victor and rolf's flowerbomb

Flowerbomb, $150, 3.4 oz. eau de parfum spray, available at Saks

It is no surprise that the Dutch avant-garde fashion design duo, Victor and Rolf, who have a penchant for the extreme, the witty and the subversive, have a fragrance called Flowerbomb, where the bottle is shaped like a grenade. Of course! Who needs subtle anyway.

Indeed Flowerbomb packs quite a floral whallop. Although touted as a most wearable fragrance with a wide appeal when it debuted in 2005, I must beg to differ after taking a cautious sniff at the Saks flagship yesterday where they were running a special in-store promotion. The scent is like a hug from 100 grandmothers, all at once. But I think that Flowerbomb would knock anyone's grandmother out cold with a single spray. If you like a rather chaotic heady mix of florals including freesia, jasmine, rose and orchid, along with notes of amber, patchouli, bergamot and vanilla that all come together in a rather explosive way, go take a whiff. But be forewarned. Please note: there is also a Flowerbomb Extreme offered in limited edition at Christmastime. As if one would need a more extreme form...

Savor the Victor and Rolf aesthetic here: view their Spring Summer 2007 fashion show on viktoretrolf.typepad.com!

The Flowerbomb grenade-shaped bottle which Saks delicately
describes as "a bottle cut like a multi-faceted diamond,"
and it's accompanying elegant box with wax seal.