Calèche, the beauty of tradition. Founded in 1837 by Thierry Hermès, the shop was that of a harness maker and saddler who made accessories for horses. It was in 1880 that the Hermès shop moved to rue du Faubourg St Honoré.
Introduced in France in the nineteenth century, the calèche quickly became a timeless carriage, synonymous with modernity and elegance. At the time, wealthy women used it to parade in public and display their refinement. Deeply drawn to the equestrian world since its beginnings, Hermès decided to turn it into a perfume. That is how Calèche appeared, in 1961, in an Eau de Parfum edition and another Eau de Toilette version. Nearly identical, these two women's fragrances nevertheless show a few differences in their respective bottles. Let's decode together the visual of Calèche Eau de Toilette.
The iconic shape of the Hermès bottle
Calèche Eau de Toilette comes in a timeless bottle, relying above all on restraint. As a bit of trivia, this bottle actually appeared before the release of this perfume. It was used for the very first time in 1951, to present L’Eau d’Hermès. Since then, it has been reused very often by the brand, which considers it, moreover, its historic bottle. More specifically, it is a rectangular block of glass, rising skyward, with softened edges. This silhouette echoes the lamp of a carriage, a token of Hermès's deep love for the equestrian world. Indeed, since its founding, the house has been closely tied to the world of horseback riding as well as to travel. The bottle of Calèche Eau de Toilette is therefore a testament to its history, coming down to us as a piece of heritage.
The evolution of the label of Calèche Eau de Toilette
While the bottle of Calèche Eau de Toilette has remained nearly unchanged since the release of this perfume, its label has evolved slightly. At first, it was an oval piece, placed on its front face, at its center. It primarily featured the logo of the Hermès brand, registered in 1945. This logo is a reproduction of a lithograph created by the painter Alfred de Dreux in the nineteenth century. It depicts a coachman standing beside his horse, flanked by a great duke. Here too, the figure stands next to a vehicle pulled by a horse, quite a symbol! Since 2014, this original label has been replaced by a rectangle of embossed paper, on which the logo appears more discreetly, while the name Calèche is given greater prominence.
The sun-kissed yellow of Calèche Eau de Toilette
The other element that stands out in this visual has more to do with its coloring. Calèche Eau de Toilette casts a sun-kissed aura upon the world. Thus, the transparency of its walls lets us glimpse a pale yellow coloring. This is slightly lighter in its Eau de Toilette version than in its Eau de Parfum edition. It pairs beautifully with this perfume's golden label, as well as with the gold lacquering entirely covering its opaque cap.
Calèche Eau de Toilette is available in two spray bottles of different sizes. It comes in a 50 ml spray bottle, ideal for travel, or in a more generous 100 ml size.