Yesterday, we were proud to say we were one of the 'first' people to see the unveiling of Nicki Minaj's first fragrance, Pink Friday.  The flacon, launching in September, is (no surprise here) a mini Nicki, dipped in gold, sporting her signature pink hair with a sexy, white bustier.  If that doesn't sound like enough, there's a "Nicki Minaj" name chain draped around the bottle for some extra bling bling.

When fans asked what it will smell like, Nicki tweeted back, it will smell "like angels playing".  So...what does that smell like?

Photo: Nicki Minaj, Twitter

Britney was lookin' Cleopatra glam in her recent shoot for her new fragrance campaign, Fantasy Twist.  This will be her third collaboration with Elizabeth Arden, first was Curious in 2004, Fantasy in 2009, and now it's time for the third, Fantasy Twist.

Britney tweeted this pic,  'Channelling my inner Cleopatra today at Elizabeth Arden Fantasy Twist shoot. Fragrance is out in Sept. 1st look on Path.'

What's your take on the fragrance campaign? Extraodinary or plain ol' ordinary?

Photo: Britney Spears

We've heard of a fragrances giving tribute to a city, like Sarah Jessica Parker's NYC, or DKNY's Be Delicious Heart NYC, but more recently in perfume news, the windy city of Chicago will be getting it's own fragrance!

Tru Blooms Chicago First Harvest, a project linking several communities, will launch a limited edition eau de parfum this coming October.  Tru Fragrance made a plan to find ingredients indigenous to Chicago so that the ingredients in the parfum are locally grown.

Roses, lavender and violets were selected as notes for the perfume, which was concocted by Ungerer & Co. The scent will be available in 15-ml., 50-ml. and 100-ml. sizes. 

Monte Henige of Tru Fragrance noted that the city list could expand. “We’ve gotten inquiries from other cities,” he said to WWD. “You train and employ 100 people to plant gardens, they get paid and you beautify a city.”

The new Yves Saint Laurent women's fragrance will be a "declaration of contemporary femininity," said Stephan Bezy, international general manager of Yves Saint Laurent Beauté at L’Oréal.  This scent is said to celebrate modernity, audacity, and youthfulness. 
“This brand has youth in its genes,” said Bezy, who explained YSL doesn’t age and has always been on the cutting edge, having introduced fashion such as the tuxedo for women.
“Yves Saint Laurent gave power to women,” he continued.

The new scent is a woody floriental, including notes of jasmine, white corollas, lily of the vaelly, blackcurrant, vanilla, tonka bean and cedar. 
Manifesto will first be introduced in France on September 10th. In March 2012, we can expect it to come to the US. We can't wait!

Photo Courtesy: Yves Saint Laurent; Manifesto

Are you enough of a scent critic that you can be part of a new social media fragrance community? Fragrance Flight, an invitation only olfactory club is taking flight this fall under the founders, the Curators of haute parfumerie MiN New York in SoHo NYC.  50 respected fragrance and luxury experts have joined together to create Fragrance Flight's platform, fusing together features of popular social media hubs like Facebook, Pinterest, basenotes, nowsmellthis, etc.

"We stand on the threshold of a fragrance revolution. It's important to lead and serve our passion with other experts who genuinely care. Transforming virtual community islands into tangible, authentic moments centered on sensory exploration and curated lifestyle will facilitate how we gather, share, learn, and grow together. Fragrance Flight is custom tailored to serve the needs and desires of individuals who are serious about scent," said Founder Chad Murawczyk. "Communities are all about the people involved... By transcending organizational structures and boundaries, our influential collective will nurture and grow via diverse experiences, perspectives, and talents."

Will you become an exclusive member? Register for membership here: http://www.fragranceflight.com/

Behold, Prada's newest scent for men, Luna Rossa. 
“It’s not a typical sport fragrance,” said José Manuel Albesa, chief brand officer at Puig, Prada’s fragrance licensee. He explained Luna Rossa is an authentic, long-standing part of the brand’s universe. “It is very linked to technological excellence.” (WWD)

The scent is said to be much more complex and interesting, a key note being lavendar, which is not often used with men's scents.

After such success with the brand's Candy fragrance for women, Albesa said it was time to bring something to the men's arena.  Excited for what's to come? Stay tuned for it's debut in the US, March 2013.

Photo Courtesy of Prada

Chanel will release Coco Noir later this month in homage to Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel. The scent is said to be intended to interplay between light and dark and the luminosity of black and Baroque elements, noted Christine Dagousset, executive VP of fragrances and beaute at Chanel Inc., calling it "addictive".

The scent is a “luminous, transparent oriental,” said Christopher Sheldrake, perfumer for Chanel. Noir’s bottle is in the classic Coco shape, executed in black with gold accents. “You can’t see the juice inside, which makes it more mysterious,” said Sheldrake.

Photo Courtesy of Chanel

First Reem Acra and now Marchesa! Marchesa's signature glamour goes from red carpet to fragrance counters this fall with their first scent, set to launch in September, Marchesa Parfume d'Extase.

“Eveningwear evokes an emotion, and this scent does the same thing,” said Chapman, the label’s designer, who cofounded the line with business partner Craig in 2004. Much like the duo’s red carpet gowns, the bottle features plenty of detail and sparkle. Craig and Chapman worked with Malin Ericson of Vanessa Stevens + Company to create a clear faceted bottle that evokes raw quartz crystal banded with hand-set crystal accents resembling a bow. “We looked at our handbags and the signature crystals they have, and we really wanted to incorporate that element,” said Chapman.

Photo: WWD; By Kyle Ericksen

Exciting news! Dolce & Gabbana has recreated it's classic scent Pour Femme.  The reborn perfume is being described as "Dolce & Gabbana DNA-embodying the Dolce & Gabbana woman with floral notes, melting into a citrus orange blossom. Soft and seductive, the scent captures all the qualities of the modern fairy-tale damsel – passionate and sensual."

The original Pour Femme came out 20 years ago, and now, recreated, the fragrance is more gorgeous than ever. Stay tuned for Dolce & Gabbana Pour Homme fragrance too, it's being launched at around the same time!

Photo: Dolce&Gabbana

Designer Reem Acra, well known for her gorgeous red carpet and bridal gown dresses, has now given us yet another reason, another design, another luxury to drool over. This time, it's with fragrance. 

In the Lebanese designer's first fragrance efforts, she mentions to WWD in an interview that one of her main focuses was to incorporate her heritage.

“Fragrance, after fashion, tells the story of a brand,” Acra told WWD. “I was waiting eagerly for this moment, because I had something in mind. Basically, I think this fragrance is special because it’s not a made-up story. It’s my life story. Amber has been part of my homes since I was a little kid — we used to collect it [in Lebanon.] Peonies are my favorite flower,” she gestured to a large bouquet — “and every morning I drink orange blossom, steeped in hot water, to relax.”

The scent is set to launch in October.  The scent has top notes of orange blossom, pear and bergamot; a heart of ginger, jasmine, lily of the valley and blooming peony, and a drydown of amber, cedarwood, patchouli and warm musk.
What do you think of Crystal Renn in this gorgeous ad campaign shot by Tom Munro.

Photo Courtesy: WWD; Reem Acra
Shot by Tom Munro