an air of sophistication
Looking for a perfume that will make you sit a little straighter, stand a little taller, feel a little more sophisticated? Follow the lead of noses-in-the-know, and seek out a scent from the so- chic (albeit confusing) Chypre family – currently enjoying a renaissance – advises Suzy Nightingale
An impossibly elegant The world of perfume character. Aphrodite is said to have bride walks through a terminology can befuddle the best of us slept on a bed of moss – so perhaps forest, lost in reverie, THRILLS at times. But the basic fragrance families that’s another nod to the island Chypre draped in mist and a Chypre shouldn’t cause any consternation, right...? is inspired by. But no matter how many gauzy couture gown Citrus? Easy-peasy (literally) lemon- notes a Chypre scent includes, you’ll fnd squeezy. Woody? Does what it says on everything voluptuously rounded and the bottle. Oriental? Slighty more taxing, harmoniously tempered: a Rubenesque but pretty much everyone can imagine body in a perfectly tailored, so-chic suit something richly famboyant. But if you that kisses every curve. happen to know what the term ‘Chypre’ Who was the frst perfumer to invent actually means, you’re in the minority: the Chypre? The word ‘Chypre’ is used when The Perfume Society’s co-founders for an accord in 18th Century perfume embarked on a national tour for their manuals – but there are suggestions book The Perfume Bible, only a handful that the fragrance composition could of attendees on the entire book tour, date back to Roman times. In Guerlain’s 2 Clinique Aromatics
when asked, professed to know the exact vintage archive, there is a fragrance by the Elixir Quixotic heroine defnition. So, let us begin… name of ‘Chypre de Paris’ dating back to clutches herbaceous First off, say it ‘sheep-rah’. Next, its 1909. (We’ve smelled it; it is sublime.) But bouquet while saving the origins: Chypre is French for Cyprus – François Coty was the frst to popularise day in tones of tweed birthplace of Aphrodite, the goddess of the family, with the eponymously titled love. And because many of the aromatic Chypre perfume of 1917. plants which are common to ‘Chypre’ For his composition, Coty took scents fourished, at some point, on that sparkling bergamot and added a heart island, that’s generally accepted to be how of jasmine, rose and lilac, with the this fragrance family got its name. suede softness of orris as a buffer to Classically an interplay between potential shrieking. In the base, vanillin bergamot, oakmoss, patchouli and and coumarin smoothly settled on the labdanum (a resin from rock rose, which oakmoss and patchouli with smoky vetiver, once upon a time was harvested from creamy sandalwood and a healthy dose of the hair of goats that grazed on that animalic labdanum, styrax, civet and musk. 3 Rochas Femme
shrub), Chypres can be ramped up to be In The Essence of Perfume, Roja Dove All hips and wiggle in more foral, fruity or woody – often with describes how ‘...Coty managed to put plunging neckline plum generous amounts of further citrus in the gentlest whisper of orris, vanillin, and velvet, batting away the top notes. But it’s that quintessential coumarin into this creation which gave it admirers with a fick of her mossiness which is at the heart of their a note of intimate luxury redolent of the feathered fan
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country house party guest runs barefoot in the garden, slipping into the library to get more intimately acquainted
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5 Armani Sì le Parfum warmth of soft intimacy where the shoulder by the word.’ So: the longer the formula, Ma Griffe, Piguet Bandit – and skipping process of ‘fractionation’ – separating 9 Guerlain Elixir
Sheer silky romance joins the neck.’ Intimacy is the by-word the bigger the paycheck. ‘It was also a way ahead, perhaps the frst really ‘youthful’ the different elements of an individual Charnel Chypre Fatale with sneakers peeping for a great Chypre: it doesn’t shout - it to keep the formula secret,’ he continues, Chypre, Miss Dior. Launched in 1947, it was ingredient, and removing the potential Fruity cocktail-sipping beneath the full-length beckons. And if you get close enough ‘because the more complex the perfume, perfumed nectar to luxury-starved, post- sensitiser – it’s now possible to get a ‘safe’ aesthete shimmies across prom dress to admire the stitching of the seams and the harder it was to copy.’ war women, unveiled at the same time ingredient that isn’t a million miles away dance foors in shades of nuzzle the fabric of that bespoke suit, There’s no doubt they knew how to build as Christian Dior’s ground-breaking ‘New from the original oakmoss Chypre-lovers peachy smoked tulle 6 YSL Mon Paris Madcap you’re in for a treat. a Chypre back in the day. In 1919, Jacques Look’ fashion. (Chanel No19 and YSL Rive knew and adored.
maven dashes across Coty’s Chypre lit the fame but many Guerlain named his creation – now one Gauche came later, in the 1970s.) The snag – as Guerlain’s perfumer 10 Liz Earle Botanical
moonlit Paris in so- scents have sizzled in its wake, as the of the most celebrated Chypres of all – As that diverse line-up reveals, Thierry Wasser explained to us – is that Essence No.9 cool leather jacket and Chypre style truly showcases a perfumer’s Mitsouko, after the heroine in a bestselling interesting twists and diverse whenever something is removed from an Blackcurrants picked at borrowed diamonds talent. Our perfumer friend Francis novel of that time, called La Bataille. (In manifestations are the Chypre’s signature ingredient through fractionation, ‘it leaves midnight in a cashmere Kurkdjian goes so far as to say that ‘…the the story, Mitsouko is a beautiful married – though within the mix, oakmoss is a hole’. Thierry’s stroke of genius, then, shawl, juice-stained lips 7 Heeley Chypre 21 A Chypre is the fundamental building block Japanese woman, secretly in love with a generally considered essential. What was to plug the gap in Mitsouko with just warmed by hot kisses
Hitchcock blonde type in of perfumery itself – because it’s a blend British offcer; in 1905, the Russo-Japanese exactly does it add? Oakmoss as a note on a touch of celery seed and lentisque. Hey, click-y heels paired with a of both fowers and wood. It could be dark war breaks out and Mitsouko awaits with its own is forest-y, otherworldly, misty – and presto; the most famous Chypre still in 11 Tom Ford Vert des
modern made-to-measure wood – and then you have Mitsouko. It dignity the outcome of the battle, nobly utterly transformative. production today has been restored to its Bois Minx-ish bright suit in skin-skimming could be clear wood – and then you have controlling her feelings.) But there’s one snag with this exquisite former glory – to an all-round sigh of relief. young thing in barely- perfection Rive Gauche, which many people don’t A masterpiece of balance and originality, material: ‘blacklisted’ by the International In a world of airy aquatics, sheer forals there lace revels in even realise is a Chypre…’ Mitsouko’s daringly modern fruity note of Fragrance Association (IFRA) as a potential and fruitilicious scents, the Chypre family verdant paradise as the 8 Mugler Les When asked if he felt the Chypre was peach swoons into jasmine fowers and irritant, its use has become restricted was slightly out of step with fashion, in sun sets and ouzo glasses
Exceptions Chyprissime one of the most diffcult accords for a May rose, while the enigmatic dry-down by European regulation to 0.1% in more recent times. But happily, just as clink-clink An avant garde dinner perfumer to perfect, Francis responded blends spicy notes and cool, lightly smoked perfume compositions for skin. That hemlines rise and fall, a furry of exciting party demands Surrealist – in his typically insouciant way – ‘Well… vetiver for a trail that is unforgettable. ruling sent ‘noses’ into tailspins in labs recent Chypre launches hints that this 12 4160 Tuesdays
fancy dress – but it has to everything is diffcult!’ He has a theory, Chypres held their own through the 1920s across the world, as they struggled to most intimate, intriguing and sophisticated Mother Nature’s be couture, dah-ling! however, about the mind-blowing number (which saw Molinard launch Le Chypre) replace this lynchpin ingredient in famous genre is back in favour – a refection, Naughty Daughters of ingredients found in vintage Chypres and the 1930s (Guerlain Sous le Vent). formulations. And there’s no question, as a perhaps, of the growing number of A classically structured – often 200-300. ‘You have to understand But in the 1940s, their couture-esque result, that some favourite Chypres started perfume-lovers whose scent ‘palates’ are jacket casually worn with that back then, perfumers were paid by elegance truly came into its own once not to smell like themselves… becoming ever-more-sophisticated. And Hunter wellies to hot-
the line – just like writers are often paid more: a great time for Chypres with Carven Goodman Archives the Bergdorf illustrations: From Happily, all was not lost. Through a who long to have their senses thrilled… ticket arty festival
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