The first Parfum by Alexander McQueen "Kingdom"
Launching in 2003... I've provided details behind the Parfum and its unsuccessful story in the genre of fragrance as well as the story/inspiration pertaining to the design of the Parfum.
Alexander McQueen was an extraordinary fashion designer, he went above & beyond in every way, any chance he could get. He took it to the next level. Pushing his peers, allowing space and time to develop their skills. The biggest spectacle in fashion is, of course, the runway.
But what are some ways you can continue to make money for a brand without it pertaining to keeping the runway alive via clothing? Parfums. (just not in this story)
A fragrance named “Kingdom”, a powerful scent that I’ve been wearing on my wrist since early afternoon and I’ve been smelling it in every room I’ve entered. So, what is the story behind the scent… What was the inspiration? Was it popular? Did it sell? How did it smell?
Alexander McQueen created Kingdom in 2003 with the help of the Gucci Group and a choice French perfumer named Jacques Cavallier-Belletrud (who works for LVMH now). He would be the “nose” behind the amber rosy fragrance.
Might I add that JC-B has “created or collaborated in the creation of over 80 fragrances and perfumes for fashion house brands such as Parfums Christian Dior, Parfums Givenchy, Issey Miyake, Yves Saint Laurent, Fenty Beauty and Lancôme.”
The first fragrance by Alexander McQueen was originally an “EdP” or an Eau de Parfum and was only sold at Alexander McQueen stores and select retailers like Barney’s New York, Bergdorf Goodman, and Sephora. It was made available to the public in 2003. The same year the Parfum was released, McQueen “was also appointed a CBE and named International Designer of the Year by the Council of Fashion Designers in 2003.”
For everyone who doesn’t know what an “EdP” is… Eau de Parfum is a 15-20% concentration of aromatic ingredients in a fragrance, with a life on the skin of around four to five hours. IT’S POTENT.
The little sorcerer stone you see above is the bottle I received from my bargain on eBay. It was such a liberating feeling to invest in something like this, a piece of McQueen's history. As I am a fan of the film industry just as much as I am of the fashion industry, I must take note of Alexander McQueen being a fan of Harry Potter movies and how he may have been influenced by the film or at least Harry Potter and The Sorcerer’s Stone… or as some know it the Philosopher’s Stone. Here are a few reasons why I believe Alexander McQueen enjoyed the first film in the series enough to let it influence the design of his first fragrance “Kingdom.”
A letter from the school of Hogwarts for Harry Potter showcasing a bloodlike wax seal. Notice, a very similar aspect to the box that held the Parfum.
Allow me to lead you towards another clue…his 2005 Spring/Summer collection titled “It’s Only a Game” … if you recall seeing the finale of the show turn into a chessboard, where the models begin to oppose one another as a battle between the pieces of McQueen’s talent.
In the film, Harry defeats the chess game but not before losing two of his closest (Ron & Hermoine) friends in battle… He moves on to the final boss. The whole plot of the film(s). The man who must not be named. Lord V*lderm*rt. He’s after the sorcerer's stone… the one that concludes the story in the first film after Harry Potter touches the stone, and immediately shoves his hands upon his face afterward, turning V*lderm*rt to stone… seconds later the villain crumbles and Harry passes out with the stone falling out of his hand in the last shot of the final battle scene.
scanned by yours truly
I won’t be the one today to tell you the story about how McQueen didn’t have the best past, but I will tell the tale that what he created, was a great way for him to express himself, in his past life, and the current troubles he was experiencing in the fashion industry.
This is a perfect example of him using his imagination through other mediums to influence his work in the fashion industry. This a perfect example of a film influencing a runway show, which wasn’t the first for McQueen… I will always appreciate it when I can find out something else about a designer that maybe not everyone is seeing. Doing a little bit of digging and researching.
BACK TO THE FACTS:
The infamous cumin smell of “Kingdom” didn’t seem to please everyone enough to keep it afloat. Due to poor sales, they had to pull the fragrance from the shelves.
“Kingdom” includes accords of mandarin orange, lemon, bergamot, mint, neroli, ginger, carnation, jasmine, rose, rhubarb, musk, celery seeds, amber, and oakmoss
or
I don’t know fragrances so I’m posting both resources. That being said, those are a lot of notes featured in one bottle. One spray on my wrist that has now made me mesmerize all day about a scent I think Alexander loved. A scent he felt comfort towards. Something that he felt would hold similar powers of the Sorcerer’s stone… to be able to defeat he who must not be named.