Annette Green Fragrance Archive

In addition to our garment collection, the FIDM Museum also houses an extensive fragrance archive. The Annette Green Fragrance Archive was donated to the FIDM Museum by Annette Green in 2005. A leader in the fragrance industry since the 1960s, Annette Green originated the FiFi Award in 1972 and is currently President Emeritus of The Fragrance Foundation. Consisting of bottles, perfume presentations and documentary ephemera dating from the late 1880s to the present, the Archive has its own dedicated exhibition space on the 2nd floor of the Los Angeles branch of the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising. These exhibitions are always free and open to the public!

Above is an image of the entrance to the Annette Green Fragrance Archive. As you can see, the exhibition space is intimate, allowing visitors a close-up view of the fragrance bottles and their labels. Currently featured is High Style: Perfume and the Haute Couture. This exhibition features fragrances and fashion accessories by well-known haute couture design houses, Christian Dior, Chanel, and Yves Saint Laurent. Also included are fragrances and accessories by James Galanos, Halston, and Oscar de la Renta, well-known American fashion designers whose work exhibits the same standard of quality found in French haute couture. This exhibition is presented in conjunction with our upcoming exhibition High Style: Betsy Bloomingdale and the Haute Couture, which will open on October 21, 2009. Until you are able to get to FIDM to experience the exhibition for yourself, enjoy these images of items currently on exhibit in the Annette Green Fragrance Archive.

Evening Dress Label: Christian Dior Marc Bohan for Dior Spring/Summer 1989 Anonymous Gift 95.10.1

This dress, with its Grecian silhouette and flowing scarves, might bring to mind the airy garb of a mythical nymph, but the unseen corsetry beneath is very much for mortals. Since Christian Dior introduced the “New Look” in 1947, such built-in understructures have been a sign of the highest quality in haute couture clothing, a tradition continued by his successors, Yves Saint Laurent and Marc Bohan. This, Bohan’s final collection for Dior in Spring/Summer 1989 is no exception.

Label of 95.10.1

"Miss Dior" Perfume Christian Dior c. 1947-1950 Gift of Annette Green F2005.860.747

"Hypnotic Poison" Eau de Toilette Christian Dior c. 1998 Gift of Annette Green F2005.860.294A/C

After you get a good look at the J'Adore bottle below, revisit this post, which features a John Galliano for Christian Dior necklace with a startlingly similar shape.

"J'Adore" Eau de Parfum Christian Dior c. 1999 Gift of Annette Green F2005.860.482A/B