Released July 2009 Tagline Be Your Own Star | Label P&G Prestige | |
Website Black Star Avril Lavigne | ||
Black Star is the debut fragrance by French-Canadian singer-songwriter Avril Lavigne. The line includes, besides the 10ml, 15ml, 30ml, 50ml and 100ml eau de parfum, a shower gel, a body lotion, and a spray deodorant. A mini shower gel comes exclusively with a Black Star gift set available in the UK, and in the German/Dutch giftset a 50ml body lotion is also included.
Contents
Background
The fragrance was announced via Lavigne's official website on March 7, 2009. The fragrance contains notes of pink hibiscus, black plum and dark chocolate. It has been released in several European countries including The Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, France, Italy, Finland, The United Kingdom and Denmark. Black Star launched in The United States on August 15, exclusively at Kohl's. Black Star has been released in Canada, at Shoppers Drug Mart. Black Star has also been released in Australia, available at Myer.
At several stores, varying from country and store, Black Star is sold with gifts, including a bracelet, a t-shirt, speakers, a compact mirror and four different kinds of bags. These are also prizes on the official site.
The perfume's three notes are: Top note: green pear, pink hibiscus flower. Middle note: black plum. Base note: dark chocolate.
Giftsets
5 giftsets of the Black Star perfume range have been released to date. In Germany and the Netherlands, the 15ml EDP is accompanied with a 50ml Body Lotion and a 50ml Showergel. In the UK, the 30ml EDP is accompanied with a 50ml Body Lotion, and an exclusive studded bag. In the United States there are two different giftsets, one with the 15ml EDP and the 100ml EDP, and one with the 50ml EDP and a set of Black Star speakers. A giftset featuring the EDP and a 200ml Body Lotion was also brought out.
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Lavigne held an exclusive launch party for Black Star in London on March 17, 2009. Several journalists were present, and three Dutch fans were invited to attend as well. She premiered the Black Star bottle at the event, and had an Abbey Dawn corner as well. In the US a promotional event was arranged in New York for journalists. Lavigne did not attend, though she recorded several video messages that were displayed.
Other promotional means were sent to stores internationally, including instore posters, tester bottles, frangrance samples, and other displays.
Commercial
The commercial for Black Star was directed by Billie Woodruff and filmed in Los Angeles. It opens with Lavigne inside the Black Star bottle, with swirling pink mist and glitter in the air. She notices a black star floating in the air, jumps up and grabs it, and it transforms into the Black Star bottle. She opens the bottle and sprays the perfume on herself, then throws the bottle at the camera, offering it to us. In some countries the commercial is shortened and the spraying on her is cut out. Lavigne stated that she had a lot of fun filming the video. The dress she wore was a 1980s prom dress. Lavigne added a tutu to the skirt and a studded belt to her waist. To accompany the commercial, Lavigne needed a short theme song. The result was the song Black Star, which was composed by Lavigne in a Malaysian hotel during her tour, and produced by ex-husband Deryck Whibley. The jingle was eventually expanded into a short introduction to her fourth studio album, Goodbye Lullaby, which Rolling Stone later described as "an ethereal lullaby that turns epic with tinkling Coldplay-like pianos and soaring strings."
Critical reception
Black Star received mixed reviews. Now Smell This said the scent was "nowhere near as 'edgy' as it purports to be, but it succeeds in capturing Avril Lavigne’s image despite (or because of) that fact." ShopGala hailed the scent as "a great gift for a young girl or an Avril fan." The fragrance was called a "truly energetic scent." TeenToday noted that with the scent, "mini punk Avril moves into the more feminine...world of celebrity fragrance...showing that at the ripe old age of 24 she’s finally left her rock days behind." It was called "ideal for the summer months." Dave Lackie (editor of Cosmetics magazine) said that "'Black Star' opens promisingly with a burst of pear but quickly dries down to sweet floral notes that have a faint synthetic smell." Nathalie Atkinson of National Post said that "it's supposedly all moody and sultry, with dark fruits and dark chocolate but really, it's as mainstream as a mall punk," but she suggested that "angsty tweens will love it."
Awards
In May 2010, Lavigne stated via her official website that Black Star had been nominated for a FiFi award in the "Fragrance of the Year- Women's Popular Appeal" category.
Later in the same month, Lavigne also stated that the fragrance has won an award for "Best Fragrance" from Cosmetic Executive Women.