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 The French Lancome
Perfume House won the popularity with its elegant fragrances for women. Yet,
most of scents have been acknowledged as the classic scent in perfumery world.
Almost all vintage fragrances launched by Lancome were designed for mature and
elegant women and the peak of its popularity came to 60s and 70s. The scent
that found its admirers was not supposed to attract younger ladies, and still
the image of the real woman was far more preferable than that of the young
coquette.
The key
fragrance in the history of Lancome appeared to be Lancome Climat fragrance
which is fresh, green, feminine and a little bit quixotic.
Created in
1967 for Lancome House by Gerard Goupil, Climat was accepted as the symbol of
that eon with its elegant and lavishness match of green notes, dazzling outburst
of aldehydes and the cascade of florid notes that smoothly ends with the
sensory depth that made Climat be one of the best perfume of the sixties among Guerlain
Chant d'Arоmes (1962),
Yves Saint Laurent Y (1964), Dior Eau Sauvage (1966) and Guerlain Chamade
(1969). The source of inspiration for the flowery and aldehyde composition by Climat
appeared to be the old bouquet, the legendary Worth Je Reviens of 1932), tender
and almost translucent smelling flowers and naked skin. Unlike Worth Je
Reviens, the affection of floral notes of which blends with the smoky notes of labdanum
and sandal, Lancome Climat is still even and glittering as perfectly polished
pale-green jade.
Lancome
Climat is opened with the green notes that make the fragrance unique symbol of
the entire epoch in the mix with the tender and fruity notes of aldehydes
forming the blend of fresh and slightly naïve atmosphere of spring garden.
Fading, the first notes are followed by notes of white flowers, creamy as
gardenia petals and tender as first lily-of-the-valley that adds the luxury
sensitivity of perfume composition. With the additive of vetiver, amber and civet,
the green floral bunch gets deeper and more complicated, while the preliminary innocent
and naïve image gives the way to lacy, elegant and sensitive image of a mature
and confident woman. Being lasting-for-ever classic perfume, Lancome Climat became
as the real icon of effeminacy. The fragrance shaped the image of the mysterious
inconnu, a special woman with quite mystic charm. The unaffectionate elegance by
Lancome Climat won the extraordinary glamour in the early 70s, developing the
new wave of effeminacy, thus being a bright contrast against feminists who fight
back for the equality of genders and reject the traditional perception of women;
the Lancome Climat ideal woman realized her effeminacy and sensitivity to the
highest possible extent.
Lancome
Climat almost became the best followers of Chanel House traditions, the house
that some time back set trends for aldehyde-floral scents on the base of the
legendary Chanel №5. Nevertheless unlike other legendary fragrances, Lancome
Climat existed not so long, and Lancome House ceased producing the scent in the
mid 70s. Today the admirers of the preliminary scent of Climat find it
difficult to acquire though there is still he way out. In 2005 while celebrating
the 70-year anniversary, Lancome arrived at a decision to rehabilitate its
several classic scents including Climat. La Collection Lancоme included several
re-created vintage fragrances, as Magie (blend of jasmine, viola and amber),
Climat, Sagamore of1985 and Sikkim
of 1971 with fruity composition of galbanum, ylang-ylang and oak moss). Lancome
perfumers tried their best to recreate the composition of legendary scents and
design of elegant bottles made by one of the Lancome House founders in the
early 60s George Delhomme. Though the fragrance composition of the re-launched scents
is slightly different from the original scents, the newly created fragrances
lack the depth and sensitivity that make them popular among women all over the
world that is the eternal problem with all reissues. However, La Collection Lancоme is still hardly the
only way to appreciate the charm and elegance of the legendary Lancome Climat
fragrance.
Inessa Hyder
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