Guerlain perfumes like Mitsouko, Shalimar and L’heure Blue and Après l’ondee have long been legendary, thanks to their classic "guerlainade" signature created in the mid-1880s by the founder, Pierre François Pascal Guerlain.
For 174 years, no one but the Company – whose in-house perfumers were all descendants – knew exactly what notes compromised this mysterious and iconic accord; most fragrance experts believe it contains Bergamot, jasmine, Bulgarian rose, orange blossom, iris, (possibly linden, lilac and vetiver), tonka bean, and vanilla according to my sources.
In his first fragrance for the House of Guerlain in 2008, ( the first non family member to be appointed as in house-perfumer) Thierry Wasser reinterpreted the guerlainade signature…amidst much speculation that he was to continue in the footsteps of the House’s tradition. Thierry Wasser created Idylle in his own image of a perfect Guerlain fragrance, not necessarily in the classic sense, and at first sniff it was somewhat of a disappointment to die-hard Guerlain aficionados.
But all things must change and Idylle may become be as timeless as its classic predecessors. It was a fragrance fable straight out of Ovid’s Metamorphoses Pygmalion and Galatea. As August Rodin said about his famous statue of Pygmalian and Galatea, “I invent nothing, I rediscover".
This is a Guerlain floral fragrance, without the dark, balsamic, powdery classic base. Yet, it can be appreciated on its own; a mist of flowers floating lightly and blissfully on the skin. Ever so delicate yet complex in its daring to be dissimilar.
Top: A bouquet of lilies of the valley, peonies, freesia, lilacs and rose.
Middle: Guerlain created a special rose blend for Idylle with Bulgarian Roses of exceptional quality that were hand-selected, one by one, by Thierry Wasser and Jean-Paul Guerlain. This Guerlain-exclusive rose blend contains hints of raspberry and litchi; it takes 750kg of roses to obtain 1kg of absolute.
Base: This reinterpretation of the signature Guerlinade base includes patchouli and white musk for added sensuality.
The Bottle:
The exquisite design of Idylle’s bottle is owed to French designer, Ora-Ito. He drew inspiration from Guerlain’s classic fragrance bottles and re-imagined their shapes for today’s Guerlain woman. The curves evident from every direction are meant to evoke femininity and grace, reminiscent of the curves of a female, her stiletto heels and the sensuality of the Idylle fragrance. "I wanted a fluid and sensual design, very feminine, that symbolizes a drop of perfume, a drop of love," he notes. Welcome to the 21st century! As Mark Behnke wrote welcome to the family, M. Wasser.
Now Guerlain has created a television commercial for Idylle, using a feminine cover for 'Singing in the Rain (made famous by Gene Kelley)
– Michelyn Camen, Editor- in- Chief
Enter our draw for a 100ml size of Idylle. Please leave a comment on Thierry Wasser, Idylle, and Pygmalion- the fable, My Fair Lady (remake of the tale in a movie),George Bernard Shaw's Book , Auguste Rodin or Singing in the Rain. Draw ends March 9, 2011