read all about Dorothy's 50 years in perfumery (1.3 MB)

This article appeared in Dorothy's local paper, to celebrate her half 'scent-ury' in perfumes.
 
The other article above appeared in the Sunday Post.

Whitehaven's Dorothy Taylor is the last of a glamorous breed.
Owner of Vanity Fayre, a tiny treasure trove of a shop which stocks some of the world's most exclusive scents, she this month celebrates 50 years in the beauty business.
 She is the epitome of old-fashion glamour trailing delicious scents in her wake, never less than passionate about the need for mystery and allure in the beauty business.
Here is a woman who can advice you of your ideal fragrance simply by the colour of your hair, and who has probably sampled thousands of scents in her life-time.
"In 1958 when I started at Claytons Chemist, in Whitehaven, which is now Beauty Box, Chanel was 27 shillings, now the same size costs £65,'' she said.
"Other perfumes in the Chanel range at that time were Cuirdu Ruissey (Russian leather), No 22, Bois Des Illes, Gardenia and of course, Chanel No 5.
Other fragrances she sold half a century ago, which are still around today, include Miss Dior, Arpege by Lanvin and Mitsouko by Guerlain which is the oldest fragrance house in the world.
Dorothy said: "I still get asked for Evening in Paris, one of the few fragrances around in the 1950s. We also sold Tweed, California Poppy, Tabu, Blue Grass and Apple Blossom.''
She said by the turn of the 1960s and the explosion of youth culture, mens' after-shaves such as Brut arrived at Claytons. "I remember my boss, Tom Christie, going into a decline when I first ordered it in!
"Prior to Brut it was the old favourites such as Old Spice and Imperial Leather, and that was it!
"At the time Brut costs 1s 6d (6p) and was a huge success with whole school classes coming in to buy it. Both girls and boys used it and we could easily sell a gross of product a week.''
Also during the 1960s, Dorothy began buying in Mary Quant cosmetics and skin-care. "Mr Christie was on a week's break to London. He really thought I had lost my marbles when he returned and saw the stand, with its symmetrical hair-cuts and mini-skirt-clad models!
"Twiggy being one of the big stars at the time, we sold Mary Quant to three generations at a time which was amazing.''
Dorothy also tells of the stars who would pop into the shop while they were touring with the Royal Shakespeare Company.
"I used to send Michael Crawford for walks each day!'' she said. "Diana Dors popped in to buy baby food for her son and we were also visited by the singer Emile Ford.''
When John Moore bought the shop in the 1970s, it was renamed Beauty Box and Dorothy was made manageress.
"It was then I realised I had a flair for window display and began entering competitions. To my surprise I began winning,'' she said.
She subsequently won thousands of pounds in prize money, travelled to top London hotels for special presentations, was awarded holidays and cases of wine.
"Nowadays the perfume companies don't do window competitions. I won the only one I ever have entered at Vanity Fayre. This was for Salvador Dali and I got a limited edition bronze statue which I claim is my very own Oscar!'' She has also travelled across the county giving beauty demonstrations and raising thousands of pounds for charity.
Dorothy is currently organising a big raffle for the British troops in Iraq by selling perfume samples for 50p each will all the money going to the Royal British Legion.
Looking back to when she first started in the beauty business, she said: "Years ago the reps from the perfume companies were smartly dressed with the men in bowler hats and umbrellas.'' At the time, Clayton's was the main sellers of branded perfumes for Cumbria's West Coast.
"This wasn't like today when all the multiples sell perfume which I believe takes all the glamour out of it.
"Years ago old boss told me he could see the day when Liptons, or today's supermarkets , would be selling Chanel. I was astounded at the thought,'' she said.
She has always love working in the beauty business, and despite health problems continues to maintain a high-profile presence in the town. "I can't believe it is 50 years in the business,'' she said.
For half a century her aim has always been to retain the mystery and allure of perfume by stocking brands such as Cartier and Chanel.
"I have built Vanity Fayre into something exclusive and different,'' she explained. "Perfume is an incredibly glamorous and seductive business. It shouldn't be something you want to buy with your weekly groceries.''
 
Dorothy's favourite fragrances:
1) Opium by Yves St Laurent (perfect for Christmas and the winter months
2) Mitsouko by Guerlain
3) Chanel No 5
4) Eternity by Calvin Klein
5) Lolita Lempika

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