Perfume Review: Bond No 9 Andy Warhol Silver Factory

By Marina I am not going to talk about the inspiration behind Silver Factory and will not analyze the ways in which particular notes make the scent fit the name. Because if you are in a mood to do so and if you look at things at a certain angle, you can convince yourself of anything at all. If you were previously unfamiliar with Pink Sugar and were told that it was called Silver Factory, would it not make just as much sense as a Warhol-inspired scent as Bond No 9's incensey-balsamic creation? Now take, say, Fracas, and look at it at the same Warhol-esque angle and tell me if that wouldn't fit just as well. It is my humble opinion that Silver Factory is Bond No 9's most exciting creation yet, more interesting even than Chinatown (and created by the same talented young perfumer, Aurelian Guichard). It is complex and quirky but does not cross the line into the land of strange for strangeness's sake. It is rich (all that amber!), but not overwhelming. Incense-heavy, but not churchy. Sweet but not syrupy. I could go on. What is so captivating about it is that the qualities that make it outre - the very prominent incense note, which, paired with the sinful lushness of amber and the candied, almost edible floral accord, smells irreverent if not blasphemous rather that typically soulful and holy - is also what makes it so incredibly comforting. That's right, Silver Factory is a comfort scent for me. The resinous sweetness and the dark lushness of incense are enveloping, warm and wonderfully soothing. It is a scent-kaleidoscope, scent-chameleon, its numerous facets ensuring that those who want it to be masculine, will perceive it as such, and those who are looking for a feminine woody oriental fragrance, will also be delighted. Those who want to smell Warhol references, will intuit them in its decadent luxuriousness and pleasant oddness. And those who, like me, are (always!) on a hunt for a new great comfort scent will find it there too. Silver Factory is available at Beautycafe, $230.0 for 100ml. Image sourse, allposters.com.