Basenote Bitch
Bijan by Bijan

Bijan by Bijan

This iconic binky-esque bottle was peddled out in fancy department stores everywhere from the late 80s into the 90s. It was also sold most famously in Saks Fifth Avenue by Joey Tribbiani on Friends in a cologne spritz battle that gave beauty counters a bad name for years. If all the Dior Poison’s of the 80s were for femme fatales—Bijan was for the Wall Street daddies waiting to spend their excess on them. This is the carnation killer dialing up for more Malibu and coke on their Motorola DynaTac 8000X.

Bijan the perfume was named after Bijan Pakzad who opened his shop on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills in 1976. Dangerously close to another scent banned in restaurants at the time—i.e. Giorgio Beverly Hills. The store goes down in history as being described as “the most expensive shop in the world,” catering to famous clientele. This was still a moment when flaunting wealth and notoriety was très chic before everyone started buying $800 pre-ripped jeans and distressed sweaters. I often wonder if it’s better to be honest and gauche? Bijan for men and women are still both violently strong scents that I still see being sported by Victor Maitland in Beverly Hills Cop or Gordon Gekko in Wall Street. Both dark little binches so hungry for power while wearing terrible Armani suits.

Notes include oakmoss, bergamot, iris, cinnamon, sandalwood, fir, carnation, honey, jasmine, rose, ylang-ylang, tarragon, rosemary, clover, patchouli, vetiver, benzoin, cedar, leather, and musk. In real life you’re going to smell like blood money.