Andy Warhol Lexington Avenue by Bond No. 9 : Perfume Review

I love Bond No. 9’s Warhol Series – in fact, the simply stunning Silver Factory is my favorite scent of the house. Unfortunately my little sample of Silver Factory broke just one day after I received it, so I never got to review it, although its memory still haunts me. Fortunately, I now have the chance to review the newest child of the Bond No. 9 and the Andy Warhol Foundation partnership: Lexington Avenue, the third fragrance in the Warhol Series, introduced in time for the 80th anniversary of Andy’s birthday.

“Think pre-Pop 1950s New York, when Andy Warhol lived on Lexington Avenue and plied his trade as a prolific illustrator – mainly of imaginative shoes. Hence the Warhol-designed mélange that covers the flacon. Lush and unapologetically seductive, this scent dares to link two of the most ultra-feminine commodities a woman can own: fragrance and footwear.”

How can I possibly resist? I am a Warhol admirer, have adored perfume ever since I can remember and I collect shoes with a passion... Already, Lexington Avenue and I are a match made in heaven! The absolutely gorgeous, shoe adorned bottle makes me ... wait, I have to teach you a Dutch word, cause there is no other way to describe it: it makes me hebberig, which can only be roughly translated as an unstoppable urge to possess something material, the clever Andy quotes on Bond’s website (“See a shoe and Pick it up and all day long you’ll have Good Luck”, “Beauty is shoe, shoe beauty...”) make me mentally giggle, for I most definitely can identify, and at the center of it all is a perfume, yes a perfume, and surely, there is no room left for more goodness in this, if my other obsession (bags...) would be included in this equation, my head would probably explode!

Needless to say, I’d have been bitterly disappointed if the jus didn’t live up to expectations, and those expectations were mighty high. But this is one of those rare occasions when everything is perfect (enter angelic choir sound FX): the bottle, the story and yes, the jus all fit each other perfectly. (A collective sigh of relief, followed by soft moans of appreciation) Yes, Lexington Avenue is utterly beautiful, beautiful and strange, probably the best combination for the niche-loving perfumista. In fact, it is absolutely delicious! The opening is warm and rich, while still managing to be filmy. It can already be identified as a gourmand, bypassing any of the usual freshness most often employed. Instead, we are presented with a beautiful light sweetness that is initially fairly innocent, smelling of mouthwateringly delicious, slightly vanillic, lightly roasted almond paste filling. Soon the nuttiness parts, to allow effusive warmth to bloom from within: woody notes laced with the aniseedic scent of fennel, tease the senses and urge the wearer to breathe in deeper. Again, the imaginary waves of our perfume part once more, to reveal yet more warmth: dark cardamom that feels intensely spicy and smoothly chocolate-y at the same time. I love the fast paced changes of Lexington Avenue, which make it utterly engaging. The intensity of the cardamom subsides -although it does remain a beautiful, deep constant in the background- and the peppery, fragrant scent of peony comes to the fore, lovingly supported by the powdery creaminess of iris, sweetened by thoughtful doses of vanillic, caramelized crème brulee. Don’t be scared off by this surprising note: it is a gorgeous compliment to the orris root and together they play a fantastic supporting role to the peony, which sings louder, being the true star of the heart notes. Finally, the drydown is slightly powdery, comforting and sexy, with hints of soft patchouli over creamy, seductive sandalwood. Gourmand lovers beware; this woody number is truly bewitching!

Images: Lexington Avenue regular flacon and limited edition flacon with sterling silver Robert Lee Morris necklace with shoe charms, both www.bondno9.com