In 1934, the launch of "Soucis de Schiaparelli" coincided with a vibrant and transformative period in both fashion and fragrance. Elsa Schiaparelli, the renowned fashion designer known for her avant-garde creations and bold artistic vision, extended her influence into the realm of perfumery. The 1930s marked a time of artistic exploration and daring innovation in perfume composition, mirroring the era's embrace of modernism and social change.
Elsa Schiaparelli's connection to perfumes was deeply intertwined with her fashion philosophy, which challenged traditional norms and embraced surrealism and whimsy. Just as her clothing designs pushed boundaries with their unconventional shapes and vibrant colors, Schiaparelli approached perfumery with a desire to create scents that embodied her artistic vision.
The name "Soucis," chosen by Schiaparelli for her perfume, holds significant meaning. "Soucis" is the French word for "care" or "worry." In the context of a perfume, this name suggests a nuanced approach to femininity and self-expression. It implies a fragrance that accompanies a woman through her daily life, providing a comforting and reassuring presence. The choice of "Soucis" reflects Schiaparelli's keen understanding of the emotional and psychological dimensions of scent, aiming to offer more than just a pleasant aroma but a companion that soothes and uplifts.
For those who related to a perfume named "Soucis," the response would likely be one of resonance and appreciation. Women of the 1930s, navigating a world in flux amidst economic challenges and shifting social dynamics, would find solace in a fragrance that promises to ease their worries and enhance their confidence. The scent of "Soucis" would evoke images of elegant simplicity, perhaps reminiscent of a serene garden or a quiet moment of contemplation amidst life's demands. Its floral chypre composition, enriched with the warmth of sandalwood, would impart a sense of grounded sophistication and timeless elegance.
The word "Soucis" evokes feelings of tranquility, care, and understated beauty. It invites the wearer to embrace moments of calm and self-assurance, embodying Schiaparelli's belief in the transformative power of both fashion and fragrance. In essence, "Soucis de Schiaparelli" encapsulates a blend of artistic expression and practical elegance, offering a scent experience that resonates with the complexities of modern femininity in the early 20th century.
Fragrance Composition:
So what does it smell like? Soucis de Schiaparelli is classified as a floral chypre fragrance for women punctuated with a dominant sandalwood note.
- Top notes: lemon balm, Algerian cassie, Madagascar verbena, tarragon, Calabrian bergamot, Tunisian orange blossom, French carnation, Italian neroli
- Middle notes: Bourbon geranium, Chinese gardenia, Provencal honey, spices, Nossi-Be ylang ylang, Grasse heliotrope, Grasse jasmine, Bulgarian rose, Florentine orris
- Base notes: resin, Indonesian patchouli, Haitian vetiver, ambergris, Maltese labdanum, Mysore sandalwood, Russian leather, Tibetan musk, Ethiopian civet, Yugoslavia oakmoss, Atlas cedar, Sumatran benzoin
Scent Profile:
Soucis de Schiaparelli unfolds as a perfume of both baroque complexity and breathtaking orchestration—a floral chypre in the truest, most lavish sense, with an unmistakable current of sandalwood threading through its heart and soul.
The first inhalation is a green shimmer of lemon balm, cool and herbaceous, with a lemony brightness softened by a trace of mint. This is quickly embraced by the intoxicating warmth of Algerian cassie, which lends a powdery mimosa-like golden haze—floral, spicy, and animalic in equal measure. The Madagascar verbena that follows sharpens the citrus effect with a bracing, grassy clarity, while tarragon, with its aniseed nuance, weaves in a sense of unexpected culinary verdancy—aromatic, sharp, and softly bitter.
Calabrian bergamot, as always, lends refinement. Its zesty sparkle is unmatched—less sugary than other citruses, more green and floral—making it essential in setting the stage for what’s to come. Paired with Tunisian orange blossom, the effect is sun-warmed and radiant, but softened by a narcotic white-floral quality, honeyed and faintly indolic. French carnation appears next with its clove-like spice—fiery, dry, and complex, offering a peppery floral snap. Italian neroli brings an effervescent lift—lighter and greener than its orange blossom sibling, it sparkles with soapy freshness and dew-covered petals.
Then the heart begins to pulse. Bourbon geranium, with its rosy-minty clarity, acts as a prism through which the rest of the floral accord is refracted. Chinese gardenia contributes lush creaminess and a banana-like softness, bridging the spicy and floral. Nossi-Bé ylang ylang, sourced from an island off the coast of Madagascar, is especially rich—heady, tropical, with hints of custard and jasmine-like intensity. Its regional origin is renowned for producing some of the world’s most refined ylang due to the island’s volcanic soil and humid microclimate.
A glowing touch of Provençal honey trickles through, bringing a golden gourmand sweetness—thick, resinous, and slightly animalic—evoking both warmth and comfort. Spices, likely including clove, cinnamon, or nutmeg, lend a dusky exoticism that unfurls among the florals. Grasse heliotrope adds a tender almond-vanilla nuance, powdery and nostalgic. Grasse jasmine—opulent, solar, and indolic—cements the heart as unabashedly sensual. Bulgarian rose, known for its depth and balance of freshness and warmth, exudes both clarity and complexity. Finally, Florentine orris, from the prized rhizome aged for years, emerges with a suede-like powderiness, rooty and ethereal, grounding the floral crescendo with noble restraint.
As it dries down, the base gathers its formidable weight. Indonesian patchouli unfurls in earthy, chocolatey shadows, far richer and denser than Indian varieties. Haitian vetiver cuts through with green smoke—dry, elegant, and slightly leathery. The salty-skin softness of ambergris glimmers beneath, synthetic yet evocative of windswept shores and warm bodies. Maltese labdanum delivers resinous heft, sticky and balsamic with leathery edges, echoing the perfume’s deepening warmth.
Then, the core of the composition emerges: Mysore sandalwood, the centerpiece. This sacred wood, creamy, woody, and sweet-spicy, is unmatched in its smoothness and its ability to carry both floral and animalic notes with serenity. Its presence feels almost spiritual. Russian leather deepens the richness, bringing a smoky, birch-tar effect—dry and mysterious. Tibetan musk, likely a synthetic recreation, adds a skin-like warmth, enhancing and blurring the edges. The Ethiopian civet note, again likely replicated through modern aroma chemicals, lends a feral, golden warmth—a vestige of perfumery’s most provocative materials.
The base finishes with Yugoslavian oakmoss, cool, damp, and forest-like—bringing the chypre structure into full focus. Atlas cedar, with its dry pencil-shaving crispness, and Sumatran benzoin, vanilla-balsamic and velvety, wrap the scent in a final, opulent exhalation.
Soucis de Schiaparelli is not merely a perfume; it’s a composition that evokes candlelit salons, velvet shadows, and the daring sophistication of a woman who wears memory and mystery like a second skin. It does not conform—it commands.
Bottles:
Fate of the Fragrance:
The fragrance "Soucis de Schiaparelli," once a symbol of timeless elegance and artistic innovation, quietly slipped into obscurity, its final traces fading with the passage of time. Discontinued, the exact date of its departure from the market remains elusive, leaving only fragments of its legacy scattered across historical records. The last whisper of its presence echoes in a newspaper ad dating back to 1938, a fleeting glimpse into an era when its floral chypre notes and dominant sandalwood essence graced the wrists of discerning wearers. Though no longer in production, Soucis de Schiaparelli lives on in the memories of those who cherished its unique blend of sophistication and allure, a testament to the ephemeral nature of beauty and fragrance in the ever-evolving tapestry of fashion history.
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