The Sex Pistols are one of the most influential punk rock bands of all time. From music to fashion, and even perfume. Yes, that just unlocked a memory, because now you’re remembering Sex Pistols: The Scent.
Back in 2010, the legendary group released a “God Save the Queen” branded gender-neutral perfume. The unusual move was a collaboration with Paris-based perfume brand Etat Libre d’Orange, per Billboard. The company licensed the Sex Pistols name from their merchandising partner, Live Nation Merchandise.
Sex Pistols Perfume: For the Anarchist who really wants to smell like one
At the time, members of the Sex Pistols did not publicly comment on the scent. However, Michael Krassner—who was executive VP of worldwide retail and licensing for LNM—stated that the band was “closely involved” with all licensing decisions.
“They know who they are better than we do,” Krassner said. “That’s difficult in some respects, as opposed to someone who just approves everything. But ultimately, if you want your brand to endure, you have to have a level of consistency and quality over time.”
The Sex Pistols scent featured elements of pepper, leather, and patchouli
According to the Fragrantica database, “The nose behind this fragrance is Mathilde Bijaoui.” The scent featured elements of “Pepper, Amalfi Lemon, Aldehydes, Leather, Patchouli, Plum, Ambrette (Musk Mallow), and Heliotrope.”
The composition was designed to capture “the spirit of punk in the bottle, under the name of the band.” Bijaoui worked to craft a “rebellious peppery-scented” odor that would be as inspirational as the “anarchy and chaos” ideologies that defined the punk rebellion of the 1970s United Kingdom. For that reason, it was defined as a “revolution in a bottle.”
“Fresh lemon bites you early in the composition, sharpened by the defiant black pepper,” the description adds. “The unruly turbulence is caused by prune and intense ambrette seed, while the electricity of aldehydes, further inflated with leather and heliotrope, is subsequently grounded and brought back to earth by patchouli note.”
Fragrantica goes on to note, “Besides the intense flavor, the pack is also designed in the spirit of punk. The graphics are inspired by the cover of their first single, 1977’s “God Save The Queen.” Sex Pistols perfume is available as [a] 50 ml EDP.”
Photo by Rick Diamond/Getty Images
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