JFK Perfume Goes On Sale; Scent Created By French Aristocrat For Kennedy Costs $195

A fragrance created for John F. Kennedy by a French aristocrat back in 1937 is now available to buy, at the price of $195.

Albert Fouquet struck up a conversation with Kennedy when the president visited the French Riveria as a college student, in 1937, and after asking the American what perfume he was wearing he decided to create his own for him.

Eight & Bob was the result, and the perfumer even left a note for Kennedy at his hotel with a bottle that read, “In this jar, you will find the dash of French glamour that your American personality lacks.”

Kennedy then traveled back to the States, and his friends soon became enamoured with the fragrance’s smell so he sent a letter back to Mr Fouquet asking for eight more samples and “if your productions allows, another for Bob.”

The Bob that JFK’s letter refers to is his brother, Robert, who was killed only a few years after John.

The brand was born when Mr Fouquet completed the request, and attached each bottle with the sticker, Eight & Bob. Hollywood stars like James Stewart and Cary Grant soon came into contact with the fragrance and Mr Fouquet soon was becoming inundated with request for the popular perfume.

Fouquet died in a car accident in 1939, however the family butler, Phillippe, continued to make the orders until the start of World War II forced him to leave his job.

However, Phillippe managed to hide his last few bottles inside books in order to keep it out of the Nazis’ hands. “Eight & Bob’s” current packaging resembles Phillippe’s attemtps to keep the perfume out of the German’s hands.

Now, over 60 years after its original release, it is back on the market. Critics have noted that the story sounds too fantastical to be true, and the Kennedy have neither confirmed or denied its reliability.

[Image via Wikimedia]