It was in 1828 that Pierre-François-Pascal founded the Guerlain house. For the occasion, he set up his first store in rue de Rivoli, in Paris. At the time, perfumes were personalized, just like their bottles! Faced with success, the Guerlain house moved in 1914 to 68, avenue Champs Élysée. Today, this address is still the embodiment of French luxury. Guerlain is at the origin of exceptional perfumes which have really marked the world of perfumery such as “Jicky, l’Heure Bleue, Shalimar, La Petite Robe Noire, l’Instant de Guerlain, Idylle…). In 1959, the Guerlain house presented “Guerlain Vétiver”, the perfect embodiment of masculine scent.
Man according to Guerlain
It was in 1959 that Jean-Paul Guerlain imagined “Vetiver”, which he will wear himself thereafter. As its name suggests, this fragrance puts vetiver in the spotlight. The inspiration for “Vetiver” was explained in this way by Jean-Paul Guerlain “At the edge of a wood, a man spoke to me about his love for the earth, the magic of the seasons. Subtle smells permeated me, detaching me from his story. The man exalted an imperceptible smell of tobacco mingling with the scents of nature, underlined by the scents of the generous freshly turned earth… An inspiration had just been born ”. You should know that vetiver is a tropical plant, native to India. Vetiver is an undemanding plant, as it can even withstand periods of severe drought. Vetiver has relaxing, soothing, but it is also used as an aid to venous circulation, or as an immune stimulant. In perfumery, vetiver offers its tenacious, woody and earthy scents. Its fragrance is both sensual and deep. If the bottle underwent a makeover in 2000, the composition, meanwhile, has never changed.
Guerlain Vetiver, woody and aromatic notes
It is therefore Jean-Paul Guerlain who imagined “Vetiver”, which offers all the duality of nature, namely disorder and harmony, freshness and warmth. “Vetiver” begins with citrus notes such as lemon and tangerine and bergamot, then associated with neroli. The heart of “Vetiver” is very masculine, both spicy and woody, because it combines sandalwood, cedar, black pepper. Its base reveals all the beauty of Haitian vetiver, patchouli and tobacco accord. When it was released in 1959, the bottle of “Guerlain Vétiver” had a square and imposing shape. The new bottle is signed Robert Granai. The glass now displays pure and frank lines expressing the power of masculinity. The stopper bears a double-sided metal ring engraved with his name and the signature of the Guerlain house.
One of the timeless successes of the Guerlain “Vétiver” house. Released in 1959, “Vetiver” has never been revisited. Here, it is of course the vetiver which is in the spotlight, but with it, it is also the earth, the woods, the forests and the ultra powerful scents.
