Stardust

From a press release when Stardust premiered: Parfums Llewelyn Parfums Llewelyn is a prestige fragrance company with a vision of designing fragrances that express and affirm the value of the women and men who use them. Parfums Llewelyn’s fragrances celebrate the dreams and accomplishments, and fuels the desires of women and men, recognizing the uniqueness and value of each individual. The products by design and presentation allow customers to express and affirm themselves through fragrance. STARDUST, the premier Parfums Llewelyn fragrance line is truly celebratory. From the stunning prismatic bottle with its star-embossed oval cap, to its brushed silver and blue outer packaging, to the translucent clarity and freshness of the floral – oriental “juice” inside, the STARDUST woman’s fragrance inspires and affirms her. Today’s woman is more confident and self-assured. STARDUST captures her sparkle and sensuality as well as her strength. STARDUST for men is powerful without being overwhelming, invigorating and infinitely appealing. Fresh, but with a Fougere structure emphasizing a sensual woodiness intermingles with citrus, hints of bourbon vanilla, rich musk and impressions of leather. The fragrances are dissimilar yet complimentary. The STARDUST male is secure in himself and can find pleasure in the strength and continued growth of the woman. Both make a dynamic statement separately or paired. Phillip (Philippe) Llewelyn Prime – Visionary, Perfumer and Founder In a market that is jaded by too much of the same comes a fresh voice with a different cadence. Phillip has brought to the prestige fragrance industry a point of view shaped by his Caribbean roots and the influence of a powerful yet gentle mother who gave birth to fourteen children and nurtured every one to extraordinary success. “My mother’s signature was her fashion elegance and her passion was mentoring children. Scores of successful men and women in different parts of the world credit their achievements to her inspiration. I grew up accepting the extraordinary influence and unlimited potential of women as a fact of every day life. My fragrance reflects that expectation. STARDUST celebrates affirms and inspires this vision” Phillip discovered an interest in fragrance during his boyhood years as he explored the wealth of fragrant, exotic botanicals in his native Trinidad. As a Research Chemist, then later as a Perfumer with Elizabeth Arden, he was able to hone his creative skills and enhance his natural ability, contributing to the success of lines such as Chloe by Lagerfeld, KL and Lagerfeld for men. Today, with more than three decades of industry experience to his credit, Phillip has shaped, STARDUST, a fragrance line that captures a woman’s true essence and comes as close to giving what every women desires in a sensory encounter – total satisfaction. The STARDUST Vision “STARDUST is the story of people, passion, relationships and the power of individual potential to create and enjoy a lifestyle that is exciting and self-affirming.” Phillip Prime – Founder STARDUST Marketing In marketing STARDUST, Parfums Llewelyn has taken a departure from the traditional thinking. There is no “sexploitation” and no particular celebrity endorsement. The STARDUST woman speaks with her own voice. She has an inherent sense of her own value and wears her fragrance because she enjoys it and it affirms her. STARDUST sells because the fragrance itself is luscious. Because it’s unique, elegant, prismatic bottle echoes the multi-dimensional aspect of its user. It is – and she is – a surprise at every turn always alluring but never completely predictable. Like the cobalt blue embossed stars on the cap, she sparkles in her sphere. Bold, modern, dramatic, STARDUST combines the mystery of the future with the romance of the past. Once used, it is not forgotten. In every decade there have been fragrances that have captured the spirit of the times and the imagination of the women who have worn them. Now comes STARDUST, sparkling, sensuous, satisfying, articulating the very essence of today’s aspiring and accomplished woman. STARDUST The Fragrance There is an element of surprise and intrigue characterizing STARDUST. It is, like the woman who wears it, complex, contemporary, passionate, unpredictable. STARDUST is a fruity, floral-oriental fragrance. Created for the woman of today, STARDUST captures the very essence of who she is and the intriguing nuances of all she is becoming The fragrance opens with a modern splash of tropical tangerine and water hyacinth. A dash of pepper adds a burst of tingling excitement, while soft petals of purple freesia and osmanthus flower hint at the subtle fruity nuances intermingling throughout. The heart blooms with the luxurious floral notes of Casablanca lily, night blooming jasmine, red carnation, peony and yellow mimosa. The sensuality of the drydown comes through an intoxicating blend of sandalwood, musk, precious woods, amber and luscious plum. The STARDUST Fragrance Collection Women’s Parfum, 30 ml $250.00 Women’s Eau de Parfum, 50 ml $ 78.00 Women’s Eau de Parfum, 100 ml $110.00 Women’s Eau de Toilette, 50 ml $ 65.00 Women’s Eau de Toilette, 100 ml $ 95.00 Women’s Perfume Body Lotion, 6.7 oz $ 40.00 Women’s Bath and Shower Gel, 6.7 oz $ 30.00 Women’s Moisturizing Body Mist, 200 ml $ 48.00 Men’s Eau de Toilette, 50 ml $ 58.00 Men’s Eau de Toilette, 100 ml $ 85.00 Men’s After Shave Balm, 5 0z $ 42.00 Men’s Bath and Shower Gel, 6.7 oz $ 22.00 STARDUST Packaging How do you bottle passion, inspiration and aspiration? How do you contain the joy of living in the present and the excitement of future expectations in an essence? If a fragrance can, STARDUST does. The very name STARDUST evokes an image of mystery and romance. The contrast of nostalgia and the era it implies, versus a contemporary feeling of constellations and starlit skies, creates an alluring appeal. At first glance you feel the contemporary drama of a cut rock crystal slab. Simple and elegant, it is both impressive and glamorous at the same time. Topped with its brushed silver nameplate and star-embossed cobalt blue oval cap, the STARDUST bottle makes a statement that is elegant, expensive and inspirational. The STARDUST parfum bottle is considered a unique “work of art” by the fragrance industry. The brainchild of world famous designer Marc Rosen, the bottle represents a multi-faceted crystal prism through which light explodes and the crystalline fragrance comes alive. Winner of five of the industry’s most prestigious Fifi Awards, Marc Rosen considers STARDUST one of his most innovative efforts. The bottle represents the multi-dimensional aspects of the STARDUST consumer. “Through the striking, crystalline prisms of the perfume bottle, she sees a reflection of herself.”- Marc Rosen The STARDUST carton provides a simple backdrop for this dynamic perfume bottle. Echoing the brushed silver feeling of the nameplate, the front of the box is punctuated with the embossed cap design in a blue oval. The sides of the box contrast with the front and the back in a matching blue. Selecting STARDUST, consumers are buying into a lifestyle and attitude they can relate...or aspire to. The bottle, touchable and appealing, provides each woman with a multi-dimensional reflection of herself. STARDUST For Men (Debuts June 2001) “He is visionary, self-confident and affirms his relationships” STARDUST For Men is an original composition of fresh citrus notes and sensual woody tones. The fragrance is built on a Fougere structure, which includes Italian Bergamot, Spike Lavender, Egyptian Geranium, Oakmoss and a Tobacco accord. It opens with top notes of Mexican Lime, Mediterranean Lemon, juicy Green Mandarin, Siberian Fir Needle, French Cypress and shaved Nutmeg. Middle notes are a heady blend of Stephanotis Jasmine, Ceylonese Sandalwood and Indonesian Patchouli. The full-bodied base is composed of Haitian Vetiver, Benzoin Siam, Spanish Labdanum, creamy Amber, African Olibanum, Bourbon Vanilla, rich Musk and impressions of Leather. The STARDUST male is at home with himself, yet embraces the sense of completeness that relationships provide. He is confident in his inner strength yet inclusive enough to value and encourage others. He is un-compromising, visionary, complex and ambitious, yet supportive and generous. He makes a great mentor and a companionable friend, and in his life’s journey, leaves the sparkle of stardust in his path.

Phillip Prime began working as a chemist within Eli Lilly’s cosmetics division to pay his way through medical school, but the smell of success would eventually permeate Prime’s plans for the future. Prime worked at Elizabeth Arden, a subsidiary of Eli Lilly, developing cosmetic lines for men and women. The Trinidad native quickly became known for his superior sniffing abilities. “Smelling is being able to concentrate, to be able to relax one’s mind,” Prime told WRTV reporter Greg Todd. “You cannot smell if you’re disturbed in mind. It’s difficult to put one’s self into experiencing one’s environment if your mind is otherwise occupied.” It was a state of mind for Prime in all aspects of life. “I like going into the woods, walking in nature [and] taking a walk in my block. Even long after the flowers are gone, I can continue to enjoy the beauty of spring.” Phillip Prime used his impeccable sense of smell to evaluate products in 1983. Prime was integral in the development of fragrances within Elizabeth Arden. According to Todd’s report, the marketing department would develop fragrance concepts for perfumers to research. Their work was then sent to Prime for further evaluation. Prime had what was called the perfumer’s organ at his disposal. It was a collection of scents each with different notes, similar to that of a musical organ. A small bottle of jasmine was valued at $400. Prime also studied how environmental changes could impact a product’s scent. For example, how extreme temperature swings would impact the smell of Lagerfeld shaving cream. Eli Lilly exited the cosmetics industry when it sold Elizabeth Arden for $700 million in 1987. Prime eventually created his own perfume company, Parfums Llewelyn. The company debuted its fragrance called Stardust in 1999. The name was a nod to Hoosier musician Hoagy Carmichael who penned the song by the same name.

This is TOO CUTE! I can't wait for my bottle to arrive! I had to do some online sleuthing, I was SO curious about the perfumer and his company, with two Y2K releases and then nothing more... I found out that Philip Prime and and his wife, Cynthia Prime, co-founded Parfums Llewelyn, after he had worked for Elizabeth Arden. It appears there was no further output after this fragrance and the mens' version, but there is mention of the company in a few archived articles online. He has a LinkedIn profile, and it seems he is now CEO of a children's education program. Looks like Mr. Prime also had a health scare when the Covid-19 outbreak was beginning; an article from his church detailing his illness and recovery is where I read about his wife Cynthia being involved in the business. (Apparently they are 7th Day Adventists.) Details from what I found online regarding the perfumes he created are in my other two "reviews" here.

I bought this bottle in a blind buy, Just received it I am not disappointed. It's fresh would be perfect for summer/spring day or night. It gives a lot of Burberry vibes. I feel more of Burberry Weekend, it's very floral at first is very sweet rich rose water after like 10/15 minutes pepper would start taking over a Lil bit. It's very feminine, in my opinion, it would be too floral for a man. I would love to keep indulging myself for a longer period of time before my full detailed review. I tried it on my skin and clothes and will update the review later. but overall I'm not disappointed at all. 12 hrs after I applied it and I still smell it ony clothes..

Can’t believe I’m the first to review this one. Stardust came out in the early 00s and is from a perfume company in Indianapolis. Yes really. The perfumer worked with Firmenich to develop the scent and the unusual triangular bottle was developed by Marc Rosen who also designed the KL and Red Door bottles. When it came out it was sold at Bergdorf and Jacobson’s department stores and was quite high end. The juice itself is pretty good and seems to pass the test of time. It doesn’t smell old or dated. One spray lasted hours and has fairly strong projection. It does evolve over time. The wood and pepper notes give it almost an aquatic spareness while the musk keeps it close to the skin and it gets cozy after a bit. Much to my surprise I really like this one, which I picked up for next to nothing. (I hear the men’s version is in demand and goes for a decent amount on eBay.)