Do You Remember: Elizabeth Taylor’s White Diamonds (and the Birth of the Celebrity Fragrance)
She wasn't the first to do it but Liz Taylor's White Diamonds helped to usher in a new era of celebrity brands.
I’ve been on a real Liz Taylor kick lately. Between writing about her many ex-husbands and delving into some of her classic films on my downtime, I’ve been reminded of why she’s one of my most favourite celebrities. Truly, nobody did it like her, and nobody will ever take up her mantle. But her influence is evident in every facet of modern-day fame, whether it’s the savvy self-marketing of her romances, her willingness to use her private life as fuel for her performances, or her charitable endeavours. In terms of her influence on my life, it’s rather limited. I’m on zero husbands and zero diamonds right now. But my perfume collection does include one very crucial part of Liz lore.
Elizabeth Taylor was not the first celebrity to launch her own fragrance. Sophia Loren did it a decade before. Cher had her own fragrance in the ‘80s. French actor Alain Delon, of all people, had several scents to his name. But when you think of the pioneering celebrities in the field, it’s Liz and White Diamonds that come to mind first, right? It’s through her that we get generations of celebrities big and small carving out side-hustles in this space.
And it wasn't even her first perfume! Taylor first launched Passion in 1987. By that point in time, her fame had not necessarily dwindled – it was never capable of that – but she wasn't a major movie star anymore. She popped up in TV movies and made cameos on her favourite soaps, but she was mostly talked about for her stints in the Betty Ford Clinic and, of course, her love life. But a new decade meant a new Liz. She lost weight, as detailed in her very odd diet book. She got married for the eighth time. And she began to focus more on her work as an activist and campaigner for HIV and AIDS patients.
