Sous Le Vent by Guerlain c1932

Sous le Vent, launched by Guerlain in 1932, was a perfume deeply inspired by the Caribbean and its sun-soaked, wind-swept landscapes. Its name, "Sous le Vent", which translates from French as "Under the Wind" or "Southern Breezes," captures the essence of the downwind breeze that blows through the Leeward Islands. Pronounced "SOO-LUH-VON", the name alone evokes images of warm, fragrant air, gently carrying the scents of mimosa blossoms, salty sea breezes, and the rich, sun-baked earth of the tropics. This perfume conjures the romance of travel and exotic escapes, of mimosa-covered hills and sandy shores kissed by the ocean's mist. It is a scent designed to carry the wearer far away, to distant lands where nature's beauty intertwines with the freedom of the wind.

The scent itself is an aromatic chypre, a category known for its complexity, often combining fresh citrus and herbaceous notes with earthy, mossy bases. Sous le Vent is infused with the lush, seductive sweetness of mimosa, a flower synonymous with the tropics, complemented by the fresh tang of woods and the salty spray of the sea air. These elements blend to create a fragrance that is both exotic and familiar, sensual yet grounding, much like the southern breeze it was named after. The inspiration for the perfume was drawn from a Caribbean cruise, which Jacques Guerlain had taken, sparking his imagination with the intoxicating landscapes and vibrant atmosphere of the region. The wind, laden with the scent of tropical flora and salty sea air, is captured in this perfume, evoking a sense of freedom and adventure. It carries with it the dream of escape and relaxation, far from the complexities of urban life.

The perfume's creation for Josephine Baker, an American-born French entertainer, adds yet another layer of depth to its story. Baker, famed for her glamorous stage presence and her embodiment of both freedom and sensuality, was a symbol of the Jazz Age's spirit of liberation. She was also deeply connected to France, where she became an icon, admired for her talent and her bold, unapologetic persona. Sous le Vent was designed to reflect Baker’s vivaciousness, her exotic allure, and her ability to enchant audiences. As a woman who often performed in extravagant, tropical-inspired costumes, such as her famous banana skirt, she represented a kind of liberated femininity that was both playful and powerful, qualities echoed in the perfume.

 

In the 1930s, the idea of travel and faraway lands fascinated the European imagination, especially among women who were beginning to embrace more freedom in their personal lives. The modern woman of that era, inspired by the allure of the exotic, would have been drawn to a perfume like Sous le Vent, which embodied not only luxury but also the spirit of adventure. The scent would allow her to imagine herself on a voyage, perhaps to the tropical shores of Guadeloupe or the Caribbean, swept away by the romanticism of the southern breeze. Perfumes at the time were often a way for women to express their individuality and desires, and Sous le Vent—with its blend of mimosa, woods, and sea air—offered an escape, a sensory journey that symbolized freedom, sensuality, and exotic beauty.

Josephine Baker, who had a love for travel and had adopted France as her home, represented the perfect muse for such a fragrance. Her life embodied the cultural and racial fusion that Sous le Vent suggests—a blending of worlds, much like the blend of scents within the fragrance itself. Guerlain's choice to honor her with this perfume was not only a testament to her influence but also a celebration of the liberation and creativity she inspired in women everywhere. It was a time when women were breaking free from the constraints of the past, and Sous le Vent, with its intoxicating, wind-swept notes, allowed them to indulge in that freedom and the promise of far-off, sun-drenched lands.

 

Original Fragrance Composition:

So what does it smell like? It is classified as an aromatic chypre fragrance for women with the haunting sweetness of mimosa and the tang of sea air.

• Top notes: cyclamen, anise, bergamot, galbanum, mimosa
• Middle notes: jasmine, rose, lily of the valley, ylang ylang, verbena, tarragon, lavender, myrtle
• Base notes: oakmoss, balsamic notes and musk

Scent Profile:

As I breathe in the first delicate waft of Sous Le Vent, I am immediately greeted by a burst of light, refreshing floral and herbal aromas. The fragrance opens with the fresh, slightly peppery scent of cyclamen, a flower that brings to mind soft petals on a dewy morning. Its understated sweetness is quickly followed by the distinctive sharpness of anise, its licorice-like quality adding a faint spiciness that dances lightly on the air. 

The brightness of bergamot soon sweeps in, a citrusy energy that feels like sunlight breaking through, lifting the senses with its tangy, zesty warmth. Then comes galbanum, a green, resinous note, grounding the top layer with its earthy sharpness, reminding me of freshly snapped stems or a walk through a damp forest. 

Hovering just beneath these initial notes is the ethereal sweetness of mimosa—haunting, powdery, and soft, its scent is like golden pollen carried on a tropical breeze, gentle yet alluring, setting the stage for the unfolding journey.

As the fragrance deepens, the heart notes begin to bloom, each one richer and more complex than the last. The soft, heady scent of jasmine rises first, intoxicating and opulent, its creamy petals evoking warm, sensual nights. The rose that follows is less sweet, more velvety, its rich red petals adding depth and elegance, while lily of the valley introduces a fresh, green, almost watery sweetness, like the first blush of spring. 

The lush, exotic floralcy of ylang ylang weaves through these notes, its waxy, banana-like scent both tropical and warm, evoking distant shores and sultry evenings. But before the florals overwhelm, a hint of verbena brings a bright, citrusy sharpness, while the unexpected presence of tarragon adds a hint of spice and green, herbal complexity that cuts through the florals like a fresh gust of wind. 

Lavender lends a familiar, soothing herbaceous quality, calming and timeless, while myrtle, with its slightly medicinal, evergreen scent, brings a cooling, refreshing touch, as though the breeze has picked up speed, rustling through the foliage.

Finally, the base notes emerge, grounding the fragrance with a deep, earthy richness. Oakmoss provides the classic chypre foundation, its dark, damp, mossy aroma evoking the cool, shaded depths of a jungle's forest floor, wet with rain and alive with the scent of ancient trees. The balsamic notes seep through, adding a sweet, resinous warmth that feels both comforting and exotic, like the lingering trace of incense in a hidden temple. 

As the perfume settles, the musk becomes more pronounced, adding a soft, animalic warmth that is at once sensual and enveloping. It clings to the skin like the memory of a warm embrace, intimate and lasting. Together, these base notes evoke the tang of the sea air—clean, fresh, and slightly salty, mingling with the scent of damp woods, earth, and the faint sweetness of far-off blossoms carried on the breeze.

Sous Le Vent is an olfactory journey through lush, mimosa-clad hills, over damp, shaded forests, and across the tangy salt air of the sea. It is both refreshing and grounding, capturing the romance of far-off places and the freedom of the southern breeze. 

Each ingredient plays its part in this symphony of scent, with top notes that sparkle and intrigue, heart notes that bloom and deepen, and base notes that anchor the fragrance in a rich, evocative harmony. The haunting sweetness of mimosa lingers throughout, tying the composition together with its golden, powdery allure, while the damp woods and salty air create a sense of adventure, carrying the wearer away on a breeze to distant, tropical shores.

Marshall Field & Company, 1932:

"Guerlain's new perfume, Sous Le Vent, rises from its irregular bottle as soft and alluring as a southern breeze lingering over a garden of flowers."

 

 

Bottles:

Originally presented in a bottle called the Rayonnant (parfum) in 1934 in various sizes also used for Vol de Nuit, the presentation box simulates zebra skin. From 1949-1972, it was housed inside a bottle shaped like a small keg, the Tonnelet (parfum), the presentation box covered with silver foil and deep yellow striped paper. Also presented in the quadrilobe flacon (parfum), lanterne (parfum), parapluie (parfum), amphore (parfum), Goutte flacon (eau de toilette) and the Montre flacon (eau de cologne).

Flacon Rayonnant (Radiance) c1933-1983:

Baccarat created this flacon to hold Vol de Nuit, it was also used for Sous le Vent. Other bottles were made by Pochet et du Courval. The bottles range from a smoky green to clear. The bottles were often made in limited editions over the years. Stylized to look like the movement of an airplane propeller, a nod to the novelist/aviator Antoine de Saint- Exupery and his book Night Flight (Vol de Nuit)

Baccarat:

• 80cc/80ml/2.7 oz - (limited edition of only 8000 single copies) 
• Pochet et du Courval:
• 10cc/10ml/0.388 oz - 5.3cm/2.09 (1954) changed to 7.5ml/0.25 oz (1962-1981) 
• 20cc/20ml/0.676 oz - 6.6cm/2.6" (1955) changed to 15ml/0.5 oz (1962-1980) 
• 30cc/30ml/1 oz - 7.2cm/2.83" (1934) 
• 40cc/40ml/1.35 oz (1937-1950) 
• 60cc/60ml/2 oz- 8.6cm/3.39" (thickness 2.7cm/1.06", width 6.7cm/2.64") (1962) changed to 55ml/1.86 oz - 8.5cm/3.35" (1977-1983) 
• 82cc/82ml/2.77 oz - 8.5cm/3.35" (thickness 3.1cm/1.22", width 6.9cm/2.72") (1932-1963) 
• 125cc/125ml/4.2 oz - 9.5cm/3.74" (1933) changed to 125ml/125ml/4.2 oz - 9.8/3.86"cm (1979-1984) 
• 250cc/250ml/8.4 oz - 11.8cm/4.65" (1933)

Flacon Tonnelet (Keg) c1934-1950:

Bottle created by Baccarat to hold extraits of Sous le Vent, bottles were also made by Pochet et du Courval over the years.

Baccarat

• 80cc/80ml/2.7 oz - 8.6cm/3.39" (limited edition of only 5000 in 1937) 
• 128cc/128ml/4.33 oz - 12.5cm/4.92" (limited edition of only 3000 copies in 1937) 
• 250cc /250ml/8.4 oz- (limited edition of only 3000 copies in 1937) 

Pochet et du Courval:

• 30cc/30ml/1 oz - 6.8cm/2.68" 
• 80cc/80ml/2.7 oz- 8.6cm/3.39" 
• 128cc/128ml/4.33 oz - 12.5cm/4.92" 
• 250cc/250ml/8.4 oz

Flacon Bouchon Quadrilobe (Quatrefoil Stopper) c1908-Present:

Flacon quadrilobe was made by five different glass manufacturers: Baccarat, Pochet et du Courval, St Gobain Desjonqueres, Cristalleries de Nancy, Cristal Romesnil, Verreries Brosse, and BSN-GD Flaconnage to hold extraits for various perfumes. Some later bottles hold eaux de toilette or eaux de parfum. Baccarat flacon #24. Created in 1908 for the fragrance Rue de la Paix and has been used since as the ‘house bottle’. The labels known as ‘etiquette laurier’ because of the laurel leaf borders, except for the perfume Coque D’Or, Dawamesk, Liu and Fleur de Feu which show a more 'modernist' design.

Since the bottle shape has been used for many decades, the various glassworks needed to modify their original moulds, including the bottle itself and the stopper. One should remember that with the change from ground glass stoppers to ones with the plastic plugs (plastemeri) - this automatically altered the overall capacity and size of the bottles. Atlas & Monniot in their book, mentioned that it would be "unreasonable" to list all the numerous changes that took place with these alterations. They state that "an original mould may have been modified up to five times for a bottle of the same capacity with only slight differences in the size."

NOT SHOWN YET - 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)

Flacon Amphore (Amphora) c1955-1982:

Used for extraits of Ode, Shalimar, Chant D'Aromes, Liu, Jicky, L'Heure Bleue, Mitsouko, Muguet, Chamade, Sous le Vent, Vol de Nuit, Une Fleur. Bottle made by both Baccarat and Pochet et du Courval.

Baccarat Flacons:

• 40cc/40ml/1.35 oz - 14,5cm/5.71" (1955) 
• 80cc/80ml/2.7 oz - 18,3cm/7.2" (1955) 

Pochet et du Courval:

• 15cc/15ml/0.5 oz - 11.5cm/4.53" (1959) ground glass rosebud shaped stopper, changed to plastic rosebud screwcap in 1978. 
• 20cc/20ml/0.676 oz - 11.5cm/4.53" (1955): gilt ground glass rosebud stopper

Flacon de Sac (Purse Bottle) /Parapluie Flacon (Umbrella Bottle) c1952-1978:

A purse vial made by various glass manufacturers: Pochet et du Courval, Brosse and Saint Gobains Desjonqueres, (1952-1978). The first presentations were encased in boxes which coordinated with the perfume's name and style. Later presentations omit the box and the flacon is housed inside of a leather case.

Bottle held extraits of Shalimar, Ode, L'Heure Bleue, Mitsouko, Jasmin, Vega, Jicky, Sous le Vent, Chant D'Aromes, Chamade, Vol de Nuit, Liu and possibly more:

• 7cc/7ml/0.237 oz - 7.8cm/3.07"

Flacon Lanterne (Lantern) c1935-1943:

Flacon created by Pochet et du Courval to hold extraits of Jicky, Rue de la Paix, Sous le Vent, Cuir de Russie, Jasmine, Sous le Vent, and others. The bottle was reissued in 1999 to hold a limited edition extrait of Guet Apens.

• 10cc/10ml/0.338 oz - 5.4cm/2.13" (size reserved for export) 
• 30cc/30ml/1 oz - 7.3cm/2.87" (size reserved for export) 
• 80cc/80ml/2.7 oz - 9.7cm/3.82" (1935-1943) 
• 125cc/125ml/4.2 oz - 11.5cm/4.53" (reissued in 1999 125ml/4.2 oz - 12cm/4.72" for Guet Apens) 
• 250cc/250ml/8.4 oz - 14cm/5.51" (1935-1943)

Flacon Goutte (Teardrop) c1923-2001:

Bottle created by Pochet et du Courval to hold eaux de toilette only. Bottle also made by different manufacturers over the years. Created as the standard Eau de Toilette presentation. The frosted glass stopper is made of two cockle shells; the label depicts two dolphins known as ‘Etiquette Dauphin’.

Different manufacturers:

• 50cc/50ml/1.7 oz - 8 to 9cm/3.15" to 3.54" (1973) replaced by 50ml - 8.9 cm (1983-1988) 
• 100cc/100ml/3.4 oz - 12 to 13cm/4.72" to 5.12" (1938) replaced by 100ml - 12.5 cm (1983-1994) 
• 250cc/250ml/8.4 oz - 16 to 17cm/6.3" to 6.69" (1923) replaced by 250ml - 16.8 cm (1983-1995) 
• 500cc/500ml/16.9 oz - 20 to 21cm/7.87" to 8.27" (1923-2001) 
• 1 liter - 25 to 26cm/9.84" to 10.24" (1923-1999) 

Stoppers:

• 1923-1973: ground glass 
• 1973-1980: glass with plastic dowel 
• 1980-1987: gilded glass with screw on plastic dowel 
• 1987-2002: glass with plastic dowel 

Labels:

• 1923-1979: newsprint dolphin label 
• 1980-1987: black and gold oval label 
• 1987-2001: no label, silkscreened serigraphy on bottle instead

 

NOT SHOWN YET - Flacon Montre (Watch) c1936 - 1999:

Flacon created by Pochet et du Courval to hold eaux de cologne, first used with Cachet Jaune in 1936, also held various other scents such as Shalimar, Mitsouko, Jicky, Fol Arome, Chamade, Chant D'Aromes, Liu, L'Heure Bleue, Vol de Nuit, Sous Le Vent, Chypre 53, Parure and more. A 1950 article reads "Guerlain recommends spraying a room with their famous Shalimar eau de cologne. This is a lighter form of their famous perfume. Because it is lighter, it is less expensive and can be used more lavishly."

• 50cc/50ml/1.7 oz - 11cm/4.33" (1936-1950) 
• 64cc/64ml/2.16 oz - 12.5cm/4.92" (1972-1979) changed 60ml 
• 100cc/100ml/3.4 oz - 14.6cm/5.75" (1936-1999) 
• 125cc/125ml/4.2 oz - 16cm/6.3" (1960-1972) 
• 200cc/200ml/6.7 oz - 18.5cm/7.28" (1936-1999) 
• 400cc/400ml/13.5 oz -9.5" (1936-1972) 
• 500cc/500ml/16.9 oz - 24.3cm/9.57" (1936) 
• 1 liter/1000ml - 30cm/11.81" (1936) 
• 2 liter/2000ml - 37.5cm/14.75" (1970) 
• 3 liter/3000ml - 42cm/16.54" (1979) 

Stoppers:

• 1936-1972: ground glass stopper 
• 1972-1979: gold screw-cap stopper 
• 1979-1999: plastic stopper 

Fate of the Fragrance:

Still available for sale around 1954. The perfume was discontinued sometime around 1972. 

2006 Reformulation & Reissue:

It was reformulated by Jean Paul Guerlain and relaunched in 2006, as part of Guerlain's 'Il Etait Une Fois' collection, in which old fragrances from the Guerlain catalog were revived in limited editions.

In 2007, it was only available at La Maison Guerlain boutique in Neiman Marcus San Francisco, Bergdorf Goodman in New York City, and The Breakers in West Palm Beach. It retailed for $250.

 Unfortunately, it has been discontinued. 

Reformulated Fragrance Composition:

So what does it smell like? It is classified as a leather chypre fragrance for women.

• Top notes of bergamot, lavender, tarragon
• Middle notes of jasmine, carnation and a green accord
• Base notes of iris, oakmoss, leather and precious woods

Bottle: