Posted by Kevin
on
17 May 2007
During early spring, while I was reading Michael Edwards’ Perfume Legends, I was struck by the number of ‘landmark’ perfumes of the early 20th century I had not smelled. I hadn’t bothered to seek out many of the old Guerlain, Caron or Patou perfumes because they were for women and I would not be wearing them — so why bother? My interest in these vintage perfumes was ignited by Perfume Legends; in the book, Sylvaine Delacourte, artistic director at Guerlain and one-time assistant to Jean-Paul Guerlain, was quoted as saying great perfumes, especially chypres, could be worn and enjoyed by women and men: “A great perfume appeals…to all human beings.”
Today, men are more open to floral and fruit notes in their colognes. Fragrance houses like Serge Lutens do not categorize scents as “masculine” or “feminine” but encourage people to wear the scents they appreciate. In Robin’s recent article Notes on perfume and context, she suggested perhaps the best way to try fragrances would be to put perfumes in plain glass bottles — that way, no information on the perfume name, perfumer, ingredients, design/perfume house, packaging or “inspiration” would influence our judgment of fragrances. To take away such “markers” would also take away gender clues.
I began my remedial perfume studies with Guerlain. I ordered samples of classic Guerlain scents (in Eau de Parfum and Eau de Toilette strengths); when I received the fragrances, I immediately covered their names with white tape and I began to wear the “unknown” perfumes one by one…
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Posted by Robin
on
27 March 2006
It goes without saying, I should think, that Guerlain is one of the world’s great perfume houses. They have a long and deservedly glamorous history, and they are responsible for any number of the marvels of modern perfumery. In particular, Mitsouko (1919) and Shalimar (1925) make almost every list of the perfume classics that will withstand the test of time.
So it is with great personal shame that I admit that I don’t really properly appreciate the classic, pre-1950 Guerlain fragrances. Mitsouko and Shalimar I adore in the intellectual sense at most; that is, I recognize that they are masterpieces, I like to have them on hand, and I like to put on a drop every now and then. But they don’t suit me and I don’t really wear them: they wear me. Jicky (1889), a fragrance which is frequently credited with ushering in the modern era in perfumery, I actually prefer in the Eau de Toilette over the Parfum; surely and unequivocally that marks me as a philistine in anyone’s book. I have enjoyed smelling the recent reissues from Guerlain’s back catalog (Liu, Voilette de Madame and Vega) but not a one tempted me to part with my money…
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Posted by Robin
on
25 May 2005
Guerlain has provided the following list of fragrances that will be available in the newly renovated flagship store on the Champs Elysées (see picture here):
The following fragrances, all created by Jacques Guerlain and reconstituted by Jean Paul Guerlain, will be reissued: Kadine (1911), Sous Le Vent (1933), Cachet Juane (1937), Vega (1936) and Ode (1955).
7 fragrances created by Jean Paul Guerlain will be reissued…
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