Happy retail Monday: Frederic Malle at Neiman Marcus

Neiman MarcusHooray! A new place to buy the things we love! And just in time for the holidays, too. As I was poking around the Neiman Marcus Web site the other day, doing a search for something else, what should pop up among my search results but a product by Frederic Malle? Maybe you all knew about this already, but I sure didn’t. Last I heard, you could get some Malle products at the Saks in Houston, but that was ages ago. Anyway …

Excitedly, I searched Mssr. Malle’s name on the Neiman Marcus site, and 91 items came up, everything from the actual fragrances to body products to candles and other home fragrance items. From the sleek $45 travel spray container in red or black to the whopper $380 Carnal Flower 3.4 ounce/100 ml. spray, and everything in between, including those divine candles and the fairly new shower gels (Carnal Flower, Eau de Magnolia, etc.).

At this rate, can the line arriving in stores be far behind? Well, maybe not in MY store, but still. And even if not, I am thrilled to be able to order the items online, because if for some reason I need to return something, I can take it to the store, instead of having to securely pack it up and mail it back. Like I would have had to do had I bought a Frederic Malle item from Barney’s or one of the FM boutiques. Especially this time of year. And Neiman Marcus always has free shipping, which also helps.

So even though it may sound a bit like a plug for NM, it’s not – I’m just so happy when our buying options expand and it’s easier to get fragrances we love. I was equally happy to see Byredo come to Luckyscent earlier this year. And Byredo also to NM, which bodes well for the Malles, as Byredo first debuted at NM online and about six months later landed at my store. But you never know, as my location is not in one of the major U.S. hub cities.

Have those of you who have a Neiman Marcus near them seen the Frederic Malles there? If so, do let me know. Or have any stores near you started carrying a line or products that make you deliriously happy? What Malle are you wearing these days or what’s your favorite FM scent? Or anything Malle you’re hoping to receive during the holidays?

BTW, wishing all of you a very happy Thanksgiving week! Even if you don’t live in the States or celebrate this holiday, we all have so much for which to be thankful, and it’s a great time of year to stop and count our blessings.

  • Musette says:

    As I write this, Chicago N-M is building a dedicated Malle boutique. It’s a glorious thing. I love me some Barneys but sometimes I don’t feel like going downstairs, y’know?

    xoxoxoA

    and Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours, darling!!!

    • Ann says:

      Whoo-hoo! Neiman’s is really stepping up their game with niche, between the Malles, Byredo, Memo, etc. Happy Thanksgiving to you also, dear!

  • Saks in Houston does carry Malle (unless something has changed in the last few months since I’ve been there). But since others have mentioned seeing Malle disappear from Saks’ website, I wonder if that means they’ll switch. Here NM and Saks are in the same mall at opposite ends. There is some overlap between what Saks and NM carry, but it seems to be in the more mainstream stuff. I doubt they would be in both stores.

    • Ann says:

      Oh, thanks, Jennifer, for letting us know about that. I knew there was something there but couldn’t keep it all straight. It will be interesting how the Malles play out there (is it the Galleria?). Happy Thanksgiving, lady!

  • tammy says:

    Time for my semi-annual rant about M. Malle’s drab little bottles. I will spare everyone the entire screed, but really, one expects something quite chic from a Frenchman, not these boring containers, especially at that price point. I’d have gotten Lipstick Rose, Un Rose and Iris Poudre years ago were the bottles even just slightly more elegant. For that kind of money, I’m going to buy Mona Di Orio and get a lovely bottle, ya know?

    Having said all that, I’d still like to try Carnal Flower, Geranium Pour Monsieur and the Magnolia, but I am 8 hours from a NM, and I don’t want to buy samples since I know I won’t be buying them. (That would make an interesting post….what are you interested in enough to sniff, but not pay for a sample of?)

    I am way out in the Hinterlands and there isn’t a store in my entire state that carries this line, and many others. I need to make a list of things to try the next time I get to Dallas or St Louis!

    • Ann says:

      Tammy, I hear you — for those prices, they ought to be fancied up quite a bit more. But what can you do? That would make a good post. Have a happy Thanksgiving, dear!

  • Dina C. says:

    I just ordered a bunch of samples from the recent STC sale, and they included FM Carnal Flower. I’ve wanted to sniff it for a while now. Also got SL TC to compare another noteworthy tuberose to it. I recently wore Fracas after many years of shying away from it; it used to be a favorite back in my college years. So I know that tuberose is a lovely, if loud, note. I really like the idea of the FM line being more readily available to those of us who don’t get to NYC regularly. Especially like the convenience of online ordering.

    I’m in a major metropolitan area, right outside of Washington, DC. I’ll have to scope out the NM when I’m next there. They used to have their perfume counter all in one unified area of cosmetics, but now it’s all broken up and scattered around higgeldy-piggeldy. Looking for a particular scent or line of scents is like a scavenger hunt now. Ugh.

    • Ann says:

      Doing a happy dance for you right now, Dina! 🙂 So excited that you got to try CF and TC. And lucky you to be near Washington. Do let us know if you see Malle or anything else new at your Neiman’s. Yes, it’s a shame about the perfume dept. chaos — that is frustrating, isn’t it? Mine is kind of like that, but mostly the fragrances are close to the front door, but you still have to wander around a bit to find what you want.

  • Sherri M. says:

    Oh, that is awesome! No one in Nashville carries Frederic Malle, or much other niche. I was excited to find Tom Ford at our Nordstrom, and I’m not even a fan of that line. I do love and shop at N-M more than Barney’s–they run more GWPs gift card promos, etc. and are usually the most cost-efficient way to get my makeup–no tax and free shipping to TN. I am just getting ready to order some Chanel for my mom, but hey, maybe she might like a Malle this year (tho it will take up all her budget lol). Thanks for the heads up!

    • CbSutcliffe says:

      Sherri, I’m a Nashvillian too and I was happy to see (and then buy) some niche at Absolution in the Green Hills mall. It is on the lower level near Nordstroms. I’m trying to spread the word so the keep up the good work!

      • Ann says:

        Hi, Cb! Welcome to another Southern perfume lover! I’m happy to see that you guys in Nashville have another place to buy niche. I would be in there in a heartbeat if I were closer. I’m with you — it’s so important to support smaller businesses like that so they can stay open and keep offering us niche goodies.

    • Ann says:

      Hi, sweet and lovely Sherri! So glad your Nordstrom is now carrying Tom Ford — one of ours is too, and I’m very happy to see it. Nordies is always so good about sampling and I love them for that. Sending you a big hug and hoping your family can all be together for a wonderful Thanksgiving!

  • Portia says:

    YAY!! That is exciting Ann,
    We have had Malle in one department store in Sydney for a while but nothing in the suburbs. Available from them online though and I think you can return it to the suburbs (I need to check that out)
    I love Lipstick Rose the most though I do have a few others, you’ve reminded me to get it out of it’s box and have a spritz. Thanks.
    Portia xx

    • Ann says:

      Howdy, dear! If you can return items to the store itself, that would be great. Much more fun than packing the parcel up and lugging it to the post office. Enjoy your Lipstick Rose! P.S. Have you tried that scent’s shower gel? If not, perhaps you can ask Santa (wink, wink)!

      • Portia says:

        I think Santa would give me a black eye if I asked for more frag stuff. We are doing a $50 maximum this year. TBH there’s so little I need.
        Portia xx

        • Ann says:

          Too funny, dear! But I wouldn’t dare ask Santa (or DH) for any scent-type gifts either, as they would both probably bellow at me — “You already have too much!!” 🙂

  • eldarwen22 says:

    The last time that I really got excited is when Barney’s started to carry the Serge Lutens Paris exclusives line. I’m still saving pennies to get a bottle of Iris Silver Mist but MKK is on the list as well. I’m having a hard time parting with that kind of money. I have just found a little place in my neck of the woods that carries at least some of the Frederic Malle line. I haven’t set foot in the place but they do have offerings from Frederic Malle and a couple others.

    • Ann says:

      Yay! Do try to visit that store sometime and come back and let us know all about it. Love hearing that our retail options are expanding. Keep working toward those SLs; you’ll have enough saved soon and those beauties will be yours!

  • melissa says:

    Am thankful for your website. Love, Melissa

  • Rina says:

    I was THRIILED to see this last week! Especially when Saks pulled it from their website (after putting it in their Spring catalog, no less!). If this is one of the new post EL moves, I’m all for it! I’m not a fan of Barney’s and the Malle boutique is across the US from me. YAY YAY YAY (though my NM card is terrified!).

    • Ann says:

      Hey, Rina! I saw that with Saks and started to get excited, then POOF — it was gone. I, too, was wondering if this was part of the Estee Lauder influence. If so, maybe Le Labo might start getting a little less exclusive (crossing fingers and toes). And my NM card is curled up, huddling in the farther-most corner of my wallet, trying very hard not to be noticed. 🙂