GUERLAIN LA PETITE ROBE NOIR 2

For the past two centuries the House of Guerlain has produced some of Frances most renown and respected perfumes.
Established in 1828  by Pierre-Francois Pascal Guerlain whose humble beginnings were in the trade of toiletries.Pierre-Francois eventually began to create his own scents which became popular with many of the elite of France and as expected, became the official Royal Perfumer for most of the Crown heads of Europe.

By 1853 Pierre Guerlain created Eau de Cologne Imperial for Empress Eugeine (wife of Napoleon III) and encased this aromatic citrus in the  iconic 'bee bottle' ( designed after the golden bee crest of Napoleon III) which has become synonymous with the Aqua Allegoria  range.


From this point the House of Guerlain is handed down to his son Aime Guerlain ,and in 1889 Aime  created  the first 'modern' scent Jicky.This is Guerlain's first unisex scent and the first which uses synthetics in it's composition. A citrus fresh scent with a floral heart and a warm leathery sillage.The name Jicky is allegedly derived from a girl Aime was besotted with while studying in England.  Aime Guerlain is also credited for creating the secret base for all the Guerlain scents known as 'Guelinades'.

Jacques Guerlain

By 1906 his nephew Jacques Guerlain launched some of the most impressive and widely known masterpieces such as Apres L'ondee, L'Heure Bleu (1912), Mitsouko(1919) Vol de Nuit and Shalimar (1933). It is said that Shalimar was created by accident. Jacques Guerlain poured an entire sample of vanillin into a bottle of Jicky and Shalimar was born.

Shalimar

To all who revere perfume Shalimar has become the most

 popular and well known scent of it's time.When we think of Guerlain we immediately think of Shalimar.
Jacques Guerlain was inspired by the tale of  Mumtaz Mahal wife of Emperor Shah Jahan who was so loved and adored by him that he built the Taj Mahal and the Gardens of Shalimar for her.
It is a purely seductive blend of lemon, bergamot with a floral heart of jasmine, rose, iris, warmed by opopanax, incense tonka bean and completely enveloped by tempting vanilla.


By 1956 Jean Paul Guerlain, grandson of Jacques Guerlain continued the family tradition by assisting in the  creation of Ode. Jean Paul went on to create his first scent, Vertiver by 1959 followed by Habit Rouge (1965) Chamade (1969) Eau de Guerlain (1974) Nahema (1979) Derby (1985) and Samsara (1989).All of which are eternal classics. In 1994 the Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy  Group (LVMH) acquired the House of Guerlain as Jean Paul was close to retirement. He continued to create fragrances till 2008 at which point Thierry Wasser continued on as  Guerlain House Perfumer.

With the induction of fresh talent to Guerlain, Thierry Wasser  has established his own cache of popular scent for Guerlain such as Idylle, Aqua Allegoria Flora Nymphea, Guerlain Homme, Shalimar Ode de la Vanille, Shalimar Initial L'Eau and La Petite Robe Noir, to name just a few.
To keep up with the changing modern youth but still as not to offend the well established classics such as Shalimar, Thierry Wasser's creative scent La Petite Robe Noir and following this, La Petite Robe Noir 2 has quickly become the modern Ambassador for Guerlain.

Thierry Wasser

 The first introduction into this modern scent in 2009
is  a gourmand blend of mouth watering liquorice, macrons, vanilla, almonds with a spicy sprinkling of patchouli ,anise and tea on a Turkish delight  of rose,musk and lemon. A scent more worthy for a princess than a temptress.

The newest Le Petit Robe Noir 2 (2011) is a chic and playful like the contemporary French woman. She is adorned in the dulcet smell of Paris cafe's with it's citrus, berries and sweet marshmallow, walking along the avenues of blossoming Iris, violet leaf  and orange blossoms mingling with the street scent of sandalwood, musk and leather, smartly dressed in her 'little black dress',  heels and an alluring smile of red lipstick.

Written by Lily

Guerlain is available @ Myer Melbourne & David Jones Melbourne