EIGHT & BOB
The niche perfume brand Eight&Bob was founded in 2011 as a new project of Intertrade Group, a distributor and manufacturer of niche perfumes, which also owns the houses of Agonist, Aqua di Stresa, Como Lake, etc. The names of the authors of the perfume compositions are kept secret, and it is not surprising - because according to the legend of the brand, these fragrances were created by amateur perfumer Albert Fouquet at the beginning of the 20th century. All the work of the brand is built around the absolutely incredible myth of the meeting of young John F. Kennedy and the Frenchman Albert Fouquet, who moved in the privileged circles of Parisian society. Fouquet was a connoisseur of perfumery and created fragrances for himself, refusing to launch them into production, despite the admiring reviews of his circle. In the summer of 1937, while on vacation on the Cote d'Azur, Albert met a young student from America, who was immediately captivated by the aroma of Fouquet's perfume. This student was allegedly the future US president - the next morning at the hotel he received a sample of the perfume with a note. John F.K. replied by letter: could Albert send eight more samples, and if production allows - one more for Bob? (apparently referring to John's brother Robert). When Albert sent the parcel, he wrote "Eight & Bob" on it in accordance with this strangely formulated request. The first eponymous fragrance Eight & Bob was released in 2012 and is presented as a recreation of the very same fragrance of 1937, which was admired on both sides of the ocean. At the presentations of the brand, you can see a rather original design of the fragrances - their bottles are literally cut into open books. There is also a plot of the official legend behind this design decision: in this way, Philippe, Fouquet's assistant and butler, saved the colognes from the hands of the Nazis after Albert's death. The next launch was the oriental Egypt and fougere Cap d’Antibes 2014. The latter was inspired by the Côte d’Azur, where the iconic meeting took place, while the Egyptian composition tells of where Fouquet only wanted to go. It is difficult to say that the brand is tied to a specific country at all: the original story itself resists this, linking two continents with one scent. One night in Megève, Albert met his future lover, Annike. This detail of his mythical biography served to create Nuit de Megève 2017 and the first women's collection of four numbered fragrances Annike in 2018, which also received two flankers in 2019. That same year, the woody unisex Rolls Royce & Bentley was released - a joint collaboration with the automobile concern, the grand presentation of which took place in London. The connection with the Kennedy family, however, is not at all fictitious. Kerry Kennedy, daughter of Robert F. Kennedy, personally presented R.F.K. Special Edition, dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the politician's death. This reissue was more of a design than an olfactory rethinking and can be purchased exclusively at Harvey Nichols - the same Eight & Bob, but in a ceremonial package with a photo of R.F. Kennedy. Louis Bode, CEO of the brand, can also be seen as a guest at events of the non-profit organization "Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights". In addition to niche perfumes, the company produces sunglasses, leather accessories, home fragrances and skin care products.
