Fragrance Favorites
Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul, gave the world “Respect,” “Think” and “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman.” Her favorite fragrances came from two of the most luxurious names in perfume. Here is what each one is and how to explore them yourself.
Favorite Fragrances
- Bijan
- DNA
- Clive Christian
About the Fragrances
Bijan is the fragrance house of Bijan Pakzad, the Beverly Hills designer whose by-appointment boutique on Rodeo Drive dressed politicians and film stars. Its signature, Bijan Men, launched widely in 1987 and won a FiFi award in 1988; it is a spiced oriental fougère in a famous ring-shaped bottle. DNA, launched by Bijan in 1993, is remembered as much for its bottle, shaped like a double helix, as for the scent itself.
Clive Christian is the London luxury house best known for No. 1, long promoted as one of the most expensive perfumes in the world. The name on this list does not specify a single fragrance, so it is best read as a love of the house’s opulent style.
Wearing It Yourself
These are big, expensive fragrances, so sample before you spend. Apply a small amount on skin and wait: the richness of houses like these shows in the drydown, hours after the first spray. Let Aretha Franklin’s taste point you toward a style, then let your own skin make the final call.
Why it matters
Her list points to luxury and presence. If you share that taste, it gives you two houses to start exploring.