saks and in Europe it’s in Sephora. it is also available at Agent Provocateur Boutiques. I got the news that there will be a sensational Agent Provocateur Fatale gift set offering for the holidays. We’re already under the spell of Fatale, and we can’t wait!
