The current fashion exhibition at the Galliera Costume Museum in Paris features the fabulous period of the 20's. Among the extraordinary gowns and accessories there are also some interesting fragrance/cosmetic artefacts.
- a shelf with Chanel perfumes but also Chanel cosmetics from the late 20's (the packaging is so beautiful, simple and modern). I found some of those cosmetic products in my Chanel formulas notebooks I found this year.
- an impressive collection of Roger Gallet and Bourjois makeup (plus some catalogs, ads, everything so well preserved in terms of colours that it looks like new).
- a short silent movie featuring a Roger&Gallet perfume - Narkiss.
- some Lanvin old bottles, not only Arpège and My Sin but also the lesser known like Niv Nal (the name is Lanvin written on the contrary).
Among all these historic artefacts there was also a perfume to be smelled. It was created by Antoine Maisondieu (Givaudan) and was inspired by the odour of leather and woman skin. The leather note was popular in the late 20's as were the luxury cars featured in all fashion magazines. From that period only one leather fragrance is still available - Cuir de Russie (Chanel) - but that's the softest and most delicate leather from that period. Most leather notes from the time were based on styrax, birch tar, ionones. The old base Cuir de Russie from Synarome (still produced) is the perfect rendition of what was a leather note in the 20's.
The fragrance created by Antoine Maisondieu (Givaudan) for the exhibition is not what I expected to smell. It's strong, leathery, pungent (like all leathery notes from that period) but put on a rather modern base. It was created to evoke an atmosphere and not to be put on skin (it's also written). I was surprised to smell something reminding of M7 and Oud Wood (Tom Ford), the latest one being created by Givaudan also.
So, what's that so characteristic smell I recognized…? What you usually under the name of oud: patchouli (a lot), vetiver, cedar, guaiac wood (a lot), some ambery woody notes, a pinch of sandalwood, and a lot of sweet coumarine.
The fragrance is nice, leathery but still….it's not so 20's for me. Maybe because I smelled a lot of perfumes from that period….
Thursday, November 22, 2007
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The "scent of the 1920s" creation for the Palais Galliera exhibition also surprised me by its contemporary style. Antoine Maisondieu is not named on the cartel, but I remember thinking on smelling it that it was a bit "generic" and actually thinking of the Etat Libre scents...
Of the period, I only know the Chanel CdR, both the Carons (En Avion + Tabac blond) and the slightly later Lanvin Scandal. What other leather 1920s perfumes were you thinking about?
Yes it's named. That's how I know it, because I didn't find it in the press, but visiting the exhibition (I was quite surprised).
the leather: in Djedi (though it's not a leather perfume), in one from Houbigant, another from Lubin and Piver and quite a lot of perfumes named "cuir de russie". That note was trendy than but only in the 30's became very popular. In the 20's there was a flower with a lot of succes, but I will speak of that theese days.
Yes it's named. That's how I know it, because I didn't find it in the press, but visiting the exhibition (I was quite surprised).
the leather: in Djedi (though it's not a leather perfume), in one from Houbigant, another from Lubin and Piver and quite a lot of perfumes named "cuir de russie". That note was trendy than but only in the 30's became very popular. In the 20's there was a flower with a lot of succes, but I will speak of that theese days.
I just read about this exhibition in Le Figaro and then happened on your post. Too contemporary smelling?
Knize Ten is technically speaking from the 1920s too and Tabac Blond (1919) is very Roaring Twenties.
HEY
I WENT TO THIS EXHIBITION AND I CRAVE TO BUY THIS FRAGANCE!!
where can i buy it??
please?
mclight
ioniix@hotmail.com
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