Barbara 'Walters: Delicious, Ma Griffe
Princess Diana: Adoration, Arpege, Isis
henever
Princess Di-
ana or Hillary
Rodham
Clinton needs
a healthy dose
of good scents, she turns to William
Owen III.
Mr. Owen was born into the busi-
ness, the son and nephew of Welsh
perfumers. He loves Rolls-Royces (his
collection includes one once owned by
the Aga Khan), is an artist and is ded-
icated to creating fragrances that serve
as "a vehicle for personal expression,
a sensual equivalent of our inner
thoughts and feelings."
He counts among his clients
Princess Diana and Mrs. Clinton, both
of whom adore his freesia- and apricot-
based Adoration.
Real flowers, Mrs. March tells her
daughters in Little Women, are "the
prettiest ornament."
So, too, is their scent. But it is much
more than anything the girls of Little
Women could have imagined. Today,
perfume combines the scent of lush
roses from Bulgaria with obscure flow-
ers from China and freshly harvested
herbs with oils from the bergamot fruit.
It is an industry built on the image of
mystery, romance and memories —
wrapped up in billions of dollars.
A new fragrance (surrounded by a
great deal of advertising and hype), can
expect to do millions its first year.
Princess Marcella Borghese just
launched a fragrance called Profumo
which company officials expect to
bring in more than $4 million in the
next 12 months.
A perfume with a strong history in
the market can expect even better.
Hillary Rodham Clinton: Adoration
Barbra Streisand: Delicious
rontinued on page 100
Barbara Bush: Calandre, Zarolia
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis: Jil Sander No. 4,
Mad Moments
STYLE • WINTER 1995 •
93