Sniffapalooza-thon
by Juvy Santos
For me, Sniffapalooza is a marathon—not for the faint of heart, not for the casual sniffer. It’s two days of heady, over-blown, over-the-top hedonism, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. It starts with the crush of bodies at the Bergdorf’s breakfast—the bewildering search for familiar names, familiar faces. Imagine it: descending into the basement, past ranks of expectant sales associates, and then into a white room filled end-to-end with perfumistas and perfumistos eating mini-danishes and fruit. At first, it’s all cacophony....
There’s a little bit of fear. Each Sniffa is different, after all, and one never knows who one will find at breakfast. And then you find your niche. My niche was at a table with Chayaruchama, Besotted, Madelyn E. and GalileosDaughter. I sat with them as the presenters started, one after another, scent strip after scent strip. I sat watching Killian Hennessy’s aquiline profile as he presented By Killian, through Le Cherche Midi’s introduction of their new line, through the presentations of Guerlain, Chanel, Annick Goutal, Ajne, Lisa Hoffman, and others. I giggled as we curiously squeezed at the little experimental ‘scent puffers’ created to deliver a ‘puff’ of perfumed air and scented with Tom Ford’s Champaca. I cheered as Chayaruchama danced with Creed and won, through popular acclamation, a bottle of Love in Black.
The exodus out onto the Bergdorf’s beauty floor is fraught with danger for me. I avoided the JAR alcove, fearing another earth-shaking encounter with Bolt of Lightning (Oh the darkness! The dankness! The price tag! I swoon, and then I weep). I did a fly-by the famous Bergdorf’s raffle basket, all $3,000 worth of it. I think it was sparkling in the sales lights. The By Killian dramming units were prominently featured, though, so I sampled and then wandered over to Chanel for Sycomore, around to Acqua di Parma, reacquainted myself with the Creeds, then to Antica Farmacista where I sniffed at their enticing display of reed diffusers, and finally to Guerlain.
Yeah. I bought it. Bois d’Armenie, with that awesomely cute atomizer. I think every perfumista occasionally makes a purchase that makes her pause a little. I signed my slip with a bit of a dazed feeling, and then onward I went.
The rush doesn’t stop when you’re at Sniffapalooza, really. Soon I found myself walking over to Opia’s for lunch, and then squeezing in to a room and on top of a red velvet chair. We were cheek-by-jowl, scented and happy. I swear, I could smell a cloud of perfume in the air as soon as I walked in. I sat with the lovely Vida, Raphaella, Dorothy of Kingsbury, Michael, and RHM. I settled in and found, to my surprise, a small Fracas gift set for all of us and promptly thanked Joe Garces, who was sitting immediately to my right. There were presenters galore—author Avery Gilbert, Christopher Voigt from Vetivresse, the women of Seven Skies perfume, Lee Cuthbert, Janna Sheehan of Trance Essence, Roxanna Villa of Illuminated Perfumes, and Cinquieme Sense. There were also presentations from Joe Garces and Adelaide Farah of Beauty Fashion. Cathy Gins of Aromawear won my attention with beautifully crafted scented jewelry, reminiscent of the ladies’ vinaigrettes from times past.
Takashimaya followed, with sightings from Neil Morris, the elegant Sarah Barton-King of the Pink Room, and the famous cupcakes from the Sugar Sweet Sunshine bakery. Bendel’s was the next stop after that, fabulous GWP in tow. We ended our evening in drizzling rain at Joe Garces’ Spafumerie, where we saw Edith Piaf’s black Piguet dress, drank champagne, and ate chocolate covered strawberries and Fracas colored cupcakes. Spafumerie was a new and fun stop for me—I had never been there before, and found Mr. Garces a gracious host.
The next day was our downtown day, and it started with brunch at Bond no. 9. Bond’s holiday gifts are spectacular this year, including a 40+ ounce perfume decanter covered entirely in white Swarovski crystals, with “Bond no. 9” in the niche line’s trademark script in black. We moved on to Lafco NY, gracious as always, where I sniffed the Linari fragrances and the new Baume du Doge, for Eau d’Italie. The Santa Maria Novella line never ceases to tempt me mercilessly, but I managed to walk away this time without buying either potpourri OR their Rose Elixir. (Alas, my willpower was not so great when it came to bottles of perfume—I may have walked away from Lafco without Santa Maria Novella potpourri, but I did walk away cradling a bottle of Paestum Rose).
Lunch was at Country Café on Sunday, and we had presentations from Sarah Barton-King of The Pink Room with samples of her fragrances, Linda Gerlach of Love, the Key to Life, and Patricia Namm of Brandy; all lovely, elegant women with wonderful scents. Perfumer Gerald Dubose also presented and recited a romantic poem, inciting many of us to issue proposals of marriage. Raphaella’s raffle was a huge success, gifting attendees with everything from Kingsbury Fragrances soaps to full bottles from Frederic Malle and Creed.
Across the street, L’Artisan Parfumeur introduced Fleur de Liane, the newest installment in the Travel Series. It was an aquatic green floral, in stark contrast to its predecessors Timbuktu, Dzongkha, and Bois Farine. Le Labo, too, was a stop, and their Jasmine 17 is on my list.
My Sniffapalooza ended at Aedes de Venustas, that jewel of a store. Aedes was crowded, dense—filled with perfumistas, sampling Amouage, Montale, Andy Tauer, everything. I always want to go back when it’s quieter, when one can sit and browse the perfume bottles, arranged so carefully on antique furniture, at leisure. But I’ll take Aedes filled with like-minded people, too—people you can ask to sniff at one perfume versus another on alternating wrists without looking like a maniac, people that feel like kindred.
I think the people will be one of the factors that will keep Sniffapalooza alive and vibrant for years to come. It’ll be what keeps me coming back, year by year, season by season. Sniffapalooza is about perfume, yes, but more than that, it’s a shared experience between people who are otherwise separated by vast distances. I came away from my second Sniffapalooza with a smoking debit card and a head full of memories, and I certainly hope to be back for more.
Juvy Santos ('Arhianrad') is a self-avowed 'perfume nerd' and a second-year law student at the University of Pittsburgh. Her other interests include all things Japanese, tea, Scotch, and science fiction.
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