Guerlain Quand Vient La Pluie & Quand Vient L'Ete: fragrance reviews, notes & bottles history

Approaching Guerlain fragrances has me strained on the brink, like the tailor with his home-made parachute when he was about to jump from the Eiffel tower more than a century ago. Contrary to this proto-pioneer of aviation the apprehension comes not from the chill of the unknown but rather from the gloom of having one’s lust non-quenched. Like that supreme stylist Vladimir Nabokov said, “the look of lust is always gloomy; lust is never quite sure—even when the velvety victim is locked up in one’s dungeon—that some rival or influential god may still not abolish one’s prepared triumph.” Thankfully there are instances where neither rival nor influential god can take away from what one has carefully designed, even when it’s relatively of a recent vintage yet sure in the footing of tradition; and who better than Guerlain to be in that position? The two seasonally named, yet of panseasonal capabilities perfumes, "When the Rain Comes" and "When Summer Comes," prove to be amongst those “vintage” (and I use the term very loosely) Guerlains for whom lust is fully justified.

Guerlain Quand Vient La Pluie via 

Find out on this Fragrantica link why that is. plus how these two meta-vintages smell and how they implicate other famous and less famous Guerlain perfumes, such as L'Heure Bleue, Apres L'Ondee, Terracotta and No.25, before being both contained in the limited edition Les Saisons coffret.

Fragrance notes for Guerlain Quand Vient La Pluie include bergamot, rosemary, neroli, heliotrope, violet, jasmine, amber, gourmand praline notes, patchouli and musk.
The bottle was designed by Serge Mansau

the 1910 original formula (loosely inspiring the latter) Quand Vient L'Ete by Guerlain, in Baccarat quadrilobe bottle (circulating to this day) Pic originally from Ebay via 

a later re-issue of Quand Vient l'Ete in the retro bottles, originally on Ebay via  

Fragrance Notes for Guerlain Quand Vint L'Ete (2007 formula) include:

Top notes are mint, lemon and rose; middle notes are lily, jasmine and ylang-ylang; base notes are carnation, iris and vanilla.

A Sweeter La Petite Robe Noire for Just the American Market?

In a move that aims at boosting the presence and moreover brand awareness of Guerlain in the North American continent, the venerable French company is going ahead with a whole new rendition of the ultra-popular perfume La Petite Robe Noire.

pic via kizmi.com

Targeted at a specific American market "who want something more refined and subtle than the mass market perfumes", according to William Lescure, president of Guerlain Canada, the new edition of La Petite Robe Noire will launch in 2016.

Lescure mentioned in the Montreal Gazette that although the fragrance is an international hit, the composition is considered not sweet enough for North American tastes. So the new version will be even sweeter.

 I personally find that detail kind of odd, considering that La Petite Robe Noire is among the sweetest fragrances in the Guerlain stable (contrast it with Jicky, Shalimar, or Vetiver to talk only about best-selling classics), a fact that has probably accounted for its commercial success in the first place. Many of us, perfume lovers and dedicated Guerlain customers, find it already quite sweet!

Therefore the question does arise on whether there is a point in fixing something that is not broken (La Petite Robe Noire was first and foremost an American consideration) in order to attain a goal for which the one lonely scent is but one pillar of the building. There is also the question whether there will be two editions, the American market one ultimately engulfing the international one or the two co-existing at the supreme confusion of travelers and duty free buyers. What do you think?

Guerlain Flora Rosa, Teazzura, Le Plus Beau Jour de ma Vie: new fragrances

Two new editions of Guerlain fragrances join the venerable stable of thoroughbreds this spring and summer, belonging in the Acqua Allegoria line which has produced some surprising  gems these past couple of years. [For a comprehensive guide into all the history & fragrance notes of Guerlain Aqua Allegoria fragrances, consult this link.]

Flora Rosa is a travel exclusive Aqua Allegoria fragrance, like some of the last couple of years' Aqua Allegorias have been (namely Bouquet No.1, Bouquet No.2 and Bouquet de Mai, starting from 2010) Flora Rosa had been announced for 2013 and was re-issued in both 2014 and in 2015. The fruity floral scent has notes of rose, red berries, white musk and orris. The difference between the previous editions lies in the packaging (the box is flecked with rose petals), but not the juice which remains the same.

Teazzura on the other hand is the regular retail Aqua Allegoria and a new composition. A sparkling floral citrus composition with green tea notes that will revive and awaken your spirit just as azure waters do...
The Aqua Allegorias are sold on Guerlain counters for €85 for 125ml of eau de toilette.

The other Aqua Allegoria fragrances in production for 2015 are last year's Limon Verde, the famous Pamplelune, Herba Fresca, Mandarine Basilic, Lys Soleia and Nerolia Bianca.

Le Plus Beau Jour de ma Vie is the more budget friendly eau de parfum version of Le Bouquet de la Mariée posh parfum extrait (which retails at €750 for 125ml), a special perfume aimed at brides. The new wedding fragrance is available in the bottle depicted. As Guerlain presents it : "A perfect companion for magical moments, Guerlain’s new fragrance Le Plus Beau Jour de Ma Vie captures the essence of happiness in a bottle. Seal the moments of boundless joy and relive the intense emotions of these special occasions with this soft sparkling floral scent."
Τhe composition of Le Plus Beau Jour de ma Vie includes fragrance notes of citrus, orange blossom, angelica, pink pepper, rose, sugar almonds (confetti), incense, patchouli, white musk and vanilla.

Guerlain & Birchwood Garnering the Interest of Brides-to-Be

Wedding bells are pealing loud and clear for Guerlain this season. Besides the new fragrance La Plus Belle Jour de Ma Vie, the most beautiful day of my life (the eau de parfum concentration of the extrait de parfum edition La Bouquet de la Mariee, i.e. the bride's bouquet, issued this spring) Guerlain is adding a small trousseau for brides-to-be this spring.

In collaboration with beauty subscription service Birchbox and wedding designer Delphine Manivet, the limited edition launches on March 19th 2015, and includes 5 beauty products by Guerlain: the Or serum Essence d'Eclat with golden particles, a foundation, a hand-held mirror, their revamped Kiss Kiss Lipstick and a small size mascara Volume et Courbe. The trousseau also includes an Essie nail polish (Sugar Daddy or Almure shade option), Lov Organic tea, a Davines hair shine spray and Anis de Flavigny fresh breath lozenges aromatized with rose.  This "indispensables" collection comes in a small clutch signed Delphine Manivet, la corbeille de mariee [sic].
The retail price is set at €49.

More information here.

Vintage Advertising Champions: Mitsouko or The Geisha & The Sailor

"For one crazy moment he feels he will stay. Then he turns towards the gangplank and walks very slowly in the mist.
Each one of their moments -the shy beginning, the electric touching of fingertips, the transporting passion, will disappear in the universal solvent of time plus distance.
Years later, a woman in a silk dress will pass by wearing Mitsouko. 
And 1921 will flash through him like a shock. He will not be able to forget the long black hair, the incredibly soft skin, the infinite tenderness...
Mitsouko by Guerlain."

In a Madame Butterfly context (harkening to the original novel La Bataille which inspired the creation of Guerlain's famous perfume Mitsouko set during the Japo-Russian war) the text of the above 1974 advertisement zooms in onto a powerful connection and perfume marketing apparatus: that of recollection triggered by scent. "1921: a fragrance will not let him forget."

What irony that the beloved memory of one might be felt off the sillage, the fragrant trail of another...

Guerlain Christmas Collection 2014: Coque d'Or and more...

borrowed from excellent beauty blog Musings of a Muse

The makeup and body products collection by Guerlain for the 2014 holidays this winter is stunning! Inspired by the opera and the ballet, it takes its references from Piotr I. Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake ballet and Igor Stravisky's Petroushka (Petrouchka in French) ballet and L'Oiseau de Feu (the firebird), as well as Guerlain's own archives of perfumes, with Coque d'Or.

The star of the collection is no doubt Coque d'Or, an iridescent perfumed powder for body and hair with a retro style "pouf" pump that retails for 79 euros. The bottle design in gold reprises the mold for the legendary  Coque d'Or, an old Guerlain fragrance for which the flacon could not be repeated because the factory producing it had been bombed during the war. The re-use of bottle and name for makeup products (and specifically for the body powder for the holidays) follows into the steps of the previous Vol de Nuit and Liu offerings.

via The Style & Beauty Doctor

The rest of the collection includes Palette Petruchka (available at Sephora),  a palette on two layers (as shown above) for eyes and cheeks (€77), 2 eyeshadow duos, one called Cygne Blanc (white swan) in pearly white and lilac, and the other Cygne Noir (black swan) in plum and black, which are €40.50 each. There is the loose pearls of powder product in the Meteorites mold, this year's edition being Perles d'Etoile , i.e. pearls off a star (€49) in a luxurious, collectible gold pot. There is a diaphanous gold lipgloss named L'Oiseau de Feu (€29)as well as the corresponding gold fleck nail top coat (€23.50). Last but not least, a golden metallic nail polish also named Coque d'Or (€23.50).

Guerlain Santal Royal: new fragrance

The upcoming launch by the historic house of Guerlain is called Santal Royal and comes in a bottle in the style of their "Eau de lit" and "Eau de lingerie" scents, but dressed in pitch dark black, with a gold filigree label and a cap and adorned with a tassel in black & gold hanging from the neck.

borrowed via Jaroslav's blog

Guerlain Santal Royal is an oriental woody perfume with spicy overtones that heralds the coming of the cooler season, in the manner of "cashmere scents" we perfumistas here on PerfumeShrine like to annotate to autumn and winter. Jan Masters describes it as "an evening scent, although I could imagine it cheering up grey days as if cosying up in a cashmere wrap."
Of course pair Guerlain and sandalwood in the same phrase and everyone thinks of Guerlain Samsara (with the lone historian reminiscing about Guerlain Santal parfum from the first years of the 20th century), but we're told this is a very different perfume.

Santal Royal is a Harrods exclusive launch for the opening of their Salon de Parfums, retailing at £125 for 125ml of fragrance and the scent is composed by resident perfumer for Guerlain Thierry Wasser. Harrods are plugging the Salon des Parfums, a new abode for perfume enthusiasts on the 6th floor, which opens on October 16th at 8pm, attendance by invitation only. The fragrance will eventually arrive on boutique counters as well.

The fragrance notes for Guerlain Santal Royal include the eponymous mystical note of sandalwood, coupled with cinnamon and fresh neroli on the top, while the deeper, denser notes of warm amber, musk and leather rise from the base. Preliminary reportage suggests also a note of rose and oud in the formula that isn't mentioned in the official breakdown.

My own addition is that now that the sustainable Australian sandalwood plantations of Santalum alba have been fruitful we're set for a new wave of sandalwood fragrances that will reprise that most prized of woody notes. Assuming of course that Santal Royal contains said ingredient.

Vintage Advertising Champions: In the Trenches

Today's vintage advertisement comes equipped with the romanticism that has become expected from one of the classic perfumes by the historical house of Guerlain, L'heure bleue. The pictorial representation takes on the approach of fragrance as a "memory maker", a concept very popular with the fragrance industry because it seems to allow for the manipulation of someone else's emotional response; or so the thinking goes…(whether it is successful or not you'll be the judge of that, I'm sure you have many related experiences to relay in the comments).

The text for the Guerlain advertisement reads:

"1914, a fragrance creates deep, deep memories.
Guerlain introduced a perfume named for the twilight, L'Heure Bleue. No the skies darken and the western world is swept into the forces of the Great war…
A weary French officers finds a moment of peace. He pulls a letter from his tunic and inhales the fragrance lingering in the worn pages. 
It is the fragrance she wore the last night they spent together. L'Heure Bleue, named for that moment hen the sky has lost the sun but not yet found the stars. 
He reads the letter for the hundredth time…."

The advertisement is of course destined for the American (and English speaking) market as clearly shown by the choice of language, the capitalization of the name's initials (in French it's L'heure bleue) and the emphasis on the nationality of the officer (so you know for sure it's French!) But the really interesting part is that this ad, although an older advertisement, isn't that old as could be imagined. It's not a print ad from a 1920s magazine, nor even from the 1930s, or the 1940s….Can you guess?? It's a print ad clipping from a ……1974 magazine!!!! The Great war is irrelevant for all practical purposes by then, the "deep deep memories" echoing the trenches in which soldiers fought all over Europe are but a subconscious bond of "perfume as Proustian madeleine", a notion that is the bread & butter of any aspiring beauty editor experiencing writer's block. In this particular case it comes sheathed with seduction purposes too; desire and connection through language, orchestrated with Lacanian skill. The emotional bond with the product is part of what makes for repeat purchases. It also creates brand awareness.

But the mythology of Guerlain is firmly in place (yes, even by the mid-70s). The genius concept of presenting two of their legendary ~and commercially successful, let's not forget~ perfumes, L'heure bleue (1912) and Mitsouko (1918), as bookends to the first world war, is already gaining momentum. The reality is different: L'heure bleue, conceived to represent the love of its perfumer for Impressionist paintings is destined for the blondes shopping at his Parisian boutique, whereas Mitsouko, paying homage to the orientalia rising at the time of its creation and into the 1920s, is meant for the brunettes.

But you can clearly see where this is going: that which begins as a brilliant advertising campaign very soon becomes perpetuated into history guides, into fragrant lore, into our very perception of how things  are supposed to be….

The Jewels of Mumtaz Mahal: a Guerlain Exhibition

A meeting between Laurent Baillot (President & General Director at Guerlain) and Vinita Jain (an aficionado and collector of Mughal jewelry, an entrepreneur and part of the family possessing the Darjeeling plantations at the slopes of the Himalaya) during the shooting of the Shalimar perfume commercial in India resulted in an exhibition that is currently being shown at the flagship boutique of Guerlain between 3rd September and 14th November 2014.
Their common passion for the Taj Mahal is the trigger that brings us The Jewels of Mumtaz Mahal, the love story of whom is enshrined in the famous Guerlain parfum phare, Shalimar, commemorating the gardens in which she took promenades with her husband Shah Jahan.

But the image of the great beauty, Mumtaz Mahal, doesn't correspond to the favorite wife of the most mighty ruler of Asia, the contemporary of Louis XIII. She accompanied her husband during his travels and visits to the utmost posts of his empire and even to his military campaigns! And it's during one of the latter that she died, giving birth to her 14th child.

The three spectacular jewels of Mumtaz Mahal that Vinita possesses (a necklace torque, a "secret" ring and a headpiece jewel)  became the focus of the exhibition that Guerlain's president is all too proud to present today. Three months worth to admire the jewels worn 400 years ago, worthy of A 1001 Nights.

Guerlain Unveils Shalimar Souffle de Parfum Commercial

Somehow I'm not entirely convinced: why keep producing fragrances that bear no resemblance to the classic Shalimar perfume and keep naming them Shalimar this or that? The lovely Shalimar Parfum Initial edition is a loss in market terms (and a loss to us perfume lovers of great juice), for this very reason.
On the other hand, I recognize the need to ride on the coat-tails of an established brand and to keep reviving this brand by introducing junior customers to it, even by name.
This is the case with CK One, L'Eau d'Issey (Miyake), Dior J'Adore (preparing another commercial for fall 2014 themselves), Davidoff Cool water  and their million "flankers". This is the raison d'être of flankers, come to think of it. It just looks a tad weird from such a historic house as Guerlain, but it isn't really.

Guerlain French Kiss: new fragrance

Guerlain is busy recalibrating their fragrance line, chopping and adding things (see Mademoiselle Guerlain), while at the same time celebrating 20 years of successful presence on makeup counters with their "Kiss Kiss" lipsticks, the outer packaging of which is being updated upping the glam for autumn/winter 2014, as you can see in my collage below!

If you have followed the launch of Guerlain Terracotta Le Parfum (celebrating 30 years of the fabulous Terracotta range of makeup and sun products), you know what's coming: a brand new fragrance, commemorating this milestone of the French house of perfume and cosmetics.

The novel fragrance in question is called French Kiss and is part of the Carnal Elixir (Elixirs Charnels) boutique line [source Mr.Guerlain] that previously included Chypre Fatal, Oriental Brûlant, Gourmand Coquin, Boisé Torride and Floral Romantique. 

My take.
The theme of "lipstick scents" is a popular one, usually utilizing the allied forces of rose & violet which bring to mind the retro feel of glamorous silver screen sirens putting on lipstick in front of gilded vanity tables or ~maybe a bit more prosaically but all the more powerfully~ of our own mothers indulging in the exact same ritual. Guerlain, despite having an excellent scent criterion for their makeup line, (famously inspiring the Meteorites fragrance that copied the ethereal scent of their makeup powder beads by the same name) choose to step into a rather more fruity-berry path. Carnal Elixir French Kiss is comprised by the time-honored chord of rose & violet, but with a dominant inclusion of litchi and raspberry (yes, the perfume is pink in color). The raspberry note is further enhanced by the fruity nuances of the chosen white musk, while vanilla, orris and heliotrope, all three characteristic Guerlain perfume trademarks, contribute a comforting feel.
The name, apart from being so very English, despite it being a "French" kiss, is reminiscent of the witty rom com by the same name (French Kiss) starring Meg Ryan and Kevin Kline, parodying the penchant of Anglosaxons for French romance. Tongue-in-cheek? Cute move, Guerlain!

French Kiss by Guerlain, a "sprakling floral fragrance" in the Elixirs Charnels line, is to be launched in autumn 2014 (October)

Guerlain's Mademoiselle Guerlain: fragrance commentary with photos

It may have come as no surprise that the latest addition to the Les Parisiennes boutique perfume collection by the historic house of Guerlain is called Mademoiselle Guerlain. Shades of Chanel (who was called Mademoiselle by everyone who knew her and whose Coco Mademoiselle fragrance is a huge best-seller) not withstanding, Guerlain injects a certain playfulness to the more "savvy" requiring boutique collection, clearly aimed at a consumer not burdened with the heritage of the vintage Guerlain perfume classics.

One has to wonder about who exactly is the regular customer of Les Parisiennes limited distribution line. Just look at the bright colors of the bottle juice in the latest additions. If I'm to pronounce a quick assessment on that score, I'd guess the Meteorites makeup customer would be especially attuned to the following color scheme...It's girly and upbeat and very "feminine" in the most traditional sense possible.

Mademoiselle Guerlain, a green floral fragrance composed by perfumer Thierry Wasser plays with the sweetness of marshmallow, the freshness of orange blossom and the softness of white musk. It also includes notes of orris, galbanum and a leather "accord", none of which are especially pronounced though they give a certain depth beyond the average teeny-bopper fruity scent out there.

Actually as reported earlier on these pages, Mademoiselle Guerlain is a re-edition of La Petite Robe Noire model 2, packaged in a more haute de gamme presentation, fetching the requisite higher price in its wake (a practice not unheard of at Guerlain in late years).  As you can see in the pics Mademoiselle Guerlain is encased in the familiar bee bottles of la maison Guerlain, containing 75ml, side by side with Nuit d'Amour, Mon Precieux Nectar or L'Heure de Nuit. Now available at escapes Guerlain.

My Name is Wasser, Thierry Wasser, perfumer at Guerlain.

The newest presentation for L'Homme Ideal, the newest masculine fragrance by Guerlain, currently available only in select countries, employs Thierry Wasser, head perfumer at Guerlain.
The video is aimed at the Arab market in the Middle East, but it's fun that Wasser sorta does a British-type Bond. Some things are universal it seems.

Guerlain RE-Issues 4 Archive Perfumes for their Heritage Collection: Fragrance Descriptions & Photos

The work that Guerlain is doing lately, bringing back their catalogue masterpieces for educational purposes at Champs Elysees, adhering to the original formulae no less, is remarkable. To the already impressive line-up four more vintage Guerlain perfumes are brought to life thanks to the work of in-house perfumer Thierry Wasser and Frédéric Sacone. They are the following.

via

1900 CHYPRE de PARIS in parfum extrait 
Contrary to what many people have in mind, the Guerlain Chypres came out before the famous Coty Chypre from 1917 {For a comprehensive reason as to why, please refer to my article on Chypre Fragrances Facts and The Origins of Chypre Perfume} [N.B. There is also Guerlain Chypre 53, a different fragrance]
A top of citrus and lavender gives way to the floral notes of pink jasmine, ylang iris, orange blossom, flanked by cascarilla, calamus, mossy chyprish notes, patchouli, and spicy accents of nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla and balsamic notes.

via

Read more by clicking here 

A Life-Long Dedication to Guerlain: Famous Fans

Among perfume brands of historical lineage, Guerlain proudly stands today as it did in the previous century and the one before it, as one of the necessary pilgrimages of every devoted perfume enthusiats. But some of the perfume lovers who have come into contact with the house have ascertained a durable, unstoppable connection which moves and tantalizes with promise at the same time.

Andree Putman was one such Guerlain devotee. Known to most readers for the 2005 renovation of the flagship store in Paris (with the ceremonial "chandelier" of perfumes, which is now substituted by a newer design) and for her own Preparation Parfumee Andree Putman, a niche fragrance of cult appeal, she remained a lifelong Guerlain customer with a penchant for a particular one of their classics (completely antithetical to her own brand name one, please note!). Here is the quote I unearthed, my heart aflutter with the longing of the all powerful allure of the signature scent.

"I am a woman of two perfumes. At 16 my best friend wore Shalimar. The name fascinated me. I was more L'Heure Bleue. Twenty five years later I opened a small flacon of Shalimar and that friendship has emerged out of its scent. It has never left me since. It counts itself among those perfumes which trail long after you have left. Even if one doesn't smell them on them, they express you so powerfully to others that one shouldn't change them. At home, my children know whether I have been in or out by whether there is the trail of Shalimar floating in the staircase. For that reason alone, I'm attached to it for life."

~cited by Veronique Blamont (1998)

News on Availability of Guerlain and Annick Goutal Fragrances

A while ago it had been openly discussed that some fragrances in the Annick Goutal line were being dropped off the collection, right when there was a major overhaul of the entire brand reflected in repackaging. This isn't unusual in this day and age and indeed the original Goutal line had already seen the demise of a few of the initial scents for better or for worse. However for at least one among the more recent releases which went missing, I'm referring particularly to Mon parfum Cheri par Camille (a tribute of the daughter to the mother) the argumentation presented always seemed rather non sensical to me.

As per one sales assistant "Mon Parfum Cheri was really disliked by the normal Annick Goutal customer" and therefore it wasn't restocked. The logic went that the "normal" AG customer goes for light, floral or subtly gourmand fragrances that are feminine in a romantic, young and ethereal style (so enter Petite Cherie, Eau de Charlotte, Quel Amour and the like) and Mon Parfum Cheri being a retro chypre it had no chance. Looking down on current tastes is a very popular past-time on perfume boards but it can backfire.
On topic: then how does one account for Goutal's Passion, for Tuberose Passion, for Grand Amour and for Heure Exquise, not to mention Ambre Fetiche in the Orientalistes sub-line which are nothing but? They were all remaining in the main line with no wavering (they were prominently displayed on the Goutal website), donning their new dresses of a bottle and label like the rest of them as if it was nobody's business. The limited distribution pattern (another offer of an explanation) also made no sense, since the US launch of the newest fragrances had been made with enough fanfare to justify an interest in the particular market which would be deemed silly to nullify just a few short months later.

behold Perfume Shrine's photographic evidence of what we're claiming!

At the time I had offered the explanation that the house was busy reformulating the fragrances (at their own cost, as is the custom) so that they could meet with the impending IFRA restrictions effective immediately, whenever they were able to. If that was possible from a technical point of view, any missing stock was simply a matter of practicalities requiring for the new bottles to be somewhat delayed.

I'm glad to see that I was mostly correct. The new Mon Parfum Cheri par Camille is proudly displayed at stockists who sell the revamped collection by Goutal and it looks like it won't be any more limited in distribution than it originally was, which is to say widely available (120 euros for 100ml).
The photo included in this post above showcases the new packaging. You can see the old packaging just below.

the old packaging…more suggestive thank to the color of bottle, though

In what concerns Guerlain, I have great news concerning one of their latest fragrances: the much loved Terracotta Le Parfum (fragrance review included on this link), France's answer to the best-selling status of the Bronze Goddess fragrance industry by Lauder, I have the privilege of very exciting news! Although the tropical creamy floral was launched as a limited edition for summer 2014 (and therefore hard to come by now that perfumistas have been stampeding to get their little paws on a bottle), the scent has sold enough that Guerlain headquarters are considering it of a potential permanent addition to the collection. If you are therefore interested in making this come true indeed, do seek it out, contacting your favorite Guerlain sales assistant, emailing the Guerlain PR service and contacting the Paris flagshipm so that the Terracota Le Parfum scent becomes available next summer and all the subsequent summers as well…

You can thank me later and you're very welcome.

Most rare Guerlain Perfume to be Resurrected for the Prestige Collection

No house in the realm of fine fragrance is more revered with the appreciation of history than the house of Guerlain, the one "sans prenom" (since there's also Marcel Guerlain, a different outfit). The re-issue of the heritage perfumes, collected as "collection patrimoine" at the flagship store in Paris at Champs Elysees was a move into museum worthy greatness. We have described & reviewed the re-issued historical Guerlain perfumes on these pages before thanks to the help of the house's artistic director, Sylvaine Delacourte, and it is my great joy to inform you that the prestige collection which includes Vega and Sous le Vent will be itself augmented by the erstwhile addition of another long discontinued gem…

Which is it? Can you hold still?

from the nonblonde via pinterest

This time the perfume in question also happens to be encased in a precious, collectible vessel as well. Coque d'Or from 1937 (in the blue bottle in the shape of a bow, like Dawamesk, but with gold overlay which always reminded me personally of scarab jewels from Egypt, designed by George Chevalier and raymond Guerlain) is a legend. Composed by Jacques Guerlain of the mature period, it encompasses what is quintessential Guerlain in spirit: the warm amber chord with labdanum and vanilla plus the inky note of oakmoss, overlaid with powdery floral notes that are precious to the makers.
 The re-enacted formula undertaken with the care of head perfumer Thierry Wasser is a bet that challenges the contemporary style of the industry (though it will have to conform to contemporary regulations I hear). Its discovery will take place next autumn, before the holidays. Coque d'or will be a wonderful pilgrimage to the shrine that is Champs Elysees and a covetable item for those who can afford it. May we wish for time to fly!

Guerlain's Coque d'or perfume presentation PerfumeShrine.com

Guerlain Terracotta Le Parfum: fragrance review & comparison with Terracotta Voile d'Ete & Terracotta Eau Sous Le Vent

Die hard perfume fans might be excused for disregarding that the brand of Terracotta, one of the oldest products for giving what the French call "bonne mine" (i.e. the look of healthy looking, sun kissed skin) is the biggest seller for the Guerlain beauty and perfumes company they so revere. Indeed Guerlain would be literally bereft without their prized Terracotta, introduced in 1984, which is why they have been carefully augmenting the line with new and exciting and delicious-feeling products over the years, always instigating the desire to test at the makeup counter and take something home.

Part of the charm of Terracotta is the name, recalling sun-drenched tiles in the south of France, almost leaping off the green and yellow background and over the outlines of the blue Meditteranean just a stone's throw away. Another is the clever choice of design color scheme which makes the most of the mental associations consumers have with summer and leisurely vacations. A Terracotta product is like a ray of sunshine in your handbag, an inextricable part of feeling good about yourself even before touching your skin with the pom pom brush or the buttery soft creams. Over the course of 30 years Guerlain matched the powerful brand name of Terracotta with some fragrances they offered in a move of brand awareness.

The olderst was Terracotta Voile d'Ete (1999), a sunny spicy carnation and ylang composition that was fiery, somewhat daring and spicy floral in character, projecting with the assured step of a tiger proud of her golden stripes.
Next came Terracotta Eau Sous le Vent (2009), a limited edition fragranced moisturizing mist for the body which had a subtle sheen and the delicious aroma of tiare flower, yet faint for a true perfume. (It was complemented by the Terracotta Huile de Voyageur which was a dry oil to bathe skin in tropical flowers's scent and gold mother of pearl particles). This year Guerlain re-introduces the magic of Terracotta with Joli Teint, a new makeup product that caters to all makeup lovers, and revisits the Voile d'Ete fragrance edition, this time with a much less complex name, simply Terracotta Le Parfum, as a limited edition for 2014, as we had announced regarding new Guerlain releases months ago.

The allure of suntan lotions and oils is a well document market fact with thousands of consumers wanting to extend their pleasure out of using sun products into their fine fragrance ritual. That's where suntan lotion smelling perfumes come into. Terracotta Le Parfum is a refined example of that, much like Lauder cornered that game with their Azuree Soleil and Bronze Goddess fragrances which have munched on the market share which would have been rightfully Guerlain's had the Americans not been smart enough to pounce first. Guerlain has meshed the tropical flowers (tiare, ylang ylang) and the salicylates which naturally crown compositions of this creamy, sun drenched nature in Terracotta Le Parfum with classic French notes such as very perceptible jamine and creamy natural tuberose and (less so) orange blossom plus a fluffy, lightly powdery undercurrent of musk and vanilla, hinting at sweetness but withholding too much sugar, thus offering a grown up version that should prove very popular. Compared to Bronze Goddess it's a tad more "sparkly" to my nose, without the coconut note that recalls Coppertone (Guerlain has almost no coconut) and it feels like it lacks the carnation/clove note of the original Terracotta Voile d'Ete from years ago entirely, presenting a quite different fragrance.

 Terracotta Le Parfum, 50ml of Eau de Parfum, will be in stores in May 2014.

 Related reading on Perfume Shrine: Guerlain news, fragrance reviews and discussion

Guerlain Chypre 53: fragrance review & history

Some perfumes, like the best kept mysteries, keep their secrets close at heart and do not intend to be easily deciphered. That's part of their charm. Chypre 53 by Guerlain is the latest in this row of scented mysteries and I will try to break down its coding today with Chabollion determination, but non conclusive results. Let's call it the Linear A of Guerlain. :-)

via mbymystery.blogspot.com

My research indicates that there are actually two formulae of the elusive Chypre 53 and it would depend on which edition one gets hold of. The original Guerlain Chypre 53 was issued in 1909 in the standard quadrilobe extrait bottle with the phallic cap, holding 30ml, which we have come to associate with Guerlain extraits in general. The perfume was soon discontinued leaving more commercially successful Guerlain fragrances such as Mitsouko, Shalimar, Vol de Nuit or L'Heure Bleue in the limelight while it retreated in the shade of the archives. The year 1948 saw a re-issue of the Guerlain fragrance. The concentration of eau de cologne was opted for Chypre 53 and indeed "flacons montre" (the familiar round disk bottles with the gold pyramidal stopper which routinely hold the eau de cologne version of Guerlain fragrances) hold the splash edition of the more effervescent take.

via Pinterest

Besides those two types of bottles, there is also the amphora extrait bottle and the "goutte" (which means drop or bead in French) bottle for the eau de toilette concentration of Guerlain Chypre 53. The amphora and goutte bottles, as well as the montre one, were circulating well into the 1950s, according to the Guerlain archives. There also seems to exist a Lotion Vegetale which was intended as a grooming product, canonical to Guerlain standards of providing scented exhilaration while preparing one's hair and skin. [a collective imaging of the various bottles can be found here]

The providence of my review sample is a collector, a serious and well intentioned one, who was generous enough to share with me and request my opinion. Unfortunately I do not know the providence of the juice, though I assume it comes from some online auction where the rare fragrance makes a sporadic appearance. Exactly because the origin and authenticity of the fragrance is something that cannot be guaranteed, the exercise is tentative at best, colored by a highly subjective impression at worst.

via Photobucket/bbBD

What strikes me in my edition of Guerlain Chypre 53 is the inkiness and leatheriness of the acrid note coming from the depth of the perfume, indicating the use of isoquinolines plus oakmoss. The skeleton of the chypre fragrance dictates the use of the latter, so this is no surprise. Considering that the 1948 edition of Chypre 53 comes one year after the launch of Piguet's Bandit with its butch, described as "for dykes"ambience, the inclusion of the former isn't far fetched at all either. Although Chypre 53 was intended by Guerlain to be a feminine fragrance my olfactory appreciation informs me that men could wear it very convincingly as well. The boldness however is gentler and less bitter green than Bandit, with richer elements of spices (carnation) and Provencal herbs (thyme mainly) that bring it close in feel to both Caron Tabac Blond from 1917 (with its distinctive carnation leather) and Chanel's Cuir de Russie  from 1924 (with the same carnation, the spiciness of styrax and the background of a refined animality comprising clary sage, new car upholstery and precious flowers). This mental tie can be explained by sampling the 1948 edition but not the 1909 one, therefore my understanding is that I am experiencing the later one.

The overall feeling is dry but also warm, with a rustic touch, savoury sweet at various instants and with the cinnamic-eugenol facets I mentioned before. This carnation-leather combo is perplexing, as it's so indicative of the 1920s (where these garconnne leathers reigned supreme as well as carnation florals like Caron's Bellodgia), which is unsettling considering the chronology of either edition, additionally the opening seems like a different segment with the vetiver being more prominent.

Like all Guerlain perfumes of vintage cut there's a lot to recommend testing it out on your own skin, although it would be perhaps counterintuitive to pay through the nose for an old Chypre 53 specimen, unless you happen to land on a very lucky incident of value for money, an exceedingly rare sight in the world of online auctions. Having provided this caveat emptor, I'm very happy that I managed to round up my perfume knowledge of rare, historical Guerlain perfumes, from Atuana and Fleur de Feu to Loin de Tout and Guerlain Cuir de Russie through Coque d'Or and Djedi. Now that Chypre 53 has joined the ranks, my appreciation of la maison Guerlain has gained one more shade of the rainbow.
Maybe now that Guerlain is re-issuing the parfums de patrimoine (heritage perfumes from their archives, for exhibition purposes only), Chypre 53 is a good addition to the collection that is just waiting to happen ;)
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Guerlain's Mademoiselle Guerlain & Eau de Cashmere: new fragrances

In a christening that strongly recalls Chanel (and their ultra-successful Coco Mademoiselle) Guerlain is reissuing one of their past fragrances in their Les Parisiennes collection sold at Guerlain boutiques in the classic bee bottles.

Alongside this May's Guerlain Muguet 2014, summer will see Mademoiselle Guerlain take her stand proudly alongside the other re-issues in the Parisiennes collection, such as Cherry Blossom, Mon Precieux Nectar or Liu (the collection also includes L'Heure de Nuit which isn't a re-issue so much as a reinterpretation/modernisation of the iconic L'Heure Bleue).

The fragrance is a rebottling of a briefly circulating version of La Petite Robe Noire, in fact called La Petite Robe Noire Modele No.2, which consisted of different fragrant notes than the original La Petite Robe Noire (which continues to be sold very successfully in declinations of Eau de Parfum, Eau de Toilette, Extrait and La Petite Robe Noire Couture eau de parfum, all slightly different from each other). We're therefore talking about a renaming. Mademoiselle Guerlain, aka the former La Petite Robe Noire Modele no.2, comprises perfume notes of orange blossoms, marshmallow, galbanum, orris, leather accord and musk. (I can see die-hard boutique-only Guerlain-o-philes up in arms about the marshmallow note and the pink hue! You can read a review of La Petite Robe Noire Modele no.2 on this link.) To vintage hardcore fans may I remind there was a 1880 Bouquet Mademoiselle fragrance by Guerlain, composed of floral essences.

Let it be mentioned in passing for those who missed it that Guerlain has recently, to celebrate the centenary anniversary at 68 Champs Elysees and the renovation of the flagship, recreated several of the archived perfumes using the original formulae, affectionately called the recreated heritage Guerlain perfumes (more on which on the link). These however are NOT for sale, only for exhibition purposes for inquisitive Guerlain perfumephiles.

Mademoiselle Guerlain will be available starting June 2014 at Guerlain espaces and boutiques.

Guerlain is also augmenting their fabric scent options with Guerlain Eau de Cashmere, a unisex fabric scent that won't hurt delicate woolens and cashmere, and which reinforces the warm, soft ambience of those fabrics with its mandarin top notes and cedarwood and powdery drydown. This newer entry comes as an addition to Eau de Lit (a bed linen scent) and Eau de Lingerie (a scented water for underthings) in the Guerlain fabric scent collection.

[thanks to Mr.Guerlain Facebook page]