Vintage Hermès Eau d’ Hermes photo (credits Art et Parfum)
“The interior of an Hermès bag in which wafted the aroma of a perfume… A note of fine leather, wrapped in a slightly spicy citrus.” ~ Edmond Roudnitska, upon the creation of Hermes Eau d’ Hermès
Edmond Roudnitska 1935 via Michel Roudnitska©
When Master Perfumer Edmond Roudnitska took the helm of the House of Hermès in 1951, the very first fragrance he created was Eau d’Hermès – among the most polarizing perfumes ever created, and light-years ahead of its time. No one you encounter will feel ho-hum about this eau de toilette (and if you’re exceptionally fortunate, a drop or two of the vintage parfum, which is notably scarce): simply scanning the fragrance boards will delineate this point. People either decry it or canonize it. To my nose, it is a divinely ribald scent which encompasses both Beauty and the Beast. Ever since I made its acquaintance in 1972, I’ve not been without it in my aromatic arsenal. I was 18 and it was love at first sniff. If you search (and you won’t have to try very hard), you’ll find references to such inflammatory comments as ‘smelling like an old man’, ‘filthy’, ‘dirty, sweaty armpits’, and many more insulting turns of phrase – too uncouth to list here, for courtesy’s sake. It would make a sailor blush; it would make nearly anyone blush. Accordingly, others praise Eau d’Hermès to the heavens. Excellence is apparently in the nose of the beholder. Or is it?
Hermes vintage leather ad 1956 istock
First and foremost, Monsieur Roudnitska knew very well what he was doing. As has always been the case with his creative process, the choices of materials are topnotch, critically considered and peerlessly employed. He might have downplayed the spicy facets of Eau d’Hermès a bit in his description, however: they appear bold and fearless, as significant as the pre-duel slap of a fine leather gauntlet – arriving swiftly upon the heels of headily bracing bergamot and woodily verdant petitgrain. Swashbuckling! That’s the spirit. As proclaimed in Handel’s musical ode Alexander’s Feast: “none but the brave deserve the fair”. Floralcy is judiciously limited to an indolic jasmine accompanied by a richly herbal rose geranium and lavender; they gloat amidst their couronne of potent spice – cardamom, cinnamon, cumin, coriander, clove. The trace of sage is an elegant accent. Monsieur Roudnitska’s base is suave, easing into the leatheriness of labdanum and birch which are further deepened by moss, cedar and sandalwood. Tonka is so delicately dosed that it serves to round out the fragrance, not to sweeten it.
One of the more surprising comparisons I keep coming across is that of Hermès Eau d’Hermès to Aimé Guerlain’s Jicky, created in 1889. There seems to be the opinion that if you already own one, you needn’t purchase the other. In order to better understand this assertion, I ferreted out a very well-preserved extrait of both current and vintage Jicky: it is as ambery a fougère as one might wish for. Yes, there are fragrant components which they commonly share – but the eventual drydown holds no similarity whatsoever: Jicky morphing into a very dulcet, only slightly animalic softness – with tonka and coumarin assuming pride of place. The cumin-y prominence in Hermès Eau d’Hermès is clearly a point of contention for many, as it is extremely disconcerting to as many as it is attractive to others. So much for comparison.
Edmond Roudnitska in Cabris late 1980s via Michel Roudnitska (From Michel Roudnitska’s article the Garden of Edmond and Michel Roudnitska)
If nothing else, Monsieur Roudnitska’s Hermès Eau d’Hermès is worthy of our respect, if not outright admiration (the latter is for the individual to ponder): its unique character paved the way for Jean-Claude Ellena’s Déclaration de Cartier, among other notable fragrances. His legacy is a rich one which follows us to this day and beyond.
Notes: bergamot, lavender, lemon, petitgrain, sage, cardamom, cinnamon, cumin, Bourbon geranium, jasmine, coriander, cloves, leather, birch, sandalwood, tonka bean, cedar, moss, labdanum
Review based upon fragrances from my own collection. My nose is my own…
–Ida Meister, Deputy and Natural Perfumery Editor
Deputy Editor Ida Meister would like to offer a decant of vintage Hermès Eau d’Hermès eau de toilette for one registered reader in the US. ONLY. To be eligible, please leave a comment saying what intrigues you about Eau d’Hermès based on Ida’s review. Draw close 8/23/22
Please enjoy the following articles by Editor-in-Chief Michelyn Camen and Guest Contributor Mark Behnke: Edmond Roudnitska, “The Greatest Perfumer of The 20th Century” which was a Perfumed Plume Finalist in 2018
Editor Ermano Picco Modern Masterpiece: Cartier Declaration 1998 by Jean-Claude Ellena
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