Chamade c1969

Chamade was created by Jean-Paul Guerlain in 1969, and it was inspired by the Francoise Sagan's novel “La Chamade”. In the time of Napoleon, ‘chamade’ was a very fast drumbeat that called to retreat.

"Chamade—The start of a love story is something as small as a moment's heartfall. Guerlain named Chamade after that moment."

From Guerlain:

"In the time of Napoleon’s armies, generals communicated by drumbeat. There was a particular drum roll, called Chamade, which meant to beat a retreat. Who can say that their heart has never beat a retreat to the rhythm of Chamade? Created in 1969 by Jean-Paul Guerlain, Chamade illustrates this exceptional moment, when the heart surrenders to love. 

A heart that beats "la chamade" translates the effervescence of love, the moment when the heart capitulates in the face of emotional intensity. This perfume is a hymn to love that unfurls like the spring with equal grace, femininity, independence and attraction. With flowers in a thousand nuanced shades, this perfume speaks of a romantic and audacious woman who serenely accepts the inclinations of her heart. 

Fruity Floral Oriental. Dynamic, assertive, seductive. 

For the first time in perfumery, Guerlain introduced to a formula the green and fruity accent of blackcurrant bud, freshened with a green harmony of hyacinth. Lastly, this symphony is embellished with Guerlinade, which majestically showcases jasmine, vanilla and sandalwood. 

Chamade marked the first use of blackcurrant bud in perfumery.
At Guerlain, Chamade also initiated the first accord around hyacinth over a Guerlinade base."

Fragrance Composition:

So what does it smell like? It is classified as a powdery floral fragrance for women. It is a sparkling, aldehydic,  jasmine, jonquil, lily of the valley, tuberose,  vetiver with dominant galbanum, hyacinth and Turkish rose notes. A heady blend of flowers from the fields of Grasse, and rare oils from the orient.

• Top notes: rose, bergamot, jonquil, hyacinth, jasmine, lilac, aldehydes
• Middle notes: tuberose, Turkish rose, lily of the valley, cloves, galbanum, iris, black currant buds, ylang-ylang
• Base notes: vetiver, vanilla, benzoin, amber, sandalwood, Peru balsam, tolu balsam, musk, tonka bean

House Beautiful, 1972:

"Guerlain Inc. has a complete Chamade wardrobe this spring with bath oil, dusting powder, talc and soap in a tender fragrance that stirs the heart (of another) and makes pulses (your own and his) sing. Chamade, which in French means rush of emotion, is a lovely, lingering fragrance."

Esquire, 1975:

"Next is Guerlain's Chamade, in the striated, heart-shaped bottle. "Chamade." loosely translated from the French, means a rush of emotion or wild beating, so expect a heady fragrance. It is $35 an ounce."

The line consisted of the following products in the late 1960s-1970s:

• Parfum
• Parfum Spray
• Eau de Toilette
• Eau de Cologne
• Spray Cologne
• Film Spray Parfumé
• Capillaque
• Bath Oil
• Déodorant
• Talc 
• Crème Hydratante
• Flanelle pour le linge

Bottles:

The fragrant love story is rounded by a pretty bottle in a shape of an upside down turned heart, pierced by an arrow – a symbol of surrender to love, in a bottle made by Pochet et du Courval (parfum). It was also available in the Goutte flacon (eau de toilette) and the Montre flacon (eau de cologne).

c1977-1983, eau de toilette (limited edition) Louis XVI flacon, photo by ebay seller 2004chopin.

Fate of the Fragrance:

The fragrance has been reformulated over the years.

As of 2016, the Eau de Parfum has been discontinued.

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