A Message in a Bottle

Published Dec 6, 2008

From the magazine issue dated Dec 15, 2008

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THE GOOD LIFE

Packaging is everything. When it comes to perfume, the container can be just as seductive as the scent itself. For classic fragrances like Chanel's No. 5, simple but stylish bottles have become symbols of a timeless allure ($260 for one ounce; chanel.com). Guerlain's iconic Shalimar perfume, created in 1925, comes in an elegant and highly recognizable art-deco bottle with a fan-shaped stopper ($305 for one ounce; neimanmarcus.com).

Some bottles send less subtle messages than others. La Prairie's Silver Rain comes in a metal raindrop container ($85 for one ounce; shoplaprairie.com). Emporio Armani's Diamonds collection comes in jewel-shaped bottles ($69 for 3.4 ounces; emporioarmani.com).

Bond No. 9 New York offers a range of fragrances, each bottle varying the brand's trademark star with such elements as Andy Warhol prints and Swarovski bling (prices vary; bondno9.com). The faceted glass flacons that contain Jivago's 24K Pour Femme Eau de Parfum also feature flakes of gold ($145; bergdorfgoodman.com). But for sheer extravagance no one beats Clive Christian, who bottled his No. 1 in diamond-encrusted Baccarat Crystal bottles last year ($200,000; clive.com). There'll be no recycling those.