Scent And The City

What was the inspiration for this fragrance?
It started with this idea of something fun. We wanted to create a party in a bottle and reflect that in the packaging with a real sense of whimsy and joie de vivre.
A large part of the inspiration is what I now understand to be people’s impressions of seeing Carrie Bradshaw walk down the street. They see this real sense of freedom and possibilities, a love for the city around her and, of course, fashion.

How did you go about choosing the name?
I’ve been reluctant for almost 10 years to use my name in a fragrance. SJP NYC was really the working title for the project and the more we sat with it as a bookmarker and referred to it as that, the more it made sense to us.

What went into the packaging?
We really wanted to use fashion as part of the packaging, which is a complicated process because you can’t put enormous amounts of it there. But I think we did something really exciting and different in combining fashion and texture, textiles and patterns. Mixing things up, breaking rules – all of the things I like about fashion.

The packaging reminds me of those Russian dolls – it’s the gift that keeps on giving. It has a really smart exterior and when you open it up, it’s something you can keep forever. This is our attempt to put fashion and fragrance together.

Did portability play a role in the final packaging?
Yes, definitely. There have been a few occasions now where we have had to multi-purpose parts of a bottle or packaging, but I think this is our best attempt at portability. You can store Q-tips in it, or put your rings and earrings in. It looks good in a bag and there’s just something really sweet about it.

Tell us about the fragrance.
It’s unusual for me because it is surprisingly floral, which I keep thinking is something I’m not sophisticated or mature enough for and will grow into some day. But the most surprising aspect is the strawberry note that looms nicely at the top of the fragrance. I have this idea in my head that strawberry is very youthful and juvenile, but this fragrance doesn’t smell candy-sweet. It amazes me that this essence of strawberry mixes so beautifully with the more sophisticated floral notes and the musks that I love and will always have in my fragrances. In a million years, I would never have thought “let’s work around strawberry”. But it reminds me of my past, of girlhood... It’s youthful and light – it’s wonderfully bizarre and I think it’s fantastic! 

And the advertising?
We have our amazing photographer Solve Sundsbo. We have (director) Trey Laird and (hairstylist) Serge Normant, who have been with us from the beginning of our first Lovely campaign. And Joe Zee styled the shoot – he really puts all of this colour and spirit into it.

But most importantly, outside of the fragrance itself, is Oscar de la Renta. He built us dresses again, just like he did for the Lovely campaign, which were very nostalgic and flattering. He really knows how to make a dress for a woman and celebrate her.

And NYC! I hope New York City is reflected in the advertising – it’s only one picture, so you have to tell a lot of story there. But you’re going to feel the city around me, that sense of possibility and adventure, the architecture and great fun that the city inspires in those of us who live here and those who hope to visit. It’s this special, promised place and I hope everything I feel about it is reflected in the final product.

SJP NYC ($49-$96) is available from major department stores.