If the fragrance has become vintage, we can assume that it has taken a special place in the history of perfumery - this composition will be worn for a long time, with unabated enthusiasm and adoration. True, there are as many secrets of such success as there are successful fragrances: each "titan" of perfumery can boast of its own recipe for universal recognition. Our selection includes only legendary compositions over which time has no power.
Youth Dew by Estee Lauder
In 1953, Ms. Este Lauder's beauty cosmetics brand began to work in perfumery. In those years, American women wore perfume only on special occasions: most often they got the coveted bottles from distant Europe, and American perfumery was still waiting for its finest hour. That all changed with the arrival of Youth Dew from Estee Lauder.
According to legend, in order to draw attention to the new product, the inspirer of the fragrance, Este Lauder, demonstratively smashed a bottle with a fragrance in the middle of the cosmetic department of Galeries Lafayette, a large French department store. The French, the first perfumers in Europe, could not help but appreciate the merits of the new player. Sophisticated and controversial, floral amber with a sensual halo of musk, incense and bourbon vanilla, Youth Dew gave a spectacular start to American perfumery and a democratic scent that could be tried on both day and night. Soon Este Lauder's daring and spicy debut perfume became an object of passion not only for American women, but also for many women around the world, and turned into a real success story (read also: "The catch phrases of the great Este Lauder").
Mitsouko by Guerlain
Back in 1919, Europe was deeply attracted to Japanese culture. Residents of European countries copied the style of the Japanese, listened to their music, read to the holes art works dedicated to the land of the rising sun. All this could not pass by the attention of such a sensitive person as Jacques Guerlain. He only needed a suitable source of inspiration to move from an idea ripe in his head to creative work.
And such a source was the work of Claude Ferrer "Battle" - the love story of a Japanese girl Mitsuko and a soldier, who were forever divided by war. In the process of creating the fragrance, Guerlain got rid of the deliberate tragedy of history and concentrated on the light mystery of the pyramid of the fragrance: its core was a combination of chypre and peach, complemented by jasmine, oak moss and rose. Mitsouko became the most mysterious sound of perfumery of the first half of the last century, and this year marks its centenary success - a mark that only the best of the best can overcome.
Madame Rochas by Rochas
If you are a connoisseur of classic perfumery, then this vintage scent is simply impossible to miss. It became the favorite female adornment for the ladies of the 60s and was the most French perfume ever. Of course, it was not imprinted in the memory as vividly as, for example, the cult Chanel No. 5, but it became a sign of luxury for the elite. The famous couturier Marcel Roche was inspired by his wife Helene, and the basis in every sense of the feminine pyramid of the fragrance was the unsurpassed “jasmine flower”, which was also used to create the famous Caleche by Hermès.
Joy by Jean Patou
The popular phrase "Enjoy it" was almost the life credo of the French fashion designer Jean Patou. He was one of the most daring designers of the early 20th century, who was not afraid to become the first to open women's legs to the middle of the knee, and who managed to masterly combine his interests with the desires of customers (he also left behind the release of the first tanning lotion). But the main round of fame began for Jean with the scent Joy - one of the most expensive in the history of perfumery.
By the end of the 1920s, the world was overtaken by the Great Depression - a difficult time that did not bode well for joy and carelessness. However, Jean Patou set out to resist the approaching storm. At the same time, the couturier ordered the perfumer Henri Almeras to create a fragrance that could become a ray of light, inspiration and joy in a difficult historical period. Moreover, to create a pyramid of Bulgarian roses and jasmine, Jean did not skimp on the most expensive natural ingredients. As a result, a bottle of 30 ml cost the customers about a thousand US dollars - a fairly large amount, given the situation with the global economic crisis. However, Patou believed that a real perfume can and should be expensive (read also: "The 5 Craziest Bottles in Perfumery").
"Red Moscow" from "New Dawn"
This fragrance, along with Silver Lily of the Valley and Gold of the Scythians, became a symbol of the Soviet era, which continues to enjoy high popularity over the years. Among his fans is the famous theater and film actress Renata Litvinova, who believes that it was in him that Russian femininity was clearly expressed. “This is ours, dear, you can't confuse with anything. They are a little sugary, concentrated, but these perfumes have their own face”, - comments Renata.
Moreover, Krasnaya Moskva is a perfume with history. It is believed that the recognizable composition was created for Empress Maria Feodorovna by the French perfumer Heinrich Brocard. He presented the monarch with a bouquet of wax flowers, which exuded a bewitching aroma. The fragrance made a great impression on Maria Fedorovna, so very soon she visited a perfumer's factory in France and offered to open its branch in Russia. As a token of gratitude, Brocard called the fragrance "The Empress's Favorite Bouquet".
The opening of the branch took place, but without the participation of the Empress. In 1921, the Novaya Zarya factory began its work. Its work was directed by August Michel, who came up with a brilliant idea - to start mass production of Maria Feodorovna's favorite fragrance. The recognizable pyramid of "Red Moscow" is made up of jasmine, rose and sweet spices with a spectacular aftertaste of vanilla and iris. The composition of the fragrance remains unchanged to this day.
Photo: Getty Images, press archives
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