Flowerbomb Turns Five (again)!

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Horsting and Rolf Snoeren are showmen nonpareil. Fall 2010's Kristen McMenamy layer-stripping extravaganza wasn't a shock, but only because it followed earlier spectacles, including but not limited to Fall '07's spotlights-as-accessories performance piece, in which lights were rigged up to each model as she teetered down the catwalk, and the marvel that was the design duo's Fall 2005 show, in which Lily Cole showed off some perfectly placed bed head—with a pillow to support her neck and all. It should come as no surprise, then, that the Dutchmen spare no expense when they throw a birthday party.

Flowerbomb, their smash-hit sambac jasmine, orchid, freesia, and rose-tinged eau, turned five this year, and diligent readers of our People & Parties section will recall the Grace Jones performance and the specialty dessert they designed for Paris' Le Meurice Hotel for the occasion back in March.

Tonight, the party comes to New York for the stateside version of the fragrance's anniversaire. Revelers should expect a somewhat more subdued soirée, but according to Snoeren, the bells and whistles will still ...
... abound. Here, he gives Style.com a preview of the festivities and what lies ahead for the scent the designers endearingly refer to as their baby.

So why all the birthday parties? This is a perfume we're talking about, after all.

Flowerbomb for us feels a little bit like our baby. We call her a she. She's turning five and we wanted to celebrate it like you celebrate a fifth birthday—with singing and cake.

In Paris, you got Grace Jones to do the singing. Who will do the honors in New York?

Alison Goldfrapp is coming! We are big fans and she's such an original. We met her a couple of times. She's going to perform for the first time ever alone. It's going to be a more intimate setting.

Birthday song, check. What about the cake?

It's an interpretation of Flowerbomb—so it needs to be exquisite. When you taste it, you'll actually taste Flowerbomb!

What's next for Flowerbomb?

Well, there is our holiday edition (pictured above) with the tulle from our Spring show—Alison is going to be wearing a big tulle gown tonight, too. And we have some special projects coming up next year with the fragrance. We are expanding the range beyond perfume.

Exciting. So, like, makeup maybe? Other adaptations of the scent composition?

We have too many ideas! I can't really say. But we are currently working on men's perfume.

You seem to really be getting into the whole beauty thing. Is it a welcomed respite from working on the fashion end of your business?

The great thing about perfume is that it lasts so much longer than a fashion show. It's really gratifying. For fashion, although it's great, there's so much work that goes into something that lasts ten minutes.

Will you be taking in any of these ten-minute displays this week while you're in town?

No shows. It makes me very nervous to see the whole circus. I'd rather not see it before we put on our own show.

Speaking of your own show, any hints about what we can expect for Spring?

Of course not! It has to be a surprise. Especially for us, it's always a surprise. The only thing I can say is that last time we kind of tortured ourselves with doing a performance onstage. But not this time. That was a one-off.