At its truest, a flanker is a riff off an original scent, a lighthearted and maybe even forgettable spin on the themes of its forebear. After all, most flankers are around for a year or so then fall out of production. They’re not meant to be masterpieces. Sticking to this definition, Estée Lauder Pleasures Bloom is a textbook example of a flanker.*
I’ve felt so underwater on fragrance launches lately, that as much as I respect the brand, these days I wouldn’t turn my head at an Estée Lauder flanker. But I was wandering through the mall with my niece in Billings, Montana, listening to the ways of dating among teens (Niece: “And so I texted him for, like, two months before I met him.” Me: “You texted him all that time and he didn’t even know who you were?” Niece: “Aunt Angie, that’s how we do it these days. Anyway, I texted him and found out we were both at the mall at the same time…”) and stumbled across the Estée Lauder counter at Dillard’s. A tester of Sensuous Noir was on the counter. As I sniffed a tester strip, the sales associate handed me Pleasures Bloom. “Do you like florals?” she asked. “Try this.”
In that moment, Pleasures Bloom struck all the right notes…
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Next month, Carolina Herrera will introduce 212 VIP, a new fragrance for women “inspired by New York’s young creative people”. 212 VIP is a flanker to 1997′s Carolina Herrera 212…
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Queen Latifah has launched Queen of Hearts, a new flanker to last year’s Queen by Queen Latifah:
The heart has a song all its own…
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Avon has launched U by Ungaro Fever for Him, a new flanker to 2008′s U by Ungaro. A ‘for Her‘ version of U by Ungaro Fever launched earlier this year…
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Bebe Sheer ~ new perfume
This month, Bebe will introduce Bebe Sheer, a new flanker to last year’s Bebe Eau de Parfum. Bebe Sheer was “inspired by the airiness of sheer fabrics…organza, tulle and silk”…
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Estee Lauder Sensuous Noir ~ new fragrance
Estee Lauder has launched Sensuous Noir, a new flanker to 2008′s Sensuous perfume for women:
Sensuous after dark…
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Beyonce Heat Ultimate Elixir ~ new perfume
Beyoncé will follow her debut fragrance for women, Beyoncé Heat, with a limited edition flanker, Beyoncé Heat Ultimate Elixir.
Heat Ultimate Elixir is a more concentrated variation..
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Acqua di Parma Colonia Essenza ~ new fragrance
Acqua di Parma has launched Colonia Essenza, a new flanker to 1916′s Colonia:
A vibrant and distinctive fragrance that reinterprets and enhances the emblematic notes…
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Victoria’s Secret has introduced Sexy Little Things Noir Tease (Noir Tease for short), a flanker to 2008′s Sexy Little Things Noir, which in turn was a flanker to 2007′s Sexy Little Things…
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Lolita Lempicka Minuit Noir ~ new perfume
Lolita Lempicka will launch Minuit Noir in October. The new fragrance for women is a limited edition flanker to the original Lolita Lempicka scent, now known as Lolita Lempicka Le Premier Parfum…
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