Vintage Parfums Lubin Ad 1947
Imagine a luxurious satin ribbon weaving itself through French history, worn by some of the most famed beauties of all times, and you’ll get a sense of the house of Lubin.
Marie Anoinette at Malmaison, Pierre Francois Lubin created Au Bouquet de Roses as homage to the doomed queen
Though there are niche fragrance lines with storied pasts, they are not in the same league as Parfums Lubin, which traces an unbroken lineage back to 1798, when Pierre-Francois Lubin left the tutelage of Marie-Antoinette’s court perfumer to open his first boutique.
Empress Josephine by Henri-Francois Riesener 1806
Named Au Bouquet de Roses, it was considered a tribute to the late queen and was frequented by the fashionable class known as dandys who emerged after the French Revolution. Napoleon Bonaparte’s wife, Empress Josephine, and his sister, Pauline, Princess Borghese, were highly enamored of Lubin’s creations, and he was eventually granted the title of Official Court Perfumer during the reign of the last queen of France in 1830, as well as the same title for the thrones of England and Russia.
Belle Epoque Dancer Nina Barkis with Pink Flowers by Stebbing
The house remained highly fashionable among the wealthy throughout the late nineteenth and early twentieth century and beyond, but it is the period known as La Belle Epoque (1870’s-World War I) and a slightly freer social strata that we concern ourselves with when we consider Grisette, the latest offering from this esteemed line.
Moulin de la Galette, Paris by Paul Hoeniger, 1894
Those of you who are familiar with Lubin (possibly through its cult favorite offering Idole by Olivia Giacobetti), may be surprised by the joyful laughter, glasses clinking and fluttering of eyelashes that Grisette presents. Signed by perfumer Thomas Fontaine in 2015, the fragrance is an homage to the free-spirited coquettes of La Belle Epoque (the female equivalents of dandys) who spent their days sewing for wages and used the freedom this bought them to inspire artists or social climb at night.
Vintage Champagne Ad Belle Epoque (zazzle.com)
A defining characteristic of the Belle Epoque era is the alcohol advertising poster, which Grisette nods at it in its opening, a frothy cocktail containing top notes of citrus, grapefruit, bergamot, and rose absolute. The overall effect is sweet, cooling and bubbly, like a glass of good sangria. At this stage, Grisette is the most charming woman in the room, not only because of her beauty but as much for her wit and mirth, which attracted men of art and letters who were bored with the crustiness of high society.
Beautiful women of La belle Epoque with pink roses source unknown
If Grisette stayed this way she would earn a place in the collection of any fruity floral lover, but her heart space is even more intriguing, as is a woman with any sort of past. Moroccan and Bulgarian roses ripen, giving the impression that this girl has been around a little and is the better for it. They marry with a gorgeous silvery iris that keeps the temperature cool without losing any of the sweetness– perhaps our Grisette is a little wiser now, and prefers to withhold the strongest of her charms for her true love.
La Belle Epoque by Chris Nichols via flickr fashioninspiration
This stage of Grisette is one of the strongest experiences of synesthesia I’ve ever had in perfume– the word Grisette translated from the French has a dual meaning, a portmanteau of grey and a coquette, with grey deriving from the color of the uniforms the seamstresses wore at their day jobs, but the grey here is worlds removed from sweatshops. It is a glimmering metallic with a hint of powder that contrasts beautifully with the sweet juiciness of the rose.
Chez L’Artiste by Albert Edelfelt, 1881
In drydown, Grisette presents notes of incense, musk, amber, cedar, and Madagascar vanilla absolute. A little bit of the morning after creeps in, although la Grisette is a professional and has cleaned up thoroughly before going to work. Nevertheless, as her head is bent over her sewing, she hums a merry tune that reminds her of the painter she met the night before, and the adventure they are about to embark on, an adventure which commences with the words, “Would you sit for me?”
DISCLAIMER: Product provided by company; opinions are my own.
— Nancy Lichtenstein, Guest Contributor
Art Direction: Nancy and Michelyn Camen, Editor in Chief
Lubin Grisette courtesy of Lubin
Thanks to Parfums Lubin we have a draw for 100ml bottle of Grisette ($160) for a registered US reader. To be eligible please leave a comment with why Grisette appeals to you, and if you have a favorite Lubin fragrance. If you would like your comment to count twice please LIKE Parfums Lubin on Facebook. Draw closes May 23, 2015.
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