Perfect Presents: Bond No. 9 Andy Warhol Silver Factory Perfume

The last 2 Bond No. 9 fragrances I reviewed were pretty easy to like, and while incredibly well done, they're not revolutionary. If you're looking for something really out of the ordinary, then you simply must check out Bond's latest release.





Andy Warhol Silver Factory:

Perfect For: The perfumista; the soul sista; the art freak; and the very devout (or those who just want to smell devout).

Why it's Perfect: This smooth sweet incense scent is not your typical perfume. Its slight strangeness is sure to appeal to that fragrance connoisseur who's always looking to excite their nose with something new and unexpected. Nothing says "groovy" more than incense, and Bond's concoction is hip, not head-shop. Finally, it just smells... church-y to me! Read on!

In a fitting homage to Warhol, who covered the walls of his New York studio (aka: "The Factory") with aluminum foil and silver paint, Bond packages Silver Factory in an aluminum-look bottle. The bold graphic colours mirror those used in his pop-art, and the fragrance is labeled "Perfume Concentrate", both as a wink to his immediately recognizable Campbell's Soup Cans painting, as well as to indicate the higher percentage of perfume oils within. The packaging alone should make any Warhol fan smile!

But what about the actual scent? The listed notes are: Incense, Wood Resin, Amber, Jasmine, Iris, Violet, and Cedarwood. To me, this starts out sharp and piney, but it calms down quickly to smooth glowing incense. Being a child of the 80's, the only times I really ever smelled incense were at Catholic churches, and so it is unsuprising that this smells church-y to me. However, it is not super smokey. Rather, it is like being near the altar after a special mass, where incense was burned from a censer. The lingering smell of incense mingles with the scent of the flowers and metal vases and candle holders still on the altar. It is the memory of mass, rather than the mass itself. It also reminds me of a church piano, for some reason.

Despite my own associations, I don't think this is any high and pious perfume. The metallic note ("molten silver", what a gorgeous description!) brings a coldness to the otherwise warm incense and amber, making it surprisingly wearable, even for a typically aquatic-fruit-florals girl like myself. As it dries down (we're talking like 10 hours later, this is potent!), the scent softens further, and I get more of the florals, in an almost soapy incarnation. So different from most perfumes where the drydown has the heavier notes. Certainly one of the most interesting scents I've ever come across, I feel like I need to get to know Silver Factory more!


If you're in New York, you can purchase Silver Factory at one of Bond's 4 boutiques. Saks Fifth Avenue, Harvey Nichols, Harrod's of London, and Lane Crawford in Hong Kong are also retailers. As for the rest of us, we can order through the Bond website.

This review was posted for me by the ever-fabulous Ex-Roomie, who is kindly administering the blog while I am gallivanting around Asia. I will respond to comments and emails when I get back. Promise!