Perfumistas in Portland were at a loss for a good number of desirable fragrance brands when Saks Fifth Avenue closed its doors in July of 2010. Along with other prestige brands such as Armani Privé and Sisley, the niche company Bond No. 9 New York was only available at Saks, where its colorful bottles were an irresistible draw to anyone who came near the perfume counter. The good news is that it’s back in town, exclusive to Nordstrom, and since its departure last year several new fragrances have been launched.
However, you won’t find any of them on the Nordstrom Web site, or indeed anywhere except the flagship store in downtown Portland. Only six Nordstrom stores nationwide are carrying the line at present with six more in the works, so if you want to try the Bond No. 9 perfumes, you must visit the store in person. We are indeed fortunate to have this popular brand once again.
There are currently more than forty perfumes in the line, so it’s impossible to try all of them in one visit. I had smelled some of them at Saks but not everything, and I am going to revisit the older ones and try the latest releases, from 2003’s woody jasmine Nuits de Noho to the brand new Madison Square Park, a very pretty light floral with hyacinth, tulip and fresh grass; I tried this one and really wished I had it for the hot weather that has now departed.
My favorites so far are the delicious floral-Oriental Chinatown, which seems to be in everyone’s top ten list, and New Haarlem, a wonderfully vibrant and deep scent redolent of coffee. Their bestsellers, including these two, are also available in soap and candles, which Nordstrom is also carrying. When the holiday season rolls around, coffret sets of ten mini perfumes will be available to mix and match, which is ideal for those fragrance fans that just can’t make up their minds. You can call 503-224-6666 or stop in at the downtown fragrance department to get your name on the mailing list for samples and new release alerts; just ask for Sally, the Bond No. 9 fragrance specialist. I recommend stopping in soon, if only to see those fabulous bottles on display.
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