Fleur Qui Meurt by Guerlain c1901

Fleur Qui Meurt, launched in 1901 by Jacques Guerlain, embodies a poignant fusion of beauty and impermanence, encapsulated by its evocative name. Translated from French, "Fleur Qui Meurt" means "The Flower That Dies." This name poetically captures the fleeting nature of floral splendor and evokes a sense of both melancholy and nostalgia. It suggests a final, bittersweet moment when a flower’s fragrance reaches its peak before succumbing to the inevitability of decay. This duality of ephemeral beauty and sorrowful finality is reflected in the fragrance’s composition and emotional resonance.

The fragrance opens with a delicate, powdery violet, which captures the sweet, ephemeral essence of a flower in its prime. The violet, known for its soft, velvety texture, is mingled with costus and reseda, creating a blend that is both floral and slightly earthy. These top notes evoke a vivid image of a garden in full bloom, where the freshness of green notes adds a lively touch, yet hints at the impending melancholy of the flower's decline.

As the scent develops, the heart reveals a rich tapestry of floral and earthy tones. Jasmine, with its heady, intoxicating aroma, blends with the powdery orris root, evoking a sense of vintage elegance and nostalgia. The inclusion of heliotrope adds a warm, almond-like sweetness, while patchouli and vetiver provide a grounding, earthy depth. This heart reflects the beauty and complexity of the flower’s mid-life stage, a time of full bloom before the inevitable fading.

In the base, the fragrance settles into a chypre foundation characterized by oakmoss, acacia, and musk. Oakmoss imparts a deep, forest-like quality, evoking the image of the flower's final resting place, while acacia offers a soft, resinous warmth. Musk, with its subtle sensuality, lingers like the last whispers of the flower's once-vibrant perfume, now softened by time.

For women of the early 20th century, Fleur Qui Meurt would have represented a sophisticated blend of floral beauty and profound sentiment. The early 1900s were a period of rapid change and introspection, with a growing appreciation for perfumes that told a story or conveyed deeper emotional truths. The scent’s evocative name and its composition would have resonated with the era’s fascination with the transient nature of beauty and the poignant charm of flowers in their final moments.

The fragrance may have also drawn inspiration from the French song "Perfume of a Flower" (Poème de Chine) by Emile Blémont. The lyrics of this song speak to the fleeting nature of beauty and the inevitable decline of the flower's fragrance, aligning closely with the sentiment captured in Fleur Qui Meurt. The fragrance, like the poem, celebrates the ephemeral beauty of the flower, making it a fitting olfactory tribute to both the poetry and the fleeting allure of nature.

Violet has long held a cherished place in perfumery, renowned for its delicate and distinctive fragrance. In the 19th century, violet perfumes became exceedingly popular, celebrated for their powdery, sweet, and slightly green aroma. The violet's contribution to perfumery was significant, embodying a subtle elegance that was both versatile and captivating. The scent of violet was valued for its ability to impart a sense of freshness and refinement, making it a sought-after note in a variety of fragrance compositions.

At the time, violets were typically sourced from the lush fields and gardens of Europe. The flowers were carefully harvested, often in spring, when their scent was at its most potent. Natural extracts were meticulously crafted through processes like enfleurage, where flowers were layered into fats to absorb their essence, or through distillation, where steam was used to extract the fragrance. These methods allowed perfumers to capture the essence of violets in its most authentic form.

As the 19th century progressed, the landscape of perfumery began to evolve with the introduction of new synthetics and aroma compounds. Traditional violet perfumes were composed using natural extracts, infusions, and tinctures, which provided a rich, complex scent profile. However, as the century drew to a close, advancements in chemistry led to the development of synthetics like vanillin and methyl ionones. These compounds allowed for a more consistent and enduring violet scent, enabling perfumers to create violet fragrances with enhanced stability and broader appeal.

In this context, Guerlain's choice of the name Fleur Qui Meurt for their violet perfume in 1901 reflects both a tribute to the classic violet scent and an innovative approach to capturing its essence. By naming the fragrance "The Flower That Dies," Guerlain not only emphasized the ephemeral beauty of the violet but also distinguished their creation from others in the crowded market. The formula for Fleur Qui Meurt would have combined traditional violet notes with the newly discovered synthetics, creating a perfume that honored the past while embracing modern advancements in fragrance creation. This approach ensured that Guerlain's violet perfume stood out, offering a unique interpretation of a beloved floral note.

Fragrance Composition:

What does it smell like? It is classified as a powdery floral chypre musk fragrance for women. Powdery violets over a musky chypre base.

• Top notes: violet, costus, reseda, green notes
• Middle notes: jasmine, orris, violet, heliotrope, patchouli, vetiver
• Base notes: oakmoss, acacia and musk

Scent Profile:

Fleur Qui Meurt opens with an ethereal breath of violet, delicate yet rich, evoking a bouquet of freshly gathered flowers with their velvety petals. The soft sweetness of the violet mingles with the earthy, slightly animalic scent of costus root, which adds a raw, grounding edge to the otherwise delicate top notes. 

Reseda, also known as mignonette, weaves through the blend, offering a hint of warm, honeyed green, balancing the powdery nature of the violet with a touch of freshness that is alive and vibrant, like the dewy foliage of a spring garden.

As the fragrance settles, the heart reveals a symphony of floral and earthy tones. Jasmine enters with its heady, narcotic scent, like the fragrance of a sultry evening garden in full bloom. The orris root brings an undeniable powderiness, soft and buttery, with an almost vintage elegance that harkens back to the scent of fine talcum powder. 

Violet continues to dance in the heart, deepening the floral experience with its cool, tender presence, while heliotrope adds a soft, almond-like sweetness that feels warm and comforting. Patchouli, with its dark, earthy aroma, intertwines with vetiver, adding depth and a slightly smoky, grassy edge, hinting at the chypre structure that will fully bloom in the base.

As the fragrance transitions to its base, the chypre character becomes more pronounced. Oakmoss rises to the surface, with its earthy, almost leathery scent, grounding the florals and giving the fragrance a mossy, forest-like quality. 

The acacia offers a resinous sweetness, wrapping the scent in a gentle warmth, while the musk adds an animalic sensuality that is soft yet persistent, lingering on the skin like a delicate veil. Together, these base notes create a timeless, powdery floral chypre with a soft musky undertone, leaving a trail that feels both nostalgic and intimate.

Country Life, 1902:

"M. Guerlain who is an authority on all matters relating to the uses and abuses of scents, says that it is the greatest mistake to imagine that sachet powder perfumes. According to him, the only pleasant way of perfuming "laces, linen, and ladies," is with an extract and a vaporiser; nothing else is of any real use. 

It is also a mistake to adopt one perfume alone, for it is essential not only to vary one's perfume with the seasons, but for every occasion. We do not wear the same dress in the evening as in the morning, in a motor car, or in the saddle, and a moment's reflection will show that the scent that is agreeable in the open air can be offensive at a dinner table. If we once study this question, as it should be studied by all women of refined taste, we shall find that we cannot do better than follow the Parisienne, who never favours what are called extracts of flowers - carnation, lilac, mignonette, etc. 

She has learnt that the majority of these scents are made from petroleum or terpinol, and have nothing in common with the names they bear. Let us follow her in her selection for spring. She chooses "Tsao Ko" or "Jicky" for morning ride in the Bois, "Fleur qui meurt" for a dinner party, and "Jardin de mon Curé" for the Opera. If you are passing through the Rue de la Paix, call in at Guerlain's and judge how exquisite is her taste."

Blanco y negro - Volume 12, 1902:

"The Revival of Les Effrontés - Recently, the revival of Les Effrontés was staged at the Comédie Française. The first performance of Augier's comedy took place on January 18, 1861, and even then, the author celebrated the perfumes of Guerlain. Since then, many things have changed, but Guerlain has remained in vogue. Mlle Sorel, the charming performer in Les Effrontés, was still able to praise these perfumes, as she filled the hall with the veiled aromas of Fleur Qui Meurt."

 

La Ilustración española y americana - Volume 46, 1902:

"November. The first truly sad month. The trees shed their bare branches, the gardens lose their elegant and beautiful ornamentation and the elegant woman only keeps the memory of nature fainting, inhaling the delicate perfume of Guerlain Fleur Qui Meurt."

Museo universal - Volume 47, 1903:

"France is the blossoming garden of Europe, and Nice, the Queen of the Mediterranean, perfumes the entire world with the exquisite fragrances that Guerlain extracts from its flowers. This explains why elegant women from all countries have adopted Fleur Qui Meurt, a scent that is both sweet and delicate."

Harper's Weekly, 1903:

"If there is a perfume more widespread than all others is the Violet; unfortunately the great majority of the Extracts of Violet are to be attributed to chemical combinations. Guerlain, who levies upon the flowers alone to yield to their balmy treasures, has succeeded in obtaining the quintessence of exquisite Violet perfumes in his delightful Fleur Qui Meurt."

Bottles:

Fleur Qui Meurt, the delicate violet flower that died too soon, 

Fleur Qui Meurt was presented in a bottle called "fleuri" because it was marketed with a bouquet of mauve silk flowers encircled by a collar on the bottle neck." However, these flowers are often missing today.

Flacon Carre (Square) c1879 - ?:

Created by Pochet et du Courval to hold eaux de toilettes, eaux de colognes and lotion vegetal. It was mostly used in the 1870’s and 1880’s to hold the fragrances from Guerlain; and its apothecary shape was typical of the bottles used by all fragrance houses at that time.

Flacon Borne (Boundary Stone) c1931- 1960s:

Made by Pochet et du Courval to house extraits of Shalimar, Mitsouko, Jicky, L'Heure Bleue, Sillage and others.

• 82cc/82ml/2.7 oz - 10,5cm/4.13" (1931), ground blue glass truncated stopper in the shape of a French policeman's cap 
• World War II Version, all clear glass, without cobalt blue band.

Flacon de Guerre (War Time Edition) c1938-1945:

 Pochet et du Courval created this bottle to house extraits of Shalimar, Jicky, Guerlinade, Fleur de Feu, Mitsouko, L'Heure Bleue, Liu, Kadine, Verveine,Vague Souvenir, Champs Elysees, Geranium d'Espagne, Jasmiralda, Lilas, Bouquet de Faunes, Guerlilas, Gavotte, Coque d'Or, Imperial Russe, Fleur Qui Meurt, Gardenia, and others.

• 10cc/10ml/0.388 oz (1939-1945) 
• 20cc/20ml/0.676 oz (1939-1945) 
• 30cc/30ml/1 oz (1938-1945) 
• 40cc/40ml/1.35 oz (1938-1945) 
• 82cc/82ml/2.77 oz - 10,3cm/4.06" (1938-1945) 
• 125cc/125ml/4.2 oz (1938-1945) 
• 250cc/250ml/8.4 oz (1938-1945) 
• 500cc/500ml/16.9 oz (1938-1945)

Fate of the Fragrance:

Fleur Qui Meurt by Guerlain, a fragrant masterpiece of the early 20th century, experienced a gradual decline in availability, with its discontinuation occurring at an unspecified date. By 1941, the fragrance was still on the market, indicating its enduring appeal despite the passage of time and the changing tides of perfume trends.

The exact date of discontinuation for Fleur Qui Meurt remains elusive, but its presence in 1941 suggests that it continued to captivate audiences well into the mid-20th century. This longevity underscores the perfume's significance and the lasting impression it made on its wearers. The name itself, meaning "The Flower That Dies," evokes a poignant sense of beauty and impermanence, mirroring the gradual fading of the fragrance from Guerlain's lineup.

During this period, the world was embroiled in significant social and historical upheavals, including the challenges of World War II. Despite these turbulent times, Fleur Qui Meurt managed to retain a place in the hearts of those who cherished its delicate violet scent. The perfume's continued availability in 1941 highlights its classic appeal and the nostalgia it inspired, offering a fragrant escape into a bygone era even as the world around it transformed.

The eventual discontinuation of Fleur Qui Meurt marked the end of an era for this distinguished fragrance. Its departure from the market signifies the natural progression of the perfume industry, where iconic scents are sometimes phased out to make way for new innovations and trends. Yet, for those who remember it, Fleur Qui Meurt remains a cherished relic of Guerlain's storied history, a testament to the timeless allure of violet and the art of perfumery.