In 1925, at an international Paris exhibition, Guerlain unveiled what would create an entire family of fragrance and their structure for a century to come…
From April 29th to November 8th, 1925, the International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts was set up in the center of Paris with 15,000 exhibitors from 20 countries, and by the end of its run was visited by over 16 million people from all over the world. The opulent and modern style presented at the exhibition gave birth to the Art Deco movement, but it also gave birth to what would become a momentous reveal in perfume history.
One of the exhibitors was Guerlain, already a name in the industry with releases like Jicky, L’Heure Bleue, and Mitsouku, but Guerlain chose the Exhibition to unveil what would become one of the most iconic fragrances ever made: Shalimar.
It’s said that the creation of Shalimar began with perfumer Jacques Guerlain being given a new synthetic vanilla molecule – ethyl vanillin – and he poured it into Jicky, just to see what would happen. The scent trail that exploded out of the lab birthed Shalimar.
There is no actual evidence to support this, and on the contrary, Guerlain was known to be a precise perfumer. It most likely evolved from their in-house base Opoponine, made from opoponax, which is a big player in the heart of the fragrance.
The then-novel ethyl vanillin – a molecule three times more potent than vanillin – was indeed used, playing a key role in the heart and base.
Shalimar was like nothing anyone had ever smelled. It was scandalously sensual with wantonly rich rose and jasmine, made sweet, spiced, and sacred by incense, intense vanilla, powdery iris, and opoponax.
Its brilliance, however, was that Guerlain meticulously counterpointed all the richness with sparkling fresh bergamot and lemon. So much so that half the people who wear it, wear it because of this freshness, thinking it’s a fresh perfume. The other half wear it for the rich depth and sensuality, feeling it’s an edgy, rich, evening-wear fragrance.
But it’s truly both. It’s a fragrance of opposition between the bright top and extravagant base, with nearly no heart, and somehow, Guerlain managed to pull it off in spades.
Then, there’s the bottle. No other bottle is as immediately recognizable as Chanel No. 5, but Shalimar comes a close second, a Baccarat creation in collaboration with Raymond Guerlain, typifying the art, styling, and shapes of Mughal India, which Guerlain was fascinated with.
The bottle won First Prize at the Exhibition, and Raymond was to travel to New York to show it off. The scent caused a stir from the moment they got onto the ship, and the US went wild for it as well.
One hundred years later, Shalimar has been the birthplace for nearly every other amber/oriental fragrance to follow, the ones on the market today still taking from the structure of it. It is also still in production and still regularly worn.
And not just by your grandma… but by this author as well.
Happy 100th anniversary to Shalimar!
Guerlain’s iconic fragrance Shalimar has captivated hearts for a century, celebrating a timeless legacy of elegance and sophistication. The journey of Shalimar transcends trends, embodying a blend of tradition and innovation that has stood the test of time.
Guerlain on Instagram: @guerlain
