Saturday Question: What Is Your Favourite Perfume Bottle?

/ AustralianPerfumeJunkies

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Portia

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Hello Fellow Fumies,

At APJ we have a Saturday Question. Everyone gets to chime in with an answer, chat with other responders and it’s a fun event each week. Taking sides never means taking offence and everyone keeps it respectful and light, even though we can sometimes trawl the depths.

The idea is you’ll see it on the weekend or chime in through the week. Hopefully you will come back regularly and see if anyone has responded to your comment and you can reply to them. The aim is to generate real conversation and connection even though we are scattered around the globe.

Saturday Question: What Is Your Favourite Perfume Bottle?

Over 100 responses I will draw a Scent Sample Pack (from my collection)
This week:
Niche Sample Pack

  1. 19-69: Kasbah
  2. INeKE: Chemical Bonding
  3. Aedes de Venustas: Pallida d’Or
  4. Byredo: Accord Oud
  5. Les Voiles Depliees: Tuberosa

Last Weeks Winner: Brigitte

eMail me at (portia underscore turbo at yahoo dot com dot au) with your address please

Saturday Question:

So many fabulous bottles over the history of perfume. From Guerlain alone we have Chamade, Samsara and Shalimar parfums. The original Poison apple that found itself reimagined by Nina Ricci, DKNY and Lolita Lempicka. Antonio Gardoni’s Aeon 001 bottle and then very quickly Cartier’s L’Envol interpretation of same. Maybe the Aedes de Venustus or Ramon Monegal bottles speak to you. Do you like it simpler like Hermès and CHANEL are doing or is the crazy flamboyance of the Niki de Saint Phalle parfum snakes bottle a winner? Neela Vermeire Creations bottles are lovely, as are the old style Annick Goutals. Could we even have a conversation about bottles without mentioning Map Of The Heart? Did anyone love Salvador Dali’s lips? Did I mention Avon? From the beginning of perfumed time to now, what bottle has moved you most?

My Answer:

You’re all going to be sadly let down I’m sure but my favourite bottles of all time is actually a canister. It is the CHANEL bakelite lipstick case. Nothing comes close to its elegant simplicity. Those clean lines that scream money and have never gone in or out of fashion, transcendent. Sleek and modern design that is so practical and functional but feels utterly luxurious.

My particular favourite is the Coco 7ml cigarette lighter in black & gold but it’s followed closely by the No 19 in silver & gold. They are sheer perfection for me and they fit perfect in my hand. So good that I want to reach for them regularly.

 

My Saturday Question to you is:

Saturday Question: What Is Your Favourite Perfume Bottle?

199 thoughts on “Saturday Question: What Is Your Favourite Perfume Bottle?”

  1. I prefer the clean classic lines for perfume bottles, and love how they look displayed individually, or grouped together on a glass tray. No surprise, I completely agree with you Portia. Although I have many perfume loves, my favorite perfume house is Chanel, and my favorite perfume bottles are Chanel. I love the white and the black bakelite cases, the classic No 5 glass bottles that have been slightly altered over the years, and the current Les Exclusives tall glass bottles. My Mother didn’t wear fragrance; however, my Dad bought her the silver and gold No 19 bottle (1970s) which she kept in her dresser drawer for all the years of my childhood. I was so in love with that bottle, and would sneak peeks to admire it.I always wished it was mine, and have no idea what she did with it.

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  2. Oh, those beautiful vintage Guerlain bottles, the rosebud and parapluie ones!
    Jicky parfum with the tassel, sigh. Lalique frosted glass bottles…
    I probably bought Lolita Lempicka for the apple bottle too!
    And Middle Eastern perfume oil bottles with filigree metal.
    On the other hand Profumum Roma should try harder, generic square bottles yawn…

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  3. Perhaps not my favourite of all time, however, currently I am really loving the bottles of the Hermes Jardin series. The nice heft of the bottles, the smooth curves of the bottles’ shoulders and not to mention the colours. When all 4? 5? (I have 4) are grouped together it makes for a stunning display. The only thing that would improve them would be the satisfying click of a magnetic cap. Ahhh! That’s luxe!

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  4. My favorite bottle belongs to the scent that’s been in my collection the longest. In 25 years, I’ve gone through more bottles of this than anything I own, no contest. That would be the classic ribbed bottle from Annick Goutal and her Eau d’Hadrien eau de parfum. Beautiful and feels great in the hand. When new brand owners discontinued it, I quickly snatched up 6 bottles and have them in cold storage. They’re refillable, so I’m safe for a good long while. Fantastic site by the way!

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    • Hey Julien,
      Thank you.
      Yeah, those lovely ribbed bottles were special. I particularly like the jewel colours they came in for special scents. There are quite a few here in my collection and I feel as if there’s something vegetal about them. YUM!
      Portia x

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          • marcella- even if you don’t love Assam you can always make decants to gift to family and friends. this is what I do with a perfume that turns out to be not so great for me.

            Undina- yes, we are hopeless-LOL!

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            • Yes well I’m still on chapter two of Decanting for Dummies so that’s not on the horizon. Plus I’m a slow learner. My eldest daughter however is a dyed in the wool perfume nerd and will either a) decant for me or, more likely b) scuttle off with said bottle whilst loudly proclaiming that I never gave it to her in the first place and I must be getting senile/losing my marbles and therefore I should just ‘chill’

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      • Eau de Ciel!!! My first perfume purchase during my first trip to Paris!! But I had bought the small rectangular bottle at the time. I think they were either the masculine bottles or they stopped making them. That empty bottle I saved for sentiment.

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        • I still have my bottle of Chèrie with a teeny squirt of now abominably wretchedly turned juice.
          I try it from time to time hoping miraculously that the liquid might have morphed back into it’s original state while I was out doing errands or something, but….of course not!
          I wore it frequently when my daughters were toddlers, so lovely memories attached to that one as well!

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  5. You can’t beat the classic Chanel bottles for an understated sense of luxury. Some of my wilder faves: Alien (I’m a sci-fi geek); Jungle l’Elephant (to look at – that elephant cap is somewhat awkward and unbalanced); Shalimar (I have the FB in the Ode Mexique- pretty!) ; the various Lolita Lempicka bottles.

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  6. You already know my answer, P! I have been collecting the Escada limited edition bottles since 1994. Even though I prefer the older bottles with the matte finish and beveled hearts I still collect the newer versions of smooth clear glass with painted on designs. Someone in the house always likes the juice and wears it for me and then returns the bottle so it is a win win situation.

    Years ago I started saving all of my bottles and had amassed about 400 + when I decided to throw 99 percent of them out (including about 20 of those beautiful fluted Annick Goutals and my cannister/lipstick cases like yours P in Coco, no 19 and no 5 (yeah I had them all!). I did save no 22 though which now resides in my basement with the Escadas. I also have a hug 6.8 oz empty bottle with stopper of Nocturnes de Caron which looks almost like a vase if you take the stopper off. That one is beautiful too.

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    • oooo! How could I forget the Berdoues bottles!!!! I have four of them!!! Including the infamous Assam of India (Val/cookie queen’s favorite-LOL!) with the row of colorful elephants!!!

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      • and two limited edition Escada Collection bottles as well. They have a jacquard print/pattern….velvet with a pattern made from metallic yarn.

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      • Aha! So it is Assam of India that is sporting those gallivanting elephants that I’ve heard mentioned…ahem….elsewhere!
        If memory serves that is primarily a tea based scent?
        Not sure that’s my cuppa.
        Lately (well, now that the weather has cooled down) I have been craving woody, vanilla-y, oriental-y perfumes. Need cozy!

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        • I tend to get more of the lemon than the tea and in the winter a bit more of the sandalwood. But honestly, some of us also smell frankincense (despite this note not being listed) which gives it an incense vibe. Assam of India is by far my most successful blind buy….and shamefully I must admit I bought for the elephants!

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          • and I am with you on needing the cozy perfumes when the weather turns chilly. That is when I crave gourmands and orientals. But I do sometimes go for citrus (Assam and also Orange Sanguine) in the dead of winter just to add some light and refreshment and mood lifting which is what citrus does for me.

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          • I think I have just been enabled Brigitte! I am sitting on a 20% discount from one of the decanters and was heading towards Grand Soir, but, honestly some winter days a mood boost is just the ticket.
            And autumn…..and summer……Ya. Perfume Mood Boosters! I’m liking that! Thanks

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          • Yes, that is a great idea! Get a decant first to see if you like it! If you do the bottle is well worth owning because it really is so lovely. If I could I would own all the Berdoues for the bottles alone and put them on display. I am shamefully swayed by beautiful bottles. And I also like conformity.

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      • the bottle was full and now it is empty-LOL! While I used most of it up myself I did make a few decants from it. The mouth of the bottle was so wide that I had to decant even for myself to put in travel sprays for easier application.

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  7. I don’t ever consider the bottle when choosing a fragrance because I don’t keep them out in the open, they’re all tucked away safely in the cool and dark. But you reminded me of that Dali lips bottle which I used to own and did keep that for a while when the perfume was used up. Sorta wish I’d kept it but hey ho. I like the Lolita Lempicka bottles because they’re just cute, and JPG have had some really wow examples with diamanté and glitter and all sorts, and I’ve never met a shiny thing I didn’t like😉. One that I remember from my childhood was the Windsong my mother had in the shape of a crown. It was like a magnet to me.

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  8. I had to go and look up everyone’s favourites. So beautiful. I found a wonderful Guerlain blog with lots of images of the bottles. Most here probably know it, but in case not, it is guerlainperfumes.blogspot.com. Last thing I need, though, is to start another collection!
    Like others here, I do like a bottle with some heft to it, and shapely enough to be easy to pick up, hold, and use. I am also a little partial to pretty colours, so the Shalimar bottles have a lot of appeal, although I haven’t found a Shalimar that suits me. I have fallen in love with the new red Chanel bottles, and I don’t think I’m even a Chanel girl, but I am going to try them again to try to justify a purchase. Would love it if they were refillable, but don’t think they are.
    Love that bakelite, too, Portia. I have found it has become more appealing to me over the years.
    I do love my green Tendre Poisons, especially the apple bottles that fit so well in the hand, as well as Missoni Acqua; Marc Rosen’s Shanghai – so heavy, and red! – and for clean, classic lines, but with texture, I like Cinema, Gucci EDP, and Ysatis, which in particular fits so comfortably in my hand.
    I’ve also developed a real fondness for opaque bottles – Jil Sander Style Pastels, the Narciso Rodriguez line, and La Prairie’s Silver Rain. I only have a mini of this, which I purchased very recently, and was thrilled that it is the same shape as the full bottle, a perfect, opaque, silver tear drop.

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    • OOOOH! The Rive Gauche! Ts that the metal cylinder in silver, blue and black? I love that Anicasunny. Scott wears it and so did a GF of mine as we were growing up. She would always have a small can in her bag in case she needed a refresh.
      Portia x

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    • I will second you on the metallic canister Rive Gauche. I had one back in the day and always thought it was such a hip bottle/cannister.

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      • Oh yes! The very swish Rive Gauche blue and black metallic canister! So cutting edge and contemporary back when it was first introduced.
        I tried to love that perfume, but back then my heart belonged to Shalimar. Both for the lovely upright shell-inspired bottle and that beautiful blue stopper. Wish I could have a sniff and wearing (or 2 or 20!) of the ‘good stuff’ I wore in the 70’s.
        Flounced around drifting copious amounts of the stuff all throughout my senior high school years!
        Guess that would be verboten now 😢

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  10. I just love this post. There are certainly some beautiful bottles out there.
    I love my Guerlain Mitsouko and Shalimar bottles. Bond No 9 have some unusual bottles,they come in a nice box as well

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  11. Oh I’ve just remembered a bottle that made me go wow recently. Narciso Rouge. Same square block as the others in the range. But RED so I am duty bound to love it.

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  14. I am rather fond of the 25ml pebble bottles of the CDG scents, though the damn things don’t stand up. Except they do, because everything stays in boxes. And the weight and magnetic chunk of the 40ml Dior Privee–the heft is particularly pleasing in that smaller size, I think. I like the black version of the classic Chanel bottle–on Coco Noir, for example. I try not to be tempted by the travel cases that are made for the tiny Malles and Aedes and such.

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  15. great question, Portia, it’s so hard to choose one.

    I love Eau des Merveilles, the bottle is a perfect match for the scent inside. The shape, the understated sparkles, the silvery spritzer, the soft warm color. I wish they’d do a special edition in shades of aquamarine.

    I love how the bottle can rest at different angles. Sometimes I lay it flat so it looks like a bead of water. I prefer the smaller bottles, the 100 ml is too large to fit comfortable in my small hands.

    Another favorite is the original Oscar de la Renta, both the tall flacon and the small parfum bottle. They were designed by Serge Mansau who also did the bottle for EdM.

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    • The Oscar perfume bottle was gorgeous. I wore that scent often in the late 70s. And it also brought to mind then original Chloe with that gorgeous Lily topper. I have a mini of it that is just about empty in my basement. It was gifted to me by another blogger who knew I wore it in my youth. I love those EdM bottles too!!

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    • Love the smell of Eau de merveilles but the bottles are a thorn in my slightly OCD side. I want my bottles lined up straight and tall like the proud little soldiers they are. EdeM is always AWOL or lolly gagging around with it’s superior, don’t mess with me slouch. Such a rake! Hit the dirt EdeM. Give me 100 push-ups!

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        • I’m running out of room not just in my drawers – which used to be underwear drawers – but in wardrobes and other people’s bathrooms. Tsk tsk, someone needs to take my cards off me. I have no new clothes to wear but have a different perfume for at least every day of the next couple of months or more.

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          • Oh my god, me too! I still got quite a lot of clothes I bought before this perfume-related madness started, – I tend to go big when I like something. I gave away some of them last year but some things are so damn gorgeous that I don’t want to let go of them (a tail-coat, for example, or my collection of hats).

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            • I get what you’re saying about dumping stuff or giving away. Yesterday I saw a gorgeous tuxedo just like one I had in the 80s, and dumped! I’m pondering on this one.

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            • I had a wardrobe cull earlier this week. I was in there for three whole hours sorting, cleaning shelves and reorganising, putting away summer clothes😢

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      • are you from APJ back in the day? Or a newbie? I only ask you this because I can’t recall your name from when i joined here ooh…must be nearly a year ago. If you’re new, then welcome to the perfume site of the damned. If you’re a veteran then just roll your eyes and ignore me.

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        • Not sure if you’re addressing Diana or myself, but I’ll chime in anyhow. I’m new!
          How can one be kind of old but new at the same time?
          Hmmmm…
          I worked from home this week. Wore the same t-shirt 4 days running. BUT! I had different SoTM, SoTA and SoTE every day! So pleased with myself I think, or maybe I should prioritize my spending more carefully 🤔?
          Nah!

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  16. I think an earlier comment may have gone into spam as I included a link to someone else’s blog to show an image! I am crazy about the Guerlain Muguet 2016 bottle with the silverwork, which I don’t own, and the holiday edition Vol de Nuit shimmer powder, which is a sea-blue version of the classic Vol de Nuit perfume bottle, and which I do own.

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  17. Excellent question, Portia! I love many – most – of Guerlain bottles: the old design of Shalimar (“chauve-souris”), their gold canisters, Chamade, Chant d’Aromes and Parure, Insolence and my unicorn – Vol de Nuit extrait bottle. Caron used to make impressive bottles, the one I own and adore is l’Anarchiste, – I only wish they’d use this level of boldness with the juice itself. Also, both Safari bottles by Ralph Lauren. And yes, Chanel’s bottles and canisters are impeccable.

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  18. This is quite a touch question. Some of my favorites include Shiseido FDB parfum bottle, Kenzo UFO, Shiseido Nombre Noir parfum splash black ceramic bottle, Lutens original 50ml bottles (I really like their tall and slim skyscrapper type shape), vintage opium, and vintage eau sauvage square ribbed glass bottle (eau sauvage bottle has very classic shape and yellow liquid inside makes it even more beautiful).

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  20. So many great choices mentioned above. I think Shiseido has done some fabulous bottles in the past. I feel like crying looking at Ever Bloom…

    I ADORE my Chanel twist and sprays. Everything about them is fun, quirky, slick AND practical.

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  22. Hi everyone. My current fav, and I have many, is any 100 ml bottle from Goldfield and Banks here in Australia.#goldfieldandbanks
    I love the quality of the thick glass bottle and the attention to detail with the dark wooden cap which has engraved circular letting on it. The label is smart, almost postage stamp like, and I also love the way they use transparent like colourings for the liquid contents. You can see many examples on their Instagram.

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  24. Without a doubt the Vol de Nuit propeller bottle. I’ve always loved the original Alien bottle but unfortunately I can’t stand the perfume! The new men’s Alien bottle being released soon looks amazing too, I really hope I like that one. Portia, those Chanel’s in your pic are so appealing! My aunt gave me one when I was about 12 but I didn’t appreciate it and gave it away 😭

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  26. I mourn times when most great perfumes were produced in their own bottles. It is much more economically sound and brand-awareness-oriented to produce perfumes in identical bottles with just different labels, but the most beautiful bottles were those created for individual perfumes – Shalimar, Chamade, Vol de Nuit, Miss Dior (amphora style), Angel.
    I do like many of the well made modern bottles – Chanel, Dior and Armani (private lines); Hermes colognes, Amouage, Atelier Cologne (especially their 30 ml bottles) and even Jo Malone. But I don’t like when bottles get too minimalistic, e.g., Byredo or Le Labo.

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    • My tiny Le Labo bottle has a good spray, but the cap easily comes off AND the label covers the bottle, so I cannot tell how much is left. Simple bottles do have to be practical. With the more spectacular bottles, it is easier to forgive if they aren’t easy to use.

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    • Oh yes, Undina!!!! The Jo malones! I forgot about those….they are clean and minimalistic but so beautiful in their weight and shape. We have three of those big beauties chez Marzipan. And the Ateliers too. The girls have one each of their own 30 mls with the matching leather sleeve engraved with their name. Very chic 🙂 I had the hefty 200 ml of Orange Sanguine, another simple but fantastic bottle. It’s empty now but I did not throw it out because the top untwists off (and has a great leather cap) so I could use it for something else down the road.

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      • Hmmm, let’s see. Cap twists off, leather sleeve. I know! How about a hip flask! Perfect for a warming winter slug or a nonchalant pull when stuck in a boring conversation with someone you don’t like that also happens to reek of BO. A quick tug off your flask is the perfect Annoying Person Repellant. Unless of course, they ask to join you.

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  27. I remember eying the Boucheron Jaïpur bottle, but never bought it since the perfume wasn’t my style.

    The Chanel bottles with a good glass stopper, they are perfect. Dabbing on perfume using the glass stopper, such a sensual way of applying perfume. I still regret throwing away many empty bottles prior to a move. I stil have an empty Millot Crepe de Chine bottle which could need a new home. at least so far I haven’t been able to just throw it in the bin.

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    • Hi there Ingeborg,
      Yeah.. this Jaipur bottles were lovely. I bought one of the mens bottles for my last partner Varun who lives a couple of hours away from Jaipur. He loved it so much. Thanks for the reminder, I might search a new one out for him.
      Portia xx

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    • Chanel extraits with glass stoppers are the maximum size I agree to use this way: I believe that 7 or 15 ml could be used up quickly enough for perfume not to get too murky because of oxidation and contact with skin (through the dabbed).
      Talking about it makes me want to wear my Chanel N19 extrait.., I probably shouldn’t fight the urge 🙂

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      • Perfume urges are meant to be obeyed! Stiff penalties ensue if you show disobedience. Urgings that go unheeded will result in the perfume evaporating spontaneously and completely overnight. Be well advised and govern yourself accordingly!

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  28. Super question and so many comments! I’m going for Bond No9. I have Chinatown and it’s so pretty. Tokyo Milk have good packaging – nice size for your hand, black bottle (which is not ideal to see how much left) comes in lovely black padded cardboard box. In fact any perfumes by Margot Elena have really lovely designs and style, especially her packaging.

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  29. Well, I love the Chanel and Dior exclusives, so simple and elegant. And I’m a sucker for a magnetic cap, makes them feel so luxe to me.
    I also love the old BaV and Byzance bottles.

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  30. I just remembered: there is one bottle I really covet. The black bottle for Neandertal Dark, which is cast from a hand-knapped flint axe by artist Kentaro Yamada (I dig the scent too, by Euan McCall)

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  31. Mira Takla’s Vallee Des Rois. That bottle has me obsessed. I have never ever sniffed the juice either. Super rare. Sounds magical.

    I also love the Dior Poison bottle. This was my mum’s scent. I bought it for her and I adore it.

    Can I have three favourites? Then, Guerlain’s Reve de Lune!

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    • Hey Jyotsna.
      I bought that Mira Takla’s Vallee Des Rois tall spray bottle for my Mum from Harrods while I was living in London. She was so happy and bragged about it to all her girlfriends incessantly. They told me when I came home.
      What an excellent memory. Thank you.
      Portia x

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  32. I really like the Amouage bottles. They look simple yet glamorous. If I had to choose among the bottles I own, I prefer the vintage Armani bottle and newer Antonia’s Flowers Tiempe Passate with the beautiful flower shaped stopper.

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  33. Back in the 80’s whilst on holiday in Florida (gosh! Love it there! West Coast!) I purchased a bottle of Antonia’s Flowers. The bottle was unremarkable but my husband loved the scent on me. I kept the bottle as a wonderful ‘memory keeper’. Do wish it was prettier tho.
    Have not seen the current bottles.

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  34. Hello gorgeous.

    While I appreciate the minimalist and clean lines of many lux brands, Chanel, etc., I am also quite fond of the quirky, unusual designs.

    Love all the comments. Below are some notable ones I can remember/have.

    Feu d’Issey, CdG’s pebble bottles, Stephen Jones, Montana’s Parfum de Peau, frosted Kenzo’s Parfum d’ete, original DK Signature and Fuel, JPG’s Fragile (WANT!), Versace’s Blonde (WANT!), McQueen’s Kingdom (WANT!), original sheseido Feminitè du Bois, Bijan (and for men), most of Mugler’s bottles and Majda Bekkali Fusion Sacrée (I was terrified of handling it at a shop). Then there are TDC’s travel sprays, MFK pewter travel spray… I can go on.

    XXX… Tim

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