When the weather is unpredictable, it can be difficult to get yourself into the summer atmosphere. But the Ocean Lounge fragrance from Escada can truly transform your mood.

The fresh perfume boasts a fruity fragrance and a floral undertone with top notes of strawberry meringue, delicate frozen lychee, plum and pear nectar. The middle notes are violet petal, mimosa blossom and jasmine and base notes consist of amber, vanilla and teak wood. It’s a subtle mix that really works and creates a truly unique Escada flavour.

It’s the sweet smell of the summer, and it comes in a vibrant but elegant glass bottle in delicate red and pink tones.

Ocean Lounge is the 17th limited edition seasonal fragrance from Escada. The fragrance really evokes the feeling of those summer days on the beach. The perfume is said to be inspired by that summer holiday moment when the late afternoon sun slowly transforms into a summer party atmosphere.

Escada is famous for its unique perfumes and aftershaves and Ocean Lounge certainly helps to uphold this reputation. Both cool and refreshing, this perfume is capable of creating that summer feeling with one single application.

The iconic grand dame of British fashion that is Vivienne Westwood has just released another fabulous perfume which she has labeled Boudoir Jouy. It has been produced in celebration of the 10th anniversary and decade of success seen by the original designer fragrance Boudoir, which was launched in 1998.

Madame de Pompadour is the inspiration of the new perfume creation and the packaging resembles the atmosphere of her 18th century boudoir.

The fragrance has been described as coquettish and child-like yet sophisticated and fashionable.
Vivienne Westwood describes the celebratory Boudoir Jouy fragrance: “A romantic fragrance is as subtle and sensual as the original Boudoir, but with a fresher signature, top notes of Red Berries and Mandarin Zest, mingled with the lush green scent of Bamboo Sap. In the heart, the smooth, powdery notes of Orris are freshened by Red Peony and Jasmine Petals, evoking the texture and colours of toile de Jouy. The dry-down blends crystalline white amber with mellow cashmere wood.”

For those who are fans of Vivienne Westwood, there is also a neckerchief which can be purchased separately. This has also been inspired by a toile de Jouy pattern.

In 2007, the fragrance giants who produce Diesel’s Only the Brave also acquired Sophia Kokosalaki’s designer label.

Sophia Kokosalaki recently reported that she had decided to regain control of the eponymous Diesel label and was set to head the design of Diesel Black Gold which is the brand’s premier label.

Sophia Kokosalaki is yet to announce the date that she anticipates her first collection will be launched.

Stella McCartney collaborates with Gap children’s wear:
The fashion and fragrance designer Stella McCartney has just announced the collaboration between herself and the children’s wear label Gap. This collaboration will see a new collection of designer clothing launch in stores in autumn this year.

Mark Hansen, president of Gap commented: ‘We’re thrilled to have the opportunity to build on successful past collaborations with a world class design talent like Stella. Whilst we haven’t revealed what Stella’s new clothing collection is to look like you are in for a treat.”
Stella McCartney also commented on the collaboration: ‘For years now I’ve wanted to create a collection for kids… I believe that this one off collaboration will be a great way for customers to be able to participate in the Stella McCartney brand.’

For the first time ever, the designer fragrance and clothing brand Nina Ricci held a huge sale in Paris which saw them sell many of their previous season’s collections.

Special high fashion catwalk clothing was snapped up at half the normal price.

One of the reasons for the sale was that Nina Ricci is saying goodbye to their long term top fashion designer Olivier Theyskens whose last creations were designed in Nina Ricci’s previous seasons’ collection. The sale offered fans of the designer to snap up his last and final designer pieces.

Christian Dior returns back to its roots in Paris next month:

Christian Dior will be taking a completely different position this year when they show their latest fragrances and designer clothing in the French capital next month for the Paris couture shows.

Each year, Dior appear in a large tent within the main gardens of Rodin Museum however, next month they are going to be showing their latest collections at their own Christian Dior salon at 30 Avenue Montaigne, as the designer brand claim to be returning back to their heritage.

Spokesman Sidney Toledano at Christian Dior told fashion press: “.. this was not a cost cutting exercise but rather, ‘[Dior] want to do it in this house again to feel at Dior. We really want to transport the spirit.’

Uma Thurman, the Hollywood actress and ex model, has just been signed as the new face of Givenchy perfumes and their forthcoming fragrance launches.

Films such as Kill Bill and Pulp Fiction have really propelled Uma Thurman into the limelight. And she has displayed her great ability as an actress by portraying these iconic characters so successfully in recent years.

Because of this, it is not surprising that the French house of cool that is Givenchy decided that Uma Thurman would be the perfect face for Parfums Givenchy in 2009.

In her new role with Givenchy, Uma is hot on the heels of actress and model Liv Tyler, who had been working with the designer fragrance brand on their Very Irrésistible campaign during 2007.

The first collaboration between the cult actress and the super cool designer brand Givenchy, is yet to be revealed. But all will become clear later this month as the fragrance is going to launch in autumn this year.

Lancôme were thinking along the same lines as Givenchy when a highly successful celebrity endorsement saw (the new muse of Marc Jacobs), Anne Hathaway snapped in advertisements throughout 2008 for Lancôme’s Magnifique fragrance campaign.

In July this year, the fragrance designer Cacharel is launching a beautiful new women’s perfume which is meant to typify the archetypal feminine heroine and has been labeled ‘Scarlett.’

Going back to the birth of such fragrances in the 1970s, the scent follows in the tradition of the iconic Anaïs Anaïs which is a designer perfume that enjoyed a decade of huge success.

The motto for Cacharel’s new perfume Scarlett is; “romantic, fresh, and daring.”

Composed by a triumvirate of Cacharel’s finest ‘noses’ including; Firmenich Honorine Blanc (the perfumer behind Usher She, Polo Explorer and Amber Ylang Ylang), Olivier Cresp and Alberto Morillas, (the perfumers who collaborated on Angel, Light Blue, Kenzo Jungle pour Homme and Nina Ricci).

The perfume is a revisit of the 1970’s white floral bouquet and features prevalent notes of orange blossom, honeysuckle and jasmine including the Cacharel House’s olfactory signature accord. Further notes which complement the flowery bouquet include tea leaves, pear, sandalwood and white musk.

The perfume bottle has been fashioned on old style porcelain biscuit pottery and is milky white, painted with a pastel rose color palette. Christophe Pillet is the man behind the ‘old style’ Anais Anais style packaging which will make this perfume stand out in a distinctive fashion.

Bermuda is the destination that has been the most inspiring of late to the Fragrance designer Michael Kors, has been highly inspired by Bermuda recently and the result is a new limited edition aftershave named after the holiday destination. The aftershave is designed to take you away to a tropical shore.
Michael Kors, along with many other fragrance brands, launches an annual limited edition fragrance.

And as we move into the summer months, it is no surprise that they are often inspired by the sun, beaches and tropical island images. Michael Kors has taken to spending some of his creative time visiting tropical islands, looking for his ultimate summer inspiration to transfer to the new aftershaves and fragrances. And this year’s Bermuda does not disappoint.

It is sultry and exotically blended with fresh notes of freesia and the most sought after fragrance and skin care ingredient this year - orange flower.

Michael Kors is marking the celebratory launch of his new Bermuda aftershave by also re-launching the brand’s three previous limited edition versions of the fabulous MK island scents. The re-launch means that the aftershaves will become a collectable ‘exotic island’ series.

So if Fiji is a tropical holiday you like the sound of, or if Capri is a place you would like to visit, then Michael Kors’ fragrances are the perfect choice.