Vintage Shaver
Seattle, WA
(This post was last modified: 05-23-2020, 05:52 PM by churchilllafemme.)
Chypre
Chypre is the collective term for a group or type of perfumes which get their character through the combination of a fresh Eau de Cologne-like top note and a foundation comprised mainly of oakmoss, labdanum, and patchouli. Pronounced 'sheepra,' French for 'Cyprus' the term is often credited with first use by François Coty, a Mediterranean merchant from Corsica, to describe the aromas he found on that Greek island. He created a woodsy, mossy, citrusy perfume named Chypre, which was launched by his Coty company in 1917. Classic chypre fragrances generally had sparkling citrus, fruit, and floral notes over a dark, earthy base. Modern chypre fragrances usually use less (or no) oakmoss because of regulatory restrictions; sometimes they use synthetic substitutes.
The classical chypre is defined as a combination of three key notes — citrus (often bergamot), floral (classically, rockrose, labdanum, or jasmine), and oakmoss (a tree lichen that grow on oaks, mainly in the Balkans), combined with animalic, woody (often patchouli) tones and amber or musk. Some experts claim that all five elements must be present. The past few years have seen the revival of the family in both men's and women's products. When the market is flooded with many new launches each year, the ability to stand out is important. But at the same time, fragrance companies are afraid that too strong of a character will be a deterrent. Chypre fragrances are often able to strike the middle ground in this respect, which may partially explain the renewed interest in them. While chypres have seen varying popularity in most countries, they have remained a steady favorite in southern Europe. In addition, with fashion trending towards retro, it is not surprising that fragrance families with long histories such as chypre are coming back.
The chypre family actually was not created by François Coty when he launched his Chypre in 1917. In fact, the oldest perfume factory in the world, dating to 4000 years ago, was discovered in Pyrgos Mavrorachi (Greek for 'fortress on the black slope') on Cyprus. And chypre was a common blend of mossy and animalic raw materials during the time of the Roman empire. During the Middle Ages and Renaissance, Cypriots experimented with 'Cipria,' a cosmetic face powder infused with their local aromatic blends. The vogue for powdered wigs in western Europe in the 17th century made Cipria one of the most widely used cosmetic products, and the name is still referenced in Italian to this day for cosmetic powder. Chypre as a name for an accord is often mentioned in 18th century perfume manuals. In the early 20th century, Guerlain had at least two chypres, Chypre de Paris and Chypre, both pre-1917. Still, Coty must be given credit for solidly establishing chypre as a fragrance family. He took the classical idea and gave it well-defined structure and distinct form. The classical chypre as we know it today is largely due to Coty Chypre establishing this convention. Ironically, its novelty was the reason for an initial brief resistance at the time of its launch – the rather startling, rough beauty of Chypre is mesmerizing, but it often remains too aggressive. However, chypre quickly became widely popular and created a trend for such 'heavy green' perfumes.
In addition to producing a chypre at least 8 years before Coty did, Jacques Guerlain — the great perfumer heading the house with his name – refined the chypre family shortly after Coty's launch of his product. In creating Mitsouko, Guerlain softened the animalic impact of Coty’s Chypre, infused it with the sweetness of ripe peaches, and added a spicy touch against the backdrop of a mossy-woody accord.
The unique combination of accords in chypre creates a sensual and mysterious effect, due to the warm/cool contrast of the materials. While classical chypres are often dark and rich, modern chypres based on experiments with various moss aroma materials and the new family of ambers tend to have a transparency paired with complexity and depth.
Over the years, the family has evolved tremendously and become more varied and complex. Now, as long as the key elements of chypre are present in some form, a fragrance can be called a chypre. Because they smell like perfume, i.e. an 'external fragrance,' chypres project an image of luxury, sophistication, and status. They can be cerebral, cool and aloof or they can be intimate like scents wafting from the boudoir. Because of their variable tones, it is common to confuse the chypres with the heavily woody Orientals or with green woody florals.
Chypres can distributed generally into family subcategories based on their dominant tone:
- Green: grassy, herbal
- Fruity (citrus): singular or blends of bergamot, orange, lemon or neroli, other fruits less often
- Woody (primarily oakmoss): mossy and woody
- Patchouli: camphoraceous and woody
- Animalic or Musk: sweet, powdery, and animalic. (Usually synthetic in modern products.)
- Floral: flowery
On the basic scaffolding of key elements, the perfumer can add accent pieces that make the perfume lean this or that direction, placing it somewhat into one of the subcategories. Add more of the green notes of grasses, herbs, and green-smelling florals (such as hyacinth) and one has 'green chypres.' Emphasize the woodier notes of patchouli, vetiver, and pine needles and one has the 'woody chypres.' Increase the notes of ripe fruits - such as citrus or plum and peach - and one has the historically important 'fruity chypres' (such as Guerlain Mitsouko). Add lots of discernible flowers and the 'floral chypres' are produced. Additional aldehydes on top make for an 'aldehydic chypre.' With the inclusion of copious animal ingredients the 'animalic chypres' appear. Finally, although technically a separate family, according to La Société Française des Parfumeurs, called 'cuir/leather fragrances,' there are a few perfumes that mingle notes reminiscent of leather goods with the general elements of a chypre, such as Chanel Cuir de Russie.
In the commonly used Michael Edwards classification system, chypres fall mostly into the 'mossy woods' category, as Edwards doesn't include a chypre family per se, but rather places them between woods and orientals. 'Nouveau chypres,' introduced in the early 2000s, are not technically chypres in the classical sense, but rather 'woody floral musk' fragrances, with a 'clean' patchouli and vetiver base standing in for the reduced ratio of oakmoss allowed by modern industry regulations regarding allergens. (Oakmoss is considered a skin sensitizer.)
Since the mid-1980's, Karl Lagerfeld cologne, simply called 'Lagerfeld,' has been the quintessential modern chypre scent for both men and women, although there are many others. Men's chypre fragrances include Antonio Puig Sybaris; Atkinsons Duke; Avon Class Act and True Force; Basile Uomo; Borsalino for Men; Bronnley English Fern and James Bronnley; Caesars Man; Coty Stetson; Creed Erolfa and Vintage Tabarome; Domenico Caraceni 1913; Floris JF; G.F. Trumper Curzon Cologne; Halston Z; Kappa Nero Man; Lancome Sagamore and Trophee; Lanvin Monsieur; Lentheric Hallmark; Liz Claiborne for Men; Maxim's Pour Homme; Novaya Zarya Chypre and Only You; Penhaligon's Racquets, Quercus, and Douro; Perry Ellis Night; Ralph Lauren Polo Crest; Romeo Gigli for Man; Royal Copenhagen for Men; Shiseido Basala; and Yves Saint Laurent La Collection Pour Homme. And among the most popular have been Aramis 900 and Devin; Guerlain Habit Rouge, Mouchoir de Monsieur, and Shalimar; Knize Ten; Yatagan; Caron Pour Un Homme; Yves Saint Laurent M7; Guerlain Derby; Chanel Pour Monsieur; Gucci Pour Homme; Nicolai New York; Armani Eau Pour Homme; Versace L'Homme; Dior Eau Sauvage; Tom Ford Moss Breches; Geoffrey Beene Grey Flannel; and Monsieur de Givenchy. Finally, marketed for both sexes, Guerlain Mitsouko remains the standard for the fragrance family.
Chypre is the collective term for a group or type of perfumes which get their character through the combination of a fresh Eau de Cologne-like top note and a foundation comprised mainly of oakmoss, labdanum, and patchouli. Pronounced 'sheepra,' French for 'Cyprus' the term is often credited with first use by François Coty, a Mediterranean merchant from Corsica, to describe the aromas he found on that Greek island. He created a woodsy, mossy, citrusy perfume named Chypre, which was launched by his Coty company in 1917. Classic chypre fragrances generally had sparkling citrus, fruit, and floral notes over a dark, earthy base. Modern chypre fragrances usually use less (or no) oakmoss because of regulatory restrictions; sometimes they use synthetic substitutes.
The classical chypre is defined as a combination of three key notes — citrus (often bergamot), floral (classically, rockrose, labdanum, or jasmine), and oakmoss (a tree lichen that grow on oaks, mainly in the Balkans), combined with animalic, woody (often patchouli) tones and amber or musk. Some experts claim that all five elements must be present. The past few years have seen the revival of the family in both men's and women's products. When the market is flooded with many new launches each year, the ability to stand out is important. But at the same time, fragrance companies are afraid that too strong of a character will be a deterrent. Chypre fragrances are often able to strike the middle ground in this respect, which may partially explain the renewed interest in them. While chypres have seen varying popularity in most countries, they have remained a steady favorite in southern Europe. In addition, with fashion trending towards retro, it is not surprising that fragrance families with long histories such as chypre are coming back.
The chypre family actually was not created by François Coty when he launched his Chypre in 1917. In fact, the oldest perfume factory in the world, dating to 4000 years ago, was discovered in Pyrgos Mavrorachi (Greek for 'fortress on the black slope') on Cyprus. And chypre was a common blend of mossy and animalic raw materials during the time of the Roman empire. During the Middle Ages and Renaissance, Cypriots experimented with 'Cipria,' a cosmetic face powder infused with their local aromatic blends. The vogue for powdered wigs in western Europe in the 17th century made Cipria one of the most widely used cosmetic products, and the name is still referenced in Italian to this day for cosmetic powder. Chypre as a name for an accord is often mentioned in 18th century perfume manuals. In the early 20th century, Guerlain had at least two chypres, Chypre de Paris and Chypre, both pre-1917. Still, Coty must be given credit for solidly establishing chypre as a fragrance family. He took the classical idea and gave it well-defined structure and distinct form. The classical chypre as we know it today is largely due to Coty Chypre establishing this convention. Ironically, its novelty was the reason for an initial brief resistance at the time of its launch – the rather startling, rough beauty of Chypre is mesmerizing, but it often remains too aggressive. However, chypre quickly became widely popular and created a trend for such 'heavy green' perfumes.
In addition to producing a chypre at least 8 years before Coty did, Jacques Guerlain — the great perfumer heading the house with his name – refined the chypre family shortly after Coty's launch of his product. In creating Mitsouko, Guerlain softened the animalic impact of Coty’s Chypre, infused it with the sweetness of ripe peaches, and added a spicy touch against the backdrop of a mossy-woody accord.
The unique combination of accords in chypre creates a sensual and mysterious effect, due to the warm/cool contrast of the materials. While classical chypres are often dark and rich, modern chypres based on experiments with various moss aroma materials and the new family of ambers tend to have a transparency paired with complexity and depth.
Over the years, the family has evolved tremendously and become more varied and complex. Now, as long as the key elements of chypre are present in some form, a fragrance can be called a chypre. Because they smell like perfume, i.e. an 'external fragrance,' chypres project an image of luxury, sophistication, and status. They can be cerebral, cool and aloof or they can be intimate like scents wafting from the boudoir. Because of their variable tones, it is common to confuse the chypres with the heavily woody Orientals or with green woody florals.
Chypres can distributed generally into family subcategories based on their dominant tone:
- Green: grassy, herbal
- Fruity (citrus): singular or blends of bergamot, orange, lemon or neroli, other fruits less often
- Woody (primarily oakmoss): mossy and woody
- Patchouli: camphoraceous and woody
- Animalic or Musk: sweet, powdery, and animalic. (Usually synthetic in modern products.)
- Floral: flowery
On the basic scaffolding of key elements, the perfumer can add accent pieces that make the perfume lean this or that direction, placing it somewhat into one of the subcategories. Add more of the green notes of grasses, herbs, and green-smelling florals (such as hyacinth) and one has 'green chypres.' Emphasize the woodier notes of patchouli, vetiver, and pine needles and one has the 'woody chypres.' Increase the notes of ripe fruits - such as citrus or plum and peach - and one has the historically important 'fruity chypres' (such as Guerlain Mitsouko). Add lots of discernible flowers and the 'floral chypres' are produced. Additional aldehydes on top make for an 'aldehydic chypre.' With the inclusion of copious animal ingredients the 'animalic chypres' appear. Finally, although technically a separate family, according to La Société Française des Parfumeurs, called 'cuir/leather fragrances,' there are a few perfumes that mingle notes reminiscent of leather goods with the general elements of a chypre, such as Chanel Cuir de Russie.
In the commonly used Michael Edwards classification system, chypres fall mostly into the 'mossy woods' category, as Edwards doesn't include a chypre family per se, but rather places them between woods and orientals. 'Nouveau chypres,' introduced in the early 2000s, are not technically chypres in the classical sense, but rather 'woody floral musk' fragrances, with a 'clean' patchouli and vetiver base standing in for the reduced ratio of oakmoss allowed by modern industry regulations regarding allergens. (Oakmoss is considered a skin sensitizer.)
Since the mid-1980's, Karl Lagerfeld cologne, simply called 'Lagerfeld,' has been the quintessential modern chypre scent for both men and women, although there are many others. Men's chypre fragrances include Antonio Puig Sybaris; Atkinsons Duke; Avon Class Act and True Force; Basile Uomo; Borsalino for Men; Bronnley English Fern and James Bronnley; Caesars Man; Coty Stetson; Creed Erolfa and Vintage Tabarome; Domenico Caraceni 1913; Floris JF; G.F. Trumper Curzon Cologne; Halston Z; Kappa Nero Man; Lancome Sagamore and Trophee; Lanvin Monsieur; Lentheric Hallmark; Liz Claiborne for Men; Maxim's Pour Homme; Novaya Zarya Chypre and Only You; Penhaligon's Racquets, Quercus, and Douro; Perry Ellis Night; Ralph Lauren Polo Crest; Romeo Gigli for Man; Royal Copenhagen for Men; Shiseido Basala; and Yves Saint Laurent La Collection Pour Homme. And among the most popular have been Aramis 900 and Devin; Guerlain Habit Rouge, Mouchoir de Monsieur, and Shalimar; Knize Ten; Yatagan; Caron Pour Un Homme; Yves Saint Laurent M7; Guerlain Derby; Chanel Pour Monsieur; Gucci Pour Homme; Nicolai New York; Armani Eau Pour Homme; Versace L'Homme; Dior Eau Sauvage; Tom Ford Moss Breches; Geoffrey Beene Grey Flannel; and Monsieur de Givenchy. Finally, marketed for both sexes, Guerlain Mitsouko remains the standard for the fragrance family.
John
