Shalimar Perfume Initial

There was vanilla in the pod and rose in May. Fresh citrus fruit and warm amber. The discovery of a perfume that opens us up to ourselves and yet casts a captivating spell. As we know, Shalimar appeared in 1925 (although it was created five years earlier by Jacques Guerlain). What is less well known is that it was exclusively launched in the United States following the unexpected success encountered on board the Normandie cruise liner during a crossing to New York by Raymond. Guerlain and his extremely beautiful wife. The latter, who was testing the scent, caused a sensation. All the gentlemen turned to follow her lingering scent, while the ladies all wanted to know where they could find it. Even the ship’s orchestra added to the enthusiasm by composing a song entitled… Shalimar. This infatuation has never waned. A legendary object, Shalimar is an adventure that is continually being reborn. As deep and seductive as ever, it is the absolute archetype of a fragrance that only discloses its secrets to those willing to lose themselves in it… Today, however, Guerlain is offering a new gateway into this original enchantment for those who are too young to remember. An olfactory and emotional legacy, a ritual allowing them to appropriate their heritage. SHALIMAR PARFUM Thierry Wasser, Guerlain’s Perfumer, gladly tells the story: SHALIMAR PARFUM INITIAL was inspired by his young niece. Rather intimidated, but nonetheless fascinated, by the historic masterpiece, one day she asked him to compose “a Shalimar just for her”. “It was a real challenge,” he continues, “allowing the perfume to evolve in time, 85 years after its creation, without distorting it and retaining the alchemy that makes it so desirable… I had to lighten but not disown the fragrance, transpose but not betray it. Create the future while honouring the past.” This pared-down fragrance has been crafted on the basis of four ingredients particularly favoured by Guerlain creators. Centifolia rose: from the month of May, untouched in its initial clarity. Italian iris:overdosed, powdery, matte, chic and incredibly gentle. Vanilla: smooth, almost sensual, if not even aphrodisiac (Jacques Guerlain used to say that it made Shalimar just like an “outrageously low-cut dress”). Tonka bean: inseparable from the legendary “Guerlinade”, to which it adds its spicy almond-infused flavour, its irresistibly appetising je ne sais quoi. There is also Calabrian bergamot, another of Guerlain’s favoured ingredients, which adds a touch of freshness; and hedione, today’s must-have molecule, running right through the fragrance like a flame penetrating the darkness. The burst of freshness gives way to light aromas of caramel and warm fruit, which, along with patchouli, support the vanilla in place of the original leathery accents…