Remembrance of Perfumes Past

Le Jardin de Mon Curé by Guerlain, Nuit de Chine by Rosine, Perlinette by Volnay, Snuff by Schiaparelli... all these and more have disappeared. Why? Can they still be found? Will they be re-released? Read our report.

By Elsa Secaz. 29/07/01

Have you already despaired of ever finding your grandmother's perfume at a perfume counter? There are two possible reasons for that: either the design house that used to produce it no longer exists, or the perfumer has stopped producing it. If Guerlain were to continue producing Djedi (1905), Kadine (1911), Le Jardin de Mon Curé (1895) etc., the company would have a catalogue with over 600 references. Almost unmanageable... In France, Coty has stopped producing over a hundred perfumes, A Suma (1936), for instance. "It's a question of fashion. Some perfumes, like Bacchus (1969) were big hits, but tastes change fast," says Rick Kinsel, the Director of Cultural Affairs at Coty, Inc.

Remembrance of Scents Past

Other fragrances can no longer be found either. For instance, Numéro Cinq by Molyneux (1925), a fruity chypre (like Mitsouko by Guerlain and Yvresse by Yves Saint Laurent). And the list goes on, with fragrances by Carven, Schiaparelli, Jacques Fath, Houbigant, Volnay, or Piver.
True nostalgics can breathe in these scents again, at the Versailles "osmotheque," or perfume library, a "living memory of perfumes", founded in 1990. This databank of the French perfume industry catalogs the names of perfumes created from 1860 on, tracks down lost classics and tries to revive them. Over 1200 fragrances are preciously safeguarded there.

The Miracle of a Second Youth

Retired fragrances are occasionally re-released, especially when they become the object of desire of the stars. Fracas by Piguet (1947) seemed to be fated for oblivion until Madonna and Kim Basinger showed an interest in it. Then the miracle occured: the illustrious tuberose scent is now available in the United States and on the Internet. Mouchoir de Monsieur by Guerlain (1904) had a similar fate. Once produced exclusively for French actor Jean-Claude Brialy, it was re-released about 15 years ago. Coty also plans to launch a few special editions.
If you haven't got the patience to sit tight and hope for a possible re-release, why not try your luck at second-hand shops or auctions? Some oldbottles might still contain the precious juice. The you just have to hope htat it hasn't gone stale...
Suggested reading :
Le Sillage des élégantes, by Marylène Delbourg-Delphis, published by J-C Lattès éditions.
Guerlain - Les Parfums depuis 1828, by M. Attlas and A. Monniot, published by éditions Milan.