Outrageous, the new fruity, floral, musk was only given the allclear after husband, Mark Croft approved the scent.

The former Atomic Kitten singer described the perfume as being musky, fruity and sexy.

The perfume is boxed in a matt black box with a glossy photo and leopard print.

The eau de toilette spray is available in a 100ml and 50ml from August 27.

1. Remembrance of Things Past by Marcel Proust

Still the last word in smell literature. Not only does he render a plethora of particular smells (hawthorns in bloom, petrol, the perfume of a beautiful woman), he also makes a convincing case for smell as the most evocative and memorable of human senses: “‘When from a long-distant past nothing subsists, after the people are dead, after the things are broken and scattered, taste and smell alone, more fragile but more enduring, more immaterial, more persistent, more faithful, remain poised a long time, like souls.” Don’t be scared by the size of Proust’s tome: start with volume one and you won’t look back.

2. Flush by Virginia Woolf

Woolf’s biography of Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s spaniel is dominated by smell. For Flush, “love was chiefly smell; form and colour were smell … To describe his simplest experience with the daily chop or biscuit is beyond our power.” Nonetheless, Woolf does exert her powers as best she can in describing the odours of London and Florence, of humans and dogs, and Flush is a masterpiece of olfactory writing.

3. Perfume by Patrick Süskind

This list would not be complete without Perfume, which is a classic piece of smell writing. Süskind is the doyenne of olfactory prose and this novel includes some virtuosic descriptions of the stenches of 18th-century France and the extraordinary aroma of a beautiful girl whose scent resembles “a piece of thin, shimmering silk” combined with “pastry soaked in honey-sweet milk.” Süskind’s name is everywhere at the moment with the release of Tom Tykwer’s film, which sadly doesn’t quite live up to the novel in its power to evoke smell, so read the book before you see it.

4. The Secret of Scent by Luca Turin

Scientist, amateur perfumer, writer, and nose extraordinaire, Luca Turin is one of the most exciting smell writers around today. He took the world of perfume by storm with his perfume guide, Parfum, written in 1992 during a break from scientific pursuits. This reads at moments as a Proustian remembrance of fragrances past: Nombre Noir is “halfway between a rose and a violet”, “glistening with a liquid freshness that made its colours glow like a stained-glass window”. His new book, The Secret of Scent, includes some lyrical descriptions of perfume and is also a daring piece of science. He rambunctiously dethrones the widely accepted notion that the smell of a molecule depends solely on its shape, asserting instead that the vibrations within the molecule play the crucial role.

5. The Road to Wigan Pier by George Orwell

George Orwell, the plain-speaking socialist documentary writer, was also an avid recorder of smells. I could have chosen any of his books here: each has at least one evocative description of the aromatic or the fetid. I have chosen Wigan Pier for its memorable description of the smell of the slums, and daring challenge to the British middle-class who, he claims, believe that the working-classes smell.

6. Toast by Nigel Slater

Slater’s recent biography is a must for olfactory bibliophiles. Food and smell are natural bedfellows, of course, and Slater’s childhood memories are permeated by both. The odour of bread-and-butter pudding, of orange-and-clove pomanders and of his Aunty Fanny’s urine are all lovingly scrutinised by his discerning nose.

7. Problems by Aristotle

Aristotle’s book of conundrums has two sections on smell: one on problems connected with unpleasant smells, and one with pleasant smells. For a book written in the fourth century BC, the problems are strikingly modern, reminding us how smell connects us to our long-dead ancestors. “Why,” Aristotle asks, “is the armpit the most unpleasant smelling region? Is it because less air reaches it? Why does urine become more evil-smelling the longer it remains in the body, while dung becomes less so?”

8. Les Fleurs du Mal by Baudelaire

‘As other minds float on music,’ Baudelaire wrote in La Chevelure, ‘mine, o my love, swims on your perfume.’ Baudelaire’s poetry was dominated by the sensual and this collection is peppered with paeans to smell. He extols the odours of ‘promises, perfumes, endless kisses’ in Le Balcon and the sweet smell emanating from the blond and brown fur of a cat in Le Chat. Well worth a read.

9. L’Assommoir by Emile Zola

As with Orwell, I could have chosen any of Zola’s books here. Nana has some wonderful descriptions of the aromas of the “fleshy madness” taking over Paris on a rainy evening, when the “dripping city exhaled an unpleasant odour suggestive of a great untidy bed”.” The Sin of the Abbé Mouret portrays a man weeping at the smell of roses in the hands of his loved one. I chose L’Assommoir because in this novel Zola uses smell for plot and character as well as for description. The stench of the dirty washing is at once putrid and intoxicating for Clemence and her lover, and their first ‘tumble in the slow downfall of their life together’ occurs when they are both drugged by the potent fumes of the laundry.

10. The Foul and the Fragrant: Odour and the French Social Imagination by Alain Corbin

Corbin’s book provided Süskind with much of the research for Perfume, and is an exhaustive account of the stinking slaughterhouses, cesspools, swamps, corpses and prisons of 18th-century France, as well as of the public complaints and initiatives to do something about it. He also considers how attitudes towards different smells changed over time, and there are endless fascinating nuggets of smell trivia. According to Corbin, in the 18th century it was believed that male and female blood smelt different and that menstrual blood enabled mothers to watch over their daughters’ physiology, while sperm formed the essence of life. Fascinating stuff!

In its ruling the court promotes a restrictive form of retailing, known as selective distribution, over all other considerations — even to the point of being willing to undermine real competition in the market. EBay will be locked out of the French perfume market, to the detriment of consumers and market competition.

The Paris Commercial Court has a reputation as one of the great commercial courts of Europe, so its eBay judgment could reverberate across the European Union. But other courts should have a very close look at the judgment before choosing to follow in its wake.

EBay was condemned for infringing the selective distribution systems of French perfume brands such as LVMH, Dior, Kenzo, Givenchy and Guerlain. These companies each select a limited number of distributors with the know-how to look after their perfume products. EBay, by contrast, provided another means for consumers to buy these products. The Paris judges ordered eBay to stop allowing the sale of these perfume brands on its auction site and to pay damages amounting to €40 million.

Selective or specialized distribution systems can benefit consumers. In the case of complex electronic products or products with safety issues, it makes sense to ensure that knowledgeable staff are on hand to help consumers. What makes less sense, but was accepted by the European Court of Justice in the 1996 Leclerc perfume cases, is the idea that specialized distribution systems should also apply to luxury products so that an appropriate “aura of luxury” can be maintained.

Yet the European Court of Justice also recognized that such specialized distribution systems could be anticompetitive if no room is left for any other form of distribution. It further allowed that selective distribution can lead to price rigidity across the market or make it easier for the brand owners and distributors to fix prices.

In the eBay judgment, however, selective distribution systems can do no wrong. The right of the brand owners to their specialized networks prevailed over every other consideration. A very disturbing feature of the judgment is the court’s argument that branded quality perfumes could be sold only through distribution systems which brand owners control. There was no recognition that EU law permits other forms of lawful sales. For instance, it is perfectly legal to buy branded perfume products from other member states and bring them into France, or for French consumers to simply resell the products themselves.

It is particularly surprising that a French court would ignore the dangers that stem from selective distribution in the branded perfume sector. It was only in 2006 that most of the plaintiffs in the eBay suit were fined for price-fixing by the French Competition Commission. The perfume makers in that case had threatened to remove their brands from their chosen retailers if those retailers did not keep prices high. The perfume makers also struck deals with national retail chains to ensure there was little or no price competition among the vendors or the perfume houses. In all the price-fixers were fined €46.2 million.

It is also instructive to compare the Paris ruling with the recent decision of a U.S. federal court in New York in Tiffany v. eBay. Internet hosts such as eBay have a responsibility to take down illegal products, such as counterfeit jewelry items, where they are notified. The Paris and New York cases both raised the issue of eBay’s broader legal responsibility for illegal products appearing on its Web site. The U.S. court recognized the extent to which any marketplace host can be responsible for the behavior of sellers. While eBay was required to remove counterfeits when notified, the U.S. court ruled, it was ultimately the trademark owner’s responsibility to police its trademark. By contrast, the Paris court held that eBay is liable for the behavior of sellers. The French judges were even willing to sidestep EU legislation which gives Internet hosts a degree of legal immunity.

The hosting issue reinforces the impression of a court that is unwilling to grapple with the complexities of e-commerce and which responds by imposing blanket liabilities on disruptive commercial outsiders.

Aside from the anticompetitive dangers of selective distribution and the hosting rules, illustrated by the French Competition Commission’s ruling, there is the broader issue of why selective distribution should apply to “luxury products.” Is an “aura of luxury” something that consumers really value? The entire thrust of modern EU competition law is that selective distribution is suspect, and that any special regime has to be able to substantively justify any restriction on the grounds of consumer value. It’s unlikely that any selective distribution system for perfume can make that case.

Even for products for which selective distribution could more easily be justified, such as motor vehicles — which are very complex and present a high level of safety concerns linked to their manufacture and maintenance — Brussels has recently put forward a strong consumer case for abolishing the specialized distribution rules which apply to that very complex mechanical product. If motor vehicles do not need their own special distribution rules, can we justify permitting brand owners to control the distribution of perfume via a small specialized network?

Brussels must consider urgently whether it should intervene directly in the appeal in the eBay case to keep the judgment from undermining competition in branded-products sectors across Europe. It also needs to include in its coming review of vertical distribution regime whether the rights of selective distributors need to be cut back to maximize consumer choice and consumer value.

Mr. Riley is a professor at City Law School in London and an associate research fellow at the Center for European Policy Studies.

Carey said in an online interview, “Launching my first perfume was such an amazing experience that it has inspired me to expand my fragrance collection.” Her first perfume was M by Mariah Carey.

Elizabeth Arden expects that in the “next 10 years, growth is going to come all from international,” CEO Scott Beattie said at the Wachovia Nantucket Equity Conference, monitored by webcast.

Currently, the United States accounts for about 60 percent of the company’s business, Beattie said, while international sales make up the remaining portion.

Strong markets for the company include Eastern Europe, Italy, South America, Spain and the Middle East, Beattie said.

The company has perfume brands such as Mariah Carey, Britney Spears and Hilary Duff. It also sells skincare and cosmetic products carrying its namesake brand.

Recently, Elizabeth Arden signed a long-term licensing deal to make, distribute and market Liz Claiborne Inc’s fragrance brands, including Juicy Couture and Usher.

Arden shares were up 84 cents or 5.7 percent at $15.70 in late afternoon trading, after rising as high as $15.78 earlier on Nasdaq. Its shares have traded as high as $28.05 and as low as $12.81 in the past 12 months.

Gucci perfume is just one of the many fabulous products to come from the design House of Gucci - the most popular being Envy, Rush, and Rush 2. Probably best know for its exquisite handbags and exclusive accessories, Gucci has created some of the most classic and sophisticated perfumes for women.

Gucci jewelry produce such classics, as ‘Gucci Rush’ and ‘Gucci Rush 2’, which are two stylish fragrances amongst teenage girls and young women. Using bright colours and smart, funky designs Gucci have managed to produce a successful perfume that continues to grow in popularity. Gucci cater for a wide range of customers with their other popular range, Gucci Envy. Gucci is the perfect gift for any age or gender.

Aromatic flowers, herbs and resin gathered from trees have long been the key ingredients of all perfumes since ancient times. Originally burned as incense and used in religious ceremonies, it wasn’t until 1,000 BC - when the hedonistic Egyptians invented glass and bottled the heavenly scents - did perfume become a beauty enhancement. So popular did the art of perfume bottling become, the culture was soon adopted by the Romans, Greeks, Arabs, Israelites, Hindus and the Chinese.

The most prized perfume ingredient came from the Boswellia tree – better known as the frankincense tree - with the highest grade of resin found in the foothills of Oman’s Dhofar region.

Long described as the “Perfume of the Gods”, it was the region’s “silver frankincense”  - the finest and most fragrant resin to be found – that beguiled many monarchs and rulers from afar to seek out the plant. So valuable and desirable, Alexander the Great, decided to invade Southern Arabia and seize the land where the frankincense grew. Only his unexpected death prevented the attack.

OMAN’S SCENTED HERITAGE:

Though the frankincense trade diminished in importance over time the tradition of cultivating the finest and most exotic fragrant grade resin has remained an important part of Oman’s rich heritage.  So significant is its legacy to the history of perfume, on the request of the Sultanate’s present ruler, His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, His Royal Highness Sayyid Hamad bin Hamood Al bin Said revived the tradition of perfume-making in Oman in 1983.

His Royal Highness subsequently commissioned Guy Robert, the renowned French perfumier behind the scents of Hermés, Dior and Rochas, to formulate a new and exotic fragrance that would incorporate native Omani ingredients - frankincense and myrrh as well as rosewater extracted from the rarest rock rose found in Oman’s Jebel Akhdar region.

Monsieur Robert soon unveiled one of the world’s most priceless and desirable scents, Amouage; combining over 100 essences and packaged in silver bottles plated with 24 carrot gold by Aspreys of London.  A decade later House of Amouage unveiled a more accessible perfume, Ubar, aptly named for the illustrious city that was once at the centre of the vibrant frankincense trade.

To celebrate its 25th Anniversary, House of Amouage recently released Jubilation XXV Eau de Parfum, which was followed by the opening of its flagship store in Muscat’s Sabco Centre.

“When visitors enter House of Amouage’s elegant insignia brand doors, they cross the threshold into a luxurious world straight from A Thousand Nights,” says Mona Tannous, Australian Director of Oman Ministry of Tourism. Designed to reflect its Arabian heritage, House of Amouage’s entrance not only features a striking lantern suspended from a domed ceiling but also a series of product rooms that reflect the perfume’s evolution.

Plans to open a brand boutique in Dubai in late 2008 will be followed by the opening of two London boutiques; at Selfridges’ flagship store in Regent Street and Fortnum & Mason in Piccadilly.

Instead, the Italian brand staged a runway show unveiling its spring 2009 men’s collection and then projected a series of nine short experimental movies whose brief was “to challenge the idea of a perfume for a man; to produce visionary content” inspired by “sensory association of the Infusion d’Homme perfume.”

Largely pretentious visual ramblings by avant garde cineastes, shown in semi darkness to around 500 people, these mini clips featured everything from verbal ramblings to images of a monkey awaking as it senses a new smell. Quite why an Italian label feels the need to name it’s newest cologne with a French title was never terribly clear, nor why the scent was nigh impossible to simply sniff. Few senior editors who attended when questioned the following morning reported actually smelling the cologne, or even seeing a bottle, though at one stage waiters did walk around in the gloom with trays bearing tiny bottles of the new scent.

For the uninitiated, fragrance launches normally involve guests sensing the new cologne or perfume on scent sticks; and leaving with a flacon of the stuff. But nothing could be so simple for Prada, especially after a curious runway show, whose main conceptual thread involved men wearing clothes many of which seemed borrowed from their girlfriends - fashion it was hard to see many of them wearing outside their own homes. Do guys really want to walk out the door in sweaters that reveal their navel? Will men hang out in their squeeze’s Lacoste style soft collar shirt dress, paired with black socks? In a word, unlikely.

A mono-color, print free collection the clothes big distinguishing feature was the fact that all the jackets, blousons and dressing gowns had an interior elastic strap that looped around each model’s neck; a curious accoutrement whose function was unclear other than to help the garment hang open on the catwalk. That last was the real star of this event; a brilliant stage set of miniature wooden platforms and mini hills, in between which rambled the show’s cast. Few of the styling tricks - like wrapping a rubber band around all the boots and shoes - seemed terribly innovative, and, remarkably for Prada the clothes looked not at all new.

It did not help Prada’s plans that a quirk of scheduling meant that the perfume launch began shortly before Italy’s national football team began playing a key quarter final in Euro 2008.

“From fascism to democracy,” Miuccia Prada commented to FWD, referring to her last women’s collection, an austere vision of authoritative ladies. Yet, it seemed an odd view of the participatory democracy when you don’t allow the voters much chance to look at the goods. In a word, an ill-conceived moment from Italian fashion’s greatest conceptualist, and also a bad omen. Spain eliminated Italy on penalties two hours later.